Ephesians 2

David Lipscomb Commentary On Ephesians 2Eph 2:1 And you did he make alive,—The apostle makes a sudden transition from the thought of that which God wrought in Christ himself to that which he wrought through Christ in men who were dead through trespasses and sins but now believe in Jesus Christ. So God raised, exalted, and glorified his Son Jesus Christ— and “ you.” The same almighty power that was laid upon the body of the dead Christ and raised him from the dead to the highest seat at the right hand of God is now laid upon those who were dead in trespasses and sins to share by faith the glories of eternal life.when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins,—They had been dead in sin, wholly separated from God, given over to idolatry. This associates the change that takes place in those dead through trespasses and sins with the stupendous power that raised Christ from the dead. There is a re-enactment in the dead sinner of the crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and ascension, when we realize through the power of faith that which was done for man­kind in him. It is “ the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16) that summons men to faith, challenging their confidence wherever this message goes and awakening the spiritual possi­bilities dominant in their nature. It is a supernatural force, then, which is at work within us through the word of God.

It is a resurrection power, that turns death into life. It is the power of love which went out towards the slain and buried Jesus when the Father raised him from the dead, exerted over us as we lay dead in sin, and exerted itself with a might no less powerful to raise us from spiritual death to sit with him in the heavenly places.Ephesians 2:2wherein ye once walked—The Gentiles had walked in this rebellion and sin after the practices common to the people of this world, before they became Christians. [The idea of dead crea­tures walking is not altogether incongruous.

It implies that a kind of life remained sufficient for walking; but not the true, full spiritual life.]according to the course of this world,—This was the way marked out by the world. They thought it brought true good. The course was the gratification of the lusts and appe of the flesh as a means of happiness. [The course of this world denotes the present system of things, as conducted by those who have regard only to things seen and temporal, and no regard to God or to the future life. When there is spiritual death there is insensi­bility to these things.]according to the prince of the powers of the air,—The earth and the surrounding atmosphere constitute the world. Earth, air, water are the trinity of substances essential to the development and ministration of life— vegetable and animal. The evil spirits were supposed to inhabit the air and the devil who ruled over them was called the prince of the powers of the air.

In this sense of the term the heavens and the earth were equally corrupted and perverted by man. Hence they must both be purged or purified by fire— pass away and give place to a new heaven and a new earth in which dwelleth righteousness.

Hence it is said: “ The day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:10-13). This refers only to the firmament— the atmosphere. It is all sin-polluted and must be purified by fire. Purified, it will be a new heaven and a new earth in which no sin will enter.

In that purified temple God will dwell.of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience;—[That particular spirit, whose domain and work are in evil men. Sons of disobedience are those to whom disobedience is their very nature and essential character, who belong wholly to it.

Once that spirit worked in all those addressed; now it works not in them indeed, but in those given over to disobedience to God’ s will. So the lordship belonging to the prince of evil extends not only over all those malign powers whose seat is in the air, but also and more particularly over that spirit who operates as an energy of wickedness in the hearts of men opposed to God.]Ephesians 2:3among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh,—The we refers to the Jews. They among others had their course of life previously to becoming Christians. Notwithstanding they had the law of Moses, it did not prevent their following the rule of fleshly lusts. [The apostle here brings Jews and Gentiles to­gether. “ We also,” as well as you— we were all in the same con­dition, all in a miserable plight, not merely occasionally dipping into sin, but spending our very lives in the lusts or desires of our flesh, living for noble ends, but in an end of carnal desire, as if there were nothing higher than to please the carnal nature.]doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind,—[These two clauses illustrate very clearly the extended sense in which the word flesh is used by Paul, as may be seen by the following catalogue of the works of the flesh: “ Now the works of the flesh are man­ifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.” (Galatians 5:19-21). In the text before us, “ the flesh,” in the first clause, includes both “ the flesh and the mind” of the second; that is, it includes both the appetites and the passions of our fleshly nature, and also the thoughts of the mind itself, so far as it is devoted to this visible world of sense, alienation from God, and therefore under the power of evil. In fact, in scrip­tural use the sins of “ the flesh,” “ the world,” and “ the devil” are not different classes of sins, but different aspects of sin, and any one of the three great enemies is made at times to represent all.]and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:—Paul distinctly states that those who had become Christians were by nature formerly children of wrath, as well as those not Christians. [The Jewish Christians were once, when in a state of nature, the objects of God’ s wrath, because they were in sin, just as the Gentiles were.

The state of nature is the unconverted state.]Ephesians 2:4but God, being rich in mercy,—The preceding verses convey the idea of a rushing towards inevitable ruin, when all hope from man is hopeless. The but is very emphatic, and wonder­fully reverses the picture.

