Every responsible preaching pastor will use commentaries on the Biblical text to help and guide him in the preparation of sermons. That is certainly the case with regard to the current sermon series on Ephesians (which resumed Oct. 27), so I thought I’d share with you the commentaries that I am using in this series, in case you are interested in further personal study on this great New Testament book.
The four commentaries to which I have been referring, in order of simplicity to complexity, are the following:
Let’s Study Ephesians, Sinclair Ferguson — This is an excellent tool if you are looking for a commentary that is easy to read and not too deep in the weeds. It’s perfect for someone relatively new to the book of Ephesians, or even new to Christianity, or who is perhaps looking for a morning devotional aid. Chapters are brief and Sinclair is always Gospel-centered and rich in insight.
Ephesians, Ian Hamilton — This commentary is actually quite similar to Ferguson’s in basic style, but just a little more lengthy and in depth. The value of reading multiple commentaries, of course, is that each writer brings new insights, observations and applications which flesh out our understanding of these Spirit-inspired texts.
The Message of Ephesians, John Stott. If I had to choose just one commentary on Ephesians to take with me on a desert island, this would be it. Stott possessed (he was graduated to glory in 2011) a very unique gift of bringing scholarly analysis with contemporary application in a highly organized way. Stott was an amazingly clear thinker. (This is the longest of the four commentaries listed here).
The Letter to the Ephesians, Constantine Campbell. This commentary is part of The Pillar New Testament Commentary series, which leans more academic, but Campbell is careful not to get too sidetracked on technical issues that only the scholars debate (which can be common for the higher-level commentaries). Campbell addresses the big questions but is brief and clear in his explanations.
Since it is such a popular book of the Bible, there are countless other commentaries available on Ephesians, but I can say from experience that you can’t go wrong with any of the four volumes listed above.