The study of Ephesians has been approached in multiple ways by scholars. The dominant scholarly debates on Ephesians center on the issues of authorship, to whom the letter was addressed, its comparison with Colossians, and the Jew-Gentile conflict. Scholars have discussed the theme of salvation in their textual and theological analysis and commentary. Most of these discussions do not adequately explain the meaning of salvation at the discourse level. Scholars have suggested a wide range of meanings of salvation in Ephesians: forgiveness of sins (1:7), deliverance from the grip of the evil supernatural powers that controlled them before their conversion (2:2; 6:11, 12), reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles (2:16), and reception of spiritual gifts to the service of the Church (4:7). Salvation in Ephesians is also explained as a rescue from death, sin, and disobedience; from this present world-age; from bondage to the ruler and principalities of the air; and from God’s wrath. It is being freed from the ways of the world and the ruler of the air (2:2^1); being seated with Christ in heavenly realms (2:6); being the workmanship of God; being made alive in Christ (2:5); being created in Christ Jesus (2:10). There is no consensus among scholars regarding the temporal meaning of salvation. The meaning of salvation in Ephesians must be studied in the context of the letter. There is no major study that has applied Systemic Functional Linguistic tools to the study of Ephesians.
Halliday’s model of register analysis provides tools to analyze the context of situation of Ephesians, the study of field, tenor, and mode of Ephesians. These three components of register analysis, show that the linguistic choices made by Paul describe the context of situation in which the meaning of salvation is communicated. This study shows that Paul’s idea of salvation in Ephesians is one of his prominent topics. It explains that salvation is a divinely planned entity. God executes and achieves it through Jesus Christ. Salvation is the gracious gift of God. The mystery of God’s eternal plan of salvation in Jesus Christ reveals that God has incorporated the Gentiles in his plans through adoption in Jesus Christ. It emphasizes the meaning of salvation in terms of Gentiles’ deliverance from their former spiritual bondages. Paul’s Gentile readers’ former spiritual condition corresponds to the contemporary Hindu spiritual condition. They are under spiritual bondage through their magical practices and worshiping of idols. Thus a cross-cultural application to evaluate the meaning of salvation in a Hindu context is warranted / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/29229 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Christian, Parimal R. |
| Contributors | Porter, Stanley E., Westfall, Cynthia, Christian Theology |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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