The sovereignty is very apparent on its gracious side. It interposes to rescue those who would otherwise plunge irretrievably into ruin. God, who is wroth with sin, is also a God of grace. His disposition towards those who are dead by trespasses and sins is one of mercy, and this no stinted mercy, but a mercy that is rich, exhaustless.for his great love wherewith he loved us,—If mercy is God’ s attitude to sinful men, love is his motive in all that he does with them; and as the mercy is rich, so the love is great. With this great love God loved us when he chose us, and it is on account of that love that he acts with us as he does.Ephesians 2:5even when we were dead through our trespasses,—This is a repetition for vivid contrast with the foregoing description of God and his love; a close parallel with Romans 3:23, where for a similar contrast we have a like summary of foregoing teaching.made us alive together with Christ—As in Colossians where the same word is explained by “ having forgiven us all our tres­passes” (Colossians 2:13), it reverses all that is implied in the words “ dead through our trespasses.” We were once in consequence of our sins a spiritual corpse, given up to corruption utter and helpless, from which nothing could save us except the life-giving power of God.(by grace have ye been saved),—Paul adds this by way of explanation, lest they should think God partial in the love he showed for the Jews. By the favor or mercy of God provided through Jesus Christ, who is called the grace of God, he saved the Gentiles. [We are already saved from our past sins, but we must continue faithful till the end, for the Savior says: “ Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10).]Ephesians 2:6and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him—He united all believing Jews and Gentiles in one body in Christ Jesus.in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus:—He calls the church, its principles, services, promises, all of which are enjoyed in Christ, heavenly places.

The church of God is the reign of heaven on earth. The truth, services, and hopes are all heavenly.

The temper to be cultivated is heavenly.Ephesians 2:7that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us—That in the future state he may show us what rich blessings his grace has pro­vided for us.in Christ Jesus:—All the blessings and joys of heaven come to us through Christ Jesus our Savior. Without his intervention, and without the help he gives the Christian in his struggle for a higher and better life, he could never be fitted to enjoy the heavenly home. Through all the eternal years of God, the re­deemed in heaven will give thanks and glory to his name.Ephesians 2:8for by grace have ye been saved through faith;—The Gen­tiles as well as the Jews are saved by grace, the favor and mercy of God. God puts no difference between Jew and Gentile, saving both by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is the medium through which all accept his salvation. On the part of God sal­vation is by grace; on the part of man it is through faith. God gives man the capacity to believe, reveals to him the things to believe, and ample testimony to produce the faith required. (John 20:30-31; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 1:16; Acts 11:14; Acts 16:14-15; Acts 16:30-33; Acts 18:8). and that not of yourselves,—The salvation is not of man, neither was it prepared or earned by man.it is the gift of God;—It was prepared and bestowed on man by God. It is obtained by entering into Christ according to the appointed directions.Ephesians 2:9not of works,—Not of the works of the Jewish law, or by any works of man’ s invention or device.that no man should glory.—The works that do not save are such as allow glorying. The works of man’ s device allow glorying, but salvation does not come through such works. The term works is used in two senses. It is used to denote the in­ventions of men or devices of men and to denote the appointments of God. God appoints certain things to be done.

Man must do them, but they are God’ s works. When he does the things appointed by God, he does not do his own works, but God’ s.

Man is saved by walking in the way appointed by God, by doing the things commanded of God. He is saved in doing the works of God. He is not saved because of the merits of the works, but because he proves his faith by doing the things commanded by God. The works of the Jewish law, after that law was fulfilled and taken out of the way, ceased to be the works and appoint­ments of God, and became man’ s works. This does not teach that man cannot be saved by walking in the works of God.Then the whole drift of Paul’ s argument is to cut man off from all works and inventions devised by man, that allow glorying, and that produce only human righteousness, and tie him down as a lost and ruined sinner, dependent upon the works of God provided in the gospel and sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ for salvation. To these he must come by faith in Jesus Christ.

He is not dissuading or discouraging men from doing in faith all that God through Christ has provided and commanded and sealed with his blood. He cuts him off from everything save these, and leaves him to walk in “ the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” as his only hope.

In this walk he comes to the blood-sealed appointments of God, and is washed and cleansed by the blood of the Son of God. He did not discourage them from walking in that law. By so walking he does the works of God. He does the works without which faith is dead and by which James says (James 2:14-20) it is made perfect and by which we may be justified before God. The works of God, the works of faith, are included in the law of faith that makes faith perfect, excludes all glorying, and justifies man. Paul and James, so far from dis­agreeing, agree perfectly. Paul cuts man off from everything except the works contained in the law of faith, and James warns that no faith can justify that is not made perfect by works, included in the law of faith, and to which faith leads. Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,—Christians are the workmanship of God, be­gotten by him, perfected by his direction and guidance, and are created in order to perform the good works in which God has ordained us to walk. The things he has commanded us to do are those embraced in his commands to us. But is this a slavish system? This depends wholly on the spirit in which his com­mands are obeyed. If wholly from a sense of fear it is slavish, and becomes mechanical. But if it is done from a joyful trusting love of God and a desire to please him, it is not slavish.

