Ephesians & Biblical Research
Issues of Interpretation or Translation from New Testament Text
Many factors throughout history has caused the loss of the original works of the Bible. Inside we see two common problems encountered by scholars.
Since the true copies of the books of the Bible have been lost to time, it has been impossible for us to translate the works with perfect accuracy. These two selections from the book of Ephesians highlight some of the common problems Biblical historians encounter while trying to determine the true words and meaning the disciples wrote.
Ephesians 3:1 & 4
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
It appears in the first verse of chapter 3 that Paul is about to discuss something he was doing for the sake of the Gentiles. Verse 2, however, goes off on a different train of thought as Paul discusses how the Gentiles and the Israelites are both heirs to the throne of Heaven. In chapter 4 Paul seems to continue with his previous train of thought began in verse 1. This may be some sort of mistranslation or bad compilation of previous copies, explaining the seeming sudden discussion of the mysteries Paul writes about, and that his letters were somehow split up and reassembled later in a way that made sense.
Ephesians 4:8-10
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
In these verses Paul speaks of Christ as ascending. He also says that it would be impossible to ascend without descending first. Paul speaks of Christ descending into the “earthly realms”. By descent does Paul mean Christ descended to Earth, or that he descended into Hell. The term “earthly realms” is vague and does little to explain the meaning in his words.
Therefore, there must have been an understanding as to what Paul meant exactly by “earthly realms”. In a world full of people who believed in various gods and goddesses existing in worlds beyond our own Paul could not simply have left this phrase undefined, he would have used terminologies consistent and understandable to the common man to whom he was speaking.
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