Reading for January 26th

 Read Ephesians 1.3-14. In 1.3-14: Praise to God. The repetitions of praise (vv. 6, 12, 14) divide the Greek sentence into three parts (vv. 3-6, 7-12, 13-14). In verse 3: heavenly places occurs nowhere else in the New testament but Ephesians (1.20; 2.6; 3.10; 6.12). In verses 5-6: Adoption, a favorite concept for Paul (Gal 4.15; Rom 8.15, 23; 9.4); Paul never uses beloved to characterize Christ though later Christian writers, like Ignatius do. In verse 7; For Paul, redemption (a purchase payment) covers all of the believers lives and is completed only at the second coming ("parousia"). (See 3.24; 8.23; 1 Cor 1.30; see also 1 Cor 15.23) Ephesians holds a similar view but never mentions parousia. In verse 8: Wisdom and insight emphasize adequate perception, the recipients should avoid deceit and spread truth (4.14, 25; 5.6; 6.14). In verse 9: Mystery, Colossians reserves this expression for Christ (Col 1.26-27; 2.24.3); here it indicates God's reconciliation of all things including Jews and gentiles in the body of Christ (3.3-4, 9). In verse 10: Gather up, "head up": Jesus is head of the body and the church grows toward that head. In verse 11: Paul links adoption to inheritance (Gal3.29; 4.7; Rom 8.17). In verses 12-14: We, you connects vv. 7-12 to 13-14, anticipating the direct address to gentiles in 2.1 and 3.1. A seal confirms authenticity; a pledge is a deposit against a full amount to be paid later; both are used similarly in Paul's undisputed letters (2 Cor 1.22; 5.5; Rom 8.23). Comments or Questions..