Best Commentaries on Ephesians

Merkle’s theologically sound and pastorally wise resource will help a broad range of readers understand and apply the book of Ephesians. One particular strength of Merkle’s commentary is his attentiveness to how Ephesians fits within the larger biblical storyline.

Stott’s exposition shows the relevance of the Ephesians text for the contemporary church. Though many years have passed since he originally wrote, Stott’s portrayal of Paul’s vision for “God’s New Society” remains crucially important. Stott writes with clarity and winsomeness, and in a way accessible to all readers.

Bock shows how Paul uniquely connects gospel doctrine, power, and encouragement to the lives of the Ephesian believers. Bock emphasizes how God’s will revealed in Christ reorients believers’ lives toward unity, mutual respect, submission, and love.

Campbell’s excellent commentary provides a clear and helpful exposition of the text. It’s informed by his extensive knowledge of Greek yet is full of theological insight. Readers will appreciate Campbell’s ability to balance the technical aspects of the letter with accessibility.

This commentary based on Chappell’s sermons reflects his love for Scripture and pastoral heart. Preachers will be helped by this redemptive-historical, homiletical commentary that unfolds Paul’s glorious description of the ultimate triumph of the church in Christ. Chappell handles both difficult doctrines and difficult points of application with conviction and care.

Arnold’s commentary provides an accessible discussion of the Greek of each passage. He diagrams the text in English and includes a “Theology in Application” section that offers helpful commentary on how the text relates to contemporary Christians.

While interacting with recent scholarship, Baugh examines first-century sources to show what Paul’s words meant in their ancient context. He translates the original text, outlines the passage, and offers commentary and theological insight from a Reformed perspective. Readers will appreciate Baugh’s focus on the good news in this rigorous work.

Cohick’s comprehensive and up-to-date treatment which replaced F. F. Bruce’s commentary in the series affirms Pauline authorship and shows how he develops key themes in the epistle. Cohick’s expertise in first-to-third-century Roman culture enables her to set the letter firmly in its historical context. By doing so, she enlightens scholars and teachers on the cultural and familial structures that affect our understanding of Paul’s words today.

Hoener’s hefty volume is a solid and comprehensive evangelical resource on this epistle. He compellingly argues for Pauline authorship and for the Ephesians as the original recipients, and he scrutinizes nearly every textual, lexical, grammatical-semantic, and historical issue. Note that the author’s dispensational theology rings through in several places.

Thielman brings his considerable understanding of Pauline theology and his exegetical skill together to produce an outstanding commentary. He makes a strong case that Ephesians is an authentic Pauline letter, and his verse-by-verse treatment also does an excellent job setting the text in its Graeco-Roman and Jewish context.