Resources for the Study of Ephesians 4:11-16

Updates as they are found...

Arnold, Clinton E. Ephesians, Power and Magic: The Concept of Power in Ephesians in Light of Its Historical Setting. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1989.

________. "Ephesians." In Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, 3, 301-341. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2002.

Best, Ernest. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Ephesians The International Critical Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, ed. J. A. Emerton and C. E. B. Cranfield. London ; New York: T & T Clark, 1998. Reprint, 2004.

Liefeld, Walter L. Ephesians The I V P New Testament Commentary Series ; 10. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1997.

McComiskey, Douglas S. "Exile and the Purpose of Jesus' Parables (Mark 4:10-12; Matt 13:10-17; Luke 8:9-10)." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 51, no. 1 (2008): 59-85.

O'Neill, J. C. "'the Work of the Ministry' in Ephesians 4:12 and the New Testament." The Expository Times 112 (2001): 336-340.

Page, Sydney H. T. "Whose Ministry? A Re-Appraisal of Ephesians 4:12." Novum Testamentum XLVII, no. 1 (2005): 26-46.

Saucy, Mark. The Kingdom of God in the Teaching of Jesus: In 20th Century Theology. Dallas, Tex.: Word Pub., 1997.

Vooys, John. "No Clergy or Laity: All Christians Are Ministers in the Body of Christ Ephesians 4:13." Direction 20, no. 1 (1991): 87-95.

Wells, David F. "Christian Discipleship in a Postmodern World." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 51, no. 1 (2008): 19-33.

Tag(s): ecclesiology church christian theology

THE CONTINUING WITWAW MAKE-OVER

I continue to work on the structure and purpose of this Who in the World Are We? This is the latest.

As of September 15, 2008, the purpose and structure changed once again. Because I am now working on pieces for publication, I am hesitant to post specific pieces on this blog. Further, the question-resource structure from 8/20 was formulaic. In the new re-formulation, most posts will be bibliographic, with some comment. Once in a while, I may post an essay or article, but this is still up in the air.

The new subtitle: Resources for the Study of Ecclesiology in General and Communal Spiritual Formation in Particular

See the About post for the whole deal.

Tag(s): ecclesiology church christian theology

HOW DO CORPORATE AND INDIVIDUAL FAITH WORK?

Launching Quote

A vital point about Isa 6:9-13 that is fundamentally important for our treatment of Jesus' quotation is that the repentance and healing mentioned in verse 10 is not about individual salvation. The reference is to corporate hardening, corporate repentance and corporate healing.

Douglas S. McComiskey

"Exile and the Purpose of Jesus' Parables (Mark 4:10-12; Matt 13:10-17; Luke 8:9-10)"
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume 51, No. 1, March 2008 (59-85)
pg. 65

Ponderings

• Assuming McComiskey is correct and God does hinder corporate repentance for his own purposes, what are the responsibilities of persons in that community?
• When a community comes to the point of corporate repentance, what is its responsibility toward unrepentant persons?
• When an individual person in an unrepentant community repents, by what criteria should that person decide whether to remain in or leave the community?
• Assuming the decision to remain, what are the primary functions of the repentant person in the life of the unrepentant community?
  

Resources

• Isaiah 6:9-13
• Mark 4:10-12
• Matthew 13:10-17
• Luke 8:9-10
• Mark Saucy: The Kingdom of God Sayings in Matthew
  

ONE SCREEN OF TEXT

Tag(s): ecclesiology church christian theology

WHAT MUST THE COMMUNITY DO WITH THE SCRIPTURE'S DEMANDS?

Launching Quote

The meaning of biblical revelation is substantive, not adjectival, as Nicholas Wolterstorff has said... It is precisely this captivity to our own selves, to our own autonomous subjectivity, that God must break if we are to hear his Word aright otherwise we hear it not at all.

David F. Wells
"Christian Discipleship in a Postmodern World"
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume 51, No. 1, March 2008
pg. 26

Ponderings

• When an interpreter claims illumination as one basis for an interpretation, by what means or criteria should the community evaluate the claim?
• What role should the history of interpretation play in discovering the meaning of Scripture?
• When Scripture makes a specific demand upon an individual person, what are the responsibilities of that person re: bringing the demand before the community and making it a demand of the community?
• What responsibility does the community have re: the demands of Scripture upon individual persons?
  

Resources

• Is There a Meaning in This Text? by Kevin J. Vanhoozer
• The Drama of Doctrine by Kevin J. Vanhoozer
• "Bibliology" on Theopedia
• "Postmodernism" on Theopedia
• "Discipleship" on Theopedia

Tag(s): ecclesiology church christian theology

ARE UNDERSHEPHERDS FOR NOW AND ETERNITY?

