Who wrote the book of Ephesians? Who was the author of Ephesians?

It is to this assembly that the Epistle to the Ephesians is addressed. The words “in Ephesus” in the greeting of chapter 1:1 are missing in some important old manuscripts of the NT (P46; in the Codex Sinaiticus and Vaticanus subsequently inserted). This has given rise to various speculations among theologians about author, the recipients, the purpose, and the time of the writing of this epistle. Today the most widespread opinion is that the Epistle to the Ephesians is an epistle addressed to various assemblies of Asia Minor (cf. Col 4:16: "... that you also read the one from Laodicea"). This view could not be proven until today. For most of the Greek manuscripts and old translations confirm the disputed words; all Greek manuscripts contain the heading "To the Ephesians," and several church fathers are of the opinion that the epistle is addressed to the Ephesians - such as Irenaeus (app. 140 - 202), Clement of Alexandria (app. 150 - 215), and Tertullian (app. 160 - 220). These are weighty arguments that the epistle, as its name indicates, is addressed to the Ephesians.

It is clear from various passages in the epistle that the author Paul, mentioning his name twice (Eph. 1:1; 3:1), was in captivity (Eph. 3:1; 4:1; 6:20). The epistle to the Ephesians, like the epistles addressed to the Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, belongs to the so-called "captivity epistles". That this refers to the time of the two-year Roman imprisonment of the apostle (Acts 28; Phil. 1,13; 4,22), was considered an established fact since earliest times. Only in more recent times, however, the two years of his imprisonment in Caesarea have been considered as a possible alternative – but also without conclusive reasons. The epistle was, therefore, probably written in the years 61 - 62 AD.

The Epistle to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul when he was a prisoner (chapter 3:1; 4:1; 6:20). There can be no doubt that the Colossian Epistle and the Epistle to Philemon were sent by Paul the same time as the Ephesian Epistle. The date was about 62 A.D. Tychicus and Onesimus, the runaway slave, but now through grace "a brother beloved" (Philemon 16) were sent to Colossae by Paul (Col. 4:7-9). Tychicus carried the letter addressed to the Colossians to correct the evils which had arisen in that church, and to warn them against the wicked doctrines which were being promulgated amongst them. Onesimus the slave carried that beautiful little Epistle addressed to his master Philemon. And at the same time when Tychicus and Onesimus left Rome, Paul handed to Tychicus the Epistle to the Ephesians. Never before and never after were such weighty and blessed documents entrusted to human messengers. The reception of the authorship of Paul has been almost universal; only in very recent times has the Pauline authorship been foolishly questioned by some rationalistic critics.

Some scholars claim that the words "at Ephesus" should be omitted and that the Epistle was not addressed to the Ephesians at all. The chief objection is, that if this Epistle is addressed to the church at Ephesus, it would be inexplicable that Paul should not have sent a single message of personal greeting to the Ephesians, amongst whom he had spent so long a time, and to whom he was bound by ties of such close affection. But there are also other Epistles written by Paul which do not contain such personal greetings; for instance, first and second Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, first and second Thessalonians and first Timothy. Other objections have been raised. Dean Alford states rightly "there is nothing in its contents inconsistent with such an address" (to the Ephesians). We find in it clear indications that its readers were mixed Jews and Gentiles (2:14; compare with Acts 19:10). it would seem quite improbable that the apostle should not have sent an epistle to Ephesus, where the Lord had so largely owned his testimony and where the Lord had so miraculously delivered him when he fought with beasts (1 Cor. 15:32). But while this Epistle was undoubtedly first sent to Ephesus, it may have been used as a kind of circular letter, being sent to and read by other assemblies. The Epistle mentioned in Col. 4:16 was probably this Epistle.

Ans.For centuries past that question has occupied the attention of theologians to little purpose. For our own part we have no difficulty in accepting the general belief that it was written by Paul, but the first word in the epistle, "God," shows the essential authorship!

But in Ephesians the aim is of a much more absolute and direct character. It is not the wants of man in any sense, either positively or negatively. Here God from Himself and for Himself is acting according to the riches of His own grace. Accordingly the very opening brings before us this astonishingly elevated manner of presenting the great truth with which the apostle's heart was filled. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God." (Eph. 1:1) It was pre-eminently for this that he had been chosen as an apostle; and he represents his apostleship not here as a question of calling, but "by the will of God:" everything in this epistle flows from the will of God; — "to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus."

