Commentary Compass

Ephesians presents an extraordinary opportunity and an equally substantial challenge for Christian preaching. Few New Testament letters bring together such a comprehensive vision of God’s saving purpose in Christ within so brief a space. The opening chapters move from election before the foundation of the world to the gathering together of all things in Christ, from spiritual death to resurrection life, and from the estrangement of Jews and Gentiles to their reconciliation within one new humanity. The later chapters then address humility, unity, ministry, truthfulness, forgiveness, sexual conduct, marriage, family relationships, slavery, and spiritual warfare. A preacher can easily become absorbed in these individual subjects and produce a series of theologically correct sermons without communicating the argument that connects them. The first task is therefore not simply to explain each paragraph accurately, but to understand how the entire letter develops a coherent account of God’s work in Christ and the kind of people that work creates.

My approach to preaching Ephesians begins with the same criterion I use when evaluating commentaries: the best balance of originality and usefulness. A commentator helps the preacher not merely by supplying an interesting interpretation, but by clarifying the text in a way that remains persuasive when its linguistic, historical, literary, and theological evidence is examined carefully. S. M. Baugh is exceptional for primary-source investigation and detailed exegesis, Constantine Campbell for Greek linguistics and union with Christ, Frank Thielman for balanced interpretive judgment, and Clinton Arnold for the supernatural powers and religious environment of Ephesus. Stephen Fowl contributes a sustained theological reading of the letter, while Bryan Chapell, Klyne Snodgrass, and John Stott help move from interpretation toward Christian proclamation. These resources are most valuable when used together rather than treated as competing authorities from which the preacher simply selects a preferred conclusion.

Several additional studies substantially enrich this process. Martin Wright’s The Dividing Wall challenges interpretations that separate Ephesians too sharply from the wider Pauline corpus, especially in the relationship between salvation by grace and reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles. Eric Covington’s Functional Teleology and the Coherence of Ephesians offers an ambitious account of how God’s cosmic purposes, the church’s identity, and Christian ethics belong together. Rikard Roitto’s Behaving as a Christ-Believer investigates how theological narratives and communal identity shape expected behavior, while Michael Immendörfer’s Ephesians and Artemis expands the historical investigation of the Ephesian religious environment through extensive use of archaeological and inscriptional evidence. Bonnie Thurston’s Reading Colossians, Ephesians, and 2 Thessalonians provides a more accessible literary-theological perspective, especially concerning the relationship between reconciliation, divine love, and household conduct. Their contributions are not equally persuasive at every point, but each can help a preacher recognize dimensions of Ephesians that might otherwise remain insufficiently explored.

The governing homiletical principle is that Ephesians does not simply move from theological information to practical advice. It describes God’s gracious creation of a reconciled people and calls that people to live according to the identity and purpose they have received in Christ. The ethical exhortations are therefore neither an appendix to the gospel nor a program through which Christians establish their worthiness before God. They are the appropriate expression of a new reality created through Christ’s death, resurrection, exaltation, and the gift of the Spirit. To preach Ephesians faithfully is to proclaim that reality with sufficient clarity that the commands become intelligible within it. The preacher should repeatedly move from what God has accomplished, to who believers have become in Christ, to how their common life should display the grace they have received.

The Controlling Message of Ephesians

The central theological movement of Ephesians can be expressed as follows: God is bringing all things together under the exalted Christ, and through Christ he is creating a reconciled, Spirit-indwelt people whose unity, maturity, and conduct anticipate the fulfillment of that purpose. This formulation brings together the cosmic vision of Ephesians 1:9–10, the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles in 2:11–22, the revelation of divine wisdom through the church in 3:10, the growth of the body toward maturity in 4:11–16, and the practical exhortations that follow. It also preserves the distinction between God’s sovereign accomplishment and the responsibility of believers to live according to what has been given. The church does not itself achieve the cosmic reconciliation announced in Ephesians 1, nor does moral progress produce the saving grace described in chapter 2. Rather, the church exists because of Christ’s reconciling work and is called to embody that work within a world where hostility, falsehood, exploitation, and spiritual opposition remain present.

Covington’s teleological interpretation is particularly helpful in clarifying the connection between these themes. He argues that God’s ultimate purpose for creation establishes the vocation of the church, while the church’s vocation gives direction to the conduct of individual believers. The body imagery of Ephesians 4 therefore concerns more than the practical advantages of cooperation, because each member contributes to the growth of the reconciled community toward its appointed maturity in Christ. The household instructions likewise belong within the larger account of a people whose ordinary relationships should reflect the character of the new humanity. This framework is useful for preaching because it prevents the later chapters from becoming a disconnected succession of moral topics. Nevertheless, it must remain an exegetical aid rather than a system imposed upon every expression in the letter. The preacher should establish the meaning of each passage before explaining how it contributes to the larger movement from God’s purpose to the church’s identity and conduct.

Wright provides an equally important corrective by reminding readers that the theology of Ephesians does not emerge independently of the earlier Pauline letters or the biblical story of Israel. The language of grace, works, reconciliation, the body of Christ, and God’s dwelling among his people has substantial relationships with Romans, Galatians, Corinthians, and the Old Testament. These connections are especially important for Christian preaching because a sermon must do more than summarize the theology of an isolated paragraph; it should explain how the passage participates in the unfolding revelation of God’s purposes. Yet biblical theology must not become a license to bypass the distinctive argument of Ephesians. The preacher should neither flatten Ephesians into Romans nor import a complete systematic theology into every occurrence of familiar Pauline vocabulary. Its particular achievement is to bring earlier biblical and Pauline themes into a sustained vision of reconciliation and maturity under the exalted Christ.

The Bridge from Exegesis to Biblical Theology and the Pulpit

1. Establish what the passage actually says

The first stage is close exegesis, beginning with the literary unit, its grammatical relationships, its key expressions, and its place within the immediate argument. Ephesians contains unusually long and complex Greek sentences, especially in its prayers and opening blessing, making it easy for translations or sermon outlines to obscure relationships among clauses. The preacher should identify the main assertion, the subordinate explanations, and the function of repeated terms before drawing theological conclusions. Questions about the meaning of faith, grace, fullness, headship, reconciliation, mystery, and spiritual powers require particular care because these words often carry considerable doctrinal significance. Baugh, Campbell, Thielman, Hoehner, and Best are especially useful at this stage, although their conclusions should be evaluated rather than adopted mechanically. The objective is not to reproduce a technical commentary in the pulpit, but to establish the textual argument so securely that the sermon can explain it without distortion.

2. Locate the passage within the movement of Ephesians

The second stage asks how the passage contributes to the theological and literary development of the letter. Ephesians repeatedly moves from God’s action to the identity of his people and from that identity to the conduct appropriate to it, but the relationship is more substantial than a simple division between doctrine and application. The opening blessing establishes the gracious divine purpose that underlies salvation, while the prayers seek spiritual understanding of what has already been given. The account of reconciliation creates the foundation for the later appeals to preserve unity, and the description of the church as Christ’s body prepares the reader for the discussion of gifts and growth toward maturity. Thurston is particularly useful in tracing this literary progression, while Fowl and Campbell provide sustained theological interpretations that allow earlier passages to illuminate later ones. A sermon should make these connections explicit without requiring the congregation to remember every detail of previous sermons. The aim is to help listeners understand each passage as a meaningful contribution to the letter’s larger argument.

3. Trace the biblical-theological connections without bypassing Israel

The third stage places Ephesians within the wider biblical story, especially the themes of creation, covenant, divine dwelling, kingship, reconciliation, and new creation. The letter’s language of election and inheritance cannot be separated from God’s dealings with Israel, while its temple imagery recalls the significance of divine presence and sacred dwelling throughout the Old Testament. The exaltation of Christ draws upon important psalmic traditions, and the armor of God has substantial roots in Isaiah’s portrayal of divine righteousness, salvation, and the divine warrior. The creation of one new humanity also raises important questions about how the promises to Israel are extended to Gentiles through Christ without simply erasing the earlier covenant history. Wright is especially helpful because he traces Pauline intertextual relationships while resisting the tendency to make authorship the controlling issue in interpretation. The preacher must not treat biblical theology as a collection of loosely associated cross-references. A responsible canonical connection should arise from a demonstrable thematic, verbal, or structural relationship and should clarify rather than replace the particular message of Ephesians.

