"...his own flesh" (Gal 6:8/Eph 5:29) -- Echos of Paul in Ephesians and Hebrews

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gryan
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Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:11 am

"...his own flesh" (Gal 6:8/Eph 5:29) -- Echos of Paul in Ephesians and Hebrews

Post by gryan »

Stage 1
Paul speaks in language that seems to be against having biological children:


Gal 6:8-9

For the one sowing into his own flesh (εἰς τὴν σάρκα ἑαυτοῦ), from the flesh will reap what is perishable (φθοράν). But the one sowing into the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. And we should not grow weary in doing good. For in due time we will reap a harvest, not giving up.

1 Cor 15:50

50Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable (ἡ φθορὰ) inherit the imperishable.

Stage 2
Note how the next generation of writings takes Paul's language and reframes it so that having biological children is explicitly approved.


Eph 5:28-31 and Eph 6:12

5:28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies (τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα). He who loves his wife loves himself. 29Indeed, no one ever hated his own flesh (τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα), but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church. 30For we are members of His body. 31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32This mystery is profound, but I am speaking about Christ and the church.

6:12For our battle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

Stage 3
Hebrews echoes the reframed language of Ephesians


Heb 2:14 and Heb 12:7-9

2:14Therefore, since the children have partaken of blood and flesh, He also likewise took part in the same things, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death...

12:7It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Besides this, we have had fathers of our flesh (τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν πατέρας) who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits (τῷ Πατρὶ τῶν πνευμάτων) and live?
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