Ephesians
An Exegetical Commentary
About
"This book tops the list of important new works on the crucial Epistle to the Ephesians. . . . None can challenge the erudition and sheer quantity of research that Hoehner demonstrates in this commentary. . . . It presents a model of careful exegesis from which any serious reader can profit."--William W. Klein, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
For the past thirty years, Harold Hoehner has trained thousands of seminarians in the art of New Testament exegesis. He now brings his skill and experience to this commentary on Ephesians--a commentary that no serious student can afford to ignore.
Hoehner begins with a helpful introduction to the letter of Ephesians in which he addresses issues of authorship, structure and genre, historical setting, purpose, and theology. At the end of the introduction, the author includes a detailed bibliography for further reading. Hoehner then delves into the text of Ephesians verse by verse, offering the Greek text, English translation, and detailed commentary. He interacts extensively with the latest scholarship and provides a fair and thorough discussion of every disputed point in the book.
Pastors, students, and scholars looking for a comprehensive treatment on Ephesians will be interested in this commentary. Hoehner's interaction with the latest scholarship combined with his detailed exegesis will make this new commentary the only resource they will need to consult.
Endorsements
"Hoehner has placed all students of Ephesians in his debt with this meticulous, exhaustive, and seasoned commentary on one of Paul's richest letters. Hoehner's interaction with the secondary literature on Ephesians is encyclopedic, yet he keeps his exegetical discussion focused and clear. The result is a commentary that no pastor or scholar can afford to be without."-Frank Thielman, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
"This thorough, thoughtful, and comprehensive commentary, the product of a lifetime of research and teaching, is marked by clarity, insight, and interaction with a broad array of scholarship. It is a 'best buy' that will fully repay the attention of all students of the New Testament."-E. Earle Ellis, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
"Hoehner's Ephesians not only cites the best advice and information in standard works on this letter but also carefully sifts the evidence and offers judicious conclusions. All other commentaries can be put in storage for retrieval as needed."-Frederick William Danker, Lutheran School of Theology
"I have anxiously anticipated this commentary since the early 1980s, and it is no disappointment. Hoehner has now produced the most detailed and comprehensive treatment of Ephesians ever written. The volume is well organized, clearly written, and very useful for in-depth study of the letter. It is now the indispensable standard for courses on Ephesians."-Clinton E. Arnold, Talbot School of Theology
"This is quite simply the most massive and meticulously detailed commentary on Ephesians to date-with the strongest defense of the case that the author was truly Paul and that the letter was indeed written to Ephesus. Virtually every textual, lexical, grammatical-semantic, and historical issue has been scrutinized and is informed by a comprehensive coverage of the vast relevant primary and secondary literature."-Max Turner, London Bible College
"Exegetical commentaries on the books of the Bible come in all shapes and sizes. Harold Hoehner's new volume on Ephesians has both a distinctive shape and a monumental size. Its value lies in its attention to detail and its full discussion of all relevant and disputed points. The volume will be an invaluable resource for scholars and students. Not all Hoehner's conclusions will command consent, but he has produced a stout and readable volume that all will turn to for guidance and help."-Ralph P. Martin, Fuller Theological Seminary/Azusa Pacific University
"Harold Hoehner's long- and eagerly-awaited commentary on Ephesians has at last found its way into print, and it has been worth waiting for! This is exegesis the old-fashioned way: the quest for the author's meaning earned through the careful use of primary tools while at the same time informed by, and in dialogue with, the latest and best scholarship. From its stout defense of the Pauline authorship of Ephesians to the detailed, verse-by-verse exegesis of the Greek text, Hoehner's commentary is a tour de force. It is a mine of information and a theological feast all at once! This masterful commentary sets a new standard for exegetical detail, and no serious student of Ephesians will want to be without it."-Donald A. Hagner, Fuller Theological Seminary
"One of the best commentaries on Ephesians in English. Hoehner's breadth of research, detail on critical issues, and solid exegetical treatment are impressive."-Douglas J. Moo, Wheaton College
"This new commentary on Ephesians brings the reader many new, theologically relevant insights. It will be useful for preaching and for scholarly exegetical work. The author has a clear, consciously conservative position combined with broad learning."-Martin Hengel, University of Tübingen
"In his introduction to this wholly admirable and comprehensive commentary, Hoehner enters a vigorous defense of Paul as author of Ephesians. He centers his attention on the meaning of the words and their relationship to one another and on the grammar and structure of each sentence. These notes are lucid and full and will be a mine of information for students and scholars. Every commentator stands on the shoulders of his predecessors; Hoehner's shoulders are broad and strong and will sustain the weight of future scholars of Ephesians."--Ernest Best, University of Glasgow
"This is probably the most detailed modern English commentary on the Greek text of Ephesians, combined with a thorough defense of its Pauline authorship and its Ephesian destination. Every facet of the text is examined with great care and exegetical skill, and the range of scholarly literature surveyed and assessed is encyclopedic. Despite the wealth of information and discussion, the material is presented with clarity and simplicity. The careful considerations of each exegetical possibility make this a work that will be indispensable for all serious students of Ephesians. It is fully worthy of a place alongside Best, Lincoln, and O'Brien."--I. Howard Marshall, University of Aberdeen
"This fine commentary fully deserves a place alongside the excellent commentaries we have on this rich and profound letter. Hoehner leaves no stone unturned. He pays meticulous attention to the text and has an unrivaled knowledge of the literature. Not all will be persuaded by his stout defense of Pauline authorship, but all will appreciate his careful exegesis."-Graham Stanton, University of Cambridge
The Authors
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Harold Hoehner
Harold W. Hoehner (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is distinguished professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, where he has taught for more than thirty years. He is the author of Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ.