In the brief introductory words to this Epistle, Paul speaks of himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. It is to be noticed that the will of God is repeatedly mentioned in this first chapter. All blessings mentioned in this Epistle flow from the will of God. What God hath done for us in Christ is "according to the good pleasure of His will" (verse 5). Then we read also of "having made known unto us the mystery of His will" (verse 9) and "who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (verse 11). This will of God goes back to eternity, before the foundation of the world. This will made the erstwhile persecutor of the Church, the apostle of Jesus Christ, the instrument through whom that blessed will of God is now fully revealed. The Epistle is addressed "to the saints and to the faithful in Christ Jesus." This does not mean two classes of believers. All believers are saints--separated ones. Yet a saint may not be faithful. Many who are saved by grace and are constituted saints in Christ are unfaithful in their walk and testimony. The words "to the saints and to the faithful in Christ Jesus" correspond to the two divisions of the Epistle. in the first three chapters we learn that God has made us His saints in Christ; in the last three chapters we are exhorted to walk in obedience and be faithful.

In Ephesians he has no object of a controversial kind, nor of laying down the christian foundations of truth, as in the case of the Roman saints. But he does put forward his apostolic function — "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ." He shows fully out of what it sprang; that same "will of God," out of which flowed their own blessing. He is about to trace, first the individual blessing, and then the corporate. It is quite a mistake to suppose that the former is a deeper thing than the latter. On the contrary, our highest blessings are connected with what we have as individuals. Fully acknowledging the blessedness of what is corporate, what we have individually is higher still; and it is the way of God's Spirit to begin with this before entering upon what is common. Hence I think he here addresses "the saints which were at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus," as such. They were the Church there, not only gathered formally, but intelligently so. They had had the Apostle Paul there, who had been God's instrument in that work. There were twelve men who believed before Paul went there; but they never received the Holy Ghost after the Pentecost sort till Paul's visit. It is the personal presence of the Holy Ghost, founded upon our faith in Christ dead and risen, that brings us into this church character. But the Holy Ghost, besides making us members of Christ's body, the Church, also gives us the consciousness of our relationship as sons with His God and Father. He addresses "the Church of God at Corinth" as such, when he is speaking of points that concern order and discipline. Here he is going to look at the Church in a far higher point of view; yet he begins with what is individual: "To the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." Then he introduces the twofold title of God already referred to — the same that our Lord announced when He rose from the dead, and sent the first message given to His disciples, by Mary Magdalene: "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God" — not "to the Almighty God," or "to Jehovah."

In the Epistle to the Romans we have the gospel as preached and taught by Paul; and in this to the Ephesians we have the assembly as administered by the same apostle, to whom this administration was committed. Therefore he does not associate another with him in the writing of these two epistles, as he does in his address to each of the other assemblies.

*The difference is the more striking, as the two Epistles seem to have been written at the same time, and sent by the same messenger. Compare Eph. 6:21, with Col. 4:7.

Note how he introduces his apostleship: "Paul apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God." Quite different is this from the opening of Galatians: "Paul apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, Who raised Him from the dead." Both forms of speech are in keeping with the character of the Epistles in which they are found. Paul was careful to establish for the Galatians that his ministry did not flow from Jerusalem as a centre, nor had he derived his authority through a human channel; but all was of God, having Christ risen as centre. Now in Ephesians, he purposes to show that all blessings for the saints in heavenly places flow from God's will (see in chap. 1:5, 9, 11), he therefore tells us that his apostleship had the same spring.

We have thus in the first half of the verse, the source, the will of God; the Person represented, our Lord Jesus Christ; the instrument, Paul. The second half of the verse shows to whom the epistle is addressed, "the saints." Note how completely assured the people of God are as to their position before Him, already "sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints" (1 Cor. 1:2). These "are at Ephesus," which suggests the special locality where gathered, but reminds us of that unity which pervades the whole Church of God which is one body, and therefore the local assembly but furnishes the special occasion for that which not only meets their individual need, but is for the Church of God in every place and time.

Verses 1, 2. "Paul, an apostle," etc. The introductory greeting contained in these verses differs but little in its terms from that which prefaces the Epistle to the Colossians, except in its omission of the associate name of Timotheus. In accordance with the general habit of the Apostle, when writing under the direct inspiration of God, both his own name and office, and the descriptive character of those whom he addresses, are expressed. It is, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God," who writes, while they who receive his epistle owe their privilege to the grace which has already made them "saints and faithful brethren in Christ."*