Christ’ s service to God was not slavish. It was the joyful, loving service that a child renders to his father that he loves supremely— and the joy he found in doing the commandments of God was the measure of his love for him. To substitute anything else than obedience to God’ s commandments for service is to displace the fear of God with the love of self— the wisdom of God with man’ s sensual wisdom.which God afore prepared—God prepared works in which his children should walk before he created them in Christ Jesus. He who fails to live that life fails to fulfill the ends for which he was created in Christ Jesus, and must fail of the rewards that are prepared for him in the world to come.that we should walk in them.—The works in which Chris­tians are called to walk were prepared of God, not invented by man. So they are saved by the works of God, not of man, when sinners and after they become Christians. [God’ s purpose in the place which he gave to good works in his decree was that they should actually and habitually be done by Christians. His final object was to make good works the very element of their life, the domain in which their action should move. That this should be the nature of their walk is implied in their being his handiwork, made anew by him in Christ; that the good works which form the divine aim in their life shall be realized is implied in their being designed and made ready for them in God’ s decree; and that they are of God’ s originating, and not of their own action and merit, is implied in the fact that Christians themselves had to be made a new creation in Christ with a view to good works. The term walk here denotes the habitual tenor of life; it is to be spent in an atmosphere of good works. Here is one of the divine safe­guards against the abuse of the doctrine of salvation by grace. When men hear of salvation irrespective of works, they are apt to fancy that works are of little use, and do not need to be care­fully done.

On the contrary, they are part of the divine decree, and if professed believers, are not living a life of good works, they have no reason to believe that they have been saved by grace. Beyond a doubt, all efforts to outgrow the necessity of carefully and watchfully obeying all the commandments of God, and of doing service to him because commanded by him, and seeking to do the things commanded by him because well-pleasing to him, have degenerated into low types of earthly sensualism and must continue to do so.

The highest degree of spirituality possible to man can he found only in learning submission to his will and as his children doing from the heart his commandments, with a desire to please, honor, and obey him. To seek to go beyond this is presumption, Is to be wiser than God, and? is sin and folly of the darkest hue.] Ephesians 2:11 Wherefore remember, that once ye, the Gentiles in the flesh,—He again addresses the Gentile converts in Christ and reminds them of their former condition. [They were to remember the change between the past and the present— what they were by nature, and what they had become by grace. The contrast is indicated in various particulars, both of outward condition and of inward privilege and character. The great things done for them by God’ s grace should incline them to think of the past from which they had been delivered, which would make them more thankful for their present privilege, and more careful to walk in the good works which God had in view for them.]who are called Uncircumcision—[A further definition of what they were, suggestive of the regard in which they were held as members of that class. A name of contempt which was flung at them.]by that which is called Circumcision,—[This is a description of those who were Jews outwardly, but who were destitute of the true circumcision, which was of the heart. They were “ the con­cision.” (Philippians 3:2).

The Jews were a striking illustration of the effect of ascribing to external rites objective power, and re­garding them as conveying grace and securing the favor of God, irrespective of the subject state of the recipient. This doctrine rendered them proud, self-righteous, malignant, and contemptuous, and led them to regard religion as an external service compatible of unholiness of heart and life.

This doctrine the apostle every­where repudiates and denounces as fatal.]in the flesh, made by hands;—This intimates that their cir­cumcision was only of the flesh, not of the heart, and that they were no better than those they called “ Uncircumcision.”Ephesians 2:12 were at that time separate from Christ,—The condition of the Gentiles was deplorable. They had no knowl­edge of Christ, no interest in him, no life or blessing from him.alienated from the commonwealth of Israel,—The Jews when out of Christ, before he came, were the citizens of the commonwealth of Israel.and strangers from the covenants of the promise,—The Gen­tiles were separated from God, aliens, foreigners from the com­monwealth, strangers to the promises and covenants made with Abraham. (Genesis 12:2-3).having no hope—The Gentiles could look forward with no hope beyond afflictions, sorrows, and sufferings of this present world, because they knew not God, and did not trust or honor him.and without God in the world.—[They were unconnected with God; without any friendly and beneficial relation to him that would bring into their souls the fullness of God. The five­fold negative description of this verse has a cumulative effect; the situation becomes graver and more terrible, and the last clause is the climax.]Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off sure made nigh in the blood of Christ.—But since the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached to them, and they had believed it, these Gentiles who were far from God, far from the people of God, have been made nigh by the blood of Christ. [Jesus Christ came to break down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile and to make peace between them. He came to bring all nigh to God and to one another. The way to unite people to one another is to unite them all to God. Jesus brought them to God by shedding his blood for them to reconcile them to God.] Jesus said: “ I lay down my life for the sheep.

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:15-16). There were those among both Jews and Gentiles who would hear his voice, these he would call into the one fold by his bloodshed, his life laid down for them, that they might be one fold.Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace,—The personal Christ, whose blood was shed is our Peace, not simply our peacemaker; for in his person as God-man, the reconciliation took place.

His own nature being the only tie of unity between God and mankind, and be­tween Jews and Gentiles. Through the whole passage thus intro­duced there runs a double meaning, a declaration of peace between Jew and Gentile, and between both and God. The latter is based upon the former, and the apostle gives prominence now to the one, and again to the other, but here necessarily includes both in the phrase, “ our peace.”who made both one,—[So there is no ground for separating between a Jewish element and a Gentile; in Christ they are unified. If all were really in Christ, war would disappear.]and brake down the middle wall of partition,—The wall of partition was circumcision and the ordinances and observances of the Jewish law on the one side; on the other side were the worship of idols, the fleshly sins, and pollutions that accompany idolatry, and the lack of faith in God. Jesus removed these separating causes.Ephesians 2:15having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;—Christ by his death abolished the law. This is the great truth Paul had to teach.

