The present invention provides a bifunctional phenylene ether oligomer compound having a thermosetting functional group at each terminal, an epoxy resin containing the above oligomer compound and a use thereof. That is, it provides a sealing epoxy resin composition for sealing an electric part, an epoxy resin composition for laminates, a laminate, a printed wiring board, a curable resin composition and a photosensitive resin composition. The resins and resin compositions of the present invention are used in electronics fields in which a low dielectric constant, a low dielectric loss tangent and high toughness are required and also used for various uses such as coating, bonding and molding.