Ephesians

Benjamin L Merkle, Andreas J. Köstenberger, Robert W. Yarbrough, Andreas J. Köstenberger, Robert W. Yarbrough

• Publisher: B&H Academic
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781433676116
• eBook ISBN: 9781433680250
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Commentary

The Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (EGGNT) closes the gap between the Greek text and the available lexical and grammatical tools, providing all the necessary information for greater understanding of the text. The series makes interpreting any given New Testament book easier, especially for those who are hard pressed for time but want to preach or teach with accuracy and authority. Each volume begins with a brief introduction to the particular New Testament book, a basic outline, and a list of recommended commentaries. The body is devoted to paragraph-by-paragraph exegesis of the Greek text and includes homiletical helps and suggestions for further study. A comprehensive exegetical outline of the New Testament book completes each EGGNT volume.

I. Address and Greeting (1:1–2)

STRUCTURE

The opening two verses form a greeting or salutation in typical ancient style: the letter begins with an identification of the (1) sender and (2) recipient and then offers (3) a greeting. Paul normally expands each of these components so that his introductory greetings are lengthier than was typical. In this case he identifies the divine source of his authority, further describes his readers, and offers a prayer of blessing filled with theological content. Paul will often emphasize elements in his prescript that are later significant or reoccurring themes. In this case the name of Christ is referenced in each section of the introduction.

1	Παῦλος
	ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ
	διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ
	τοῖς ἁγίοις τοῖς οὖσιν
	⁞ [ἐν Ἐφέσῳ]
	καὶ πιστοῖς
	ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ,
2	χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη
	ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν
	καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.

VERSE 1

Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ

The anar. proper name Παῦλος is a nom. abs. since it is not grammatically the subj. of a verb. Ἀπόστολος is also in the nom. case because it is in appos. to Παῦλος, further describing or identifying the author and is anar. because Paul is only one apostle among many. This term has three different uses: (1) technical; (2) semitechnical; and (3) nontechnical. The technical use refers specifically to the Twelve (Matt 10:2; Acts 1:13; 1 Cor 15:5, 7) and Paul (1 Cor 9:1; 15:9) who were chosen and commissioned by Jesus to have a unique position in the founding of the Church. The semitechnical use refers to leaders who were commissioned by Jesus or the church (James [1 Cor 15:7; Gal 1:19]; Barnabas [1 Cor 15:5–6; cf. Acts 14:4, 14], and possibly Apollos [1 Cor 4:6, 9] and Andronicus and Junia [Rom 16:7]). The nontechnical use refers to a messenger, representative, or emissary who is on a temporary assignment (Epaphroditus [Phil 2:25] and Titus’s two companions [2 Cor 8:23]). In Ephesians the term ἀπόστολος is later coupled with προφῆται (“prophets”), the latter term always occurring second (2:20; 3:5; 4:11; cf. 1 Cor 12:28–29).

This epistle, like Romans and the Pastoral Epistles, includes only Paul as the author. Elsewhere Paul includes Sosthenes (1 Cor 1:1), Timothy (2 Cor 1:1; Phil 1:1; Col 1:1), and Silas and Timothy (1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1; cf. Gal 1:2, “all the brothers who are with me”).

The gen. phrase Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ conveys relationship or poss. (Paul is an apostle belonging to Christ Jesus) or could be taken as a subj. gen. (Paul is an apostle sent out by Christ; Wallace 82). As in this text NT epistles typically omit the art. with Χριστοῦ when (with Ἰησοῦ) it is a proper name (BDF §260[1]). In Ephesians the term Χριστός occurs forty-six times and Ἰησοῦς twenty times. The coupling of these terms as Χριστός Ἰησοῦς is found eleven times (1:2 [2x], 7, 10, 13, 20; 3:1, 6, 11, 21), whereas the reverse order Ἰησοῦς Χριστός occurs seven times (1:2–3, 5, 17; 5:20; 6:23–24).

The prep. phrase διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ qualifies ἀπόστολος and communicates the means by which Paul was chosen and commissioned as an apostle (BDAG 224d, “efficient cause”; R 582; Wallace 433–34, “intermediate agent”). Θεοῦ is a poss. gen. (“God’s will”) or, better, a subj. gen. since θέλημα can convey a verbal idea (“God wills [something]”). Θελήματος is anar. because the art. is often omitted in a prep. phrase (BDF §255). The same opening phrase (Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ) is found in 2 Cor 1:1; Col 1:1; and 2 Tim 1:1.

τοῖς ἁγίοις τοῖς οὖσιν [ἐν Ἐφέσῳ]

The addressees or recipients of the letter are indicated by the dat. case (τοῖς ἁγίοις, “to the saints”). Paul also addresses οἱ ἅγιοι in Philippians (1:1) and Colossians (1:2; cf. Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1). More often he directly identifies ἡ ἐκκλησία (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1) or αἱ ἐκκλησίαι (Gal 1:2). He also addresses οἱ ἀγαπητοί (Rom 1:7) and various individuals (1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Titus 1:4; Phlm 1:1–2). Paul later refers to believers as “the saints” in 1:15, 18; 2:19; 3:8, 18; 4:12; 5:3; 6:18.

Τοῖς οὖσιν (dat. pl. m...

Table of contents

• Acknowledgments
• I. Address and Greeting (1:1–2)
• II. Understanding God’s Gracious Calling (1:3–3:21)
• III. Walk Worthy of Our Calling (4:1–6:20)
• IV. Commendation and Benediction (6:21–24)
• Grammar Index
• Scripture Index