We are “ not under law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14). We are not required to seek salvation on the ground of obedience to the law which says: “ Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” (Galatians 3:10).

Christ has freed us from the law as a covenant of works, by himself being made subject to it (Galatians 4:5); by hearing its penalty (Galatians 3:13), “ in the body of his flesh through death” (Colossians 1:22), “ to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). The teaching of the passage, therefore, is that the middle wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles consisting of their mutual enmity has been removed by Christ’ s having through his death abolished the law in all its forms, as a rule of justification, and thus opening one new and living way of access to God, common to all Jews and Gentiles.that he might create in himself of the two one new man, so making peace;—Christ took them out of the way so that hecould bring both into himself through faith, and of the two—Jew and Gentile— make one new man in Christ, so making peace. [The union or peace which flows from the abrogation of the law by the death of Christ is progressive so far as it is inward or sub­jective. The outward work is done. The long feud in the human family is healed. The distinction between Jew and Gentile is abolished. All the exclusive privileges of the former are abro­gated.

The wall which had so long shut out the Gentiles is removed. There is now one fold and one shepherd.

Since the abrogation of the law, “ there can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus. And if ye are Christ’ s, then are ye Abraham’ s seed, heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:28-29).]Ephesians 2:16and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross,—Jesus died on the cross to reconcile roan to God, to redeem him, to rescue him from his sinful course and bring him back to God, “ that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). He through the cross brought both Jew and Gentile into one body, into Christ, as Paul said: “ God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Man brought into Christ was brought into reconciliation with God.having slain the enmity thereby:—Having slain the enmity between God and man, he slew the enmity between all that come to God. No man can be in union with God without being in union and fellowship with every other being in the universe in union with him. The Psalmist said: “ I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that observe thy precepts.” (Psalms 119:63).

Again, “ if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).Ephesians 2:17and he came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh;—He proclaimed the same terms of peace both to the Gentiles who were far off and to the Jews who were nigh. Of the Gentiles, Peter said: “ Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:7-9). [The coming was subsequent to the transactions of the cross. It cannot denote what Christ did personally, but what he did by sending the Holy Spirit to the apostles and other early preachers of the gospel. It was only after the cross and after the resurrection that peace could be proclaimed on the footing of faith in a Savior who had died and that God had raised him from the dead. And only in the sense of having sent Paul and other proclaimers of the gospel could Jesus be said to have preached to the Ephesians.]Ephesians 2:18for through him we both have our access—The proof that peace has thus been obtained for Jew and Gentile is that both have equally free access to God through Christ and since Gentiles have as free access to God as Jews, and upon the same terms and in the same way, it follows that the peace procured by the death of Christ was designed for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews.in one Spirit—The word of God is the seed of the king­dom. (Luke 8:11). The Spirit of God dwells in the word, as the germinal principle dwells within the seed. The epistles con­tain the teaching that the Holy Spirit gave, through the apostles, to Christians, teaching them how they should conduct themselves as individuals and as worshiping assemblies.

All the teaching that the Holy Spirit gave is found in the word of God. It is the ministry of the Spirit to the church and the world; the word of God is the only teaching of the Spirit that the church has.

When we follow the word of God, we are led by the Spirit of God; when we turn from the word of God, we refuse to be led by the Spirit; when we take the word of God into the heart, we receive the Spirit into our hearts, just as we place the germinal principle of the wheat in the soil. The Spirit of God never dwells in the heart that does not receive and cherish the word of God. When the word is cherished in the heart, the Spirit of God dwells there, spreads his influence abroad, and molds all the feelings, desires, and purposes of the heart in accordance with the will of God. When one reaches this stage he is in the one Spirit.unto the Father.—[As the right is theirs only through Christ, so it is made theirs in actual experience in the one Spirit, and they have it alike because it is one and the same Spirit that works in both Jew and Gentile. So both have continuous access to God from whom once the Gentiles were far removed, to him, in the benign character of the Father whom they can approach without fear.]Ephesians 2:19 So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens—Since the Spirit had guided them through Christ to God, and they had become partakers of the blessings of the children of God in Christ Jesus, they were no more strangers and sojourners, but fellow citizens with the saints.with the saints,—This is a comprehensive name for Chris­tians; the whole community of believers in Christ, without distinction of Jew and Gentile, are citizens of the kingdom of heaven. They were brought into the enjoyment of all the honors and privileges of the most honored sons of God.and of the household of God,—Members of God’ s family.

The idea is that of a child at home. In the deepest sense the Gentile believer, once “ far off” in both position and condition, is now at home with his loving Father. [The prominent character­istic of a family is mutual affection.

A family is held together by love. There is the love of the father for each and all and there is the love for him and for each other. And so it is in the divine family. “ God is love” ; pure, infinite, and eternal love. This, as it is the glorious summary of his perfections, is the characteristic of every individual member of his spiritual family. “ We love, because he first loved us. . . . And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1 John 4:19-21). That, however, which the apostle seems to have more particularly in view is the high privilege which attaches to this divine relationship.]Ephesians 2:20being built upon the foundation of the apostles—The Gentiles were builded as stones— living stones— into the temple of God resting upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. “ Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5).