4. Proclaim Christ as the center of the passage

Ephesians is thoroughly Christ-centered without requiring the preacher to manufacture an artificial connection between each exhortation and a separate episode from the Gospels. Its Christology is already comprehensive: believers are chosen in Christ, redeemed through his blood, made alive and raised with him, reconciled through his cross, united within his body, and strengthened by his exalted authority. The reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles rests upon his work rather than upon a general commitment to human tolerance, while the commands concerning love and forgiveness explicitly appeal to the self-giving grace demonstrated in him. Even the household instructions are shaped by the relationship between Christ and the church, and the concluding spiritual warfare passage presupposes the supremacy already announced in Ephesians 1. The preacher should therefore ask how Christ’s person, accomplishment, authority, and continuing relationship with his people make the passage intelligible. This is more faithful than attaching a conventional gospel conclusion to a sermon whose actual exposition has been detached from the letter’s Christological argument. Christ-centered preaching of Ephesians should arise naturally from the text’s pervasive account of life in and under the exalted Lord.

5. Move toward congregational application without returning to moralism

The final stage asks what a congregation should believe, love, reject, pursue, and practice in response to the text. Ephesians offers many direct commands, but they must be preached in a manner consistent with the grace that establishes Christian identity. An exhortation to forgive should arise from the forgiveness received in Christ, while an appeal to preserve unity should be grounded in the unity already created through his reconciling work. Teaching on Christian speech should recognize its contribution to the flourishing of the whole body, and instruction concerning ministry should explain why gifts are given for the maturity of all the saints rather than the prominence of individual leaders. Roitto’s cognitive analysis is particularly useful because it clarifies how the letter’s narrative of divine action creates an understanding of communal identity that makes certain behaviors appropriate and expected. Nevertheless, preaching must not turn such insights into techniques for manipulating group conformity or discouraging legitimate questions. Christian application is most faithful when it encourages responsible obedience, honest repentance, mutual care, and dependence upon the Spirit while keeping the saving initiative of God at the center.

A Twelve-Sermon Expository Series on Ephesians

The following series preserves the main literary and theological movements of Ephesians while allowing sufficient attention to difficult passages. A longer series could divide several units further, especially the opening blessing, the development of ethical exhortations in chapters 4–5, and the household instructions. The proposed divisions are designed to keep substantial arguments intact rather than create sermons around memorable phrases detached from their context. Each sermon should identify a clear textual claim, explain its biblical-theological significance, and develop applications that arise from the purpose of the passage rather than from a predetermined contemporary concern.

Sermon 1. Blessed in Christ Before the Foundation of the World — Ephesians 1:1–14

The first sermon should establish the letter’s doxological character by showing how the opening blessing celebrates God’s gracious action in Christ. Election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, inheritance, and the sealing of the Spirit belong within one sustained act of praise rather than forming an assortment of disconnected doctrinal topics. Baugh and Campbell are particularly helpful for understanding the long Greek sentence and the repeated expressions locating the blessings in Christ, while Covington can illuminate the purpose-oriented language that connects election with holiness and God’s ultimate intention to gather all things under Christ. The preacher should avoid allowing debates about predestination to consume the sermon so completely that the worshipful force of the passage disappears. It is important to explain the text’s claims about divine initiative and human dependence, but equally important to recognize that the passage repeatedly directs attention toward the praise of God’s glory. The appropriate pastoral response is therefore gratitude, assurance, humility, and wonder at God’s generosity rather than speculation about an abstract decree detached from Christ.

Sermon 2. Knowing the Power of the Exalted Christ — Ephesians 1:15–23

This sermon should follow the structure of Paul’s prayer, showing that the knowledge requested concerns the hope of God’s calling, the riches of his inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of his power toward believers. The description of Christ’s resurrection and exaltation supplies the objective demonstration of that power, placing him above every rule, authority, dominion, and name. Arnold is particularly helpful in explaining why such language could have been significant within the religious environment of western Asia Minor, while Campbell clarifies the relationship between Christ’s exaltation and the church as his body. Immendörfer’s research on the divine titles associated with Artemis may provide additional historical resonance, but deliberate allusions should not be asserted merely because similar honorific language existed within the local cult. The preacher should also resist transforming the power of Christ into a promise of personal success, social dominance, or freedom from all suffering. The prayer seeks deeper knowledge of the exalted Christ and greater confidence in God’s saving purposes, not mastery of supernatural power as a resource for independent human achievement.

Sermon 3. Saved by Grace, Created for Good Works — Ephesians 2:1–10

The theological movement of this passage is especially suitable for preaching because it moves from the former condition of spiritual death to the decisive intervention of divine mercy and the creation of new life in Christ. The repeated contrast between what believers once were and what God has accomplished should govern the structure of the sermon. The declaration that salvation is by grace through faith, not from works, excludes boasting and establishes the priority of God’s initiative, but the concluding description of believers as God’s workmanship created for good works also shows that salvation has a definite ethical purpose. Wright’s comparison with Romans 3 is particularly useful because it places the language of grace and works within the broader Pauline concern for Jew-Gentile inclusion, while Covington helps explain the connection between the new creation and transformed conduct. The preacher should resist the common mistake of treating the first nine verses as the gospel and verse 10 as an optional application. Grace both rescues people from their former condition and establishes a new way of life, so that obedience is neither the price of salvation nor irrelevant to its purpose.

Sermon 4. Christ Our Peace and the One New Humanity — Ephesians 2:11–22

This passage should be preached as one sustained movement from Gentile estrangement to reconciliation, citizenship, and the creation of God’s dwelling place. The command to remember former exclusion is essential because it explains the extraordinary generosity of Gentile inclusion within the covenantal story of Israel. Wright’s interpretation is especially valuable in showing how Ephesians develops the argument of Romans and Galatians rather than simply using familiar Pauline expressions for unrelated purposes, while Roitto offers an original proposal for understanding the relationship between Israel and the community of Christ-believers. The preacher should distinguish vertical reconciliation with God from horizontal reconciliation among formerly hostile peoples without separating the two, since both are accomplished through the cross of Christ. The imagery of the temple then portrays the reconciled community not merely as people permitted to enter sacred space but as the very dwelling place of God through the Spirit. Immendörfer’s comparisons with the Artemision can enrich the historical imagination, but Israel’s scriptural temple tradition and the earlier Pauline building imagery provide more secure exegetical foundations. The sermon should neither erase Israel’s continuing significance nor reduce reconciliation to generalized encouragement toward politeness or social cooperation.

Sermon 5. The Mystery Revealed and the Church’s Cosmic Witness — Ephesians 3:1–13

The central claim of this passage is that Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and participants in the promise through the gospel. The mystery is not an esoteric technique or secret spiritual knowledge reserved for an elite group, but God’s gracious purpose now revealed through Christ and proclaimed through the apostolic ministry. The most surprising development comes when the church is described as the means through which God’s manifold wisdom is made known to rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. Covington’s interpretation is particularly helpful because he places this ecclesial vocation within God’s larger purpose for creation, while Arnold clarifies the language of heavenly powers and the religious expectations that may have shaped its reception. Thurston also emphasizes the relationship among mystery, grace, and God’s plan, especially the significance assigned to the church within the divine purpose. The preacher should avoid implying that the church somehow achieves Christ’s cosmic victory through its own institutional power or numerical success. The emphasis belongs upon the revelation of divine wisdom through a reconciled people whose existence and witness demonstrate what God has accomplished in Christ.

Sermon 6. Knowing the Love That Surpasses Knowledge — Ephesians 3:14–21

This sermon should give careful attention to the structure and purpose of the second great prayer in Ephesians. The requests for spiritual strengthening, the indwelling of Christ, comprehension of divine love, and fullness in God develop themes already established in the preceding chapters. Thurston’s literary-theological interpretation is particularly useful because she recognizes the prayer as both a summary of the opening theological argument and a preparation for the ethical exhortations that follow. The implicit references to Father, Spirit, and Son also reinforce the theological depth of the prayer without requiring the preacher to force it into a later doctrinal formula. Roitto’s analysis can help explain why knowledge, love, and spiritual development are presented as mutually related dimensions of Christian identity rather than independent achievements. Nevertheless, the sermon should not turn the language of fullness into a measurable program through which individual believers demonstrate spiritual superiority. The prayer directs the congregation toward deeper dependence upon divine grace and the love of Christ, which exceeds the limits of purely intellectual comprehension while shaping the shared life of God’s people.

