One of our assignments for the narrative class I just took was to work through the book of Ephesians and identify all the concrete metaphors or images Paul used, and then make some conclusions on what we found regarding Paul’s thinking and writing. I expected to find several images, but not that many, since we all know Paul was primarily an abstract, propositional thinker/writer. But when I carefully went through the book, what I found was quite surprising. Here is what I found and my reflections:

Chapter 1

1:2 – God our Father.

1:3 – blessed us with every blessing in the heavenly places

1:5 – adoption as sons

1:7 – redemption through his blood, riches of his grace

1:11 – we have obtained an inheritance

1:13 – sealed with the promised Holy Spirit

1:14 – the guarantee of our inheritance

1:17 – Spirit is mentioned many times, and is picture language for a being beyond description: “Spirit of wisdom and revelation”

1:18 – eyes of your heart enlightened

1:20 – seated him (Christ) at his right hand in heavenly places

1:21 – far above rule and authority and power and every name

1:22 – under his feet… gave him as the head over all things

1:23 – church… which is his body.

 

Chapter 2

2:1 – dead in the trespasses

2:2 – in which you once walked… following the prince of the power of the air

2:3 – passions of our flesh… children of wrath

2:4 – rich in mercy

2:5 – dead in trespasses, made us alive

2:6 – raised us up… seated us with him in heavenly places

2:8 – it is the gift of God

2:10 – we are his workmanship… that we should walk in them

2:11 – uncircumcision and circumcision

2:12 – separated… alienated… strangers

2:13 – far off… were brought near by the blood of Christ

2:14 – he himself is our peace… broken down… dividing wall of hostility

2:15 – create in himself one new man

2:16 – reconcile in one body through the cross, hilling the hostility

2:19 – strangers and aliens… fellow citizens with saints, members of God’s household

2:20 – built on foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus as cornerstone

2:21 – whole structure, joined together, grows into holy temple

2:22 – being built together into a dwelling place for God

 

Chapter 3

3:1 – Paul, prisoner for Christ

3:2 – stewardship of God’s grace

3:5 – sons of men

3:6 – Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body

3:8 – least of the saints… unsearchable riches of Christ

3:9 – bring to light… hidden for ages in God

3:10 – rulers and authorities in the heavenly places

3:14 – I bow my knees

3:15 – every family in heaven and on earth is named

3:16 – riches of his glory… strengthened with power… inner being

3:17 – Christ may dwell in your hearts… rooted and grounded in love

3:18 – breadth and length and height and depth

3:19 – fullness of God

 

Chapter 4

4:1 – prisoner for the Lord, walk in a manner

4:4 – one body and one Spirit

4:5 – one baptism

4:6 – over all, through all, in all

4:8-10 – ascended and descended

4:12 – building up the body of Christ

4:13 – mature manhood… measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

4:14 – children, tossed to and fro by the waves, carried by ever wind

4:15 – grow up … who is the head, into Christ

4:16 – whole body, joined and held together by every joint… body grow

4:17 – walk as Gentiles… futility of the minds

4:18 – darkened in their understanding, alienated … hardness of heart

4:19 – callous… given themselves up to

4:22 – put off your old self… corrupt

4:23 – renewed in the spirit of your minds

4:24 – put on the new self

4:25 – members of one another

4:26 – sun go down on your anger

4:30 – grieve the Holy Spirit… sealed for the day of redemption

 

Chapter 5

5:1 – as beloved children

5:2 – walk in love… a fragrant offering and sacrifice

5:5 – inheritance in the kingdom

5:6 – deceive with empty words… sons of disobedience

5:8 – you were darkness… you are light… walk as children of light

5:9 – fruit of light

5:13 – exposed by the light

5:14 – sleeper… arise from the dead… Christ will shine on you

5:15 – how you walk

5:16 – days are evil

5:18 – drunk with wine vs filled with Spirit

5:19 – making melody with your heart

5:22 – submit to own husbands as to the Lord

5:23 – husband is head of the wife… Christ is the head of church, his body

5:25 – love your wives as Christ loved the chuch

5:26 – cleansed her by the washing of water with the word

5:27 – present the church… without spot or wrinkle or … any blemish

5:28 – love wives as own bodies

5:29 – hated his own flesh, nourishes and cherishes

5:30 – members of his body

5:31 – two shall become one flesh

5:32 – refers to Christ and the church

 

Chapter 6

6:3 – live long in the land

6:6 – eye-service… people-pleasers… bondservants of Christ

6:11 – whole armor of God… stand against the schemes of the devil

6:12 – wrestle against flesh and blood… rulers, authorities, cosmic powers… present darkness

6:13 – whole armor of God… evil day… stand firm

6:14 – stand… fastened belt of truth… breastplate of righteousness

6:15 – shoes for your feet… readiness

6:16 – shield of faith… extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one

6:17 – helmet of salvation… sword of the Spirit

6:19 – opening my mouth boldly

6:20 – an ambassador in chains

6:22 – encourage your hearts

6:23 – peace to the brothers

 

Conclusions

In truth, as I carefully completed this enjoyable assignment, reading and examining every verse in Ephesians, I was struck with the reality that this book that I thought was primarily propositional and didactic was absolutely infused with imagery and figurative language. Although Paul did not tell many stories, his word choice conjures up rich pictures of a wealth of images that stick with us. There are also many propositional truths within the book, but they are not starkly communicated to us. Rather, they are shined and polished and colorized with image after image, metaphor after metaphor.

It is clear to me from this assignment that Paul the master communicator used very imaginative, picturesque and vibrant language in trying to communicate concepts to his readers down through the centuries. How did Paul think and write? Certainly he had truths to communicate. But he did not lay platitude after platitude upon us. Rather, nearly everything he said had some picture, symbol, image, metaphor, or other way of capturing not only our mind but also our heart and our imagination. Our inheritance in Christ who is above all (ch.1), children of wrath dead in sin alive in Christ (ch.2), Christ dwelling in our hearts, with the breadth and length and height and depth of God’s love (ch.3), the body of Christ with the old self and new self (ch.4), walk in love and in light filled with Spirit instead of wine (ch.5), wearing the armor of God and standing fast against flaming darts (ch.6) – these and so many more images evoke emotions, passions, imagination and grab our entire being. Paul thought and wrote to grab us on all levels – heart, mind and soul. He used images that were not mired in culture that we would not understand, but rather picture language that is universal, still equally relevant today so that we and every culture can understand Paul’s meaning.

This was a great assignment, and I’m inspired in my writing and preaching to follow Paul’s example by permeating my word choice with more colorful language so that it is not merely ideas that are communicated but images and passions and dreams. Clearly the propositional and abstract Paul that I thought I knew is actually more concrete and imaginative than I realized. I’m thankful God inspired Paul to write in this way, given us freedom and even encouragement to do likewise.