New Hope Chapel

Ephesians 5:22-33 The Great Mystery

Joanne Hagemeyer

Joanne says...

"Is this passage about submission and leadership?

‘You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.’ (Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride)

Paul used a literary pattern that is seen regularly in the Hebrew Bible - what's sometimes termed ‘jump, jump, high jump.’ 

Jump 1 = Ephesians 5:15-18

Jump 2 = Ephesians 5:19-21

Jump 3 = Ephesians 5:22 to the high point of verse 32 and back down to 6:9

The high point of it all Paul calls the Great Mystery. Leading up to the Great Mystery are three ‘as Christ’ illustrations and following the Great Mystery are three illustrations taken from family life. So let's look together at what that Great Mystery might be."