Sermon 7. Growing Together into Christ — Ephesians 4:1–16

The transition at Ephesians 4:1 should be treated as a theological consequence rather than a change from important doctrine to ordinary practical matters. The call to walk worthily arises from the divine calling already described, while the emphasis on humility, patience, gentleness, and love expresses the identity of the reconciled community. The confession of one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God provides the theological foundation for the preservation of unity. Campbell and Thielman are particularly valuable for the difficult interpretation of Psalm 68 and the distribution of gifts, while Covington’s analysis explains how differentiated functions contribute to the maturity of the body as a whole. Roitto offers a complementary perspective on leadership, teaching, knowledge, and the reinforcement of communal identity. The preacher should make clear that gifted leaders exist to equip the saints and contribute to the body’s growth rather than establish a permanent division between active ministers and passive recipients. The intended outcome is a community growing toward Christ through truth spoken in love and the participation of every member.

Sermon 8. Putting Off the Old Humanity and Speaking as Members of One Body — Ephesians 4:17–32

The practical instructions in this passage should be understood as the expression of a new identity rather than a collection of unrelated moral prohibitions. The contrast between the former Gentile way of life and the new humanity created in Christ provides the organizing theological framework. Falsehood is rejected because believers belong to one another, anger must not become an opportunity for evil, former thieves are called to work so that they may share with those in need, and speech should build up rather than harm the community. Roitto’s cognitive analysis is especially helpful because he investigates how the narrative of belonging to Christ creates expectations about conduct and how communal practices reinforce a shared identity. His emphasis on the role of speech and teaching can illuminate the seriousness of the passage, although it should not become a justification for suppressing legitimate disagreement or questioning. The preacher should move beyond an individualized checklist of moral improvement to consider the actual relationships in which truthfulness, forgiveness, generosity, and responsible speech become necessary. The concluding appeal to God’s forgiveness in Christ establishes the gracious foundation of the commands and prevents the sermon from reverting to moralism.

Sermon 9. Walking in Love and Living as Children of Light — Ephesians 5:1–21

The repeated language of walking provides an important connection between this passage and the earlier exhortations of Ephesians 4. Believers are called to imitate God as beloved children and to walk in love as Christ loved them and gave himself for them. The subsequent warnings concerning sexual immorality, greed, corrupt speech, and the works of darkness should be interpreted within that positive vision of self-giving love and a transformed community. The imagery of light and darkness develops the contrast between former and present identity, while the commands concerning wisdom, worship, thanksgiving, and Spirit-filled life show that Christian conduct is more than the avoidance of prohibited behavior. Thurston is helpful in tracing the literary movement toward Spirit-filled communal life, and Roitto can clarify how practices such as speech, singing, and thanksgiving contribute to the formation of shared identity. Immendörfer proposes possible connections between the language of light and darkness and religious practices associated with Artemis, but such suggestions require more evidence before becoming the foundation of a sermon. The preacher should avoid using this passage primarily to shame particular groups while leaving greed, manipulative speech, and other forms of communal corruption comparatively unexamined.

Sermon 10. Marriage under the Lordship and Love of Christ — Ephesians 5:21–33

Few passages in Ephesians require greater pastoral caution than the instructions concerning wives and husbands. The preacher must begin with the grammatical and literary relationship between Ephesians 5:21 and the following household instructions, while recognizing that the interpretation of mutual submission, headship, and differentiated responsibilities remains contested. Campbell, Thielman, Baugh, Cohick, and other major commentators provide important resources for evaluating the relevant Greek expressions and ancient social context. Thurston’s discussion of the household as a domestic and economic organization also reminds readers that the ancient setting differs substantially from the assumptions of a modern nuclear family. The central theological comparison is Christ’s love for the church, expressed through self-giving sacrifice rather than coercive domination. The passage should therefore never be used to justify domestic abuse, silence those seeking protection, or place the preservation of an abusive relationship above the safety of a vulnerable person. A faithful sermon must explain the text seriously while recognizing the distinction between responsible Christian teaching and the misuse of biblical authority to reinforce harmful patterns of control.

Sermon 11. Children, Parents, Slaves, and Masters under One Lord — Ephesians 6:1–9

The instructions to children, fathers, enslaved persons, and masters belong within the same household context and should not be detached from the preceding discussion of Christian identity and Christ-shaped relationships. The direct address to persons occupying subordinate positions within ancient households is significant, but it does not eliminate the unequal and sometimes coercive social structures in which they lived. Cohick and deSilva are especially useful for understanding those structures, while Thurston’s economic perspective helps explain why household relationships included labor and social dependency as well as family obligations. The instruction to fathers not to provoke their children deserves particular attention because it imposes a restraint upon the exercise of paternal authority and connects parental responsibility with the nurture and instruction appropriate to the Lord. The commands to masters likewise require them to abandon threats and recognize that the same heavenly Master judges without partiality. The preacher should not romanticize ancient slavery, treat it as equivalent to modern employment, or imply that Christian conduct makes coercive ownership of persons morally acceptable. The enduring theological issues concern the accountability of human authority, the dignity of those with less social power, and the demand that ordinary relationships be transformed under the lordship of Christ.

Sermon 12. Standing in God’s Armor and Praying for the Gospel — Ephesians 6:10–24

The final sermon should bring the cosmic and ethical dimensions of Ephesians together rather than treat spiritual warfare as an isolated subject introduced at the end of the letter. The believers are instructed to be strengthened in the Lord and stand against the schemes of the devil, but the power upon which they depend has already been displayed through Christ’s resurrection and exaltation in Ephesians 1. The armor imagery draws substantially upon Isaiah’s portrayal of divine righteousness, salvation, and the divine warrior, while the individual elements also correspond closely to the truth, faith, peace, and righteous conduct emphasized throughout the letter. Arnold is especially valuable for explaining how spiritual fears and protective practices may have shaped the hearing of this passage in Roman Asia, while Immendörfer proposes a possible local resonance between the flaming arrows of the evil one and traditions concerning Artemis. Such historical parallels are interesting, but they must not displace the stronger scriptural connections or turn the sermon into a speculative reconstruction of local demonic activity. The repeated command to stand emphasizes steadfastness within God’s provision rather than aggressive attempts to achieve a victory that Christ has failed to secure. The conclusion of the letter also emphasizes prayer and the bold proclamation of the gospel, reminding the preacher that spiritual perseverance is inseparable from dependence upon God and faithfulness to the message of Christ.

The Commentaries That Best Support This Preaching Approach

A productive sermon-preparation library should distinguish the different tasks that need to be completed. Some commentaries are indispensable for establishing the meaning of difficult Greek expressions and evaluating historical claims, while others are more effective in explaining how those conclusions contribute to the theology of Ephesians and the larger biblical canon. A further group is especially useful when the preacher must determine how the passage should be proclaimed to a contemporary congregation without distorting its historical or literary significance. The following resources should not all be used in the same way, and their relative value depends upon the stage of preparation. I would normally establish the exegesis with one or two major technical commentaries, then consult a theological or specialist work where it adds something distinctive, and finally consider how the resulting interpretation should shape the sermon.

S. M. Baugh, Ephesians (EEC) — Primary Exegetical Foundation

Baugh is my first recommendation for the initial stage of serious sermon preparation because his commentary combines exceptionally detailed Greek exegesis with extensive investigation of ancient historical and literary evidence. His research ranges from textual criticism and syntax to papyri, inscriptions, classical literature, ancient rhetoric, and the archaeology of Ephesus. This breadth is particularly useful when a passage contains an expression whose meaning has been influenced by repeated historical claims or familiar translations. Baugh frequently examines the primary evidence rather than relying upon the judgments of earlier commentators, and this independence gives his work unusual value for testing interpretations that have become conventional. His treatment of the historical environment, the structure of extended Greek sentences, the new humanity, and the theological significance of the church’s identity regularly supplies material that can improve the preacher’s understanding before any attempt at application begins. The main limitation is that the volume contains far more detail than should appear in a sermon, so the preacher must distinguish conclusions essential to the passage from information that is valuable primarily for research. Baugh should be used to strengthen the foundation of the sermon, not as a source of technical material that must somehow be incorporated into the public exposition. His greatest homiletical contribution is the confidence that comes from having investigated difficult questions responsibly before explaining the text simply.

