Exegetical Final Assignment NBST610 Lawson

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Exegetical Final Assignment: Ephesians 5:21-33 Quinnton J. Lawson NBST 610: Hermeneutics December 4, 2023
Contents Main Idea & Outline ..................................................................................................................... 1 Passage ................................................................................................................................. 1 Main Idea ............................................................................................................................. 1 Outline ................................................................................................................................. 2 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 2 Thesis Statement .................................................................................................................. 3 Historical Context ................................................................................................................ 4 Exegetical Analysis of Ephesians 5:21-33 .................................................................................... 5 Mutual Submission and Headship (Eph 5:21-24) ................................................................ 6 Husbands and Wives Relationship ...................................................................................... 7 Paul’s Counter-Cultural View ............................................................................................. 9 Marriage Reflecting Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:25-33) .............................................. 11 Application ................................................................................................................................... 14 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 16 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 18 ii
1 Main Idea & Outline Passage Ephesians 5:21-33, “21 Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22  Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28  In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30  because we are members of his body. 31  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32  This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33  However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Main Idea Ephesians 5:21-33, the idea and imagery of Christ and the church is used to illustrate the relationship between husbands and wives. The passage emphasizes the sacrificial love of Christ for the Church and the submission of the Church to Christ, serving as a model for the mutual love and submission expected in the marital relationship. The idea is the spiritual significance
2 and sacred nature of the marital union, drawing parallels between the earthly marriage and the divine relationship between Christ and the Church. Outline I. Introduction – Historical Context a. Brief overview of Ephesians 5:21-33 b. Significance of the Exegetical Problem II. Mutual Submission & Headship (Ephesians 5:21-24) a. Explanation of the call to mutual submission b. The foundational role of reverence for Christ III. Husband-Wife Relationships in the First Century to Now – Cultural/Literary Context a. Cultural context of first-century marital relationships b. Patriarchal societal norms c. Expectations for Wives’ submission IV. Paul’s Counter-Cultural View – Authorship a. Introduction of mutual submission as counter-cultural b. Emphasis on reciprocal respect and love c. Departure from the traditional hierarchical structure V. Marriage Reflecting Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:25-33) a. Symbolism of Christ and the Church in marital relationships b. Husbands’ sacrificial love mirroring Christ’s love for the Church c. Wives’ submission reflects the Church’s submission to Christ. VI. Conclusion a. Recapitulation of key points in Ephesians 5:21-33 b. The enduring relevance of Paul’s teachings on marital relationships Introduction The passage Ephesians 5:21-33 presents a profound and often-debated discourse on the dynamics of marital relationships within the Christian context. This section of the letter from Apostle Paul to Ephesus and their development is part of a larger discourse on the ethical conduct of believers in various spheres of life. 1 The passage emphasizes the sacrificial love of Christ for the Church and the submission of the Church to Christ, serving as a model for mutual love and submission, and the concept of “one flesh union” between the unity and oneness 1 Ernest Best, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Ephesian, (London: T & T Clark, 2010), 520.
3 between Christ and the Church expected in the marital relationship. These exegetical aims to explore the principles embedded in this passage: 1. Mutual Submission: the call for mutual submission between husband and wife rooted in reverence for Christ. 2 Both husband and wife are called to voluntarily yield to one another, establishing a foundation of equality within the household duties that exist in the mutual relationships of the family. 3 2. Sacrificial Love: The analogy of Christ’s love for the church is invoked with the priority lying within the relationship between Christ and the Church, portraying husbands as called to love their wives sacrificially. 4 This love mirrors Christ’s selfless devotion as a model or template for the marital relationship, involving a willingness to lay down one’s interests for the well-being and sanctification of the spouse. 3. One Flesh Union (The Body): The passage underscores the profound mystery of marital union, drawing a parallel between the marriage relationship and Christ’s union with the church. This emphasizes the nature of the marital covenant. Thesis Statement Ephesians 5:21-33 elucidates the divine design for marital relationships, emphasizing mutual submission, sacrificial love, and one union as foundational principles that reflect Christ’s relationship with the church. This passage calls believers to embody these principles, 2 Stanislav Vojtko, “Interpretation of the Revealed Word by the Tradition of the Church – the Issue of Subordination of Woman to Man in the Saint Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians (Eph 5: 21–33).” Ruch Biblijny i Liturgiczny 68, no. 3 (2015). https://doaj.org/article/0c9afa3a637b4c0cac05d712020cadfe. 3 J. Paul Sampley, “And the Two Shall Become One Flesh:” A Study of Traditions in Ephesians 5:21-33, (Cambridge [England: Cambridge University Press, 1971), 10. 4 Jill E. Marshall, “Community Is a Body: Sex, Marriage, and Metaphor in 1 Corinthians 6:12–7:7 and Ephesians 5:21–33.” Journal of Biblical Literature 134, no. 4 (2015): 833–47. https://doi.org/10.15699/jbl.1344.2015.2889.
4 highlighting their integral role in the overarching narrative of redemption presented throughout the Bible. Historical Context Ephesians narrates a plot that begins before the creation of the world, continues with God’s redemption of his people from sin and the creation of a new people in Christ, and promises eternal fellowship with God and fellow believers. 5 The Book of Ephesians in the Bible was written by the Apostle Paul during his imprisonment in Rome. Ephesians is one of the letters, or epistles, commonly referred to as the Prison Epistles, which also include Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. The purpose of this letter was to show the Gentiles that they were on an equal footing with the Jews in receiving the blessings of salvation. 6 Ephesians is unique among Paul’s letters as it lacks specific references to problems or controversies within the recipient church. Instead, it offers a more general and comprehensive theological overview. Ephesus, the city for which the letter is named, was a prominent center of commerce and culture in the ancient Roman world. 7 The Ephesian church comprised both Jewish and Gentile converts, and the letter addresses the unity and reconciliation brought about by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 8 The letter explores various theological themes, including divine purpose, the role of the Church as the body of Christ, the unity of Christians, and the ethical implications of the gospel. Ephesians is a rich source of Christian doctrine and practical guidance, encouraging Christians to live in light of their identity in Christ and to engage in the ongoing spiritual battle 5 Lynn H. Cohick, The Letter to the Ephesians , (Chicago: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2020), 33. 6 Bill Bright, Review of Prison Epistles, Thessalonians, Pastoral Epistles. Accessed December 5, 2023. https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/10-basic-steps/10-the-new-testament.7.html. 7 Cohick, The Letter to the Ephesians, 54. 8 Cohick, The Letter to the Ephesians, 52.
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