Continue reading about Harold Hoehner
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Harold W. Hoehner
Harold W. Hoehner (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is distinguished professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, where he has taught for more than thirty years. He is the author of Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ.
Continue reading about Harold W. Hoehner
Reviews
"Displays probing exegesis and awareness of scholarly opinion on Ephesians. . . . A rich use of this longest exegetical commentary ever done on Ephesians will help diligent teachers, pastors, students and lay readers to reason through issues."--James E. Rosscup, Master's Seminary Journal
"The cover quotes Fuller Professor Hagner, 'A tour de force.' The dust jacket cites numerous other luminaries who laud Professor Hoehner's new commentary. Let me join the throng. . . . This book tops the list of important new works on the crucial Epistle to the Ephesians. . . . None can challenge the erudition and sheer quantity of research that Hoehner demonstrates in this commentary. . . . If one desires a handy . . . file cabinet of virtually all the research ever done on Ephesians, get this book. . . . It presents a model of careful exegesis from which any serious reader can profit-a model both in the use of careful methods and in the judicious assessment of the evidence to arrive at likely conclusions. . . . It inspires me to be a careful exegete and to work methodically and rigorously-not to accept traditional viewpoints or conclusions even if time-honored."--William W. Klein, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
"The most up to date analysis of Ephesians in a commentary on the Greek text. Hoehner stalwartly defends the Pauline authorship of Ephesians and this volume (over nine hundred pages) offers fascinating analysis which will point the preacher to additional study."--R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Preaching
"[Hoehner's] book is well documented. . . His views are expressed concisely and clearly. Hoehner succeeds in convincing the reader to reevaluate the pseudonymous character of this New Testament letter. . . . The commentary that he offers is both nuanced and lucid. While the author's conservative theological and exegetical positions are clearly enunciated, his work exhibits a high level of assurance and maturity and will undoubtedly be a standard tool for those working in the field. Hoehner's treatment of the scholarly literature on Ephesians makes this work useful not only to students and scholars but even for pastors and catechists."--Serge Cazelais, Review of Biblical Literature
"This is a major philological and exegetical commentary on Ephesians. . . . No serious student of Ephesians can afford to ignore this work."--International Review of Biblical Studies
"This is a massive and clearly written stand-alone commentary on Ephesians, without rival as far as exegetical detail is concerned. . . . Scholars will want to use this commentary as a reference tool. Students will turn to it as a useful example of old-fashioned lexical and syntactical exegesis."--Thorsten Moritz, Religious Studies Review
"One of the dominant questions that is pursued by scholars of Ephesians concerns its authorship and destination. . . . [Hoehner's] willingness to compare the broadest body of commentators, together with his careful assessment of the evidence, will be of considerable value to those students who wish to review the history of scholarship as part of their investigation into this long-standing debate. . . . For many, Hoehner's commentary will be invaluable either for general academic study or for detailed research; for some it will also prove indispensable for background study prior to sermon preparation. . . . It is most accessible to those students of the word who have at least a couple of years of academic study of the New Testament."--Andrew D. Clarke, Themelios
"A magisterial commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians which joins vigorous defense of traditional views of the letter with detailed scholarship on the text. It will serve as a compendium of scholarship on Ephesians for years to come. . . . A satisfying experience for the reader. . . . Though the volume is massive, it is relatively easy to use in a handbook fashion. . . . It deserves full attention on the part of students of Ephesians. . . . Anyone seeking a detailed understanding of Ephesians will learn to take advantage of Hoehner's thorough work and will be blessed in doing so."--John McVay, Andrews University Seminary Studies
"This commentary has to be good. Ernest Best, Martin Hengel, Ralph Martin and Graham Stanton are only some who praise it. . . . Hoehner's judgment is well-reasoned, sane and balanced. He has given me fresh insights into the text. . . . Just buy the book and enjoy its wealth."--Gervaise Angel, Anvil
"Represents and reflects a lifetime's engagement with Ephesians. . . . It will be a standard reference work to which scholars, students, and pastors can refer for some time to come."--Stephen Fowl, Interpretation
"This commentary is a massive and detailed exposition of the Greek text of Ephesians. . . . [Hoehner] has provided a benchmark work on Ephesians which will hold a primary position in New Testament studies. . . . Hoehner's discussion is exemplary in terms of how one should approach the vexed question of authorship. . . . The footnotes and bibliography are breathtaking in their range and extent, and show the author's mastery of his subject. The commentary itself follows a simple and clear outline, in which the Greek text of Ephesians is given, followed by the author's translation and comment. . . . Hoehner gives a thorough and exhaustive treatment of the issues raised throughout the epistle. . . . A magisterial piece of work; Hoehner will prove to be a reference-point in consideration of Ephesians for many years to come."--Iain D. Campbell, Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology
"Hoehner's magnum opus is perhaps the largest historio-critical commentary available on the text of Ephesians. . . . Hoehner makes the strongest defence possible for Pauline authorship. . . . Hoehner's approach is close analysis of the wording of the Greek text. . . . The approach adopted draws upon lexical analysis of individual terms. The result is a rich discussion which surveys a range of possible meanings based on an extremely large range of lexical data. . . . Close reading of the text exemplifies the commentary throughout. Without a doubt this volume will become one of the standard scholarly commentaries on the text of Ephesians."--Paul Foster, Expository Times
"Hoehner's commentary on Ephesians is magisterial, demonstrating a mastery of the massive secondary literature on Ephesians. At 930 pages, this is one of the most detailed modern commentaries on Ephesians available. His detailed examination of the Greek text is excellent, yet not overly technical."--Phillip J. Long, Reading Acts blog