NEW TESTAMENT FOUNDATIONS NT 102 LETTERS FROM PRISON

NEW TESTAMENT FOUNDATIONS NT 102 LETTERS FROM PRISON (II)

EPHESIANS Introduction A. Substance B. Ephesus

Theater of Ephesus

Ephesus’ Marketplace

C. Authorship Many reject Pauline authorship due to 1. absence of any personal word 2. uncharacteristic style

Authenticity A. Options for authorship: either Paul or a Pauline disciple B. Issues of authorship: 1. Style and vocabulary: non-Pauline a. sentence structure is long & complex b. poetic cadences instead of typical Pauline rhetoric c. new vocabulary, or old vocabulary in new ways d. hazardous basis?

2. Linguistic & theological relationship to Colossians: a. examples of closeness to Colossians b. lingering questions

3. Theological concerns a. Theology goes beyond Paul b. Perspectives uncommon for Paul (1) cosmic view of the church (2) foundation of the church (3) Jews & Gentiles now made one (4) “being saved for good works”

c. Response: (1) Cosmic church: but where else would Paul begin? (2) Foundation of the church (3) Unity in the present (4) Good works

C. Evaluation of Ephesians in terms of authorship 1. The arguments are complex 2. Unique among Paul’s letters: both in occasion & purpose

3. Other considerations: a. Early testimony of the church unanimous b. Unquestionably Pauline in thought (9095%) c. Who could possibly be Paul’s disciple?

Destination, Occasion & Purpose A. Destination 1. To Ephesus? 2. To where, then? a. Cover letter for the Pauline Epistles b. The Laodicean letter (Col. 4: 16) c. Circular to Pauline

B. Purpose 1. Difficulty in determining purpose 2. Gentile audience Typical Pauline affirmations of the gospel (1) salvation as God’s free gift (1: 1314; 2: 5, 79) (2) reconciling Jew & Gentile as God’s new humanity (1: 10;

(3) effected by Christ’s atoning work (1: 7; 2: 15 -16) (4) received through faith (1: 13; 2: 8 -9) (5) experienced through Christ’s gift of the Holy Spirit (1: 13 -14; 2: 18, 22) who through his graces nurtures (1: 17 ff; 4: 1116), transforms (4: 17— 6: 9), and empowers (6: 10 -18) God’s people

3. Recognition of dominant emphases a. Considerable interest in the “powers” & their subjugation to the cosmic authority of Christ (1: 21; 2: 2; 3: 10; 6: 12) b. Jewish & Gentile reconciliation (esp. 2 -3) c. Affirmation of the unity of the church

d. Allusions to the Colossian heresy: (1) “in the heavenlies” (1: 3, 20; 2: 6) (2) faith not works (2: 9) (3) circumcision (2: 11) (4) commandments & ordinances of the Law (2: 15): (5) not being deceived by empty words (5: 6)

4. Striking characteristic: magic & the powers a. Significance of magic & the “powers”, especially for Asia Minor (Arnold) (1) social preoccupation with ideas of magic (2) individuals apparently living in fear of these powers (3) Colossian heresy is a

b. Paul’s response: (1) Christ is far above any of these (1: 21 -22; cf. 1: 17 -20) (2) they reign with him “in the heavenlies” (2: 6; cf. 1: 22 b) (3) nevertheless there is still conflict (6: 10 -18)

5. The Jew-Gentile reconciliation and unity a. forestalling any Colossian infection based on Jewish supremacy b. emphasizing unity & peace as a sign of Christ’s supremacy

6. The cosmic exaltation & authority of Christ over the powers and their place in Christ a. There is no need to fear the powers b. Christ’s enthronement

c. Christ has overcome the alienation caused by the powers … between God & man (2: 1 -2) … between Jew & Gentile (2: 11 ff) … between one another (cf. 4: 17 ff) d. So then, work with the Spirit in his effecting of Christ’s work in the world.