Constantine R. Campbell, The Letter to the Ephesians (PNTC) — Linguistics, Union with Christ, and Theological Integration

Campbell is the commentary I would most often read alongside Baugh because his greatest strength lies in combining sophisticated linguistic analysis with an integrated understanding of participation in Christ. The repeated expressions describing believers as being in Christ, raised with Christ, incorporated into his body, and related to his fullness become central to the theology of the letter rather than incidental devotional language. Campbell distinguishes the functions of these expressions and explains how they contribute to salvation, reconciliation, ecclesial identity, and transformed conduct. His discussions of the relationship between the church and the exalted Christ, the interpretation of Psalm 68, the distribution of gifts, and the ethical implications of Christian identity are particularly useful for preaching. The commentary is also more manageable than the largest technical works, making it easier to follow the theological argument without repeatedly becoming absorbed in subsidiary debates. Certain semantic proposals require careful evaluation, especially where the relationship between faith and allegiance may influence the interpretation of individual Greek expressions. Nevertheless, Campbell’s overall contribution is unusually strong because his linguistic observations regularly lead toward a clearer understanding of the whole letter. For preaching Ephesians as a coherent account of life in Christ, he is one of the most useful contemporary guides.

Frank Thielman, Ephesians (BECNT) — Balanced Judgment on Difficult Passages

Thielman’s commentary is especially useful when the preacher needs an independently argued assessment of competing interpretations. His engagement with Greek grammar, lexical usage, ancient historical evidence, Israel’s Scriptures, and Pauline theology is substantial, but he rarely allows one method or theological concern to dominate the discussion. He is particularly valuable for evaluating claims about the meaning of difficult constructions, the use of Psalm 68 in Ephesians 4, the relationship between reconciliation and the new humanity, and the grammatical distinctions within the household instructions. Thielman generally identifies genuine uncertainty and explains why one interpretation is preferable without implying that every alternative has been conclusively eliminated. This restraint is important for preaching because congregations should not be asked to treat a disputed historical reconstruction as though it were the central message of an unambiguous biblical text. His exposition also maintains the literary movement of Ephesians, helping the preacher understand how individual passages contribute to the themes established in the opening chapters. The limitation is that Thielman is less concerned with developing a distinctive homiletical program than with explaining the text accurately and proportionately. He is therefore best used as a reliable exegetical guide whose conclusions can subsequently be brought into conversation with Fowl, Chapell, Snodgrass, or another theological and pastoral interpreter.

Clinton E. Arnold, Ephesians (ZECNT) — Historical Context and the Spiritual Powers

Arnold is indispensable whenever a sermon concerns Christ’s exaltation above the powers, the former spiritual condition of believers, the religious environment of Ephesus, or the concluding armor passage. His research into ancient magic, protective practices, supernatural names, the cult of Artemis, and religious expectations in Roman Asia provides a much more concrete understanding of the world in which Ephesians may have been heard. The language of Christ’s supremacy can become especially meaningful when readers recognize that ancient people frequently sought protection from powers they believed capable of affecting ordinary life. Arnold’s discussions therefore help prevent the spiritual language of Ephesians from being reduced to abstract theological categories detached from the experience of its possible first-century audience. He also combines historical specialization with detailed exegesis and theological interpretation, making the commentary useful beyond passages explicitly concerned with supernatural forces. The principal caution is that the presence of similar religious practices does not establish that every reference to power, protection, or spiritual conflict directly addresses a particular magical belief. Israel’s Scriptures and the wider Pauline tradition also provide substantial foundations for the language of Ephesians. The preacher should use Arnold to illuminate the historical possibilities while allowing the text’s immediate argument to determine what belongs in the sermon.

Andrew T. Lincoln, Ephesians (WBC) — Literary and Theological Architecture

Lincoln remains especially valuable for preaching because his extended explanations show how individual exegetical decisions contribute to the theological character of the whole letter. His discussions of cosmic Christology, realized eschatology, reconciliation, the body and fullness imagery, ecclesial maturity, and the relationship between the theological and ethical portions of Ephesians have substantially shaped subsequent scholarship. He is particularly strong in connecting the church’s identity with Christ’s exalted position and explaining how the present experience of salvation relates to its future completion. His interpretation of Israel’s Scriptures also helps clarify the theological significance of the letter’s use of Psalms and other biblical traditions. The principal reservation is his post-Pauline framework, which sometimes assigns theological differences to a reconstructed later ecclesial setting when other explanations remain possible. Wright’s more recent study provides an important counterbalance by demonstrating that several apparently distinctive features of Ephesians also have substantial relationships with earlier Pauline writings. Nevertheless, Lincoln’s judgments are sufficiently developed to make disagreement productive, and his theological discussions frequently illuminate the sermon even where his historical conclusions are rejected. I would consult him especially when seeking to understand how a passage contributes to the letter’s wider theological vision rather than merely resolving a grammatical question.

Stephen E. Fowl, Ephesians: A Commentary (NTL) — Reading Ephesians as Scripture for the Church

Fowl is one of the most rewarding resources for the movement from exegesis toward Christian theological interpretation because he consistently asks how Ephesians functions as Scripture within the life of the church. His attention to reconciliation, ecclesial identity, moral formation, divine wisdom, and Christian community enables him to develop connections that can remain underexplored in technically focused commentaries. He is especially valuable in Ephesians 2:11–22, where Gentile inclusion must be understood without simply erasing Israel’s history or reducing reconciliation to the elimination of social hostility. His treatment of the ethical exhortations likewise keeps the formation of a particular kind of community at the center, rather than transforming the later chapters into independent instructions for private morality. Fowl is relatively restrained about allowing unresolved questions of authorship to govern interpretation, which can be particularly useful when the preacher must explain the canonical text rather than reconstruct every stage of its possible composition. The weakness is that he does not provide exhaustive linguistic or archaeological analysis, and some theological applications require confirmation through more detailed exegesis. Nevertheless, his commentary is exceptionally useful for identifying why a passage matters within the letter’s larger vision of God’s people. I would often turn to Fowl after completing the technical work in Baugh, Campbell, or Thielman and before developing the main theological movement of the sermon.

Bryan Chapell, Ephesians (REC) — Grace-Centered Expository Preaching

Chapell is particularly valuable for pastors because his exposition consistently seeks to explain how Christian obedience arises from the grace of God rather than functioning as a means of earning divine favor. This emphasis is especially appropriate to Ephesians, where the extraordinary saving accomplishments described in chapters 1–3 establish the identity and responsibilities of the reconciled community. His treatment of grace, the church, sanctification, household relationships, and spiritual perseverance regularly moves from textual explanation toward theological significance and pastoral proclamation. The Reformed expository orientation provides a coherent understanding of salvation and transformation while keeping the practical concerns of congregational life visible. Chapell’s strength is not independent archaeological or linguistic research, and some redemptive-historical connections require examination to ensure that they arise from the particular passage rather than a familiar homiletical pattern. Nevertheless, he is especially useful when a sermon risks becoming a list of obligations detached from the gospel. His exposition repeatedly reminds the preacher that the commands of Ephesians are addressed to people whose identity has been established by Christ’s saving work. For moving from a carefully established exegetical conclusion toward a grace-centered sermon, Chapell remains one of the strongest resources available.

Klyne Snodgrass, Ephesians (NIVAC) — Disciplined Movement Toward Application

Snodgrass offers a particularly useful model for the final stages of sermon preparation because the NIV Application Commentary format requires movement from the original meaning of the text through its theological significance to contemporary Christian practice. He is especially effective when explaining why the applications of Ephesians must arise from the identity and purposes of the reconciled community rather than from general moral principles detached from the letter. His discussions of grace and works, unity, Christian maturity, sexual ethics, household relationships, and spiritual warfare repeatedly ask what changes when the passage is understood within the full argument of Ephesians. The format also encourages attention to the difference between the historically specific forms in which a command was originally expressed and the theological responsibilities that remain relevant to contemporary congregations. Snodgrass does not provide the same level of independent Greek or historical investigation as the largest technical commentaries, and some applications naturally reflect the pastoral concerns of his publication period. Nevertheless, his interpretive discipline is particularly valuable because application is treated as a task requiring careful reasoning rather than an opportunity for the preacher to introduce unrelated contemporary concerns. I would use Snodgrass after establishing the passage’s meaning with a technical commentary and developing its biblical-theological significance. His work is especially useful for testing whether the sermon genuinely moves from exegesis to faithful congregational response.