The gospel as preached by Paul and the other apostles is the foundation on which their converts were built into the spiritual temple— the church. Some expositors object to this interpretation, saying that those who are parts of the building could not act as agents in laying the founda­tion; but they rested on it even while they laid it.and prophets,—The New Testament prophets were a dis­tinct class of inspired teachers to make known the will of God after it had been revealed through the apostles.[It is fitting that the following should be said in reference to the apostles, as exercising authority, and entitled to be received in that representative character with which the Lord had endowed them.

The promises of the Lord unto Peter certainly imply an apostolic office and function: “ I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19); and later on to the whole group of apostles, he said: “ These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding with you. But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you” (John 14:25-26); on the day he ascended to heaven, he said: “ Behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49); and the power came upon them on the day of Pentecost, following his resurrection when “ they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” It is, there­ fore, but the recognition of what had been thus appointed when for the apostles as a body, and for the prophets whose service bore such an intimate relation with their own, a place and func­tion so fundamental is indicated.]Christ Jesus himself being the chief comer stone;—[The cornerstone is a massive stone in which the two lines of the wall at their foundation meet, by which they were bonded together, and on the perfect squareness of which the true direction of the whole walls depended, since the slightest imperfection in the cornerstone would be indefinitely multiplied along the course of the walls.]Ephesians 2:21in whom each several building, fitly framed together,—In Jesus Christ all the buildings formed of both Jews and Gentiles who enter Christ are builded or fitly framed or fitted together, not separated and divided. [This represents an action still going on, namely, that of fitting together the different parts. The growth is both outward and inward, extensive and intensive, in number and in grace.]groweth into a holy temple in the Lord;—The church is one, the manifestations of it are many— the local bodies of Christ. The local bodies are manifestations of the Spirit dwelling in and controlling men in the flesh. They are the holy temples of God on earth; they are the dwelling places of God. They are the most sacred bodies on earth.

More precious and sacred with God than was the fleshly body of his Son. It is the greatest of sacrilege to change, modify, or mutilate that body— strip it of its God-given functions and bestow them upon another body of human make.

It is the highest of crimes to make it subserve human-made bodies.Ephesians 2:22in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.—Christians are builded together in Christ, for a habitation, a dwelling place of God on earth. He dwells in this holy habitation in the person of the Spirit. The church is a spiritual body, embracing all the spirits in harmony with God in heaven and on earth. It manifests on earth as the souls of men inhabiting earthly bodies are brought into spiritual oneness with God, and so separate their bodies from the corrupt ways and organizations of men into bodies controlled by the Spirit of God. The New Testament clearly recognizes each separate congre­gation as the body of Christ. So that God through his Spirit dwells in each distinct and separate church. The church is the body of Christ in the community in which it is situated. It is not a foot in Corinth, an arm in Ephesus, an eye in Philippi, an ear in Antioch. But each was a complete integral body of Christ composed of all the different members needed to make up his body. Take the church at Jerusalem.

It was in existence before any other church. Was it not the body of Christ when it was the only church on earth? Did the planting of another church take from it any of its parts, any of its functions, despoil it of its integralism and completeness as a body of Christ? Certainly not. What about the church? My conviction is that he possessed within himself all the elements of a church of Christ when no other churches were in reach of him, and the multiplication of the seed or the word of God in him would produce a church of God wherever he went, and the same is true of every child of God.

A child of God in a strange land has only to worship God him­self, multiply the word of God in the hearts of others and the result is a church of the living God, complete in itself without reference to any other organization in the world. If you should ask: “ Would it not be a monstrosity for Christ to be the head of so many different bodies?” Not more so than for God to be present in all places at one time. “THE EPISTLE TO THE "

Chapter Two

IN THE CHAPTER

1. To consider the riches of God’s grace toward sinners, how we are saved by grace through faith

2. To understand the Gentiles’ condition outside of Christ, the effect Jesus’ death had on the Law, and what Gentiles can now become in Christ

SUMMARY Having expressed his desire that his readers might know the exceeding greatness of God’s power toward those who believe (1:19), Paul reminds them of how they had been dead in sin but made alive together with Christ. Indeed, they were raised and made to sit together with Christ in the heavenly places, that God might show even more riches of His grace in the ages to come. All this God did by His love, grace, and mercy. While it involved their faith, it did not involve any works whereby one could boast. The end result is that they have been created in Christ to walk in good works, as God planned beforehand (Ephesians 2:1-10).

Paul also wants them to remember how far they have come as Gentiles, courtesy of Jesus Christ. Once strangers from the promises made to Israel and without God in the world, they can now draw near through the blood of Jesus. By His death on the cross Jesus abolished the law of commandments which separated Jews and Gentiles, and has reconciled them both to God in one body. The Gentiles can therefore be fellow-citizens and members of God’s family; they are also part of that grand temple being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone, in which they serve as a habitation of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:11-22).

