Merkle United to Christ, Walking in the Spirit

A Theology of Ephesians
1. Auflage 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4335-7372-9
Verlag: Crossway
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 144 Seiten

Reihe: New Testament Theology

Join New Testament Scholar Benjamin Merkle as He Explores the Major Themes of the Book of Ephesians Paul wrote Ephesians as instruction and encouragement for the church in Ephesus, and it has continued to influence the church for centuries. This New Testament book specifically focuses on the believer's union with Christ and our inability to stand before God without the work of Jesus Christ and the Spirit, both of which are still essential today.  In this addition to the New Testament Theology series, scholar Benjamin Merkle offers an accessible summary of the theology of Ephesians that highlights God's work in salvation and how Christians should respond. Each chapter focuses on a key theological theme-the plan of God, union with Christ, walking according to the Spirit, unity of the church, and spiritual warfare in the present age-and why it is relevant for the church today.  - Part of the New Testament Theology Series: Other volumes include The Joy of Hearing: A Theology of the Book of Revelation and The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts - Ideal for Anyone Wanting to Study the Bible More Deeply: Perfect for pastors, seminarians, college students, and laypeople - Written by Benjamin Merkle: New Testament scholar and author of Ephesians in the ESV Expository Commentary 

Benjamin L. Merkle (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Dr. M. O. Owens Jr. Chair of New Testament Studies and professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a contributor to the ESV Expository Commentary.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Merkle, Benjamin L.

Leseproben

2

Union with Christ

Although it may not be possible to identify one particular topic as the central theme in Paul’s theology, it is possible to locate central or key themes that occupy critical importance.

Union with Christ in Paul

In his work Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study, Constantine Campbell uses the helpful analogy of a web in regard to the place of union with Christ in Paul’s thought. Unlike a wheel that has spokes emanating from a clearly defined center, a web has a series of concentric circles. Thus he argues that union with Christ is not the center of Paul’s theology, but it is a key teaching that provides the “webbing” that holds it all together. As such, it provides a crucial element that has been neglected or misunderstood. Though it may not be the center of Paul’s thought, it is intricately connected to everything else.1 It is the glue that holds various aspects of salvation together. Campbell concludes, “Every Pauline theme and pastoral concern coheres with the whole through their common bond—union with Christ.”2

Paul references union with Christ approximately two hundred times, with about forty of those found in Ephesians.3 The most common uses include “in Christ” (en Christo) and “in the Lord” (en Kyrio),4 but other less common uses are “with Christ” (syn Christo),5 “into Christ” (eis Christo), and metaphors such as the body and temple of Christ. The phrase “in Jesus” occurs once (in Eph. 4:21), and although “in Christ Jesus” is found, the phrase “in Jesus Christ” never occurs. Seifrid offers the following nuances regarding the significance of various expressions:

The prominence of “Christ” in the phrase suggests an emphasis on the exalted status and saving role of the Messiah. The frequently attached name “Jesus” may call forth the idea of the earthly figure and his humanity. The alternative form “in the Lord” usually stresses the unique power and divine authority of Christ, and hence his right to demand obedience or his ability to deliver from other “powers.”6

Seifrid summarizes Paul’s varied usage of union with Christ:

• More than a third of the references relate to salvation.
• Approximately another third relate to exhortations of behavior or character.
• About twenty designate the present state of believers in view of Christ’s saving work.
• About twelve describe specific persons or particular situations in relation to salvation.
• Two are related strictly to the nature of Christ (Col. 1:19; 2:9).7

Union with Christ is a prominent or key theme in Paul’s writings, especially in Ephesians (and Colossians). This theme will be explored in more detail in the following sections.