John Stott, The Message of Ephesians (BST) — Proclaiming God’s New Society

Stott remains one of the most effective expositors of Ephesians because he communicates the letter’s vision of God’s new society with exceptional clarity. His interpretation brings together election, redemption, reconciliation, the church, transformed conduct, family relationships, and spiritual warfare within a sustained account of God’s work in Christ. The new humanity of Ephesians 2 becomes especially important because the unity of the church is presented as a central achievement of the gospel rather than an optional social consequence of individual salvation. Stott is also skilled at expressing substantial theological ideas in language suitable for public proclamation, which can help the preacher identify the central claim of a passage without reproducing the technical apparatus of a scholarly commentary. His attention to the relationship between the theological and ethical portions of the letter makes the work particularly rewarding for preparing a sustained sermon series. The limitations arise from its relatively brief treatment of Greek, historical reconstruction, and competing critical interpretations, together with the age of some of its social applications. Nevertheless, Stott remains a valuable model of how thoughtful exposition can communicate the grandeur of Ephesians while retaining a direct concern for the life of the church. I would use him not as a substitute for careful exegetical research but as an example of how that research can become intelligible, coherent, and persuasive Christian preaching.

What the Five Newly Examined Volumes Add to Sermon Preparation

The five additional studies deserve particular attention because they illuminate different stages of the movement from textual interpretation to proclamation. Wright strengthens the canonical and Pauline connections that inform biblical theology, Covington develops a conceptual account of the letter’s coherence, Roitto investigates how Christian identity shapes behavior and communal expectations, Immendörfer enlarges the historical evidence concerning the Ephesian religious environment, and Thurston clarifies the literary progression from divine grace to transformed life. None should simply be added to every sermon-preparation bibliography as an obligatory extra source. Their value lies in the particular questions they help answer and the limitations of their arguments that must remain visible. The following assessments therefore concentrate not merely on what each book contributes academically, but on how a preacher can use its insights responsibly.

Martin Wright, The Dividing Wall: Ephesians and the Integrity of the Corpus Paulinum — Recovering Pauline Continuity and Canonical Theology

Wright makes an especially important contribution to biblical-theological preaching because he challenges the assumption that Ephesians should be interpreted primarily through its disputed relationship to the historical Paul. His study argues that the modern division between authentic and disputed Pauline letters can distort exegesis by encouraging readers to emphasize discontinuities while neglecting the theological relationships among the letters. Instead of treating Ephesians as a source of evidence for a prior conclusion concerning authorship, Wright proposes reading it within the Pauline corpus as an interconnected collection of writings that receive and reinterpret one another. This approach has substantial consequences for preaching because it encourages the interpreter to recognize Ephesians as part of a continuing Pauline conversation rather than a theological statement detached from Romans, Galatians, Corinthians, or Colossians. Wright does not deny that authorship and chronology matter, but he argues that these questions should not determine the interpretive value assigned to every literary relationship. His historical investigation of the formation and reception of the Pauline corpus provides the foundation for this approach, while his critique of modern authorship-centered interpretation exposes assumptions that can remain invisible within otherwise sophisticated commentary discussions. The book therefore helps the preacher distinguish historical-critical questions from the canonical and theological relationships through which Scripture can be interpreted responsibly.

The clearest homiletical contribution appears in Wright’s treatment of Ephesians 2:8–22. He argues that the progression from salvation by grace through faith to Jew-Gentile reconciliation closely resembles the theological logic of Romans 3, where the exclusion of boasting and the inadequacy of works are connected with God’s saving generosity toward both Jews and Gentiles. This reading challenges sermons that divide Ephesians 2 into an account of individual salvation followed by a largely independent appeal for social harmony. The command to remember former Gentile estrangement becomes essential to understanding grace, because the generosity of inclusion is intelligible only when the covenantal privileges previously associated with Israel are taken seriously. Wright also brings the temple imagery into conversation with 1 Corinthians, showing how Ephesians integrates earlier Pauline descriptions of the church within a new context. His investigation of the body of Christ similarly challenges interpretations that treat later Pauline ecclesiology as a fundamental departure from the earlier emphasis upon charismatic community. The result is a richer account of reconciliation, ecclesial unity, and participation in Christ that can substantially improve preaching of Ephesians 2–4.

The main qualification is that a canonical approach must not obscure genuine historical or theological differences between the individual letters. Wright’s argument should not be used to claim that authorship is irrelevant, that the Pauline corpus contains no significant tensions, or that every passage in Ephesians can be explained directly from Romans or Corinthians. He generally recognizes these limitations and does not advocate a simplistic harmonization of the texts. Nevertheless, his emphasis upon the relationships within the Pauline corpus is especially valuable for sermons that must move from the immediate passage toward wider biblical theology. I would consult Wright most frequently for Ephesians 2:8–22, the new humanity, the church as God’s building, and the body of Christ. His contribution is less immediately useful for preparing every individual sermon in the letter, but where those central themes are concerned, his work provides a significant improvement over approaches that isolate Ephesians from the larger Pauline witness.

Eric Covington, Functional Teleology and the Coherence of Ephesians — Showing Why the Theology and Ethics Belong Together

Covington’s specialist study addresses one of the most important problems facing anyone who preaches a sustained series through Ephesians: how the apparently diverse themes of cosmic Christology, reconciliation, ecclesiology, eschatology, and ethical conduct form a coherent argument. His central proposal is that the letter employs a form of functional teleology in which God’s purpose for creation establishes the vocation of the church, while the church’s vocation provides the rationale for the conduct expected of individual believers. The gathering together of all things in Christ, announced in Ephesians 1:10, therefore supplies the cosmic horizon within which the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles becomes intelligible. The church does not simply exist as an institution receiving salvation, but has a role in displaying divine wisdom within the created order. Individual believers, in turn, contribute through their different functions to the maturity and proper development of that reconciled body. Covington develops this argument through extensive comparison with ancient philosophical and Jewish ethical traditions and through a substantial examination of Thomas Aquinas’s interpretation of Ephesians. The resulting framework is ambitious and intellectually demanding, but it offers a valuable explanation of why the ethical exhortations of chapters 4–6 should not be treated as independent practical advice appended to a theological introduction.

The most fruitful homiletical applications appear in Ephesians 1:10, 2:11–22, 3:10, and 4:11–16. Covington explains how God’s purpose to bring creation under Christ gives meaning to the church’s unity, while the body metaphor clarifies the differentiated functions through which individual members contribute to the flourishing of the whole. This perspective is particularly valuable when preaching about ministry and spiritual gifts, since the emphasis should fall upon the church’s growth toward maturity rather than the prestige or authority of particular leaders. Covington also helps explain why the ordinary ethical instructions of Ephesians are not insignificant when compared with its cosmic vision. Truthfulness, forgiveness, mutual responsibility, and faithfulness within the household all belong to the life of a community whose existence anticipates God’s larger purpose. His discussion of the relationship between Ephesians 2:15 and 6:2–3 also offers an interesting proposal concerning the law, suggesting that the apparent tension between the abolition of the law and the citation of the fifth commandment can be understood through Christ’s fulfillment of the Torah’s purpose. Such interpretations can generate useful theological questions, even where the exegetical conclusions remain debatable.

The major caution is that functional teleology is a broad explanatory category capable of making many ancient ethical traditions appear conceptually similar. The preacher should therefore avoid treating the framework as proof that every command in Ephesians is explicitly derived through a particular philosophical model. The letter’s own language and scriptural background must remain the primary evidence for establishing its theological relationships. It is also important not to imply that the church’s fulfillment of its purpose becomes a condition for obtaining the saving grace already announced in Ephesians 2. Covington’s approach is most useful when it clarifies the direction of Christian conduct rather than converts the gospel into an achievement-oriented program. I would read the book as a theological companion for constructing an entire sermon series, particularly when preparing the introductory overview and the sermons on ecclesial maturity. It provides an unusually substantial explanation of why the cosmic and practical dimensions of Ephesians belong together.

