The most important question which has been raised concerning this
epistle, regards the point, whether it was truly directed and sent
by Paul, to the church in Ephesus, as the common reading distinctly
specifies. Many eminent modern critics have maintained that it was
originally sent to the church in Laodicea, and that the word Ephesus,
in the direction and in the first verse, is a change made in later
times, by those who felt interested to claim for this city the honor
of an apostolic epistle. Others incline to the opinion, that it was
directed to no particular church, but was sent as a circular to several
churches in Asia Minor, among which were those of Ephesus and Laodicea,
and that several copies were sent at the same time, each copy being
differently directed. They suppose that when the epistles of Paul
were first collected, that copy which was sent to Ephesus was the one
adopted for this, and that the original manuscript being soon lost, all
written trace of its original general direction disappeared also.
The prominent reason for this remarkable supposition, unsupported as
it is by the authority of any ancient manuscript, is that Paul writes
apparently with no local reference whatever to the circumstances of the
Ephesians, among whom he had lived for three years, although his other
epistles to places which he had visited are so full of personal and
local matters; and that he speaks on the contrary as though he knew
little of them except by hearsay. A reference to the particular details
of the reasoning by which this opinion is supported, would altogether
transcend the proper limits of this work; since even a summary of them
fills a great many pages of those critical and exegetical works, to
which these discussions properly belong; and all which can be stated
here is the general result, that a great weight of authority favors the
view that this was probably a circular epistle; but the whole argument
in favor of either notion, rests on so slight a foundation, that it is
not worth while to disturb the common impression for it.
The epistle certainly does not seem to dwell on any local difficulties,
but enlarges eloquently upon general topics, showing the holy
watchfulness of the apostle over the faith of his readers. He appears,
nevertheless, to emphasize with remarkable force, the doctrines
that Christ alone was the source and means of salvation, “the chief
corner-stone,” and that in him all are united, both Jews and Gentiles,
in one holy temple. There is something in many such passages, with
which the epistle abounds, that seems peculiarly well fitted to the
circumstances of mixed communities, made up of Jews and Gentiles,
and as if the apostle wished to prevent the former from creating any
distinctions in the church, in their own favor. Many passages in this
epistle also, are very pointedly opposed to those heresies, which
about that period were beginning to rise up in those regions, and were
afterwards famous under the name of the Gnosis,――the first distinct
sect that is known to have perverted the purity of Christian truth.
Paul here aims with remarkable energy, to prove that salvation was
to be attributed to Christ alone, and not to the intervention of any
other superior beings, by whatever names they are called, whether
principalities, or powers, or might or dominion, both in this world and
the world to come,――in heavenly places as well as earthly. The apostle
also is very full in the moral and practical part,――urging with great
particularity the observance of those virtues which are the essentials
of the Christian character, and specifying to each particular age, sex,
rank and condition, its own peculiar duties.