Discussion in Nursing: How to Understand Ephesians

Discussion in Nursing: How to Understand Ephesians
The main idea of this conversation comes from Ephesians 4:17–24, which talks about changing from old ways to new ways of living. This chapter talks about how life was different before and after people knew about Christ. I chose this verse because it has something to say about every Christian’s old life and what they can expect in their new life now that they know Jesus. I think everyone has lived the old way, and this section gives those who want to change a chance to do so.

Information about the Text

The passage talks about how Paul’s lessons on being one with Christ changed into how Christians should live their new lives. A lot of attention is paid to how the Gentiles live and how the Christian life should be the exact opposite of that. In the last part, from verse 25 to the end of chapter 5, Paul spells out the rules for the new life in Christ, such as what to do and what not to do. (Deffinbaugh, 2004). Paul says that Christians shouldn’t live like non-Christians in the first part, which is chapter 17. He goes on to say that because they don’t know, their thinking is clouded and they are cut off from the life of God. Paul also says in verse 19 that they have lost all sense of sensitivity and take part in all kinds of sin, always wanting more.

After giving more details about the old ways, Paul goes on to show how Christians should live the new life by giving up the old, bad life. Paul says in verse 24 that we were made to be like God in being good and holy. The difference between the two lives gives the passage a good flow and makes it clear what Christians are supposed to do. In terms of sentence structure and word choice, Paul uses both simple and complex sentences to get his point across. The language in the passage is easy to understand and is made up of a lot of verbs and conjunctions that support and explain the key ideas. Because the text talks about the old and the new life in Christ, it only talks about three nouns: Jesus, God, and Gentiles. Paul’s use of conjunctions to connect simple words to talk about ideas from the old life and the new life is impressive. Verse 20 is a good example: “However, you did not come to know Christ that way.” Last, the section uses commas, full stops, and semicolons, among other punctuation marks, to separate ideas and group them into verses.

Description of the Text

Historical-Cultural

Many scholars say that the book of Ephesians is the best piece of writing ever written. Written by Paul to the upright people in Ephesus, the book seems to save the wrongdoers by showing them how to live in a better way. Scholars have noted that Ephesus was the center of pagan worship, and it is known that Paul set up missions to spread the word of God. (Kugel, 2007). Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians to show them new ways to live in Christ, according to the book’s history. Paul says in the passage, “So I tell you, and I insist to the Lord, that you must no longer live like gentiles…” (Ephesians 4:17). Paul says it’s time to stop living the old way and put on the armor of God instead. (Deffinbaugh, 2004). The text also talks about the culture of the people in Ephesus, which is something Paul talks about in the letter. Paul, for example, calls them “godless” (Ephesians 4:17), “ignorant,” and “heart-hardened.” (Ephesians 4: 18). He goes on to say that the new society should be based on truth and new attitudes that lead to living righteously and holy like God. (Ephesians 4: 24).

Literary

The literary context of a section in a book is the flow of ideas, arguments, and meanings that can be drawn from the words and sentences around it. The book of Ephesians is an Epistle, which is a formal message written to the people of Ephesus. (Kugel, 2007). Even though the text doesn’t say what an epistle is or how it works, Chapter 1 starts with Paul’s greeting to the church and people of Ephesus. The text also uses repetition to show how important some points are. For example, “Surely, you heard about him and taught about him according to the truth that is in Jesus.” (Ephesians, 4: 21).

Conclusion

Both people who study the Bible and people who don’t study the Bible have a lot of respect for the book of Ephesians. Examining the book’s political, cultural, and literary aspects can help you figure out who it was written for and how deep its message goes. I’ve learned that the language of different books and parts of the Bible is different, and that studying this can help me understand the Bible better.

References

Deffinbaugh, R. (2004). The uniqueness of Ephesians among the epistles. Retrieved from https://bible.org/seriespage/1-uniqueness-ephesians-among-epistles

Kugel, J. L. (2007). How to read the Bible: A guide to Scripture, then and now. Simon and Schuster.

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