Meaning Of Paul's Explanation Of Verse 14

At the close of this blessing, Paul uses a structural relationship known as specific to general to tie verses thirteen and fourteen together. Verse 14 starts out with a conditional clause using the word “who.” The main actor in verse 13 was the role of the Holy Spirit acting as both the seal and “sealer” for the inheritance of God. With the use of “who”, Paul goes on to give more clarification of what the seal really means. Even though there are no pronouns in this clause, because it is the second part of the stanza, the audience remains Gentile believers. The first concept can be found with the word deposit (NIV) or in some translations pledge (NASB, NSRV). The origion of the word comes the Hebrew word “עֵרָבוֹן” and is a masculine noun. Constable states, “…the transliterated word “arrabon” has the meanings of pledge, deposit, earnest, guarantee, and was a regular feature of the Greek

This feminine noun can mean a preserving, a preservation or possession, as in one's own property and finally in the verb form as in obtaining an item or object. Applying an interpretation to this passage the clear choice is the second one. There is no context that supports the meaning leading to preservation and certainly the text indicates that the event of God choosing us has already taken place. Support for this can be found in 1Pet2:9, “…for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.” Bruce draws a direct parallel that the language there is deliberately applied to the Gentile believers which in the Old Testament is used of God’s people Israel – notably in Ex19:5 (267). The implication here reaffirms the point earlier that Paul is making. Both Jews and Gentile Christians are part of God’s plan and therefore have an