# Introduction **Author** The author of Ephesians twice identifies himself as the Apostle Paul, once at the beginning of the letter (1:1) and once in the middle (3:1). This claim was universally accepted by the early Church and remained an unquestioned tradition until Erasmus of Rotterdam first raised doubts about it in the sixteenth century. Since then, many have either questioned or denied that Paul wrote Ephesians, alleging that the tone and style of the letter differ so markedly from Paul\'s undisputed letters that it could not have come from the same author. It is widely held today that Ephesians was written in Paul\'s name by a Pauline disciple who wished to honor the apostle by developing his doctrine and applying it to new situations in the Church. Although the distinctiveness of Ephesians among the letters of Paul should not be minimized or overlooked, it need not imply that Paul was not the author. Stylistic differences between Ephesians and Paul\'s other letters can largely be explained by the circumstances of his readers. No doubt Paul writes with a more terse and aggressive style in his other epistles, where he is wrestling with doctrinal and moral problems that plagued his missionary churches. His Ephesian readers, however, were not entrenched in controversy at this time, so it is not surprising that this letter has a more calm and lyrical style than is found elsewhere in Paul\'s writings. Claims that theological differences set Ephesians apart from the genuine Pauline writings are likewise overdrawn, since the presence of numerous Pauline ideas in the letter is precisely what leads scholars to insist that it must have been written by one of Paul\'s disciples. If anything, the NT collection of Paul\'s letters shows him to be an exceptionally versatile writer who can adapt both his manner and his message to the needs of his audience. It is important, therefore, not to exaggerate the uniqueness of Ephesians at the expense of other factors that cohere nicely with the traditional view. **Date** The question of when Ephesians was written depends upon the prior question of authorship. Supporters of Pauline authorship naturally date the letter within the time frame of the apostle\'s ministry. Most correlate the imprisonment mentioned in 3:1, 4:1, and 6:20 with Paul\'s first imprisonment in Rome, where he lived under house arrest from A.D. 60 to 62, awaiting trial before the tribunal of Caesar (Acts 28:16, 30). This would imply a date for Ephesians in the early 60s alongside Paul\'s other \"Captivity Epistles\": Philippians (Phil 1:12-14), Colossians (4:3), and Philemon (Philem 9). Scholars who contend the letter was written by one of Paul\'s admirers date it as late as the 90s, long after the apostle\'s martyrdom in the mid 60s. **Destination** The intended readership of Ephesians is more difficult to establish than it first appears. This is because the textual tradition underlying the letter\'s opening verse is uncertain: the words \"in Ephesus\" are missing from some of the most ancient manuscripts of the epistle in existence and, for this reason, may have been added *after* the letter was originally written (*see textual note *a** on Eph 1:1). Identification of the readers thus depends on whether or not the disputed words are original. **(1)** If the phrase \"in Ephesus\" is authentic, then Paul was writing to Christians in the leading metropolis of the Roman province of Asia (southwest Turkey). This would not be surprising, as Paul spent several years ministering to the Ephesians and disseminating the gospel throughout the region (Acts 19:1-10; 20:31). **(2)** If the phrase was not part of the original letter, as many scholars maintain, then it seems the intended audience was more general than specific. Advocates of this position often describe Ephesians as a circular letter that Paul intended for several churches in Asia Minor. In this case, the Church at Ephesus was probably only one of several churches he expected to receive the letter. **Themes and Characteristics** Ephesians sets before us a vision of Christ *reigning* in heaven next to the Father (1:20) and *renewing* the earth through his Church (3:10). Though Paul often attacks doctrinal error and moral laxity in his letters, he seizes the opportunity in Ephesians to step back from these controversies to contemplate and articulate in a more reflective way God\'s saving work in Jesus. Instead of pastoral surgery, then, Paul gives the Ephesians a dose of preventative medicine, hoping that a deeper appreciation of God\'s blessings will lead them to a more mature commitment to the gospel. Since many of Paul\'s readers are recent converts, Ephesians might best be described as Paul\'s mystagogical catechesis for the newly baptized. The towering theme of Ephesians is the \"mystery\" of Jesus Christ once concealed but now revealed (1:9; 3:4, 9). This is first of all the mystery of Christ the Redeemer, whose violent death on the Cross was a vicarious sacrifice for the redemption of Israel and the Gentiles alike (1:7; 2:16; 5:2). Having died to restore peace between the Father and the human family, Christ now reigns supreme over all things at the right hand of the Father in heaven (1:20). So far is he exalted above creation that even the angels find themselves under his feet (1:21-22). As Paul reflects upon these redeeming achievements of Christ, he is not content to view them as events confined to the past. Rather, the Resurrection, Ascension, and Enthronement of Christ are saving mysteries that continue to grace our lives and souls in the present, making us participants in his royal, priestly, and prophetic mission to the world (2:4-6; 5:2). The mystery of Christ is also the mystery of his ecclesial body, the Church. Nowhere does Paul give a more majestic presentation of this truth than in Ephesians. The Church he describes is nothing less than God\'s new creation in Christ (2:10, 15; 2 Cor 5:17). She is a holy and universal community that shines out to a world shattered by sin. Her life comes from the divine Trinity, as her members are made the children of the Father (1:5), the body and bride of the Son (5:22-32), and the temple of the Holy Spirit (2:21-22). Her dimensions are international, as she gathers together all peoples and nations into the family of the New Covenant (2:11-22; 3:4-6). The grace that unites the Church with her Lord is the grace of being \"in Christ\" (1:3; cf. 1:7, 10, 13). This union between Christ in his glorified body and Christ in his mystical body was first revealed to Paul at his conversion (Acts 9:3-5). Now, after many years of preaching and meditation, he is able to explain its heights and depths in simple yet profound terms for those newly acquainted with the gospel. « --- > Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, *The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament*, Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010).