Chapter 4 contains a remarkable piece of "bible study" that on the face of it is a misreading of a verse from Psalm 68, wrenched out of context, and apparently misquoted (though possibly Paul was quoting the Septuagint rather than the Hebrew). Throughout the Epistles there is the question as to whether Paul felt it reasonable to quote short passages out of context. Conceivably he carried with him a set of "useful quotations" rather than a complete set of Hebrew sacred literature.

Chapter 5 has a section on Christian living, similar to the corresponding section in Colossians, unappealing today for its subservient view of women and its acceptance of slavery as an institution.

Verse 12 of chapter 6 seems to take gnostic terminology for granted, with its talk of "archons" and heavenly powers. As in several epistles it talks of "heavens" and the possibility of traveling between them.

Was Paul a prisoner when the letter was written? The phrase at the start of Chapter 4 is "Paul, a prisoner in Jesus Christ", so it might be that Paul is speaking metaphorically, as he does when referring to himself as a "slave of Christ". However, it is rather more difficult to apply that argument to the phase "an ambassador in a chain" in Chapter 5.