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:<\/p>\n
Chapter 1<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n 1:2 \u2013 God our Father.<\/p>\n 1:3 \u2013 blessed us with every blessing in the heavenly places<\/p>\n 1:5 \u2013 adoption as sons<\/p>\n 1:7 \u2013 redemption through his blood, riches of his grace<\/p>\n 1:11 \u2013 we have obtained an inheritance<\/p>\n 1:13 \u2013 sealed with the promised Holy Spirit<\/p>\n 1:14 \u2013 the guarantee of our inheritance<\/p>\n 1:17 \u2013 Spirit is mentioned many times, and is picture language for a being beyond description: \u201cSpirit of wisdom and revelation\u201d<\/p>\n 1:18 \u2013 eyes of your heart enlightened<\/p>\n 1:20 \u2013 seated him (Christ) at his right hand in heavenly places<\/p>\n 1:21 \u2013 far above rule and authority and power and every name<\/p>\n 1:22 \u2013 under his feet\u2026 gave him as the head over all things<\/p>\n 1:23 \u2013 church\u2026 which is his body.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 2<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n 2:1 \u2013 dead in the trespasses<\/p>\n 2:2 \u2013 in which you once walked\u2026 following the prince of the power of the air<\/p>\n 2:3 \u2013 passions of our flesh\u2026 children of wrath<\/p>\n 2:4 \u2013 rich in mercy<\/p>\n 2:5 \u2013 dead in trespasses, made us alive<\/p>\n 2:6 \u2013 raised us up\u2026 seated us with him in heavenly places<\/p>\n 2:8 \u2013 it is the gift of God<\/p>\n 2:10 \u2013 we are his workmanship\u2026 that we should walk in them<\/p>\n 2:11 \u2013 uncircumcision and circumcision<\/p>\n 2:12 \u2013 separated\u2026 alienated\u2026 strangers<\/p>\n 2:13 \u2013 far off\u2026 were brought near by the blood of Christ<\/p>\n 2:14 \u2013 he himself is our peace\u2026 broken down\u2026 dividing wall of hostility<\/p>\n 2:15 \u2013 create in himself one new man<\/p>\n 2:16 \u2013 reconcile in one body through the cross, hilling the hostility<\/p>\n 2:19 \u2013 strangers and aliens\u2026 fellow citizens with saints, members of God\u2019s household<\/p>\n 2:20 \u2013 built on foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus as cornerstone<\/p>\n 2:21 \u2013 whole structure, joined together, grows into holy temple<\/p>\n 2:22 \u2013 being built together into a dwelling place for God<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 3<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n 3:1 \u2013 Paul, prisoner for Christ<\/p>\n 3:2 \u2013 stewardship of God\u2019s grace<\/p>\n 3:5 \u2013 sons of men<\/p>\n 3:6 \u2013 Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body<\/p>\n 3:8 \u2013 least of the saints\u2026 unsearchable riches of Christ<\/p>\n 3:9 \u2013 bring to light\u2026 hidden for ages in God<\/p>\n 3:10 \u2013 rulers and authorities in the heavenly places<\/p>\n 3:14 \u2013 I bow my knees<\/p>\n 3:15 \u2013 every family in heaven and on earth is named<\/p>\n 3:16 \u2013 riches of his glory\u2026 strengthened with power\u2026 inner being<\/p>\n 3:17 \u2013 Christ may dwell in your hearts\u2026 rooted and grounded in love<\/p>\n 3:18 \u2013 breadth and length and height and depth<\/p>\n 3:19 \u2013 fullness of God<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 4<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n 4:1 \u2013 prisoner for the Lord, walk in a manner<\/p>\n 4:4 \u2013 one body and one Spirit<\/p>\n 4:5 \u2013 one baptism<\/p>\n 4:6 \u2013 over all, through all, in all<\/p>\n 4:8-10 \u2013 ascended and descended<\/p>\n 4:12 \u2013 building up the body of Christ<\/p>\n 4:13 \u2013 mature manhood\u2026 measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ<\/p>\n 4:14 \u2013 children, tossed to and fro by the waves, carried by ever wind<\/p>\n 