Tucker S. Ferda, ««Sealed» with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1,13-14) and Circumcision», Vol. 93 (2012) 557-579
Most studies of Eph 1’s «sealed with the promised Holy Spirit» have tried to articulate the Christian ritual or experience that the sealing metaphor describes, such as baptism, confirmation, charismatic gifts, etc. This article, however, refocuses on the theological logic of vv. 13-14 to argue that, regardless of the Christian rite described, the author here explicates that rite by referring to circumcision with the use of the verb «sealed». The argument includes the insight that the description of «sealed» in Eph 1,13-14 corresponds to other texts that describe circumcision as a final step in Jewish proselytism.
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“SEALED†WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT (EPH 1,13-14) AND CIRCUMCISION 559
cumcision to guarantee “inheritance†and future “redemption†as
God’s “possession†(v. 14) shares a certain “family resemblance†with
the function of AE’s “sealed with the promised Holy Spiritâ€, particu-
larly in the position of both as a final step in attaining membership 7.
The argument proceeds in three steps. First a brief survey of the
history of interpretation to suggest we refocus on the theological logic
of the verses. Then a discussion of the syntax and context of vv. 13-
14 and an exploration of the presupposition that reception of the
Spirit in the past (v. 13) guarantees one “inheritance†and “redemp-
tion†in the future (v. 14). Lastly, five concluding observations drawn
from Ephesians, Paul’s corpus, and sociological theory that suggest
“sealed†in Eph 1,13-14 evokes circumcision.
I. History of Interpretation
The history of interpretation of what AE means by evsfragi,sqhte
includes four stories.
The most popular and most probable suggestion is baptism 8. Key
arguments include the use of “seal†for baptism in the second cen-
on whether or not Ephesians goes back to Paul himself. Furthermore, I will
use at times “the Ephesians†to refer to the recipients of the letter, though I
do not assume that the letter was initially addressed to Ephesus alone. See
R.P. MARTIN, “An Epistle in Search of a Life-Settingâ€, ExpTim 79 (1968)
296-302; E. BEST, “Recipients and Title of the Letter to the Ephesians: Why
and When the Designation ‘Ephesians’?†ANRW 2.25.4 (1987) 3247-3279.
For discussion of Wittgensteinian “family resemblance†and its impor-
7
tance for comparative study, see R.A. MCDERMOTT, “Religion Game: Some
Family Resemblancesâ€, JAAR 38 (1970) 390-400.
Ambrosiaster, Comm. Eph. (on 1,13) in Commentary on Ephesians
8
(trans. G.L. BRAY) (ACT; Downers Grove, IL 2009) 37, says that “as a sign
of their (the Gentiles) redemption and future inheritance they have the Holy
Spirit given to them after baptismâ€. See the close connection between Spirit
reception and baptism in Cyprian, Ep. 73.7 (ANF 5.388); G. Nazianzus, Or.
40.8 in Festal Orations: St. Gregory of Nazianzus (trans. N.V. HARRISON)
(Crestwood, NY 2008) 104. G.W.H. LAMPE, The Seal of the Spirit (London
1951) 165, also 4-5, argues that the relationship between baptism and sealing
is “so close that the one can be regarded as the thing signified by the otherâ€.
J.C. KIRBY, Ephesians, Baptism and Pentecost (London 1968) 150-154, in-
cludes Eph 1,13-14 in a section entitled “Direct References to Baptismâ€.
HUGEDE, L’Épître aux Éphésiens, 42, says “c’est certain†that the seal refers
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