Rikard Roitto, Behaving as a Christ-Believer — Explaining How Christian Identity Shapes Conduct

Roitto’s study is particularly useful when the preacher reaches the transition from Ephesians 1–3 to chapters 4–6 and asks why the letter assumes that belonging to Christ should produce particular patterns of behavior. Using cognitive psychology, social identity theory, and research into communal norms, Roitto investigates how theological narratives shape a group’s understanding of itself and the conduct expected of its members. His central insight is that Ephesians does not merely present theological propositions followed by independent moral commands. The narrative of God’s saving action creates an identity in which holiness, love, knowledge, the influence of the Spirit, and communal unity become characteristic of belonging to Christ. The behavioral expectations of the later chapters are therefore integrated into the recipients’ understanding of who they are rather than simply imposed upon them as external obligations. Roitto also emphasizes that identity and behavior can reinforce one another, since shared practices contribute to the community’s continuing understanding of its beliefs and values. This analytical perspective is useful for preaching because it explains why the moral exhortations of Ephesians are so closely connected with the language of the new humanity and life in Christ.

His investigation of social categories also enriches the interpretation of Jew-Gentile reconciliation. Roitto proposes that the community of Christ-believers can be understood as a distinctive subgroup within the wider category of Israel, offering an alternative to interpretations that simply identify the church as an expanded Israel or as an unrelated replacement community. This model raises valuable questions about how Gentile believers understand their inclusion within the covenant story while retaining an identity distinct from their former religious environment. Roitto’s discussion of leadership and speech is similarly illuminating because he investigates how teaching, accepted communal language, and shared beliefs contribute to the maintenance of collective identity. He also examines the household instructions as an attempt to bring existing domestic roles under the wider identity of belonging to Christ. These observations can help preachers recognize that Ephesians addresses social relationships and communal expectations, not merely the private moral development of individuals. The contribution is especially useful for sermons on Ephesians 4:1–16, 4:17–32, and 5:21–6:9.

The important limitation is methodological and pastoral. Contemporary cognitive models can illuminate plausible processes through which ancient communities formed and maintained identity, but they cannot demonstrate precisely how the original recipients experienced every aspect of the letter. Some conclusions concerning leadership, conformity, exclusion, and the regulation of communal speech may describe possible social effects rather than demonstrable authorial intentions. Preachers should also be careful not to convert observations about identity formation into techniques for suppressing dissent or pressuring congregations toward unquestioning conformity. Ephesians certainly emphasizes shared teaching and unity, but its commands concerning truthfulness, humility, love, and mutual responsibility must themselves govern the exercise of authority. Roitto is most valuable when he helps explain the relationship between God’s action and the conduct appropriate to a reconciled people, rather than when a theoretical model becomes the primary authority for interpreting communal life. His study provides an original and useful perspective on Christian moral formation, especially when supplemented by the grammatical and historical work of the leading commentaries.

Michael Immendörfer, Ephesians and Artemis — Using the Ephesian Religious Background Without Overstating Allusions

Immendörfer provides an exceptionally extensive investigation of the possible relationship between Ephesians and the cult of Artemis, drawing upon archaeological remains, inscriptions, ancient literature, and the religious history of the city. His study considers the Artemision, the goddess’s honorific titles and divine attributes, religious festivals, protective functions, ritual practices, and the vocabulary associated with Ephesian worship. He argues that numerous features of Ephesians may deliberately echo this local religious environment without explicitly naming Artemis. These proposed connections include the language of divine greatness and cosmic authority, the church as a temple, themes of inheritance and citizenship, religious protection, and the armor and flaming arrows associated with spiritual conflict. Particularly interesting is his comparison between Ephesians and Colossians, where he suggests that some differences between otherwise related passages may reflect the distinctive religious environment of Ephesus. The resulting historical material is valuable because it reminds preachers that biblical letters were heard within actual social and religious worlds rather than in isolation from the everyday experiences of their recipients. His work also demonstrates how local inscriptions and archaeological discoveries can expand the historical questions brought to the biblical text.

The greatest preaching value lies in helping congregations understand why certain images may have carried considerable force within an ancient urban environment dominated by temples, civic religion, and claims about divine protection. Ephesians 2:19–22 may have been especially vivid to readers familiar with monumental sacred architecture, while the declaration that Christ is exalted above every name and power could have challenged broader assumptions about the supernatural hierarchy. Immendörfer’s discussion of the flaming arrows of the evil one in Ephesians 6:16 is particularly stimulating because arrows belonged to the traditional imagery associated with Artemis. These comparisons can make historical exposition more concrete and help modern congregations appreciate the religious world from which Gentile converts emerged. Nevertheless, the preacher must carefully distinguish general cultural resonance from deliberate authorial allusion. Many expressions concerning divine greatness, temple construction, protection, and spiritual conflict were widely used in antiquity and also possess substantial foundations in the Old Testament. The presence of similar language within Ephesian inscriptions therefore does not establish that a particular passage is consciously criticizing the cult of Artemis.

For this reason, Immendörfer should be used as a historical specialist rather than as the controlling interpretive framework for a sermon series. His accumulation of parallels sometimes leads to conclusions concerning the recipients, the historical setting, and the authorship of Ephesians that I do not regard as sufficiently demonstrated. A preacher should not announce that the dividing wall of Ephesians 2 necessarily refers to a particular feature of the Artemision, or that the flaming arrows of Ephesians 6 are definitively an attack upon Artemis worship, simply because a possible parallel can be identified. The stronger scriptural backgrounds and immediate theological argument must retain priority. Arnold, Baugh, and Thielman provide valuable checks on the historical proposals and can help determine whether a suggested local connection genuinely improves the interpretation. Immendörfer is particularly useful for preparing sermons on Ephesians 1:20–23, 2:19–22, and 6:10–20, but his most responsible contribution to preaching is to expand historical awareness while encouraging careful discrimination between possibility and demonstrated meaning.

Bonnie Thurston, Reading Colossians, Ephesians, and 2 Thessalonians — Keeping the Literary and Theological Movement Visible

Thurston’s literary-theological commentary is especially useful for preachers because it concentrates on the major thought units and theological movement of Ephesians rather than attempting exhaustive treatment of every Greek construction. Her exposition follows the letter from the opening blessing and prayer through salvation and reconciliation, the mystery of God’s plan, the ethical exhortations, and the closing encouragement. She recognizes the close relationship between the divine initiative described in chapters 1–3 and the new way of life expected in chapters 4–6, making the connection between theology and practice consistently visible. Her treatment of Ephesians 3:14–21 is particularly rewarding because she understands the prayer as both a summary of the preceding theological argument and a transition into the ethical material that follows. The emphasis upon spiritual strengthening, divine love, and fullness helps explain why the subsequent commands concerning unity, maturity, and Christian conduct should be interpreted within the larger experience of God’s grace. Thurston also pays attention to the way Ephesians employs familiar literary and theological patterns while developing distinctive emphases in relation to Colossians. The result is a commentary that is accessible enough for sustained reading but substantial enough to support thoughtful sermon preparation.

Her treatment of the household instructions offers a particularly stimulating example of the value of social-historical interpretation. Drawing upon Charles Talbert, Thurston considers whether the ancient household should be understood not merely as the equivalent of the modern nuclear family, but as a domestic and economic organization that could include extended relatives, enslaved persons, freed persons, employees, and commercial activities. This perspective helps explain why the instructions concern relationships of authority and responsibility within an interconnected social structure rather than only private family life. The approach also encourages attention to the relationship between Spirit-filled worship, mutual responsibility, and the obligations of those occupying different positions within the household. The analogy must not be stretched, however, because ancient slavery and household domination cannot simply be translated into modern employment or domestic organization. Thurston’s discussion is most valuable when it illuminates the social world of the text and prevents contemporary assumptions from being projected uncritically onto the first century. Her literary emphasis also helps the preacher keep the household passage connected with the larger vision of reconciliation and life in Christ.

