Ephesians 6:23 Commentary: Peace, Love, Faith as Divine Gifts

Paul's letters typically close with a benediction that echoes the opening greeting. Ephesians begins with “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:2). Here in 6:23, Paul reshapes that formula: he places “peace” first, as in other closings (2 Corinthians 13:11; Galatians 6:16), and adds “love with faith” before the same source clause.

The third-person address “to the brethren” is unusual. Lange's Commentary calls it “altogether unusual; the third person, not the second, is used.” The previous verses mention Tychicus as the letter's bearer (Eph 6:21, 22), and the benediction widens beyond the original audience. Many scholars see this as evidence that Ephesians was a circular letter intended for several churches in Asia Minor. The phrase “peace to the brethren” echoes Old Testament greetings such as “Peace be to you” (Genesis 43:23) and “Peace be to your house” (1 Samuel 25:6), where the Hebrew shalom conveys full well-being. Paul gives this old greeting a new depth: peace as the work of Christ (John 14:27; Romans 5:1).

The pairing of “love with faith” recalls Paul's earlier prayer that the Ephesians would know Christ's love (Eph 3:17, 19) and the theme of faith working through love (Galatians 5:6). The source clause “from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” matches the opening in Ephesians 1:2, where both are givers of grace and peace. The benediction gathers the letter's teaching: peace from the cross (Eph 2:14, 18), love as the family bond (Eph 4:15, 16), and faith as the gift of grace (Eph 2:8, 9). Paul sends the community into the world with this prayer.

The consulted commentators and lexical sources note no significant textual variants for Ephesians 6:23. The reading is uniform across the major manuscripts, with only minor variations in the spelling of pronouns in later copies. The text as given is well established.

This verse has been read primarily as a benediction summarizing the epistle. John Wesley described it as recapitulating the whole letter. Calvin used it to emphasize the divine origin of peace and love. The Geneva Bible notes anchor it in Reformed piety. In later centuries, the verse appeared in liturgical settings as a closing prayer, inviting congregations to receive peace, love, and faith from the triune God. The early church fathers are less explicit on this specific verse, but the pattern of closing benedictions with a Trinitarian formula became standard. The verse continues to be used in many traditions as a model for pastoral blessing.

Three-Point Outline

1. The Gift of Peace. Paul prays for peace upon the community. Calvin suggests this may refer to harmony among the brethren, given the mention of love. Peace carries the Old Testament weight of shalom, wholeness, prosperity, and right relationship. This peace is not merely the absence of conflict but the positive well-being that flows from Christ's work (John 14:27). The church needs this peace as it faces internal and external pressures.
2. The Gift of Love with Faith. “Love with faith” ties together two central Christian virtues. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that faith is already assumed, and Paul prays that love may accompany it. Gill describes love as that which “discovers faith.” Faith trusts God; love reaches out to others. The preposition meta (with) in Greek implies a close belonging together (Lange's Grammar).
3. The Source: God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Both are named equally as the source. Barnes writes that “the Father and the Son are regarded as equally the author of peace and love.” This reflects the epistle's high Christology: Christ shares the Father's throne and gives the same gifts.

Five-Point Outline

1. Addressed to the Brethren. The third person “brothers” broadens the prayer beyond the original readers. It reminds us that Paul writes for the whole family of God.
2. Peace as the First Word. The benediction begins with peace, reversing the usual “grace and peace” order. It echoes the closing of other epistles (2 Cor 13:11). Peace is the sum of salvation's effects.
3. Love with Faith. Faith without love can become cold; love without faith lacks foundation. Paul prays that they belong together, as Galatians 5:6 says: “faith working through love.”
4. From God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The source clause is almost identical to Ephesians 1:2. It emphasizes that grace, peace, love, and faith all originate in God and are mediated through Christ.
5. A Prayer for the Whole Church. This benediction is not just for the Ephesians but for all who read it. It commissions the church to live in the gifts it has received.

Illustration Hooks

• Divided Table. A family at Thanksgiving dinner where old resentments surface. The elders silently pray for peace and love to fill the room, gifts they cannot manufacture themselves.
• Plant and Water. A gardener knows that growth requires both sun and water. In the Christian life, faith is the soil and love is the fruit; both come from God.
• Gift Card. Receiving a gift card is different from earning a reward. Paul's benediction reminds us that peace, love, and faith are gifts we open, not wages we claim.

Questions Your Congregation Is Asking

• Why does Paul use “brothers” instead of “you” here, and what does that say about who this letter is for?
• If peace, love, and faith are gifts from God, what is our part in receiving them?
• How can we pray this benediction for one another in our own words?

Ephesians 6:23 is Paul's final prayer for the church. After teaching about God's plan, unity, marriage, work, and spiritual warfare, he ends with a simple request: that peace, love, and faith would be their portion. This benediction is a model for how we can pray for our own communities.

Discussion Questions

1. Read Ephesians 6:23, 24. What do you notice about how Paul addresses the readers here compared to earlier in the letter?
2. Look at verse 23. What three things does Paul desire for the brethren? How would you define each of these in your own words?
3. Why do you think Paul prays for “love with faith” rather than love alone or faith alone? What does the connection suggest? (Consider Galatians 5:6.)
4. The gifts are said to come “from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” What does this imply about the relationship between the Father and the Son? How does it shape our understanding of prayer?
5. Some commentators suggest “peace” here refers to harmony among believers (Calvin). How does that fit the context of Ephesians, especially chapters 2 and 4 on unity?
6. How might you pray this verse over someone in your life this week? What would it look like to ask God to give peace, love, and faith to a person you know?
7. This verse is a benediction, a prayer that blesses others. How can we cultivate a habit of blessing others with such prayers?