The Meaning of Union with Christ

But what precisely is meant by “union with Christ”? Historically, some have preferred the terms mysticism, union, or participation. In Paul’s writings, however, one term is not able to fully capture the breadth of nuances in the various uses. Based on his extensive inductive study, Campbell settles on these four concepts: union, participation, identification, and incorporation. He explains: “Union gathers up faith union with Christ, mutual indwelling, trinitarian, and nuptial notions. Participation conveys partaking in the events of Christ’s narrative. Identification refers to believers’ location in the realm of Christ and their allegiance to his lordship. Incorporation encapsulates the corporate dimensions of membership in Christ’s body.”8 Using the categories set out by Campbell, the following section will detail specific occurrences, highlighting their theological significance.

Union

First, union with Christ can refer to believers being united to Christ by faith through the work of the Spirit. Historically, this has been called “the mystical union with Christ.” It is not a physical or ontological union but is a spiritual union through the indwelling and activity of the Holy Spirit. And yet this union is not merely supposed or theoretical but is an actual union. Although most of the time the believer is said to be “in Christ,” occasionally Christ is said to indwell believers (Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27), illustrating a concept of mutual indwelling. Paul occasionally uses the analogy of marriage and the nuptial union to communicate mutual indwelling. In this section, several key texts will be discussed, including Ephesians 1:9–10; 6:10, as well as the marriage analogy in 5:22–32.

Ephesians 1 has the highest concentration of “in Christ” language in the letter, especially 1:3–14, which has eleven occurrences. In the previous chapter we discussed the central statement and high point of the opening eulogy regarding God’s plan to unite all things in Christ. It should be noted that this “in Christ” language does not involve a believer’s union with Christ but Christ’s union with the Father. In 1:9–10 Paul specifies that God has made known “the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ [en auto, literally “in him”] as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” God’s decision and purpose were set forth and planned in Christ. Put differently, Christ was intimately involved in planning the redemption with the Father. The Father and the Son have a close connection and shared purpose. When the Father made and revealed his plans for the cosmos, it was done in conjunction and union with the Son. Union with Christ was not something newly established for the church, but it existed before time began. The Father’s purpose was not done in isolation but was achieved through the unity of the Godhead.

Another text that highlights the union with Christ is the marriage metaphor found in 5:22–32. Unlike the previous passage (1:9–10), this passage focuses on the believer’s union with Christ (instead of the Father’s union with the Son). As Paul encourages wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their wives, he compares the marriage relationship to the relationship between Christ and his bride, the church. Thus in this analogy Christ is depicted as a faithful husband of the church.

For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (5:23)

For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. (5:29–30)

Specifically, in these verses the church is designated as the body.9 Christ is the head of the body (the church) just as a husband is head of his wife. Not only is Christ the head of the church, but he is also “its Savior” (5:23) because he redeemed her for himself. Those who are united to Christ through faith are spiritually joined to him and become his bride. Believers are to submit to Christ because he is their head and their Savior. He is the one who loves his bride, who laid down his life to redeem her (“gave himself up for her,” 5:25), and will one day present her holy and blameless (5:27). He is the one who “nourishes and cherishes” her as his own (5:29). Hoehner writes, “He redeemed it (1:7–12; 2:1–10), sealed it (1:13–14), empowered it (1:19–23), brought it into one body (2:16), filled it with God’s fullness (3:19), gifted it (4:7–16), and loved and sanctified it (5:25–26). . . . Christ . . . is not only a ruler or authority over the church but also the source of sustenance by which it is nurtured.”10 He does this because as the church, his bride, “we are members of his body” (5:30). By their union with Christ, believers are part of the body of Christ.

Paul metaphorically depicts the relationship between Christ and his church as a marriage. He is united to her as a husband and wife are united and thus become “one flesh” (5:31, quoting Gen. 2:24). In case there was any doubt about the reality of Paul’s analogy, he clarifies, “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (5:32). The Christ-church relationship is termed a “mystery,” which refers to the once-hidden plan of God that is now revealed in Jesus.11 Further, Paul labels this mystery “profound” or great (megas), thereby emphasizing the significance or magnitude of the mystery. Just as the first Adam was joined to his wife and became one flesh with her, so too the last Adam is joined with his bride so that he becomes one flesh with her. The one-flesh spiritual union for Christ and the church becomes the model of the one-flesh physical union of a husband and wife. Note...