"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ": A Study of Clothing Metaphors in Paul's Ethics
This dissertation explores the meaning and cognitive function of Paul’s clothing metaphors in his ethical teachings, employing select concepts from modern metaphor theory. I argue that Paul’s clothing metaphors in three key passages (Rom 13:14; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) demonstrate that Christ is the source and goal of Paul’s ethics. By viewing metaphors as having both textual and cognitive dimensions, I show that these metaphors serve as conceptual frameworks that shape and structure Paul’s ethical exhortations, facilitating the communication and internalization of his moral vision in the minds of his recipients. For Paul, believers’ ethical conduct is rooted in their union with Christ and is expressed through a way of life that reflects Christ’s character and example, as revealed in his life, death, and resurrection. The clothing metaphors serve as a particularly fitting vehicle for conveying the Christological foundation of Paul’s ethics and affirming its coherence. While these metaphors consistently express the theme of imitating Christ grounded in union with him, they also take on distinct meanings within the specific context of each letter. In Romans, the metaphor highlights the adoption of Christ’s resurrection power in ethical living, set within the eschatological reality of believers’ present lives. In Colossians, it foregrounds Christ’s sovereignty as the governing principle of ethical conduct. In Ephesians, it emphasizes the total renewal of the believer’s whole person as the basis for ethical transformation. Each metaphor functions as a cognitive framework that structures Paul’s moral instruction. In Romans, it recapitulates earlier ethical teachings and lays a foundation for those that follow. In Colossians, it is elaborated through familiar clothing metaphors to articulate a new ethical identity and conduct. In Ephesians, it serves as a generalizing concept that anchors the specific ethical exhortations that follow. Taken together, these metaphors reveal the inseparability of Paul’s theology and ethics, with the risen Christ as the center of their relationship. In sum, Paul’s clothing metaphors are crucial for understanding his ethics, as they are integral to his ethical discourse, reflect his theological and moral reasoning, and provide a vivid and structured framework for conveying concrete ethical instruction.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary