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NASB | Ephesians 4:8 Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 4:8 Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE, AND HE BESTOWED GIFTS ON MEN." [Ps 68:18] |
Bible Question:
This verse begins, "Therefore it says..." This is a cue, that Paul is about to quote scripture. The reference - as close as I can figure - is to Psalm 68:18. The Psalm has a conquering Messiah RECEIVING gifts from faithful and vanquished alike. Paul, however, has the Messiah GIVING gifts to his people. I was listening to Eugene Peterson preaching on this passage, and he called it a "creative misquotation" --- that Paul knew that his readers would know the original psalm, and that his change to the ending would have a powerful rhetorical effect. The surprise ending would show the radical understanding of God that Jesus brings us... setting the context for the discussion of gifts that follows. What do you think? |
Bible Answer: Hi JRM, I can't speak for Eugene Peterson and I've never heard the term "creative misquotation". However, the late Greek scholar, A.T. Robertson noted, "Wherefore he saith ([dio legei]). As a confirmation of what Paul has said. No subject is expressed in the Greek and commentators argue whether it should be [ho theos] (God) or [he graphe] (Scripture). But it comes to God after all. See Acts 2:17. The quotation is from Psa. 68:18, a Messianic Psalm of victory which Paul adapts and interprets for Christ’s triumph over death. He led captivity captive" Further, the Bible Knowledge Commentary offers this: "Ephesians 4:8 includes a quotation from the Old Testament, which confirms God’s giving of gifts. Most think it quotes Psalm 68:18 with five minor and two major changes. The two major variations are the change from the second to the third person, and the change of direction from having received gifts from men to the giving of gifts to men. However, it is better to think that Paul was not quoting one particular verse of the psalm but rather that he was summarizing all of Psalm 68, which has many words similar to those in Psalm 68:18. The essence of the psalm is that a military victor has the right to give gifts to those who are identified with him. Christ, having captivated sinful people by redeeming them, is Victor and gives them as gifts to the church. Whereas Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 speak of gifts given to believers, Ephesians 4:7 speaks more of gifted believers given to the church (cf. v. 11)." I trust this will add some perspective to this discussion. BradK |