The limitations are principally the relatively modest amount of independent primary-source research and the dependence upon scholarly arguments developed before the volume’s eventual publication in 2007. Thurston’s acceptance of a deutero-Pauline framework and particular assumptions about the relationship between Ephesians and Colossians should also be evaluated alongside more recent linguistic and historical scholarship. The commentary is less useful than Baugh, Campbell, or Thielman for resolving difficult grammatical questions, and it does not offer the same kind of original theological reconstruction found in Wright or Covington. Nevertheless, its strength lies precisely in making the letter’s literary and theological progression intelligible without overwhelming the reader with technical disputes. I would recommend reading Thurston’s Ephesians section consecutively before constructing the detailed sermon series, particularly when the preacher needs to recognize the connections among the main literary units. It is a valuable bridge between technical research and the clear communication of the letter’s central themes, even though it should not be treated as the final authority on disputed historical or exegetical issues.

Two Worked Examples of Moving from Exegesis to Proclamation

Example 1. Ephesians 2:1–22 — From Grace to the Reconciliation of a New Humanity

A common preaching approach divides Ephesians 2 into two distinct sermons, one concerning individual salvation by grace through faith and another concerning reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles. This division can be entirely appropriate for managing the length of the exposition, but the preacher must preserve the connection between the two units. Wright’s interpretation provides an important corrective by identifying a theological progression similar to that of Romans 3, where the inadequacy of human works and the gracious character of salvation lead toward the inclusion of Jews and Gentiles within God’s saving purpose. The command to remember former Gentile estrangement in Ephesians 2:11 therefore follows naturally from the preceding declaration that salvation is God’s gift rather than human achievement. The recipients must understand that their new identity has been granted through Christ, not acquired because they possessed some prior covenantal or moral entitlement. This makes reconciliation an expression of divine grace rather than merely a new social arrangement achieved through human goodwill.

The biblical-theological movement should begin with the significance of Israel’s covenant history and the promises from which Gentiles were formerly estranged. The preacher can then explain how the cross of Christ creates peace by reconciling both groups to God and to one another within a single body. The temple imagery provides the culmination of the passage, portraying the reconciled community as God’s dwelling through the Spirit rather than simply a collection of individuals whose religious differences have been set aside. Fowl’s theological reading can help prevent the interpretation from becoming supersessionist, while Campbell and Thielman clarify the relationship between corporate incorporation and the work of Christ. Covington adds that the reconciled community has a vocation within God’s larger purpose for creation, while Roitto raises useful questions about how the new identity affects the attitudes and conduct of former outsiders. Immendörfer’s comparison with Ephesian sacred architecture can enrich the historical imagination, but the sermon should not depend upon a specific Artemis-related allusion that remains uncertain.

The homiletical center is that Christ’s grace creates a people who could not have created their shared belonging through their own achievements. Applications should therefore address pride, ethnic hostility, spiritual superiority, indifference toward other Christians, and the temptation to treat the church as a voluntary association of people who already share similar backgrounds. The preacher should also resist turning the passage into a generic appeal for social harmony that could be delivered without reference to the cross. The unity of Ephesians 2 is not produced by lowering theological expectations or ignoring the particularity of Israel’s history, but through Christ’s reconciling work and the gift of the Spirit. The practical summons is for congregations to acknowledge their dependence upon grace and to display that grace within actual relationships of truthfulness, hospitality, humility, forgiveness, and shared worship. A sermon that preserves this progression moves responsibly from the text through biblical theology to concrete Christian proclamation.

Example 2. Ephesians 6:10–20 — From the Divine Warrior to Steadfast Christian Witness

The concluding spiritual warfare passage is another place where a preacher can move too quickly from the biblical text to contemporary applications. The armor imagery is memorable, and its individual components easily become the basis for practical illustrations or techniques concerning spiritual protection. Yet the passage begins by calling believers to be strengthened in the Lord and in the power of his might, which directs attention back to the resurrection and exaltation of Christ described in Ephesians 1. The armor imagery also has substantial roots in Isaiah’s portrayal of divine righteousness, salvation, and the equipment of the divine warrior. These connections are more secure than attempts to identify each weapon with a particular magical practice or ancient deity. Arnold’s historical work can enrich understanding of the religious fears surrounding supernatural powers, while Immendörfer’s investigation of Artemis provides possible local resonances that should be presented cautiously rather than treated as established allusions. The preacher’s first responsibility is to establish the text’s claim that believers stand through God’s provision within the victory and authority of the exalted Christ.

The biblical-theological progression runs from God’s warfare against evil in Israel’s Scriptures to Christ’s triumph and the continuing responsibility of his people to remain faithful. The emphasis upon truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God should be connected with the moral and theological themes already developed throughout Ephesians. The congregation is not suddenly being introduced to an entirely different spiritual program after receiving instructions concerning unity, truthful speech, forgiveness, and household relationships. Those ordinary practices belong to the life of people resisting evil through their allegiance to Christ and dependence upon the Spirit. Covington’s interpretation helps explain why spiritual perseverance forms part of the church’s vocation within God’s cosmic purpose, while Roitto can clarify how beliefs about spiritual influence and communal identity shape expectations concerning behavior. The repeated command to stand is particularly important because it emphasizes endurance and steadfastness rather than human triumphalism or attempts to exercise independent control over unseen powers.

The sermon should therefore resist sensationalism, elaborate speculation concerning demons, and the temptation to identify particular human opponents as enemies to be attacked in the name of spiritual warfare. Ephesians explicitly distinguishes the church’s struggle from a conflict against flesh and blood, while its earlier exhortations call believers to love, forgive, speak truthfully, and preserve unity. The final emphasis upon prayer and bold proclamation of the gospel is also crucial, since the spiritual battle is inseparable from dependence upon God and faithful witness to Christ. A contemporary congregation may need encouragement to persevere amid suffering, resist deceptive teaching, reject bitterness, practice truthfulness, and pray for those proclaiming the gospel. These applications arise naturally from the language of the passage and its place within Ephesians rather than from a speculative account of supernatural techniques. The sermon can conclude the series by returning to its beginning: the Christ who has been exalted above every power is the one in whose strength the reconciled community is called to stand.

Common Mistakes When Preaching Ephesians

Turning the first three chapters into doctrine and the final three into moral advice

The division between theology and ethics is convenient for outlining the letter, but it becomes misleading when the later commands are detached from the gracious realities established earlier. The preacher must repeatedly explain that Christian conduct arises from an identity created through God’s action in Christ, rather than functioning as a program through which people earn acceptance or maintain their position through moral achievement. Covington’s account of divine purpose and Roitto’s analysis of identity formation both provide useful perspectives on this relationship, although neither framework should replace the text’s own theological logic. The commands concerning unity, truthfulness, forgiveness, household relationships, and perseverance become intelligible because the recipients belong to the reconciled people created through Christ. When that relationship is lost, sermons can become morally demanding but theologically impoverished. Faithful exposition should therefore make explicit the connection between divine initiative and human responsibility, allowing grace to remain the foundation of obedience throughout the entire series.

Treating Jew-Gentile reconciliation as though Israel’s history no longer matters

Ephesians 2 does not present Gentile inclusion as the discovery that covenant history was ultimately insignificant. The command to remember former estrangement is central to understanding why being brought near through Christ is an extraordinary act of grace. Wright’s canonical analysis is especially valuable in demonstrating the relationship with Romans and Galatians, while Fowl emphasizes the importance of resisting readings that effectively detach the church from Israel. Roitto’s social-identity interpretation raises further questions about the relationship between the community of Christ-believers and the wider covenantal identity of Israel, although his specific subgroup proposal remains open to debate. The preacher should avoid presenting Christianity as a morally superior replacement for a rejected Judaism or suggesting that the church’s existence renders the promises to Israel irrelevant. A responsible sermon explains that reconciliation occurs through the Jewish Messiah and the cross, bringing Gentiles into the saving purposes of the God of Israel. This preserves the historical depth of the passage and prevents a theology of grace from being transformed into another form of religious superiority.

Making the Ephesian religious background carry more weight than the evidence allows

The ancient religious world of Ephesus is genuinely important for understanding the possible circumstances of the letter’s recipients, particularly when considering supernatural powers, temples, divine titles, protective practices, and spiritual warfare. Arnold and Immendörfer provide extensive material capable of enriching historical interpretation and helping contemporary readers imagine the experiences of Gentile believers in Roman Asia. Yet similarity between the language of Ephesians and that of ancient cults does not automatically establish deliberate allusion or polemic. The same vocabulary may have been widely used across different religious and social contexts, and many expressions in Ephesians have substantial foundations in Israel’s Scriptures. A preacher should therefore distinguish a historically plausible comparison from a claim that can be demonstrated through the text itself. Background material belongs in a sermon when it clarifies an exegetical problem or helps explain the significance of a passage, not merely because it supplies an interesting illustration. Historical imagination becomes most useful when disciplined by the available evidence rather than permitted to determine the meaning of the text independently.