OUTLINE

I. RAISED AND SEATED ON THE THRONE (Ephesians 2:1-10)

A. OUR OUTSIDE OF CHRIST (Ephesians 2:1-3)1. Dead in trespasses and sins (1) 2. Walking according to the course of the world and the devil (Ephesians 2:2) 3. Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, by nature the children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3)

B. MADE ALIVE WITH CHRIST (Ephesians 2:4-10)

1. God made us alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5) a. By virtue of His mercy and great love b. Even when dead in trespasses c. By His grace we have been saved
2. God raised us with Christ (Ephesians 2:6-7) a. Made to sit with Him in heavenly places b. That in ages to come God might show the exceeding riches of His grace
3. Saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) a. Not of ourselves, it is the gift of God b. Not of works, lest any man should boast
4. We are thus God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10) a. Created in Christ Jesus for good works b. Created to walk in good works which God prepared beforehand

II. AND SET INTO THE TEMPLE (Ephesians 2:11-22)

A. THE ’ “WITHOUT” CHRIST (Ephesians 2:11-12)

1. Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel
2. Strangers from the covenants of promise
3. Having no hope and without God in the world

B. THE ’ “THROUGH” CHRIST (Ephesians 2:13-18)

1. Made near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13)
2. Can now be “one body” with the Jews, because… a. Jesus has made Jew and Gentile both one, breaking down the wall of division between them (Ephesians 2:14) b. Jesus abolished in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances that had separated them (Ephesians 2:15) c. Jesus now reconciles them both to God in one body through the cross (Ephesians 2:16) d. Jesus preached peace to those afar off and those near (Ephesians 2:17)
3. Can now have access by one Spirit to the Father (Ephesians 2:18)

C. THE ’ “IN” CHRIST (Ephesians 2:19-22)

1. They are now “fellow citizens with the saints” (Ephesians 2:19)
2. They are now “members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19)
3. They are now part of “a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:20-22) a. Built upon a foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus the cornerstone b. Joined together and growing as a holy temple, a habitation of God in the Spirit

REVIEW FOR THE CHAPTER

1. What are the main points of this chapter?

• Raised and seated on the throne (Ephesians 2:1-10)
• Reconciled and set into the temple (Ephesians 2:11-22)

2. What was our condition outside of Christ? (Ephesians 2:1-3)

• Dead in trespasses and sins
• Walking according to the course of this world and the devil
• Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, by nature the children of wrath

3. What motivated God to save us? (Ephesians 2:4)

• His rich mercy and great love

4. What did God do, even though we were dead in trespasses? How? (Ephesians 2:5)

• Made us alive together with Christ
• By grace

5. What else has He done? Why? (Ephesians 2:6-7)

• Raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places with Christ
• To show the riches of His grace and kindness toward us in Christ in the ages to come

6. Upon what basis have we been saved? Upon what basis have we not been saved? (Ephesians 2:8-9)

• By grace through faith, as the gift of God
• Not of ourselves or of works, lest anyone should boast

7. What are we now in Christ Jesus? For what purpose? (Ephesians 2:10)

• God’s workmanship
• Created in Christ Jesus to walk in good works which God prepared beforehand

8. What was the Gentiles’ condition outside of Christ? (Ephesians 2:11-12)

• Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel
• Strangers from the covenants of promise
• Having no hope, without God in the world

9. What has Christ done through His blood? (Ephesians 2:13)

• Those who once were far off are now brought near

10. How has Jesus become “our peace” through His death on the cross?(Ephesians 2:14-17)

• By breaking down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile
• By abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances that had separated Jew and Gentile
• By reconciling them both to God in one body
• By preaching peace to those afar off (Gentile) and those near (Jew)

11. What do we both have through Christ? (Ephesians 2:18)

• Access by one Spirit to the Father

12. What can Gentiles now become because of what Christ has done? (Ephesians 2:19)

• Fellow citizens with the saints
• Members of the household of God

13. Upon what are we being built? (Ephesians 2:20)

• The foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the chief cornerstone

14. What kind of building are we? For what purpose? (Ephesians 2:21-22)

• A holy temple in the Lord
• To be a habitation of God in the Spirit

Ephesians 2:1

Ephesians 2:1. Hath he quickened is in the Greek text in verse 5, and the King James translators have inserted the words in this verse to clarify the thought. To quicken means to make alive, whether used figuratively or literally. It is in the former sense here as the last part of the verse indicates, for the Ephesians had been dead in sins, which is a figurative phrase. When two things are separated they are dead to each other. Hence when men are living in sin they are separated from God, for sin cannot have any connection with Him. (See Isaiah 59:2.) This is the same kind of death and life that Jesus meant in John 5:25, which will be noticed further in verse 5.

Ephesians 2:2

Ephesians 2:2. Absolute sinless perfection does not exist in any man (1 John 1:8), but to walk in sin which is referred to here means to lead a life whose general practice is one of sin. Such a walk was done by the Ephesians prior to their obedience to the Gospel. Such a life is according to the course of this world, which means that when a man lives daily in sin he is “running true to form” for those following the ways of the world. Prince . . . the air. Many of the words of human language have their origin in the opinions of the people using the language.

