Searchable Commentaries on Ephesians

(Listed in the order in which I would tend to consult them)

 

Modern Commentaries

 

O'Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians (Pillar New Testament Commentary; by Peter T. O'Brien) 

Not as detailed as the following two commentaries, but still probably the finest overall exposition of the letter to date.

 

Lincoln, Ephesians (Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 42; by Andrew T. Lincoln)

Detailed commentary on the Greek text of Ephesians.  Author believes the letter was written by one of Paul’s disciples rather than by the apostle himself.

 

Barth, Ephesians 1-3; Ephesians 4-6 (Anchor Bible, vols. 34 & 34A, by Markus Barth)

Extremely detailed (and rather wordy) advanced commentary by the son of the famous neo-orthodox theologian.  Barth believes Paul is the author of the letter. 

 

Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (New International Commentary on the New Testament; by F.F. Bruce)  Not as detailed as those above, but Bruce’s thoughts are always worth consultation.

 

Stott, The Message of Ephesians (The Bible Speaks Today; by John R.W. Stott)

A more popular, but very solid, exposition of Ephesians clearly applied to contemporary life.

 

MacDonald, Colossians and Ephesians (Sacra Pagina Series; by Margaret Y. MacDonald)

Recent commentary in a helpful Catholic commentary series.  MacDonald takes Ephesians to be deutero-Pauline.

 

Edwards, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture by Mark J. Edwards)

          A fine collection of comments by ancient church fathers.

 

See John McRay, “Ephesians, Theology of” in Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

 

 

Commentaries by Church Fathers and Protestant Reformers

 

Edwards, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture by Mark J. Edwards)

          A fine collection of comments by ancient church fathers.

 

Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (by John Chrysostom)

Homilies on Ephesians by this superior exegete of the school of Antioch.  The whole series of homilies is available to read online.

 

Calvin, Commentary on Galatians and Ephesians.

Fine commentary by the clear thinking sixteenth-century reformer, theologian and exegete.  The whole commentary is available to read online.

 

 

Introductions to the New Testament

 

D.A. Carson, Douglas J. Moo, and Leon Morris, An Introduction to the New Testament

 

David A. Desilva, An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods and Ministry Formation

 

 

Women in Society and Church

 

Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis by William J. Webb

          http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0830815619/

 

Women in the Earliest Churches by Ben Witherington, III 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0521407893/

 

Women and the Genesis of Christianity by Ben Witherington, III  (edited by Ann Witherington)

          http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0521367352/

 

Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem

          http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0891075860/

 

Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood (Foundations for the Family Series) edited by Wayne A. Grudem

          http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1581344090/

 

Women's Life in Greece and Rome: A Source Book in Translation by Mary R. Lefkowitz and Maureen B. Fant

          http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0801844754/

 

Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity by Sarah Pomeroy

          http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/080521030X/

 

Pandora's Daughters: The Role and Status of Women in Greek and Roman Antiquity by Eva Cantarella

          http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/080183385X/

 

Women and the Law in the Roman Empire: A Sourcebook on Marriage, Divorce and Widowhood by Judith Evans Grubbs

          http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0415152410/

 

Women and Slaves in Greco-Roman Culture: Differential Equations by Sandra R. Joshel

          http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0415261597/

 

Slaves in Greek and Roman Society

 

Fitzgerald, Slavery and the Roman Literary Imagination (Roman Literature and its Contexts) by William Fitzgerald

Wiedemann, Greek and Roman Slavery by Thomas Wiedemann

Thompson, Archaeology of Greek and Roman Slavery (Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London) by F. Hugh Thompson

 

Bradley, Slaves and Masters in the Roman Empire: A Study in Social Control by K.R. Bradley

 

Joshel & Murnaghan, Women and Slaves in Greco-Roman Culture: Differential Equations by Sandra R. Joshel, Sheila Murnaghan

 

Shelton, As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History by Jo-Ann Shelton