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P. Derek Overfield PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

P. Derek Overfield PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

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CHAPTER 1<br />

1. INTRODUCTION<br />

Eph 1:20-23 relates, by means of statements<br />

which have every appearance of being traditional<br />

in the early Church, an ascension theology.<br />

Our<br />

intention in this first chapter is to examine these<br />

traditional statements so that we may be able to understand<br />

the author's view of the ascension.<br />

We have<br />

two basic questions to ask 'How did the author understand<br />

the ascension?' and, 'In his use of traditional<br />

statements did the author intend that any particular<br />

designation or title was to be associated with the<br />

ascended Christ?'<br />

Before we can begin to provide<br />

answers to these questions we must determine the limits<br />

of the traditions employed and the presuppositions, if<br />

any, that these traditions carried with them.<br />

2. EPH 1:20-23 IN CONTEXT<br />

2.1 An Independent Pericope?<br />

Eph 1:15-23 is one continuous Greek<br />

sentence and is therefore quite obviously intend~d<br />

by the author to be understood as a unity.l<br />

The<br />

general theme of the pericope is that of thanksgiving<br />

and intercession and the language and style is such<br />

-1-

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