Despite the agreed aims and standardized format for this series on the theology of the New Testament, in which each volume first describes the theology of a document and then also engages theologically with what has been described, it will inevitably be the case that each contributor brings his or her own assumptions to the task. The complex theoretical questions which surround pursuing and presenting a New Testament theology cannot be addressed here, but it may well be helpful to the readers of this particular presentation to be informed briefly how its writer has approached his task.

This particular writer has recently completed a major full-length commentary on Ephesians and has been glad to have been given the opportunity to reflect on the letter's more general theological issues and to provide a more coherent overall account of and interaction with such issues than was possible within the scope of the commentary format. Inevitably, what is presented here is dependent on the previous work, and the indulgence of readers is requested when they are referred to the writer's commentary for justification or fuller discussion of positions taken in the present volume.

Clearly one needs to have some idea of what one is looking for in asking about the theology of Ephesians.