Exegesis Paper
Exegesis of Ephesians 3:14-21
Corinne Burke
Northwest University
Introduction Interpreting a text from the Bible properly is much more than simply reading the text and applying the first thing that comes to mind. The author has a specific meaning for each part of the text, and although many may think that the application of text is specific to the individual, this is not the case. Scripture has lost many different literary tools that the author used in order for the readers to better understand, in translations throughout the years. Because of this divide, it is crucial to dig deeper into the text than ever before to completely understand the meaning that the author had originally wanted to portray. In the following text, I will examine Ephesians 3:14-21, and begin to break the verses down into sections. These sections will be broken down further, as I will exegete each verse. By using examining tools such as looking for repetition, observing the surrounding context, multiple words studies, and looking into the history, I will begin to further discover the original meaning that the author had intended.
Historical-cultural context When looking into a specific Bible passage, or set of Bible passages, it is important to evaluate different literary aspects that have a great effect on how the passage is meant to be understood. The historical-cultural context of the passage along with the literary context of the passage is essential to dig into as they will alter the way the passage is translated. In Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul is writing to believers in Ephesus along with some of the surrounding communities, as it was probably a circular letter. Paul’s authorship, though, has recently been questioned as out of the total of 530 words, forty-one are hapaxlegomena, or words that only appear once in the New Testament. There are also thirty-seven words that are not found in any of Paul’s other letters. These facts recently have put questions in scholars’ minds as to
Corinne Burke
Northwest University
Introduction Interpreting a text from the Bible properly is much more than simply reading the text and applying the first thing that comes to mind. The author has a specific meaning for each part of the text, and although many may think that the application of text is specific to the individual, this is not the case. Scripture has lost many different literary tools that the author used in order for the readers to better understand, in translations throughout the years. Because of this divide, it is crucial to dig deeper into the text than ever before to completely understand the meaning that the author had originally wanted to portray. In the following text, I will examine Ephesians 3:14-21, and begin to break the verses down into sections. These sections will be broken down further, as I will exegete each verse. By using examining tools such as looking for repetition, observing the surrounding context, multiple words studies, and looking into the history, I will begin to further discover the original meaning that the author had intended.
Historical-cultural context When looking into a specific Bible passage, or set of Bible passages, it is important to evaluate different literary aspects that have a great effect on how the passage is meant to be understood. The historical-cultural context of the passage along with the literary context of the passage is essential to dig into as they will alter the way the passage is translated. In Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul is writing to believers in Ephesus along with some of the surrounding communities, as it was probably a circular letter. Paul’s authorship, though, has recently been questioned as out of the total of 530 words, forty-one are hapaxlegomena, or words that only appear once in the New Testament. There are also thirty-seven words that are not found in any of Paul’s other letters. These facts recently have put questions in scholars’ minds as to
References: Barker, Kenneth L.. NIV study Bible. 2011 ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. House, 2011. Print. Barth, Markus. The Anchor Bible Ephesians ; [1].. New Haven [u.a.: Yale Univ. Press, 1974. Print. Best, Ernest. A critical and exegetical commentary on Ephesians. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1998. Print. "Letter to the Ephesians." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. <http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/ntintro/eph.htm>. Liefeld, Walter L.. Ephesians. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1997. Print. Lincoln, Andrew T.. Ephesians. Dallas, Tex.: Word Books, 1990. Print.