Thayer says in connection with this place: “in the air, i. e., the devil, the prince of the demons that according to Jewish opinion fill the realm of the air.” Paul recognizes this popular impression and uses it to describe the former manner of life that was practiced by the Ephe-sians. The spirit means the spirit of the evil prince, who is considered as the leader of all who are living in sin. Children of disobedience. The first word is from Hums and is used figuratively; it is explained by Thayer to mean, “one who is connected with or belongs to a thing by any kind of close relationship.” Before the Ephesians became Christians, their life as a whole was one of disobedience against the law of righteousness. Such a life would produce a class of offspring (children) of like character, hence Paul calls them children of disobedience.

Ephesians 2:3

Ephesians 2:3. The pronoun whom refers to the children of disobelience who are mentioned in the preceding verse. Conversation is from , which Thayer defines, “to conduct one’s self, behave one’s self, live.” So the term means the Ephesians formerly behaved themselves after the manner of disobedient children. The apostle specifies by saying it was the desires and lusts of the flesh that they were gratifying. By nature the children of wrath. By following the desires of their fleshly nature they did wrong, and that threatened them with the wrath of God.

Ephesians 2:4

Ephesians 2:4. Rich in mercy. Riches do not consist solely in the amount of one’s possessions, but also in the character of them. The richness of God’s mercy was indicated by the kind of love with which He regarded mankind while in the bondage of sin. This is the same thought that is the outstanding subject of the familiar but underestimated verse in John 3:16, where the word “so” has reference to the kind of love God had for the world.

Ephesians 2:5

Ephesians 2:5. The first part of this verse is explained at verse 1, and the reader is requested to see that place again. This verse adds the information that the quickening is done with Christ, which means that it is through Him that we are made free from sin (Romans 6:11). By grace are ye saved. This may be understood by the meaning of the second word. See the comments at 1 Corinthians 1:3.

Ephesians 2:6

Ephesians 2:6. Places is not in the original as a separate word; it is explained at chapter 1:3. The association of Christians with each other in the church of Christ is heavenly, because the entire arrangement originated in Heaven.

Ephesians 2:7

Ephesians 2:7. Ages often is used in the sense of eras or dispensations, but it is here more general and only means that “in the years to come,” etc. Through the years, God was to show how rich is His grace in the form of kindness, and it was all to be accomplished through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8

Ephesians 2:8. The matter of being saved involves two parties; the one being saved, and the one doing the saving. God is the latter and is indicated by the word grace; man is the former and is represented by the word faith. Since grace is the unmerited favor of God (see comments at 1 Corinthians 1:3), it includes the entire plan of salvation as far as the Lord’s part is concerned. Faith. is on the part of man, and it includes all of the things a man must do to prove his faith. Not of yourselves.

Man could not have provided any plan whereby he could be saved. It is the gift of God. The subject under consideration is salvation, therefore it is the gift of God. A father might promise his son an automobile on condition that he work for him long enough to plant a crop. No boy can earn such an article in a few weeks, therefore the car would rightfully be considered a gift. Likewise, a lifetime of service to God could not merit eternal life, and therefore it will truly be the gift from God.

Ephesians 2:9

Ephesians 2:9. Not of works. See the illustration in the preceding paragraph drawn from a father and his son. The merits of our work for Christ would never have obtained salvation for us; had they done so, then man could have boasted that he had earned his salvation by what he had done.

Ephesians 2:10

Ephesians 2:10. Workmanship is from POIEMA, which Thayer defines, “that which has been made.” When a man makes a piece of mechanism, he does so with the intention of getting certain things done with it, and he so forms it that it will be equipped to turn out such work. When it is accomplished, the mechanism would not be entitled to any credit for the work, for its maker has formed it for that particular production. Likewise the good works a Christian may perform are but the products that God had in mind when He created or formed him in the great Assembly Plant, the Lord Jesus Christ. The word ordain has such a great variety of meanings that I request the reader to see the complete definition of it at John 15:16, in the first volume of the New Testament Commentary. In our verse it is defined, “To prepare before, to make ready beforehand.” It means that God in his wisdom foresaw what would be the best kind of works for His children to follow, and so prepared a plan in His Son whereby they would be furnished with all the necessary equipment for such work.

Ephesians 2:11

Ephesians 2:11. Gentiles in the flesh denotes that the Ephesians were in the class of mankind that was distinguished from the Jews, and that the distinction was a fleshly one. Called circumcision. This rite was the fleshly mark that designated the classification as to which nation a man belonged. Hence the terms circumcision and un-circumcision were used to identify Jews and Gentiles.

Ephesians 2:12

Ephesians 2:12. At that time means the time before the Gospel Dispensation was brought into the world. Without Christ because the Patriarchal Dispensation did not specifically show any connection with Him, even though the spiritual benefits which God bestowed upon the faithful members of that dispensation, were done in view of the part that Christ was to play in the salvation of any man in any age. The Gentiles were aliens or foreigners from the commonwealth, nation or government, of Israel or the Jews. Strangers is from XENOS which Thayer defines, “without knowledge of, without a share in.” Although the promises made to Abraham applied to the Gentiles (since Christ was to bless all nations), yet it was not known to them, hence in that sense they were strangers to the promise of Christ. Having no hope as far as the commonwealth or government of Israel was concerned. Without God is from ATHEOS; it is the origin of our English word “atheist.” The Gentiles were without God as far as the provisions of the law of Moses were concerned, in the same sense that they were without Christ as explained earlier in this paragraph.

