Exegetical Paper Passage Outline and Background Assignment
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Liberty University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
NBST 610
Subject
Arts Humanities
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
6
Uploaded by QuinnLaw24
Exegetical Paper: Passage Outline and Background
Ephesians 5:21-33
Quinnton J. Lawson
NBST 610: Hermeneutics
November 11, 2023
Contents
Passage
............................................................................................................................................
1
Overview of the Exegetical Problem
............................................................................................
1
Outline
............................................................................................................................................
2
Thesis for Ephesians 5:21-33
........................................................................................................
2
Bibliography
...................................................................................................................................
4
ii
1
Passage
“Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 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. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit
in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 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. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the
wife see that she respects her husband.” (Eph 5:21-33 ESV)
Overview of the Exegetical Problem Ephesians 5:21-33 addresses the dynamics of marital relationships within a Christian context. In this passage, the concept of “submission” is a key theme, with verse 21 stating, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” This initial call to mutual submission sets the tone for the subsequent verse that specifically addresses the roles of husbands and wives. While specific roles for husbands and wives are outlined in the passage, the emphasis on mutual submission and sacrificial love suggests a cooperative partnership rather than a rigid hierarchy. The principles presented by Paul can be seen as universal in the sense that they transcend cultural
and temporal boundaries, providing a timeless guide for Christian marriages based on love, respect, and mutual submission. A clear sign of this is the fact that husbands and wives will not each be given separate and special instructions that are not also given to all Christians regarding their interactions and commitments to one another. Wives are to submit, but all Christians are called to submit to each other (5:21); husbands are to love as Christ loved, and as sacrificially, but all Christians are called to love one another as Christ loved and as sacrificially (5:2).
1
1
David Arthur DeSilva, Ephesians,
(Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridge University Press, 2022), 280.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
2
Outline
I.
Introduction – History Context
a.
Brief overview of Ephesians 5:21-33
b.
Significance of the Exegetical Problem
II.
Mutual Submission (Ephesians 5:21)
a.
Explanation of the call to mutual submission
b.
The foundational role of reverence for Christ
III.
Husband-Wife Relationships in the First Century – Cultural 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. 5:22-33) - Purpose
a.
Symbolism of Christ and the Church in marital relationships
b.
Husbands’ sacrificial love mirroring Christ’s love for the Church
c.
Wives’ submission reflecting the Church’s submission to Christ
VI.
Roles and Principles – Key Themes
a.
Specific roles outlined for husbands and wives
b.
Emphasis on the universality of principles over rigid roles
c.
The timeless nature of the guidance for Christian marriages
VII.
Conclusion
a.
Recapitulation of key points in Ephesians 5:21-33
b.
The enduring relevance of Paul’s teachings on marital relationships
Thesis for Ephesians 5:21-33
In Ephesians 5:21-33, the Apostle Paul articulates an innovative vision of marital relationships, challenging the conventional first-century societal norms by advocating for mutual submission, emphasizing sacrificial love as the cornerstone of husbands’ roles, and depicting marriage as a profound reflection of the divine union between Christ and the Church. This offers enduring principles that transcend cultural contexts and continue to inspire Christian households toward unity, respect, and spiritual significance.
3
4
Bibliography
Arnold, Clinton E. Ephesians
. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2010.
Barry, John D., et al. Faithlife Study Bible
. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.
Darko, Daniel K. "No Longer Living as the Gentiles: Differentiation and Shared Ethical Values in Ephesians 4:17-6:9." Tyndale Bulletin 59, no. 2 (2008). Accessed November 11, 2023.
https://doaj.org/article/80dba270798a4761ae8779f3dc807391.
DeSilva, David Arthur. Ephesians.
Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridge University Press, 2022.
Mack, Andrew. 2012. “MARRIAGE as a MODEL for RELATIONSHIPS within the CHURCH?
An Exploration of Ephesians 5:21-33 in Its First-Century and New Testament Contexts.” https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:252/datastream/PDF/file.pdf.
Payne, Philip Barton. Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul’s Letters
. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2009.
Pierce, Ronald W, Rebecca Merrill Groothuis, and Gordon D Fee. Discovering Biblical Equality:
Complementarity without Hierarchy
. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012.
Sampley, J. Paul. “And the Two Shall Become One Flesh”: A Study of Traditions in Ephesians 5:21-33 /. Vol. 16. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Stott, John R. W. The Message of Ephesians: God’s New Society
. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., U.S.A.: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help