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This study approaches the Epistle of the Ephesians in a radically different way from traditional commentaries. Rather than analyzing each individual verse, Martin Kitchen examines the complete text within the framework of contemporary Biblical criticism. He acknowledges the debt which Biblical studies owes to historical method, while also recognizing the need to view the epistle against the background of recent literary approaches to New Testament texts.
The book shows why most commentators now think that Ephesians was not the work of Paul himself and suggests a context in which the epistle might have been written. Covering recent developments in New Testament theology, "Ephesians" discusses the early history of the church and the hermeneutical questions concerning the significance of religious texts which date from a past age.
Summary
This study approaches the Epistle to the Ephesians in a radically different way from traditional commentaries. Rather than analysing each individual verse, Martin Kitchen examines the complete text within the framework of contemporary biblical criticism. He acknowledges the debt which biblical studies owes to historical method, while at the same time recognizing the need to view the Epistle against the background of recent literary approaches to New Testament texts. Ephesians also takes into account the important questions of whether the Epistle was written by St Paul and, if not, why it was written at all.
This book will be valuable reading for all theologians, students of theology and ministers of religion.
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'This is an exciting and creative commentary which would fit nicely alongside other commentaries on Ephesians on anyone's bookshelf. Even if you do not agree with the arguments in the book, the bibliography at the back is simply superb.' - Methodist Publishing House, Epworth Review