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“Parentheticals in Ephesians”
Categories: Bulletin Articles, M. W. Bassford
Even among the Pauline epistles, there are elements in each that distinguish them from all the others. Sometimes these differences are due to different scribes (Paul the scribe of Galatians has different diction than Tertius the scribe of Romans or Sosthenes the scribe of 1 Corinthians), but sometimes they’re due to the unique interaction between the spirit of Paul and the Holy Spirit at that particular moment.
In this latter category we must put the parentheticals of Ephesians. The entire epistle gives the impression of a man who is thinking far faster than he is able to talk and has so many important things to say that they keep crowding in on each other. Consequently, there are many places in Ephesians where Paul abruptly abandons an idea, only to return to it a dozen verses or even a few chapters later.
One such place is Ephesians 3:1. He begins the chapter by saying, “For this reason, I, Paul”, but in 3:2, he never says what he, Paul, is doing. Instead, he begins a digression about his apostleship to the Gentiles and its role in God’s eternal purpose.
The digression doesn’t end until 3:14, which begins in the same way that 3:1 does. Finally, we find out what he, Paul, is doing. He is bowing his knees before the Father.
If we don’t recognize 3:2-13 as a parenthetical, we’re going to have trouble following Paul’s argument. “For this reason” in 3:14 doesn’t refer back to 3:13. Paul is focused on much more important things than the Ephesians remaining faithful despite his tribulations.
Instead, it refers back to the closing verses of Ephesians 2, which immediately precede the first “For this reason” of the third chapter. Contextually, “this reason” is the work that Christ has done in breaking down the division between Jew and Gentile and incorporating the latter into God’s household, as per Ephesians 2:19.
“This reason” motivates Paul because he is the apostle to the Gentiles (which is why the digression of 3:2-13 is relevant) and cares about the Ephesians even though they’re Gentiles. They’re part of his family now, which is why the first item in the prayer of 3:14-21 is the observation that every family in heaven and on earth derives its name from the Father.
Even after the prayer is over, Paul continues the theme of unity. According to 4:1-6, the Ephesians are to walk worthy of their calling (the calling that brought them together with Jews in a single holy temple) by pursuing the things that make for unity and peace. If Christ brought all Christians together, the least we can do is stay together!
This point is profound, but if all we ever do is plod through Ephesians verse by verse, we’ll miss it and many other similar treasures. We must remember that Scripture originally was not divided by verse. It was divided by context and argument. The more effort we invest in following the latter through all their twists and turns, the more we will benefit.
