readers to sing with Julian that all shall be well. In this epistle, sin has been overcome by Christ’s death on the cross. Saved by God’s grace through faith, Christians are seated with Christ in the heavens. They enjoy full fellowship through Christ’s work in making the two (Jew and Gentile) into one holy people, a temple of the Lord, the Body of Christ. Sealed with the Holy Spirit, they are empowered for holy living.
It has been my joy to wade into this epistle, with its exuberant, extravagant language that, like a stained glass window lit up by the sun’s rays, casts a radiant picture of God and his church. I offer my deepest thanks to Craig Keener and Michael Bird for their invitation to participate in the New Covenant Commentary Series. Their shrewd comments helped me think more clearly and strengthened my arguments. My sincere appreciation goes to the editorial team at Wipf and Stock, especially Chris Spinks, who made the publishing process smooth and efficient. I am indebted to Wheaton College and my dean, Jill Baumgaertner, and associate dean, Jeffrey Greenman, for providing release time to pursue this delightful project. I am deeply grateful to my colleague Michael Graves for our fruitful dialogues on the Greek text of Ephesians. My teaching assistant, Adam Cieszkiewicz, exceeded the call of duty in his diligent research, proofreading, and insightful suggestions for content in the Fusing the Horizons sections. I am truly thankful for the loving support of my children, Sarah and C. J. I dedicate this book to my husband, Jim, who has never failed to love me “just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her” (Eph 5:25).
1. Ambrosiaster, Epistle to the Ephesians 3.18.2, in CSEL 81.3:93.
2. Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love.
Abbreviations
AB Anchor Bible
ANTC Abingdon New Testament Commentaries
CSEL Corpus scriptorum ecclesiasticorum latinorum
ICC International Critical Commentary
JBL Journal of Biblical Literature
JSNTSup Journal for the Study of the New Testament,
Supplement Series
NovTSup Supplements to Novum Testamentum
PG Patrologia graece, edited by J.-P. Migne, 162 vols.
(Paris, 1857–86)
PL Patrologia latina, edited by J.-P. Migne, 217 vols.
(Paris, 1844–64)
TynBul Tyndale Bulletin
SNTSMS Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series
SP Sacra pagina
WBC Word Biblical Commentary
WUNT Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament
Ancient Sources
Aristotle
Pol. Politica (Politics)
Augustine
Ep. Epistulae (Letters)
Cicero
Att. Epistulae ad Atticum (Letters to Atticus)
Fam. Epistulae ad familiares (Letters to Friends)
Quint. fratr. Epistulae ad Quintum fratrem (Letters to Quintus)
1 Clem. 1 Clement
Clement of Alexandria
Strom. Stromata (Miscellanies)
Dio Chrysostom
2 Serv. lib. De servitude et libertate ii (Or. 15)
(On Slavery and Freedom 2)
Diogenes Laertius
Lives Lives of Eminent Philosophers
Epictetus
Diatr. Diatribai (Discourses)
Eusebius
Hist. eccl. Historia ecclesiastica (Ecclesiastical History)
Herodotus
Hist. Historiae (Histories)
Jerome
Comm. Eph. Commentariorum in epistulam ad Ephesios libri III
(Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians)
John Chrysostom
Sac. De sacerdotio (On the Priesthood)
Hom. Eph. Homiliae in epistulam ad Ephesios (Homilies on
Ephesians)
Josephus
Ant. Jewish Antiquities
J.W. Jewish War
Martin Luther
Papacy On the Papacy in Rome, against the Illustrious
Romanists in Leipzig (1520)
Origen
Cels. Contra Celsum (Against Celsus)
Princ. De principiis (Peri Archōn) (On First Principles)
Pliny the Younger
Ep. Epistulae (Letters)
Plutarch
Am. prol. De amore prolis (On Affection for Offspring)
Polybius
Hist. Historia (Histories)
Quintilian
Inst. Institutio oratoria (The Institutes)
Seneca
Ben. De beneficiis (On Benefits)
Ep. Epistulae morales (Moral Essays)
Ira De ira (On Anger)
Tertullian
Marc. Adversus Marcionem (Against Marcion)
Thomas Aquinas
Comm. Eph. Super Epistolam B. Pauli ad Ephesios lectura
(Commentary on Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians)
Introduction