The image [of the shepherd in Ephesians 4:11] is vague; its OT and pre-OT usage would suggest that primary emphasis would lie on shepherds as those who led..., provided and protected those in their care.

Ernest Best
Ephesians: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary
T. & T. Clark Publishers; Ed. 2004 edition

Comment

• leading: This is an obvious statement, but leading requires that the shepherd first go where he wants the flock to go. A second and equally important requirement is that the flock must know the shepherd and must find his leadership trustworthy.
• providing: The largest portion of this task is getting food and sheep together. Actually feeding the sheep is unnecessary, except for the young and the sick. if the sheep are not feeding themselves, something is horribly wrong with the flock.
• protecting: The flock lives in constant danger of illness, attack, or foolishness. The shepherd protects the flock by seeing to its general health, by fighting off enemies, and by caring for the injured and sick.
  

Ponder

• How much, if any, of this metaphor carries over into eternity?
• Either way, what is the significance for how we behave now?
  

Resources

The Five-Fold Ministry and the Birth of New Movements
Christian Unity (Ephesians 4:1-16)

Tag(s): ecclesiology church christian theology

WHAT MAKES US FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST?

In preparation for this coming Sunday sermon, Pastor Charlie has asked us to consider what we think are the most important things we can do to develop ourselves into fully devoted followers of Christ.

1. It may be a matter of knowledge. An increase biblical and theological knowledge increases spiritual maturity . But this is not necessarily true. Many Christians know Scripture and doctrine and yet remain emotionally disconnected and behaviorally bland.
2. It may be a matter of emotion. Emotional experiences and a desire to help others increase spiritual maturity. But, like knowledge, this is not necessarily the case. Many Christians have deeply felt experiences and yet remain ignorant of Scripture and focus more on experience than on service.
3. It may be a matter of doing. Practicing good works, religious rituals, and spiritual disciplines increases spiritual maturity. This is also not necessarily the case. Many Christians do all these things and yet remain ignorant of Scripture and unmoved by the needs of others and the glory of God.

So, if knowing, feeling, or doing are insufficient, what is the answer? What is our part in our own spiritual formation? In the spiritual formation of our brothers and sisters?

I'll be posting my thoughts on Monday after the sermon.

Post-Sermon Thoughts
All three are necessary and, by themselves, insufficient. Even so, it seems that knowledge must have priority, for by knowledge we are able to interpret feeling and doing. That being said--given my own Christian context--I must say again: knowledge alone is insufficient for discipleship. Because we are whole persons, we are disciples as whole persons--following Christ takes place via knowing, feeling, and doing. A fourth piece is intention--this is the most neglected. In TFB's REVEAL results, not making discipleship a priority was a top barrier for those who are growing in Christ and, to a significantly greater degree (34% higher than for growers), those who are NOT growing in Christ.

Knowing, feeling, and doing only work when intention and proper goal are in place. Intention is our decision to be disciples. The proper goal is Christlikeness.

Resources
Spiritual Formation in Christ by Dallas Willard
Renovare founded by Richard Foster
Institute for Spiritual Formation at Biola University
Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care

Related post on Laura's Writings

Tag(s): ecclesiology church christian theology

HOW SHOULD WE DISAGREE?

How--that is, by what reasoning standards--she [an author] introduces these observations, defends them, and allows them to build into a coherent, defensible, and ultimately persuasive statement is the book's argument...

...The indispensable predicate for effective argument is command of your subject matter...

...For every conclusion there must be a trail of facts available in the text...

...Your research is trying to tell you where your argument lies. You just have to learn to listen.

Susan Rabiner and Alfred Fortunato
Thinking Like Your Editor
W. W. Norton and Co
(C) 2002
pp. 145-152

In their book on writing serious non-fiction, Rabiner and Fortunato instruct writers to shape proper argument. Authors must provide a "coherent, defensible, and ultimately persuasive" line of thought, showing the reasonableness of their conclusions. There are three prerequisites for such an argument: (1) clear grasp of the broader subject, (2) a trail of evidence supporting the author's thesis, and (3) willingness to listen to the evidence, even when it contradicts the thesis.

What does this have to do with the church? Followers of Jesus have a variety of opinions, many of which are strongly held and vigorously (if not visciously) defended. Some of this stems from our finite nature--we just don't see things clearly. Some stems from the corruption--some of our deep beliefs don't allow us to get it. Whatever the cause, love for Christ and for others demands we agree respectfully.


Tag(s): ecclesiology church christian theology