Content A. Structure 1. Praise & Prayer (chs. 1 -3): a. Opening doxological blessing (1: 3 -14) b. Bracketing prayers (1: 15 -23; 3: 14 -21) c. Message that work of Christ

2. Parenesis (“exhortation”, chs. 4 -6): urging them to co-operate with the Spirit in his effecting Christ’s work of reconciliation & unity a. in their lives (4: 1— 6: 9) b. in the world (6: 10 -20)

B. First half: What God has done in Christ (ch. 1 -3) 1. Opening doxology (1: 3 -14) a. Features (1) Blessed be God for accomplishing his preordained purposes (2) “for the praise of his glory” (3) Trinitarian formulation:

b. Content (1)God the Father for blessing us in keeping with his eternal purposes of reconciling all things (2)effected through the redemptive work of Christ in history (3)appropriated to both Jew & Gentile, sealed and

2. Prayer that the Spirit will grant them wisdom & insight into what God has done (1: 15 -23) a. Through the Spirit b. To know three things (1) hope (2) riches (3) power

3. Christ’s power in overcoming the powers’ alienating activity (2: 1 -22) a. Reconciling God & humanity (2: 1 -10) (1) we were dead because of sin (2) but now with Christ (a) made alive (b) seated in heavenlies (above the powers) or what (3) God’s new creation masterpiece “handiwork” of reconciliation to do HE does: good works

b. Reconciling humanity to one another: especially characterized by Jew & Gentile (2: 11 -22) (1) the great antagonism of the ancient world (2) the dividing wall of the Temple

Herod’s Temple

(3) Jew vs. Gentile (4) through Christ’s death (5) peace

4. Return to the prayer (3: 1 -22) a. Now another digression on his role in this “mystery” (3: 1 -13) b. Finally the prayer (3: 14 -22)

C. Second Half: Responding to God’s work in Christ, living a reconciled life of peace & unity (chs. 4 -6) 1. Be careful how you “walk” (4: 1, 17; 5: 2, 8, 15): a life of peace, reconciliation & unity 2. Sustained exhortation: maintain unity! (4: 1 -16) a. Centrality of Christ (1) Christ-like qualities

b. Trinitarian basis for unity (cf. 1: 3 -14): (1) one body through one Spirit (2) one Lord in whom we have one faith and to whom we are joined by one baptism (3) one God & Father of all over all and through all and in all c. Spirit ministries for unity & fullness under

3. Cautionary words: avoid those things that destroy unity (4: 17— 5: 14) 4. Emphatic message: life in the Spirit as the key to unity (5: 15— 6: 10) a. Watch carefully how you walk b. Maintain attitude of submission (1) Marriage (2) Household code

5. Concluding ideas: joining with Yahweh in effecting his work of reconciliation (6: 11 -20) a. Yahweh’s armor (Isa 59: 15 b-21; 61: 1 -6) b. collective c. concluded with prayer of all kinds d. for Paul’s evangelism

Conclusion A. The problem of alienation B. Unity and Christian witness C. Trinitarian work D. Seriousness of division

COLOSSIANS Introduction A. Questions of Authenticity 1. Traditional vs. contemporary position 2. Arguments surrounding theology a. Absence of important Pauline concepts b. Cosmic conception of

B. Responses to Questions 1. Significance of occasion & purpose 2. Evidence of development 3. No good reason to assume Colossians inauthentic

City & the Church A. Colossae 1. Location

Map of Asia Minor

2. Part of a triad of cities: Colossae, Laodicea, Hierapolis 3. Significance a. Strategic cross-roads of N-S and E-W traffic b. Mineral springs 4. Jewish population

B. Church 1. Paul’s relationship to the church 2. Constitution of the church 3. Leadership in the church

Occasion A. Ecclesiastical concern B. Practical concerns

The “Colossian Heresy” A. Difficult to delineate 1. Paul has only second hand information 2. Evidence from the Epistle is enigmatic

B. Features of the heresy (2: 6 -23) 1. Philosophy aimed at acquiring “knowledge, ” “spiritual wisdom, ” and “understanding” a. Deriving from “elemental spirits” & human tradition (2: 8; cf. 4, 18)

Astrology: Augustus & Capricorn

b. Offering superior or deeper wisdom, knowledge, understanding (1: 9, 10; cf. 1: 25 -26; 2: 2 -3) c. Claiming path to maturity & fullness (1: 19, 22, 28; 2: 9; 4: 12) d. Becomes grounds for “boasting” (2: 18, 23)

