Rebecca Brant
You’ve read how the Lexham Bible Guides both simplify and maximize your study time. Each chapter presents an overview of a passage, that passage’s structure and place within the book and biblical canon, key word studies, and an application overview.
You’ll find the crux of the research in the Issues at a Glance section, which explores topics from the passage and presents a list of curated links to your Logos library that cover the range of viewpoints on those topics. But what does that look like? In Ephesians 2, Paul discusses several weighty theological issues and introduces the concept of the “new man.” How may Paul have understood that concept and explained it in his letter? Lexham Bible Guide: Ephesians presents the major interpretive options for you. Let’s take a look.
One New Humanity
According to Eph. 2:15, the purpose of the invalidation of the law is the creation of one new man (hena kainon anthrōpon), or, as other translations (e.g., NIV, NRSV) often put it, “one new humanity.” What did Paul mean by this phrase, and who is included in this “new humanity?” Most interpreters fall into one of two camps: those who understand the “new man” to refer to the regenerated believer, and those who take the “new man” to refer to all believers in Christ in a collective sense.
- Ernest Best notes that the text may refer either to a new group of individuals or to two groups—Jews and Gentiles—now made into one. After listing several points in support of both positions, Best maintains the former.
- Andrew T. Lincoln uses both individual and corporate language to explain the concept of “one new man.” He describes Paul’s ecclesiology, here dependent on Adam, in terms of a corporate identity in the new person, Christ.
Lexham Bible Guides gather the major interpretive options on a biblical book’s content in one place, helping you understand difficult concepts and original language words. Not only do they jumpstart your research and sermon preparation—they make it easy to share that information through professionally designed slides and slide templates.
Maximize your study time and make the most of your Logos library with the Lexham Bible Guides. Lexham Bible Guide: Ephesians ships October 23. Pre-order it now at the Pre-Pub price.
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