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The Vision of Ephesians: The Task of the Church and the Glory of God
An accessible introduction to the book of Ephesians from New Testament scholar N. T. Wright.
Ephesians presents a wide-ranging panorama of the Christian gospel and its implications. It looks backwards toward the creation of the world, and it looks forward to the time when God will be "all in all." It foregrounds the work of Jesus the Messiah and the work of the spirit, and it positions the church as central to the purposes of God--a small, working model of new creation. This understanding of the church is central to the New Testament, but nowhere is it clearer than in Ephesians. Paul's view of salvation is not about being rescued from the world, but about the coming together of heaven and earth in Jesus the Messiah. Against this backdrop, many of the most challenging parts of Ephesians--spiritual warfare, women in the church, powers and principalities, what Paul means by "salvation"--come into sharper focus.
In The Vision of Ephesians, well-known New Testament scholar N.T. Wright offers an accessible introduction that opens the text in a way that helps what may seem dense and allusive become clear, fresh, challenging, and encouraging. Wright works through the letter in nine sections, exploring both apocalyptic insights and bracing challenges for the church, whether in the first century or the twenty-first.
Ephesians presents a wide-ranging panorama of the Christian gospel and its implications. It looks backwards toward the creation of the world, and it looks forward to the time when God will be "all in all." It foregrounds the work of Jesus the Messiah and the work of the spirit, and it positions the church as central to the purposes of God--a small, working model of new creation. This understanding of the church is central to the New Testament, but nowhere is it clearer than in Ephesians. Paul's view of salvation is not about being rescued from the world, but about the coming together of heaven and earth in Jesus the Messiah. Against this backdrop, many of the most challenging parts of Ephesians--spiritual warfare, women in the church, powers and principalities, what Paul means by "salvation"--come into sharper focus.
In The Vision of Ephesians, well-known New Testament scholar N.T. Wright offers an accessible introduction that opens the text in a way that helps what may seem dense and allusive become clear, fresh, challenging, and encouraging. Wright works through the letter in nine sections, exploring both apocalyptic insights and bracing challenges for the church, whether in the first century or the twenty-first.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2025
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About the author
N.T. Wright
461 books2,875 followersN. T. Wright is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England (2003-2010) and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. He has been featured on ABC News, Dateline NBC, The Colbert Report, and Fresh Air, and he has taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill, and Oxford universities. Wright is the award-winning author of Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, The Last Word, The Challenge of Jesus, The Meaning of Jesus (coauthored with Marcus Borg), as well as the much heralded series Christian Origins and the Question of God.
He also publishes under Tom Wright.
He also publishes under Tom Wright.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 5, 2026
I thoroughly enjoy pretty much all of the works of the great NT Wright. His short look through Ephesians is no exception. He discusses how the goal of Ephesians is the formation of the local church.
As a local church pastor, I was challenged by some of the thoughts he brought forth. It is difficult explaining to congregations how the goal of church is not great worship service experiences, but transformed people forming communities that reflect the coming Kingdom of Jesus. I struggle with getting this concept to stick.
I most appreciated Wright's take on chapters 4-5 of Ephesians. I am going to do some work to turn chapter 6 "The unity of the spirit" into a sermon series based on Ephesians 4:1-24. Wright introduces a "three-legged stool" of humility, one-ness and multiplicity as the foundation of the church being "in the Messiah." And then finally in verses 17-24, Wright reminds us that our call is to reflect the true God. "the pagan world does it one way, but we are called to do it the other way" (92).
Using all of this to lead in to chapter 5 is amazing.
As a local church pastor, I was challenged by some of the thoughts he brought forth. It is difficult explaining to congregations how the goal of church is not great worship service experiences, but transformed people forming communities that reflect the coming Kingdom of Jesus. I struggle with getting this concept to stick.
I most appreciated Wright's take on chapters 4-5 of Ephesians. I am going to do some work to turn chapter 6 "The unity of the spirit" into a sermon series based on Ephesians 4:1-24. Wright introduces a "three-legged stool" of humility, one-ness and multiplicity as the foundation of the church being "in the Messiah." And then finally in verses 17-24, Wright reminds us that our call is to reflect the true God. "the pagan world does it one way, but we are called to do it the other way" (92).
Using all of this to lead in to chapter 5 is amazing.
November 30, 2025
As always a cracking read stirring heart, mind and soul but I had hoped for something more like the Galatians commentary.
December 20, 2025
Excellent short volume on the overall message of Ephesians.
December 29, 2025
Not nearly as good and insightful as most other things from Wright that I've read. Pretty mediocre.
January 10, 2026
It's NT Wright. Well worth your time to read.
November 19, 2025
May you be filled with the fullness of God, strengthened by his Spirit, and rooted in love. God is the great unifier and we get to be about magnifying His glory, peace, love, kindness , and unity to this world. Amen
So thankful for NT Wright’s wisdom on paper
So thankful for NT Wright’s wisdom on paper
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews