If I were to ask most religious people today to explain grace, the answers would center on the free gift of God for the salvation of humanity. This view of grace is not wrong, but it is too limited.

Grace in the New Testament is not limited to “unmerited favor.” This article is an abridged adaptation of a longer essay “Benefaction-Reciprocity Language In Paul’s Letter To The Ephesians.” It can be made available upon request. The reciprocal nature of grace is woven through the entire New Testament. Everyone in the first century understood grace language. Let’s begin by discussing the Greek term χάρις (charis) often translated “grace.” The common understanding of grace is proclaimed with passages like Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace (charis) you have been saved through faith ….” God certainly did not send His Son because man is so worthy, but because man is in need of deliverance, and cannot save himself (Rom. 5:6-11; 6:17-18). But χάρις (charis) is also used to describe proper response to God’s grace. Paul says, “as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving (eu-charis-tian), to the glory of God” (2 Cor. 4:15). Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 9:14-15, Paul talks about the “grace of God upon” the Corinthians, and concludes, “Thanks/grace (charis) be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15). Paul’s argument in 2 Corinthians 8-9 was that divine grace (8:1, 9; 9:8, 14-15) obligates man to return grace to God, and fellow saints. The examples could continue (e.g., Rom. 2:4; Heb 12:28-29). Each passage uses the term to discuss men responding through proper actions to God’s graciousness. In Greek literature grace was often used for the response to benefaction (Liddell-Scott, 1979. Def. II.2). Therefore, “unmerited favor” is a rather superficial definition that fails to express nuances of the term (BDAG, 1079-81). Religion today, and corresponding grace doctrine, is man-centered. Therefore, “how do I get to heaven?” is the main concern. Scripture is overwhelmingly God-centered (e.g., Eph. 1). It produces the superior thought “How do I honor God?”

Failing to return grace for grace was ubiquitously understood as shameful in antiquity. This might not mean much to us since we live in a culture where people routinely shame themselves on reality TV or social media; however, honor-shame culture was the foundation of ancient civilizations. The New Testament reflects this (e.g., Rom. 1:16, 21-27; 1 Pet. 2:6-7). Returning grace to a benefactor was about maintaining honor. I emphasize this background because grace is better understood in the context of established first-century thought, rather than modern misconceptions about grace.

Paul makes use of both honor-shame and benefaction-reciprocity language in the Ephesian letter. Ephesians contains similarities to Greco-Roman honorific decrees. Honorific inscriptions extolled the honor of a benefactor and then included a resolution clause that called citizens to properly grace/thank benefactors through specific actions. Paul spends the first three chapters of Ephesians proclaiming the superlative nature of God. His glorious grace is magnified in every way. He brings redemption, forgiveness, salvation, unity and peace to mankind, (Google Augustus’s autobiography The Deeds of the Divine Augustus and also “Priene Inscription” for parallels here and with Mark 1:1. NT writers sometimes subtly mock Roman imperial worship. God is presented by Paul as the greatest benefactor the world has ever seen, not Augustus.) Paul’s praising of God continues from Ephesians 1:3 all the way to the doxology that concludes chapter 3.

A grammatical, and thematic, change occurs at Ephesians 4:1. Paul switches the mood from indicative (telling facts) to imperative (giving commands). The first two words in the Greek text are “I urge (παρακαλω)” and “Therefore (οun).” The first term can be found in resolution clauses in honorific decrees. The honorable, and expected, response to God’s grace is to “walk worthy of the calling” (Eph. 4:1). “Therefore (οun),” signals a new section, but one that remains connected to the praise of God’s grace in chapters 1-3. Unity and peace were created by the accomplishment of God’s gracious plan through Christ (Eph. 1:10). Therefore, God’s people must “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). God graciously formed fellow citizens into a holy temple (Eph. 2:19-22). We are expected to grow that body (Eph. 4:11-16). God’s grace delivers from the death of trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1-10). In response we are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, removing the old man and replacing it with the new man who bears the likeness of God in holiness and righteousness (Eph. 4:23-24; 5:1). Grace, as understood in the first century world, demands response. God called us to His kingdom (Col. 1:12-13). Those who reject the King’s grace will face wrath (see Psalm 2). Those who accept His grace are grateful (χάρις) servants (Rom. 6:17-18). Those who “presume on the riches of His kindness and patience and forbearance” are “storing up wrath … when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Rom. 2:4-5). Unfortunately, it seems modern grace doctrine teaches men to presume on God’s grace, rather than honorably respond to it. God has lavished His grace upon us (Eph. 1:8). His expects us to walk worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1). Grace has many dimensions. The place to begin is by understanding it in the context of the biblical world.

Brent Moody (moody.brent@gmail.com) has worked with the Bartlett church of Christ in Bartlett, TN since 2007. He will graduate in May 2014 with a MA in New Testament exegesis from Harding School of Theology.