The latest entry into the Deep Dive series will cover St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. St. Paul mentions his first encounter with the Ephesian community in Acts 19:1-10. He stayed there for a lengthy time. This epistle is one of the Captivity Epistles—written by St. Paul while in prison. In the middle of Ephesians, St. Paul mentions being in prison in 3:1 and 6:20. 

The Ephesian community had its issues, like we all do, but Paul’s tone throughout the letter keeps on the encouraging, exhorting side (unlike his tone to the Galatians).  

This letter has some incredible elements that cover much of the life of a Christian. Paul begins with a canticle of praise (1:3-14), a summary of the Good News (2:1-10), a reminder to the Gentiles of their union with Christ (2:11-22), the unity within the Body of Christ (4:4-16), marriage and family matters (5:21 – 6:9), and one of every man’s favorite passages: the armor of God (6:10-20). Here are some of my reflections on some of those themes.  Be sure to pick up your Bible and read the letter today: it’s short enough to read in one sitting. 

The City, Background in Acts, and Riots

Ephesus is located in modern-day Turkey. In its Roman days, the port city was a center of art and culture. The Temple of Artemis stood in Ephesus, described by some ancient writers as the most beautiful of the seven wonders of the ancient world. An enormous library and an amphitheater that seated as much as a modern-day basketball arena filled out the city.  

When Paul arrived in the city, he encountered a community that had only received John the Baptist’s water baptism. They had not received the Holy Spirit yet; Paul baptized them, laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came down (Acts 19:1-7). As converts to Christianity rose, their business (based on idolatry) declined (Acts 19:23-41). The spread of the faith caused a riot, stirred up by the craftsmen that made silver shrines of Artemis. After the riot settled down, Paul left for Macedonia. 

Summary of the Gospel 2:1-10

In His teaching on being the Good Shepherd, Jesus said, “I came that you might have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). St. Paul reminds the Ephesians at the start of the chapter, “and you he made alive” (2:1).  

This carries two key starting points for the spiritual life. First, we are not the primary actors; God makes the first move, coming toward us. The very first paragraph of the Catechism of the Catholic Church starts with this point: 

At every time and in every place, God draws close to man.  He calls man to seek him, to know him to love him with all his strength. (CCC 1)

Not only does God actively draw near to us; He communes with us. God did not save humanity remotely; Jesus became man to accomplish the work of salvation.  

How is it that we needed to be made alive? This is the second point: an acknowledgement of sin and repentance. Very little progress, if any, can be made while we justify our sins. If there is no sin from which to save us—if we are, as the secular world might think, all okay—Jesus’ incarnation was pointless. We humans are born with original sin, and concupiscence never leaves us (no theology degree is needed to see this). St. Paul lists many ways in ch. 2 and later on in the letter.  

Remember St. Paul’s words: “you he made alive.” Think first of sin, its wake of destruction, the unhappiness it brings, and the trouble it causes. Now think of abundant life. Resolve to leave the former behind and embrace the latter!

Call No Man Father

In Matthew 23:9, Jesus warned against seeking titles/honors out of pride. “Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.”  This verse is the center of a popular apologetics question, and for a thorough treatment, I recommend Catholic Answers’ tract on the subject. I won’t consider the issue here other than to raise where it pops up in Ephesians: “I bow my knee before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (3:14-15).   

This is not a proof text but it highlights an important theological truth. All fatherhood on earth exists because God the Father has granted us a share in it. Both mothers and fathers have an indispensable role to play in the family, of course. For all the fathers out there, take a moment to pray on your vocation. Regardless of whether it’s a good day or bad day, God the Father has given every dad the incredible gift of sharing in His very fatherhood.  

Submission

If there was a short list of Mass readings that make Catholic clergy nervous, Ephesians 5:21-33 would easily make the top three.  For decades, the modern ear listens as far as “wives, be submissive to your husbands” and tunes out the rest of the passage. Many homilies I have heard on this reading have featured Olympic levels of backpedaling and apologizing before any truth is affirmed. 

Fr. John Riccardo devoted a full episode of his old radio program, “Christ is the Answer”, to this section (show #849). One of the other great commentaries on this is St. John Paul II in his Theology of the Body. To get the full weight of what St. Paul was saying, our Polish papa suggested inverting the phrases.

“[Begin] with the relationship of Christ to the Church and turning next to the relationship of husband and wife in marriage. In the text, an exhortative tone is used: ‘As the Church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.’ On the other hand: ‘Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church....’ These expressions make it clear that a moral obligation is involved.” (General Audience 8/18/1982)

Stopping at the word ‘submission’ misses Paul’s point. He’s drawing an analogy between Christian spouses and the relationship of Christ and the Church. Both mysteries illuminate the other. Like Christ’s love for His Church, the love between a husband and wife is meant to be similarly self-giving.  

Unity and Diversity

Among the paradoxes in our Catholic faith is that it’s at once collective and individual. The profession of faith has to be done by each individual, but that is done within the context of a community. St. Paul writes his famous line, that there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” that (4:2-6) on one hand, then all the gifts are distributed among the Body of Christ (4:11-16). 

Live Differently

The world constantly calls to us, and not just via smartphone notifications. The temptation is that we as Catholics can have one foot in the Church and one foot in the world, and that we can live otherwise completely secular lives. St. Paul heads this one off with a simple direction: “you must no longer live as the Gentiles do” (4:17).  

Have you ever stopped to think of your habits and daily routines, and whether they align with the gospel? St. Paul lists many of them in chapters 4 & 5—it wouldn’t be a bad examination of conscience.  

Living differently as a Catholic is very important, though staying away from sin is only half the battle. St. Paul urges us in chapter 5 to be imitators of God and to walk in love. He reminds us that we are children of the light, to be filled with the Spirit, and give thanks to God always.

In our age of comfort, the glorification of sloth, and endless distraction, don’t think the Bible does not address those. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil” (5:18). How we spend our time is important and carries spiritual weight!

The Armor of God

St. Paul ends with a teaching on being strong in the Lord. Only with the armor of God can we stand against the devil. Put another way, we are hopelessly lost in spiritual combat without Jesus.  

Each of the pieces of armor described are vital: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God.  Although they have a common source in God’s grace, they each equip the Catholic in different ways. Truth is not just divine law but the Eternal Logos, Jesus. Living in righteousness means being in right relationship with God: a life of prayer and lived charity on one hand, and repentance and conversion on the other. The gospel of peace allows us to walk the narrow road. The shield of faith “quenches the flaming darts of the evil one” (side note, not just arrows but arrows on fire, meant to hurt and destroy). Taking salvation upon us is to put ourselves under Jesus’ power and saving work. Wrapping it all up is the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit. When tempted, we have a weapon in our hand; turn to Scripture. 

St. Paul, pray for us!