Keywords
Head
Body
Metaphors
Church model
Mystery
Rhetoric
Cognitive Linguistics
How to Cite
Abstract
This paper examines the model of the Church in Eph 5:21-33. The study focuses on the dual metaphor of κεφαλή (head) and σῶμα (body) and its articulation with the concept of μυστήριον (mystery). Utilizing insights from ancient and modern rhetoric, as well as Cognitive Linguistic analysis, it argues that these metaphors convey a Christological and ethical model, emphasizing the unity and mutuality between Christ and the Church. The study reviews feminist and emancipatory interpretations that foreground hierarchical relationships, proposing instead a reading that fosters reciprocal relationships. These metaphors reveal a transformative vision of the Church as the fullness of Christ, reshaping cultural and social conventions.
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