Sigurd Grindheim, «What the OT Prophets Did Not Know: The Mystery of the Church in Eph 3,2-13», Vol. 84 (2003) 531-553

The purpose of this essay is two-fold. First, it argues that the inclusion of the Gentiles is referred to as a previously unrevealed mystery because it is based upon the abrogation of the Mosaic law and entails a degree of nearness to the Lord that exceeds the expectations of the old covenant. Second, it addresses the question of authorship. Assuming Pauline authorship as a working hypothesis, it shows that the use of the concept of mystery in Eph 3 is intimately linked with Paul’s terminology and thought world attested in the undisputed letters. It is unwarranted, therefore, to find proof of a post-Pauline development in the use of the term "mystery" in Ephesians.

repeated in v. 18. V. 14 introduces the concept of peace (ei)rh/nh), which recurs in v. 15 and v. 17. The idea of making the two into one (a)mfo/tera - e#n) occurs in v. 14 and repeats in v. 15b, 16a, 18. Finally, the term "enmity" (e!xqran) is paralleled in v. 14 and v. 16b. The parallels are delineated below:

13 nuni_ de_ e)n Xristw=| 'Ihsou= u(mei=j oi# pote o!ntej makra_n e)genh/qhte e)ggu_j e)n tw=| ai#mati tou= Xristou=
        14 Au)to_j ga/r e)stin h( ei)rh/nh h(mw=n,
            o( poih/saj ta_ a)mfo/tera e#n
                kai_ to_ meso/toixon tou= fragmou= lu/saj, th_n e!xqran e)n
                    th=| sarki_ au)tou=,
                            15 to_n no/mon tw=n e)ntolw=n e)n do/gmasin katargh/saj,
            i#na tou_j du/o kti/sh| e)n au)tw=| ei) e#na kaino_n a!nqrwpon
        poiw=n ei)rh/nhn,
            16 kai_ a)pokatalla/ch| tou_j a)mfote/rouj e)n e(ni_ sw/mati tw=| qew=|
            dia_ tou= staurou=,
                    a)poktei/naj th_n e!xqran e)n au)tw=|.
        17 kai_ e)lqw_n eu)hggeli/sato ei)rh/nhn u(mi=n
    toi=j makra_n kai_ ei)rh/nhn toi=j e)ggu/j
         18 o#ti di’ au)tou= e!xomen th_n prosagwgh_n oi( a)mfo/teroi e)n e(ni_
            pnenu/mati pro_j to_n pate/ra.
 

        Several scholars have attempted to organize these elements according to a chiastic pattern, but no clear chiasm emerges⁴⁹. It cannot be denied, however, that there is a pattern of parallelisms, and the center of the pattern is made up by v. 15a: "abolishing the law with its commandments and regulations". This indicates that the