Nonconformist Transformation: An Exegetical Study of Ephesians 5:7–14

Abstract

Ephesians 5:7–14 is an enigmatic pericope fraught with  interpretive challenges that have generated much scholarly  debate. The appeal in verse 11, “Do not participate in the  unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them,” is  contested in terms of what is to be exposed, and how it is  to be exposed. The text is usually interpreted in one of two  ways. Some scholars interpret the text as Paul instructing  Christians to expose sinful behavior of other Christians.  Others hold that the behavior of non-Christians are to be  exposed. While the interpretation requires some nuance,  this  study argues in favor of the second interpretation. The  significance of the article is to demonstrate the missional  value  of non-verbal gospel communication—Paul urges  Christians to live missional lives, though not through  proclamation,  but rather through a nonconformist lifestyle  that rejects secular norms. The research demonstrates  this by employing  an exegetical, literary study of verses  7–14. This methodology includes 1) a lexical study of  ἐλέγχω (expose), 2) a  discourse analysis of verses 3–14,  3) an investigation of the concepts, sons of disobedience (v. 6), and children of the  light (v. 7), and also the imagery  of light and darkness (v. 8), and (4) an exposition of the  pericope (vv. 11–14)