Ephesians 5

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Ephesians 5
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Papyrus49verso.jpg
A fragment showing Ephesians 4:16–29 on recto side of Papyrus 49 from the third century.
Book Epistle to the Ephesians
Category Pauline epistles
Christian Bible part New Testament
Order in the Christian part10

Ephesians 5 is the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Traditionally, it is believed to be written by Apostle Paul while he was in prison in Rome (around AD 62). More recently, it is suggested to be written between AD 80 and 100 by another writer using Paul's name and style, however this theory is not widely accepted. [1] [2] This chapter is a part of Paul's exhortation (Ephesians 4 –6), with the particular section about how Christians should live in the world (4:17–5:20) and in their responsibilities as households (5:21–6:9). [3]

Contents

Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 33 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

Old Testament references

Walking in the light (5:1–20)

This section provides an antithesis between the old and new life in three contrasts:

  1. "life modelled on the love of God and Christ" vs. "life mismatched with vices" which causes God's anger (verses 1–7);
  2. "life in the light" vs. "life full of hidden shamefulness" (verses 8–14);
  3. an unwise life relying on strong drink vs. a wise life guided by the Spirit (verses 5:15–20). [5]

Verse 14

Therefore He says
"Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light." [6]

Verse 14 may be a snatch of an early hymn. [7] Charles Wesley describes "one who sleeps" as "a sinner satisfied in his sins; contented to remain in his fallen state". [8]

Verse 16

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. [9]

Verse 17

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. [12]

Verse 18

Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. [14]

Biblical theologian James Dunn notes a comparison between this exhortation and Pentecost day as it is recounted in Acts 2: "As at Pentecost the effect of the Spirit could give an impression of drunkenness. The difference is that strong drink taken in excess resulted in debauchery and dissipation", whereas fullness of the Spirit came to expression most characteristically in ... praise [of God] from the heart, and life lived in a spirit of thankfulness to God. [7] [ verify ]

Household rules (5:21–33)

Stretching to Ephesians 6:9, this part is built on "the tabulated framework of the rules for good household management rules", acknowledging a household as the basic unit of a society. [5] The health and stability of the society (and also the state) depend on the "basic relationships within the household: "husband and wife", "father and children", "master and slaves". [5] The good ethics in the Christian households, unlike in non-Christian ones, "have to be lived 'in the Lord', patterned after the unselfish, sacrificial love of Christ". [7]

Verse 21

Verse 22

Scholar David deSilva notes that in this instance, Paul modifies the Aristotelian household code by adding a preface that each should submit to one another (Verse 21). [15]

Scholar Craig S. Keener also sees this as a call to mutual submission, [16] citing Ephesians 2:11–22; 4:4–6; Gal. 3:28 and 1 Cor. 12:13 as evidence towards the equality that existed among believers regardless of their gender. [17] He theorizes that Paul may have made this modification as an apologetic defense of Christianity against Roman policy makers. Since Paul was awaiting trial in Rome, Keener posits this is how he wanted to show that Christians still adhered to certain Roman societal standards and that they were different from other eastern Mediterranean religions that the Romans saw as undignified, like the cult of Dionysus. [18] Keener references Paul's Epistle to the Romans, which encourages them to "be subject to the governing authorities" Romans 13:1–7 (NRSVue) as further evidence to this idea. [19] Keener also explains that the Greek word for "submitting" only appears in verse 21 and not verse 22 in the Greek text. As he puts it:

"If wives submit to their husbands, Roman moralists and others could not claim that Christianity subverted pagan morals. But if the husband also submits, and husband and wife act as equals before God, Paul is demanding something more than Roman moralists typically demanded, not less." [20]

Scholar Markus Barth views the wife's submission towards the husband (verse 22) as an example of Christians submitting to one another (verse 21). [21]

Additionally, the NRSVue indicates that the "be subject" in verse 22 is missing from the original Greek text.

Verse 25

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, [22]

Verse 27

and that He might present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. [23]

Verse 28

So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. [26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bruce, F. F. (1988). The Canon of Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. pp. 142, 158–60. ISBN   978-0-83081258-5.
  2. ↑ Attridge, Harold W.; Meeks, Wayne A., eds. (2006). Study Bible (rev. ed.). New York: HarperCollins. pp. 1982–83. ISBN   978-0-06122840-7.
  3. ↑ Dunn 2007, p. 1173.
  4. 1 2 "Biblical concordances of Ephesians 5 in the 1611 King James Version".
  5. 1 2 3 Dunn 2007, p. 1175.
  6. ↑ Ephesians 5:14
  7. 1 2 3 Dunn 2007, p. 1176.
  8. ↑ Wesley, C., Sermon 3 (text from the 1872 edition), AWAKE, THOU THAT SLEEPEST, preached on Sunday April 4, 1742, before the University of Oxford, accessed 31 May 2020
  9. ↑ Ephesians 5:16 KJV
  10. ↑ Greek Text Analysis: Ephesians 5:16. Biblehub
  11. 1 2 Expositor's Greek Testament. "Ephesians 5". Accessed 24 April 2019.
  12. ↑ Ephesians 5:17 MEV
  13. ↑ Greek Text Analysis: Ephesians 5:17. Biblehub
  14. ↑ Ephesians 5:18 NKJV
  15. ↑ David deSilva (2000), Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity, pp. 230–231.
  16. ↑ Keener 1992, p. 172.
  17. ↑ Keener 1992, p. 157.
  18. ↑ Rogers. Jr., Cleon L. "Dionysian Background of Ephesians 5:18". Bibliotheca Sacra. BSAC 136:543 (July 1979): 257. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  19. ↑ Keener 1992, p. 146-147.
  20. ↑ Keener 1992, p. 169.
  21. ↑ Barth, Markus (1974). Ephesians (Volume 2 ed.). Pennsylvania State University: Doubleday. p. 610. ISBN   9780385080378.
  22. ↑ Ephesians 5:25 NKJV
  23. ↑ Ephesians 5:27 MEV
  24. ↑ Note [a] on Ephesians 5:27 in NET Bible
  25. ↑ Poole, Matthew, A Commentary on the Holy Bible. "Ephesians 5". Accessed on 22 August 2019.
  26. ↑ Ephesians 5:28 NKJV
  27. ↑ T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 24. 1. & Becorot, fol. 35. 2. Maimon. Hilchot Becorot, c. 2. sect. 17. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 18. 2
  28. ↑ T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 62. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 76. 2. Derech Eretz, fol. 17. 4. Maimon Hilchot Ishot, c. 15. sect. 19.
  29. ↑ Tzeror Hammor, fol. 6. 3.
  30. 1 2 John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, - Ephesians 5:28

Bibliography

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