CHARACTERISTICS AND PECULIARITIES OF EPHESIANS

CHARACTERISTICS AND PECULIARITIES OF EPHESIANS

Virgil Warren, PhD

  1.    distinctive expressions include

             “in the heavenlies [ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς]”: 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12

             “to the praise of the/his glory (of his grace)”: 1:6, 12, 14

             “the new man [ὁ καινὸς ἄνθρωπος]”: 2:15; 4:25 (cp. ὁ νεὸς ἄνθρωπος in Colossians 3:10)

  2.    Along with Colossians (1:26-27; 2:2; 4:3) and Romans (16:25), Ephesians uses mystery (μυστήριον, mystērion) to refer to the previously unrevealed fact that Gentiles as Gentiles have access to fellowship with God through faith: 1:9; 3:3-9; 6:19. (See notations on Colossians.)

  3.    Of the New Testament writings, Ephesians deals most with the eternal, full scope of God’s purpose. It addresses the eternal length and human breadth of God’s purposes in Christ, from before the foundation of the world to the full realization of hope (4:2-4), from one side of humanity to the other.

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