Reading Colossians, Ephesians and 2 Thessalonians
Overview
This commentary on Colossians, Ephesians, and 2 Thessalonians focuses on comprehending the major themes of the epistles and their relationship to the understanding of the early Christian communities. Centering on the work in its entirety rather than a verse-by-verse methodology, Thurston provides an introduction for each epistle, a commentary and bibliography.
Top Highlights
“The writer uses the imagery of Christ as head of the body from 1:22–23, but the use of ‘savior’ here is not the usual Pauline usage and is found similarly only at Phil 3:20. It has been correctly pointed out that the husband’s authority finds its origin in the lordship of Christ. Thus, any demands of the husband that are inconsistent with Christ’s lordship are outside the scope of this teaching.” (Page 140)
“The point throughout is the promotion of Christian unity through growth in Christ likeness.” (Page 123)
“When this is the case, subordination becomes identification.” (Page 139)
“The larger issue was that the gospel would not be heard if Christian women moved too far beyond the bounds of the social convention of subordination to men, thereby drawing negative attention to the Christian community. Too much freedom for women would create destructive misunderstanding among the Christians’ pagan neighbors. (This dynamic is more explicit in the Haustafel in 1 Peter than it is here.) Whether or not we moderns like it, this is part of the background of the instructions to wives and husbands.” (Page 140)
“The Greco-Roman household included not only what we would think of as members of the nuclear family (parents and children), but extended family members (sometimes distant relatives), slaves, freedmen, and business acquaintances. The household was as much a business unit as a family unit (cf., for example, Acts 16:11–15, 40 and the discussion of Lydia’s household).” (Page 138)
A newer genre of biblical commentary. . . The result is refreshing, enhanced by arresting chapter headings, citations of. . . striking parallels from Hellenistic literature, informative notes on the history of interpretation of the text, and selective citations of key scholarly works in the field.
—Choice
- Title: Reading Colossians, Ephesians and 2 Thessalonians
- Author: Bonnie Thurston
- Series: Reading the New Testament Commentary Series
- Publisher: Smyth & Helwys
- Publication Date: 2007
- Pages: 197