Power and Magic

by Arnold, Clinton E.

• ISBN13: 9780801021435
• ISBN10: 080102143X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-07-01
• Publisher: Baker Pub Group

Summary

This commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians focuses on Paul's emphasis on power and spiritual warfare, a necessary focus according to Clinton Arnold when one considers the occultic and magical context of pagan Ephesus.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix	(2)
List of abbreviations	xi
1 Introduction	1	(4)
2 The religious climate of western Asia Minor in the first century A.D.	5	(36)
1 The destination of the epistle: western Asia Minor	5	(2)
2 Gnosticism in first-century Asia minor?	7	(6)
Definitions
Dualism in Gnosis
Gnostic use of Christian material
Jewish Gnosis?
Summary and conclusions
3 Ephesus as the leading city of Asia Minor	13	(1)
4 Ephesus as a center for magical practices	14	(6)
The Ephesia Grammata
Sources
Magic and the spirit world
Summary
5 The cult of the Ephesian Artemis	20	(8)
Her significance
Her power
Artemis and magic
The cultic image of the Ephesian Artemis
Artemis and the mystery religions
Artemis and Christianity
Summary
6 Astrology	28	(1)
7 Some aspects of Judaism in Asia Minor Acts 19	29	(5)
Jewish magic
Testament of Solomon
Qumran and Asia Minor
Summary
8 The first-century interest in divine power	34	(3)
9 The ruler cult in Asia Minor	37	(1)
10 The influence of the religious climate on Christianity	38	(1)
11 Conclusions	38	(3)
3 The representation of the "powers" in Ephesians	41	(29)
1 Previous interpretations of the "powers"	42	(9)
The foundational works of Everling, Dibelius, and Grundmann
Interpreting the "powers"
Works treating the source of the "powers" thought
The recent works of W. Carr and W. Wink
Summary
2 The supremacy of Christ over the "powers"	51	(8)
Ephesians 1:15-23
Ephesians 4:8-10
Ephesians 3:14
3 The realm of the devil (Eph 2:2)	59	(3)
4 The existence of the church reveals God's wisdom to the "powers" (Eph 3:10)	62	(2)
5 The church engages in warfare with the "powers" (Eph 6:10-20)	64	(4)
6 The "powers" will be brought completely under the headship of Christ (Eph 1:10)	68	(1)
7 Summary of the "powers" teaching in Ephesians	69	(1)
4 The power of God for believers	70	(33)
1 A prayer for divine enabling power (Eph 1:15-23)	70	(15)
The introductory eulogy (Eph 1:3-14)
The structure, genre, and aim of the prayer
The explicit request (Eph 1:19)
The related elements
The nature of the power
The source of power for the church
(i) The head empowers the body
(ii) The church shares the divine "fullness"
Summary
2 The prayer for divine power repeated and developed (Eph 3:14-19)	85	(15)
The genre, setting, structure, and aim of the prayer
The explicit request (Eph 3:16-17a)
The request for knowledge of the divine power repeated
The related elements
The relationship of power and love in the prayer and in the epistle
Summary
3 The divine power is praised (Eph 3:20-21)	100	(2)
4 Conclusions	102	(1)
5 The conflict with the "powers"	103	(20)
1 Introduction	103	(2)
The unique emphasis on spiritual warfare and power
The problem: why is there an extended discussion on "spiritual warfare"?
2 The structure and genre of the passage	105	(2)
The structure
The genre
3 The acquisition of divine power for the battle	107	(6)
The admonition: "be strengthened"
The armor of God as a manifestation of strength
Prayer as the prerequisite and means of acquiring divine enablement
4 The time of the battle	113	(2)
5 The nature of the warfare	115	(6)
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The opposition
The expressed goal: "to stand"
Summary
6 Conclusions	121	(2)
6 Features of the theology of Ephesians in light of its background	123	(44)
1 Tentative conclusions regarding the situation behind Ephesians	123	(1)
2 Christology	124	(5)
The superiority of Christ
Christ as the XXX
Election in Christ
Summary
3 The "cosmic powers" and anthropology	129	(5)
4 New life in Christ	134	(11)
The transfer of dominions
Incorporation into Christ
Access to divine power
A theology of glory?
Ethics
(i) Resisting the demonic "powers"
(ii) Living by the pattern of Christ
(iii) Taking off the old self--putting on the new self
(iv) Faith
(v) The household-code
Mission
5 Eschatology and salvation	145	(13)
Realized eschatology in Ephesians
Resurrection and exaltation with Christ (Eph 2:4-10)
The "once-now" schema
The heavenly dimension
Battle imagery and eschatology
A future consummation
Summary
6 Ecclesiology	158	(7)
Images of the church
Christ's gifts to the church
The apostle
Early catholicism?
7 Summary	165	(2)
7 Conclusion	167	(6)
Notes	173	(41)
Select bibliography	214	(15)
Author index	229	(4)
Index of passages cited	233