'Heavenlies' in Ephesians : a lexical, exegetical, and conceptual analysis
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Date
2010Author
Brannon, M. Jeff
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Abstract
In Ephesians, readers of the New Testament encounter one of the most
intriguing phrases throughout the whole of Scripture. The expression “in the
heavenlies” appears five times in the letter and is not found in any other place in the
New Testament. While there is nothing inherently intriguing about the words έυ τοις έπουραυίοις, the phrase proves to be of interest to Biblical scholars because of the
various contexts in which it is utilized. The two appearances which have caused the
most consternation among New Testament scholars are the session of earthly
believers έυ τοις έπουραυίοις in 2:6 and the presence of the spiritual forces of evil evn
έυ τοις έπουραυίοις in 6:12. The seeming implausibility of these two statements has led
commentators to interpret this peculiar expression in a variety of ways. The purpose
of this thesis, therefore, is to perform a lexical, exegetical, and conceptual analysis of
the expression έυ τοις έπουραυίοις in Ephesians. Within this broader purpose, this
thesis: 1) argues against the prevailing interpretation of “the heavenlies” propagated
by Hugo Odeberg and subsequently adopted by Michael E. McGough in his
unpublished ThD dissertation “An Investigation of vEpoura,nioj in Ephesians” 2)
builds upon and augments A. T. Lincoln’s research from his article “A Re-Examination of ‘the Heavenlies’ in Ephesians” and from his monograph Paradise
Now and Not Yet 3) provides in-depth examinations of three significant concepts
associated with this expression, namely the redeemed on earth having a heavenly
status, evil powers in heaven, and the cosmology of Ephesians.
The evidence considered includes an examination of the term evpoura,nioj
from Greek sources, Jewish sources, the Apostolic Fathers, and the Septuagint. In
addition, the New Testament uses of evpoura,nioj outside of Ephesians are analyzed
through a brief exegesis of the passages in which the term appears. The exegetical
chapters within the letter of Ephesians itself will include comparisons with the Old
Testament, the New Testament, and Second Temple Jewish texts including the
Qumran manuscripts and apocalyptic literature. From my examination of the
evidence, I conclude 1) that there is no basis for a distinction between the terms
ouvrano,j and evpoura,nioj in Ephesians 2) that the prevailing interpretation of “the
heavenlies” is both flawed and untenable 3) that Qumran and apocalyptic texts can
shed light upon and assist in a proper understanding of the difficult passages in
which the expression evn toi/j evpourani,oij appears. The primary contribution to the
New Testament field is that this thesis represents the most comprehensive study of
“the heavenlies” in Ephesians. Throughout the course of the thesis, other areas of
contribution include studies of the term evpoura,nioj, a heavenly status for the
redeemed on earth, evil powers in heaven, the cosmology of Ephesians, and the role
of “the heavenlies” within the thought of Ephesians.