2. Jewish elements (2: 11, 16 -23) a. Jewish law & regulations (2: 14), including … (1) Circumcision (2: 11; cf. 1: 28) (2) Jewish dietary laws (2: 16, 2021) (3) Festivals & Sabbath (2: 16 f) b. Physical asceticism (2: 18, 20 -23)

3. Enigmatic statements in 2: 18: precisely what is in view here? a. Worship of angels b. Mystical visionary experience c. Syncretism

C. Indications from Paul’s response 1. Strong affirmation of the allencompassing cosmic supremacy of Christ (1: 16; cf. 2: 9, 15, 20) 2. Heresy almost certainly included: a. Emphasizing special wisdom & asceticism as the path to maturity b. Weakening & devaluing of the person & work of Christ c. Undermining Christian ethics

Content A. Thanksgiving & Prayer (1: 3 -8, 914) 1. Thanksgiving 2. Prayer B. Reflection on a Hymn to Christ (1: 15 -23): reflecting wisdom traditions (Prov 8: 22 -21; Wis 7: 22— 8: 1)

1. Christological Hymn (1: 15 -20) a. Structure i. 3 strophes (vv. 15 -16: creation; vv. 17 -18 a: preservation; 18 b-20: redemption) or … ii. 2 strophes of unequal length (1518 a: creation; 18 b-20: reconciliation) or … iii. 2 strophes of approx. same length (15 -16 & 18 b-20),

Parallelism (focus on “firstborn”): vv. 15 -16 a: “who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him all things were created” vv. 18 b-19: “who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead … for in him all the fullness has been pleased to dwell. ”

Background of vv. 15 -16 a i. Gnostic redeemer myth ii. Jewish Day of Atonement iii. Personified wisdom

2. Content (4 main affirmations of the priority, supremacy, and allsufficiency of Christ) a. Image of invisible God (1: 15 a, 19): truly reflects God’s character image of God (Genesis 1: 26, 27) The meaning of “fullness” in 1: 19: “For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell. ”

b. Firstborn “of all creation”: total supremacy over creation (1: 15 b, 18) (1) Term used of wisdom: preexisting before creation itself (2) Term also used in Exodus: Yahweh’s son Israel (Ex 4: 22) (3) Concept is Yahweh’s new Adam, the beginning of the new creation

c. Creation d. Redemption 3. Conclusions (theologically: the great reconciler in whom deity & humanity meet)

4. Applications (for the Colossians; vv. 21 -23) a. They are reconciled b. They are without blemish, free from accusation c. They are warned: IF they continue in the faith received

C. Paul’s Mission & Motive for Writing …to proclaim this Jesus among the Gentiles -- this is why he writes to them (1: 24— 2: 5) D. Exposure of the False Teaching (2: 6 -23) 1. Emphasis not human tradition but on Christ (2: 6 -15)

2. Subsequent instructions (2: 16 -23) a. Have nothing to do with: (1) regulations of food, drink, festivals (2) false humility, worship with the angels (3) harsh treatment of the body b. Recognize that they have no

E. Marks of Genuine Christian Life (3: 1 — 4: 6) 1. Origin in Christ, his death, resurrection, and present exaltation a. Our necessary conformity to his pattern of “life” b. Baptismal language: “death, ” “take off” & “put on”

d. Christ’s new creational life (1) God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved a. LXX language for God’s people b. Prominence of Christ (2) Character of Christ (3: 12 -14)

(3)Peace of Christ (4)Word of Christ dwell in you (5)All in the name of Christ (ambassadorial language) *The whole thing is Christ from beginning to end*

2. “House-rules” (3: 18— 4: 1) a. Outworking the preceding Christian principles b. Emphasizing the primacy of the Lord

(1) Husbands & wives: “love” & “submit” (2) Children & parents: “obey” & “do not embitter” (3) Slaves & masters: “obey” & “equality” Wives/children/slaves: submit Husbands/parents/masters: love, justice, not acting in anger

Conclusion A. Image of God: full expression of God B. Firstborn: new Adam, having authority over all of new humanity & the new creation C. Creator of all things D. One who encompasses all wisdom & knowledge

But he is also our Redeemer, this ONE has … … by his blood … reconciled us to God and each other … to present us faultless … and as such is the pattern for right living There is, therefore, no need for any