Ephesians

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For it is so written in

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Analysis

Paul's epistle to the Ephesians is, of course, a letter that Paul of Tarsus supposedly wrote to those in the Christian church at Ephesus[1].

Contents

[edit] Themes

  • Paul takes ten verses to say that Jesus died so you could live in heaven and do good works.[2]
  • There exists no distinction between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians.[3]
  • There is to be a clearly defined hierarchy in the household involving neither utter dominance nor egalitarianism, but rather an echo of that between Christ and the Church. Husbands are to lovingly preside over wives, parents over children, and masters over slaves.[4]

[edit] Commonly Cited Passages

  • Ephesians 6:10-18 is some tripe about "the Armor of God;" the passage uses a suit of armor as a metaphor for virtues and spiritual warfare.[5]
    • One verse in this passage can be interpreted to discourage warfare or activism in the name of Christ:
      Ephesians 6:12
      For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
  • The passage that tells wives to submit to husbands[6] is used to justify things ranging from gender roles to wife beating[7].


[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. Scholars now doubt the authorship of Ephesians, and ascribe it a much later date, anywhere from 70CE to 100CE
  2. Eph. 2:1-10
  3. Eph. 2:11-22
  4. Eph. 5:22-6:9
  5. It uses such language as "the belt of truth;" it does not, however, mention "the mustard of your doom" as a weapon of "the enemy."
  6. Eph. 5:22-24
  7. The next paragraph, however, tells husbands to love their wives just like Christ loves the Church, weakening some of the more wingnut positions.


Guide to the Jewish and Christian Scriptures
Torah: Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers - Deuteronomy Old Testament History: Book of Joshua - Book of Judges - Ruth - Samuel (1 & 2) - Kings (1 and 2 Kings) - Chronicles - Ezra and Nehemiah - Book of Esther Old Testament Wisdom: Book of Job - Psalms - Book of Proverbs - Ecclesiastes - Song of Solomon Major Prophets: Isaiah - Book of Jeremiah - Lamentations - Book of Ezekiel - Book of Daniel Minor Prophets: Minor Prophets

Deuterocanon (Catholic and Orthodox): - Tobit - Judith - 1 Maccabees - 2 Maccabees - Book of Wisdom - Sirach - Baruch - Letter of Jeremiah Deuterocanon (Orthodox): 1 Esdras - 3 Maccabees - Prayer of Manasseh - Psalm 151 Deuterocanon (Georgian Orthodox): 4 Maccabees - 2 Esdras Ethiopian Orthodox ("narrow" canon): Jubilees - Enoch - Rest of the Words of Baruch - 1-3 Meqabyan Syriac Peshitta: 2 Baruch Psalms 152-155


The Gospels: Gospel of Matthew - Gospel of Mark - Gospel of Luke - Gospel of John Acts: Acts of the Apostles Pauline Epistles: Romans - 1 & 2 Corinthians - Galatians - Ephesians - Philippians - Colossians - First Thessalonians - Second Thessalonians - First Timothy - Second Timothy - Titus - Epistle to Philemon General Epistles: Epistle to the Hebrews - Epistle of James - First Peter - Second Peter - 1 John - 2 John - 3 John - Epistle of Jude Revelation: Book of Revelation


Selected pseudepigrapha: Gospel of Judas - Infancy Gospel of James - Gospel of Mary - Gospel of Philip - Gospel of Thomas - Nag Hammadi texts


Rational Wiki's Guide to the Protestant Bible

Guide to Bible translations

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