The Epistle to the Ephesians

The Epistle to the Ephesians has a particular breadth. It contemplates the whole design of God, conceived before the ages and accomplished in Christ, and the Church born of it.

The eternal design of God

Paul goes back to the hidden plan of God, which he now unveils: to gather the scattered universe under one head, Christ. The Greek word, anakephalaiōsasthai (ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι), means “to recapitulate”: to gather into one point, under one head, all that was scattered. Christ thus recapitulates in himself the whole of history and creation, setting right and gathering what Adam had let break apart. “to unite all things under one head, Christ, the things of heaven and the things of the earth.” Ephesians 1:10 In this design, God chose us before the foundation of the world and destined us to become his adopted sons: “He destined us to become his adopted sons through Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:5 And to those who believe he gives even now the Holy Spirit as a down payment guaranteeing the promised inheritance, life with God, and as a seal, the mark of those who belong to him: “were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 1:13 All history tends toward this unity: what sin had scattered, Christ gathers and reunites wholly in himself, as under one head. The Church is the place where this gathering already begins.

Saved by grace

This work is pure gift of God, and not the fruit of our merits: “by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8 This gift at once calls for action: “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God prepared beforehand for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 Grace goes before and makes the works possible, which are its fruit and not its price. The first effect of this grace is peace among men whom all had divided. In his flesh, Christ has thrown down the wall that set the Jews against the Gentiles, and of the two he has made one people: “he himself is our peace, he who made the two peoples one, tearing down the wall that separated them.” Ephesians 2:14

The Church, body and bride

Of this reconciled people Paul says two things. It is a body, of which Christ is the head, and whose members grow together in charity. This unity rests on a single source, which Paul enumerates: “There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 It is on this “one baptism” that the Church grounds the recognition of a single baptism, common to all the baptized. It is also a bride, whom Christ loved to the point of giving himself for her. The union of man and woman in marriage is the visible sign of this union of Christ and the Church: “This mystery is great: I say it with Christ and the Church in mind.” Ephesians 5:32 The Greek word here translated as “mystery” was rendered in Latin by sacramentum, that is, sacrament; this is one of the reasons the Church has recognized marriage as one of the seven sacraments.

The armour of God

The Christian life is not a rest, but a combat, not against men, but against the powers of evil. Paul gives its arms, borrowed from the soldier’s equipment: “Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11 Truth, righteousness, faith, and the word of God are the belt, the breastplate, the shield, and the sword of the believer. It is not his own strength he puts on, but God’s.