Using the household instructions to legitimate coercion or silence vulnerable people

The household passages require particularly careful attention because they concern relationships marked by significant asymmetries of social power. The instructions to wives, husbands, children, fathers, enslaved persons, and masters were addressed within a world whose domestic and economic arrangements differ substantially from those of contemporary congregations. Cohick, deSilva, and Thurston are especially useful for understanding those differences, while Campbell and Thielman help establish the grammatical relationships that must inform theological interpretation. The preacher must not equate ancient slavery with modern employment, treat the mention of established hierarchies as a comprehensive endorsement of those structures, or employ the language of submission to excuse abuse. The instructions concerning husbands and fathers must be interpreted in light of Christ’s self-giving love and the explicit restraints placed upon the misuse of authority. Likewise, the recognition that masters answer to a heavenly Lord who shows no partiality has serious implications for how human power is exercised. Faithful preaching should take the text seriously while refusing applications that place vulnerable people at risk or protect wrongdoing from appropriate accountability.

Treating spiritual warfare as a separate Christian technique

Ephesians 6 is frequently detached from the rest of the letter and treated as a practical manual for engaging supernatural powers. This approach can obscure the passage’s relationship to the exaltation of Christ, the reconciliation of the church, and the transformed conduct described in the preceding chapters. The armor imagery emphasizes God’s provision and the characteristics of faithful life, while the repeated instruction to stand places dependence upon divine strength at the center. Arnold’s historical work helps explain the seriousness of ancient beliefs concerning spiritual powers, but the preacher should not allow that material to displace the scriptural background or produce sensational speculation. The concluding emphasis upon prayer and bold proclamation of the gospel also prevents the passage from being reduced to individual techniques for obtaining protection. Spiritual perseverance in Ephesians belongs to the ordinary life of a reconciled community that continues to face deception, hostility, and moral temptation. A faithful sermon should encourage steadfastness, prayer, truthfulness, righteousness, peace, and gospel witness rather than foster fear of hidden powers or confidence in human methods of spiritual control.

A Practical Commentary Workflow for Preaching Ephesians

For each sermon, I would begin by reading the proposed passage several times within its immediate context and then reviewing the entire letter’s argument. This initial reading should identify the central claim, the development of the passage, important repeated expressions, and any grammatical or historical questions that genuinely affect interpretation. I would then consult Baugh or Thielman for careful exegetical investigation, using Campbell where the language of participation in Christ or the theological structure requires additional attention. Arnold should be added when the religious environment or spiritual powers are directly relevant, while Lincoln and Best provide useful independent criticism where a disputed historical or literary interpretation could influence the sermon significantly. The purpose of this stage is to establish what the text communicates rather than to collect as many scholarly observations as possible. The preacher should be able to express the central claim of the passage in a coherent paragraph before moving to broader biblical theology or application.

The second stage should trace the passage’s theological relationships within Ephesians and the wider canon. Fowlprovides a sustained theological reading of the letter, while Wright becomes especially valuable when connections with Romans, Galatians, Corinthians, or the Pauline corpus shape the argument. Covington helps clarify how God’s cosmic purposes, the church’s vocation, and individual conduct may belong together, particularly in passages concerning reconciliation and ecclesial maturity. Roitto should be consulted where the relationship between Christian identity and communal behavior is especially important, while Thurston can help preserve the literary progression and communicate the connections among major sections. The preacher should then identify which biblical-theological relationships are sufficiently established to become part of the sermon and which remain useful mainly as scholarly possibilities. The goal is not to introduce an elaborate theological system, but to explain how the passage participates in the biblical story that culminates in Christ and the formation of his people.

The final stage is homiletical synthesis, where the preacher must determine how the established exegetical and theological conclusions should be communicated to a particular congregation. Chapell, Snodgrass, and Stott are especially useful here because they model different ways of moving from textual explanation toward gospel-centered proclamation and responsible application. The sermon should have a controlling claim that arises from the passage, a progression that reflects its argument, and applications appropriate to its theological purpose. Historical background should appear where it clarifies the text, technical discussion should be included only where listeners need it to understand an important interpretive decision, and contemporary concerns should be addressed through the categories supplied by Scripture rather than imposed upon it. The preacher should also ask whether the proposed application is consistent with the letter’s emphasis on grace, reconciliation, truthfulness, love, and dependence upon the Spirit. A good sermon is not a shortened academic paper, but neither should it be a collection of exhortations insufficiently grounded in exegesis. It is a faithful communication of the text’s theological claim to a congregation that must understand and respond to the word of God.

Final Assessment: How I Would Preach Ephesians

If I were preparing a complete preaching series through Ephesians, S. M. Baugh and Constantine Campbell would remain my primary exegetical pairing. Baugh supplies the breadth and independence of historical and linguistic investigation needed to establish the meaning of difficult passages, while Campbell provides a sustained account of union with Christ and the theological connections that run throughout the letter. Thielman would be my principal independent check whenever a disputed grammatical or theological interpretation required careful adjudication, and Arnold would be essential for passages involving the spiritual powers and the religious environment of Roman Asia. These resources together provide an exceptionally strong exegetical foundation, but they do not automatically complete the task of preaching. The preacher must still determine how individual passages contribute to the letter’s larger theological argument, how their themes relate to the wider biblical canon, and how those conclusions should be proclaimed responsibly to the church.

For that second stage, Stephen Fowl remains my preferred sustained theological companion, especially where the formation of a reconciled Christian community is central to the passage. Wright’s investigation of Pauline intertextuality substantially strengthens the interpretation of Ephesians 2 and the body of Christ, while Covington offers an important account of how the letter’s cosmic purpose informs ecclesial identity and ethical conduct. Roitto provides a different but valuable understanding of how Christian identity shapes practical behavior, particularly within the community’s speech, leadership, and household relationships. Thurston helps keep the literary movement visible and offers a manageable route from theological explanation toward Christian living, while Immendörfer’s historical research can provide additional context where the possible religious background of Ephesus deserves closer investigation. These specialist resources should be chosen according to the passage under consideration rather than consulted indiscriminately. Their value is greatest when they illuminate the text without allowing a preferred theoretical or historical framework to become more important than the biblical argument itself.

For the final movement toward the pulpit, Bryan Chapell, Klyne Snodgrass, and John Stott remain particularly useful. Chapell consistently guards the priority of grace and helps prevent sermons from becoming programs of religious self-improvement, while Snodgrass demonstrates how contemporary application requires disciplined movement from original meaning to theological significance. Stott offers a memorable and coherent exposition of God’s new society, helping the preacher communicate the grandeur of Ephesians without losing its direct challenge to the life of the church. The task is not to select one of these approaches exclusively, but to combine their strongest features through the careful preparation of each sermon. Technical exegesis establishes the meaning, biblical theology locates the passage within God’s saving purposes, Christ-centered interpretation identifies the accomplishment upon which Christian identity depends, and pastoral application asks how the reconciled community should live in response.

The ultimate challenge is to preach the cosmic vision of Ephesians without losing its significance for ordinary Christian relationships, and to preach its practical commands without losing the grace and exalted Christ upon which they depend. The letter begins with God’s eternal purpose, announces the triumph of Christ over the powers, describes the creation of one new humanity, and then calls believers to humility, truthfulness, forgiveness, love, and steadfastness. Those ordinary practices are not trivial consequences of a more important theology, because they are ways in which the life of the reconciled community displays the work of God within the world. Yet their significance does not arise from the greatness of human moral accomplishment, but from the identity and vocation given through Christ. The central preaching task is therefore to show how the grace that creates the church also shapes the life of the church, and how that life bears witness to God’s purpose to bring all things together in Christ. When sermons preserve this movement, Ephesians can be proclaimed as a coherent account of God’s saving work rather than a collection of doctrines followed by unrelated instructions. That is the bridge from careful exegesis, through biblical theology, to the faithful proclamation of the word of God.