THE ORGANIZATION OF EPHESIANS 2

This whole chapter is characterized by the use of the expression “Christ Jesus” five times. And its overall organization takes the form of two parallel cycles:

Cycle 1

A. Their previous life (2:1-3): beginning “you...were”     “alive, dead” (2:1)

B. God’s Grace (2:4-10): beginning “but God” and ending in “Christ Jesus”  

                                                                              “dead, alive” (2:5)

Cycle 2

A'. Their previous life (2:11-12) beginning “you were” “separated” (2:12)

    B'. God's Grace (2:13-22): beginning “but in Christ Jesus” and ending in “Christ Jesus”                                                                                                             “joined together” (2:21)

                    (a) Contrasting walks form an inclusio for the first cycle (2:1-2; 2:10).

                    (b) Trinitarian formulas appear in A (2:1-3) and A' (2:12). (Guthrie and Martin)

                    (c) One way of defining the differences in units A and B is that the former describe the Ephesians' former existence while the latter describes their present one.

In addition to the thematic arrangement of the two cycles shown above, repeated verbal patterns can lead to insights regarding the logic behind these two halves of Ephesians 2.

Within Cycle 1, the three things we sinners mistakenly “followed” in the past are balanced by the three-fold mention of the one we now follow, “Christ Jesus.” Similarly, our past situation is reflected in the repeated phrases “in which you/we once lived” (2x) and “you/we were dead in trespasses” (2x). But this past condition is totally reversed by the two-fold proclamation “by grace you have been saved.”

Cycle 2 shows even more evidence of purposeful arrangement, in terms of a linguistic arrangement which can be seen by considering the almost complete symmetry exhibited by all its repeated words when taken in the order in which they appear within the text:

in the flesh

    aliens and strangers

        Christ Jesus

            far off...near

                peace

                    both groups

                        hostility

                peace

                    both groups

                        hostility

                peace

            far off

                peace

            near

    strangers and aliens

        Christ Jesus

in the Spirit

This verbal arrangement turns out to be almost identical to the proposal of Giavini, which is rejected by Hoehner due to its combination of mirror image and parallel elements. He states, “It seems highly unlikely that any author would have purposely constructed such a complicated chiastic structure in mind.” But Hoehner seems not to be aware of the great number of such mixed arrangements throughout both the Old Testament and New Testament. Hoehner cites two additional, but more straightforward, mirror-image proposals found in the literature.

Interestingly, these three previous proposals all share with the arrangement shown above a focus around vv. 14-15. It is in these verses that the important statement is made concerning one of the effects of Christ's death on the cross: “For Christ himself has brought us peace by making Jews and Gentiles one people. With his own body he broke down the wall that separated them and kept them enemies.” (TEV)