4:15 \u2013 grow up \u2026 who is the head, into Christ<\/p>\n 4:16 \u2013 whole body, joined and held together by every joint\u2026 body grow<\/p>\n 4:17 \u2013 walk as Gentiles\u2026 futility of the minds<\/p>\n 4:18 \u2013 darkened in their understanding, alienated \u2026 hardness of heart<\/p>\n 4:19 \u2013 callous\u2026 given themselves up to<\/p>\n 4:22 \u2013 put off your old self\u2026 corrupt<\/p>\n 4:23 \u2013 renewed in the spirit of your minds<\/p>\n 4:24 \u2013 put on the new self<\/p>\n 4:25 \u2013 members of one another<\/p>\n 4:26 \u2013 sun go down on your anger<\/p>\n 4:30 \u2013 grieve the Holy Spirit\u2026 sealed for the day of redemption<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 5<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n 5:1 \u2013 as beloved children<\/p>\n 5:2 \u2013 walk in love\u2026 a fragrant offering and sacrifice<\/p>\n 5:5 \u2013 inheritance in the kingdom<\/p>\n 5:6 \u2013 deceive with empty words\u2026 sons of disobedience<\/p>\n 5:8 \u2013 you were darkness\u2026 you are light\u2026 walk as children of light<\/p>\n 5:9 \u2013 fruit of light<\/p>\n 5:13 \u2013 exposed by the light<\/p>\n 5:14 \u2013 sleeper\u2026 arise from the dead\u2026 Christ will shine on you<\/p>\n 5:15 \u2013 how you walk<\/p>\n 5:16 \u2013 days are evil<\/p>\n 5:18 \u2013 drunk with wine vs filled with Spirit<\/p>\n 5:19 \u2013 making melody with your heart<\/p>\n 5:22 \u2013 submit to own husbands as to the Lord<\/p>\n 5:23 \u2013 husband is head of the wife\u2026 Christ is the head of church, his body<\/p>\n 5:25 \u2013 love your wives as Christ loved the chuch<\/p>\n 5:26 \u2013 cleansed her by the washing of water with the word<\/p>\n 5:27 \u2013 present the church\u2026 without spot or wrinkle or \u2026 any blemish<\/p>\n 5:28 \u2013 love wives as own bodies<\/p>\n 5:29 \u2013 hated his own flesh, nourishes and cherishes<\/p>\n 5:30 \u2013 members of his body<\/p>\n 5:31 \u2013 two shall become one flesh<\/p>\n 5:32 \u2013 refers to Christ and the church<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chapter 6<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n 6:3 \u2013 live long in the land<\/p>\n 6:6 \u2013 eye-service\u2026 people-pleasers\u2026 bondservants of Christ<\/p>\n 6:11 \u2013 whole armor of God\u2026 stand against the schemes of the devil<\/p>\n 6:12 \u2013 wrestle against flesh and blood\u2026 rulers, authorities, cosmic powers\u2026 present darkness<\/p>\n 6:13 \u2013 whole armor of God\u2026 evil day\u2026 stand firm<\/p>\n 6:14 \u2013 stand\u2026 fastened belt of truth\u2026 breastplate of righteousness<\/p>\n 6:15 \u2013 shoes for your feet\u2026 readiness<\/p>\n 6:16 \u2013 shield of faith\u2026 extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one<\/p>\n 6:17 \u2013 helmet of salvation\u2026 sword of the Spirit<\/p>\n 6:19 \u2013 opening my mouth boldly<\/p>\n 6:20 \u2013 an ambassador in chains<\/p>\n 6:22 \u2013 encourage your hearts<\/p>\n 6:23 \u2013 peace to the brothers<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Conclusions<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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) \u2013 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 \u2013 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\u2019s meaning.<\/p>\n This was a great assignment, and I\u2019m inspired in my writing and preaching to follow Paul\u2019s 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\u2019m thankful God inspired Paul to write in this way, given us freedom and even encouragement to do likewise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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 … Continue reading Rich imagery in Ephesians<\/span>