Introduction to the Letter to the Ephesians

Paul was a prisoner continually chained to a Roman guard when he wrote his epistle to the believing community in Ephesus, around ad 60–62. The recipients of his letter were followers of Jesus in the Roman province of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). While this letter is commonly called “The Epistle to the Ephesians,” some of the oldest manuscripts do not mention any specific city as the destination of the letter. However, most modern translations include the phrase, “Who are at Ephesus” in the first verse.

Ephesians 1:1–2 begins: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

This salutation is the briefest of any of Paul’s letters and is composed of three components: Paul’s credentials, his affirmation of the saints, and his greeting of grace and peace.

Paul described himself as “an apostle . . . by the will of God.” “Apostle” (apostolos in Greek) meant a messenger sent from God. However, Paul uses it to mean one who has seen the resurrected Jesus. Paul encountered the risen Jesus on the Damascus Road (Acts 9). He did not learn what he knew about the gospel by discussing it with the other apostles but by receiving it directly from Jesus. His authority is from God, not man. So, when you read Paul’s writings, you are reading from an authorized spokesman for the Lord Jesus. Notice how Paul does not offer any other credentials. He does not refer to his elite training at the feet of the great Rabbi Gamaliel or his privileged Hebrew background. He referred to himself as an apostle by the will of God, which he saw as the foundation for everything he relayed in this letter.

The second component of Paul’s salutation is an affirmation of the saints at Ephesus. Paul described these believers as “the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus.” While the word “saints” in some circles might imply holier-than-thou individuals and church icons, in the New Testament, the term refers to all true believers in Jesus. There is one quality remarkable about saints: We are set apart for God. In the original Greek, the word for “saint” comes from the word for “holy,” which means distinct, different, and set apart for God. A saint is expected to live differently from the rest of the world—to dedicate all aspects of their life to God. 

The third component of Paul’s salutation is his greeting of grace and peace. God offers these two great spiritual blessings to every believer in Jesus. We always have access to grace and peace, no matter our circumstances. Grace means unmerited, undeserved favor. The Greek word for grace, charis, is related to the English word charisma, meaning inspirational attractiveness or charm. Grace is charming, lovely, and pleasant. It is God’s power and love made available in an unlimited amount. You can never run out of grace; it is always sufficient for every need. The Greek word for peace is eirene, but Paul, the Hebrew of Hebrews, would likely have thought of the Hebrew word shalom, which means not only an absence of hostility toward others but also an inward wholeness and freedom from anxiety, fear, and worry. 

Together, these two characteristics of grace and peace should mark the life of every believer all the time. Grace is a sign God is at work in our lives, and peace is the sense of security and trust we have in our God through Jesus, our Messiah.