Epistle to the Ephesians

Described by William Barclay as the "Queen of the Epistles", the Epistle to the Ephesians is one of the books of the Bible in the New Testament. [William Barclay, "The Daily Bible Study: Revised Edition: The Letters to the Galatians and the Ephesians," (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1976) 61] Paul of Tarsus is traditionally said to have written the letter while he was in prison in Rome (around 62 A.D.). This would be about the same time as the Epistle to the Colossians (which in many points it resembles) and the Epistle to Philemon. However, critical scholars have questioned the authorship of the letter, and suggest a much later date for its origin. [ commands not only that women should submit to their husbands but that husbands should love their wives. Feminist theologians such as Katharine Bushnell and Jesse Pen-Lewis interpret in context of the preceding verse 21, a general command of submission to others. Thus, all Christians should submit to each other: both husbands to wives and wives to husbands.

Ephesians 6:5 was used by Confederate slaveholders in support of a slaveholding position. [E.N. Elliott, ed. "Cotton is king, and pro-slavery arguments comprising the writings of Hammond, Harper, Christy, Stringfellow, Hodge, Bledsoe, and Cartwright, on this important subject". Augusta, Ga. : Pritchard, Abbott & Loomis, 1860.]

See also

* Earlier Epistle to the Ephesians

Notes

External links

* [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=56&chapter=1&version=31 Lookup Passage]
* [http://www.sermonsfortoday.org/browse_sermons/sermonsInSeries.php?series=Series%20on%20Ephesians Biblical Expository on Ephesians]