Ephesians 2:13

Ephesians 2:13. The ones far off were the Ephesians and all other Gentiles; they were far off as far as the Jewish Dispensation was concerned. Made nigh by the blood of Christ. This Is said in contrast with the animal sacrifices that were offered under the Mosiac system, which were done for the benefit of the Jews only. It also is in contrast with the sacrifices that were offered upon the family altars under the Patriarchal Dispensation. It is to be understood that those sacrifices which were made under both the former dispensations, gave to the members thereof the favor of God, including the forgiveness of sins.

But that was because God knew that the blood of Christ was to flow at the cross as a ransom, to make good the pledge of forgiveness that He had made to every Jew or Patriarch when he had performed his duty at the proper place of sacrifice. This is clearly shown in Hebrews 9:15, which the reader should see in connection with the present verse.

Ephesians 2:14

Ephesians 2:14. He is our peace. The first word is a pronoun that stands for Christ, and the third is one that means the Jews and Gentiles. These two groups had been separated religiously by the partition wall of the Mosaic law which was given for the Jews only. This wall was removed by cancelling the religious function of the Jewish system, and giving a new one through Christ, adapted to the needs of Jews and Gentiles.

Ephesians 2:15

Ephesians 2:15. In his flesh refers to the crucifixion of Christ, whereby He nailed the old law to the cross and opened the way for the new law of the Gospel. Paul explains enmity to mean the “ceremonial” ordinances and commandments, which kept the Jews and Gentiles separated religiously. Twain means the two nations just mentioned, and one new man is a figurative name for the church, in which all men of every nation may be united in Christ.

Ephesians 2:16

Ephesians 2:16. The original word for reconcile is defined by Thayer, “to reconcile completely,” and he explains it to mean, “to bring back to a former state of harmony.” A significant word is “back,” which indicates that a state of harmony had existed before. That is true, for man was at peace with God until Satan persuaded him to sin. That separated him from God and made it necessary for something to be done before he could be received into the divine favor again. The one body is the church (chapter 1:22,23), and the death on the cross made it possible for both Jews and Gentiles to serve God in one religious system. Slain the enmity. (Enmity is explained at verse 15.)

Ephesians 2:17

Ephesians 2:17. Jesus did this preaching through the apostles first, and then by other devoted evangelists. The peace applies to the relationship of mankind in general to God, and the Jews and Gentiles to each other, who had been separated by the Mosaic law. Far off were Gentiles and nigh were the Jews; explained at verse 13.

Ephesians 2:18

Ephesians 2:18. Him means Christ and both denotes Jews and Gentiles. Access means the privilege of approaching the Father to receive the divine favors. By one Spirit. The Holy Spirit gave the apostles their instruction for setting up the church, and also to fill that body (the church) as a divine Guest (the original form for Ghost). The same apostles were also enabled to furnish the members of the church the necessary information for their service to God, including their access or approach to Him for his favors.

Ephesians 2:19

Ephesians 2:19. Strangers and foreigners means the same as “aliens” and “strangers” as explained in verse 12. Fellowcitizens means they are all citizens of the same government. This government is composed of saints which means those who have been made righteous by obedience to the Gospel, and it is called a household because the group called the church is regarded as a great family of God and Christ.

Ephesians 2:20

Ephesians 2:20. Foundation of the apostles and prophets. It has been thought by some that these prophets were those of the Old Testament, who prophesied the coming of the church. It is true they did make such predictions, and in that figurative manner could be referred to in connection with the church when thinking of the basis of truth upon which the divine institution was founded. However, Paul declares these prophets were a part of the foundation itself, hence they were the spiritually-gifted prophets that the church contained in the first century. This is specifically stated in Acts 13:1 and 1 Corinthians 12:28.

That these prophets in the church were among those who received spiritual gifts is declared in Ephesians 4:8-11. Chief corner stone is from the one Greek word AKROGO-NIAIOS which Thayer defines, “placed at the extreme corner.” He also gives the historical information, “For as the corner-stone holds together two walls, so Christ joins together as Christians, into one body dedicated to God, those who were formerly Jews and Gentiles.”

Ephesians 2:21

Ephesians 2:21. Most of the buildings in old times were built of stones, and Paul is using such as an illustration of the church. Fitly framed together. We generally think of wooden buildings only as being “framed,” whereas the church is here likened to a stene structure. The three words in italics are from one Greek word which Thayer defines, “to join closely together.” The statement means that all of the building, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is fitted into the structure of which Christ is the binding stone at the corner. Such a building becomes a holy temple in (or on behalf of) the Lord.

Ephesians 2:22

Ephesians 2:22. Every building is erected for some special purpose. This divine structure is no exception, and the present verse tells us the purpose. It is the dwelling place of God on the earth. Not that He is dwelling in it personally, for in that sense God dwells only in Heaven (Acts 7:48-49); but He dwells in the church through the Spirit, or in a spiritual sense. (See 1 Peter 2:5.)