Ephesians, Chapter 2
© Copyright 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Ephesians 2:1 And
you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
"Hath he quickened" is an added
praise. It does not appear in the Greek text. However, I have difficulty
arguing with the truth of the statement. He has given us life.
Did you know that before you accepted
Christ, you were dead?
Oh, you may have been walking around
with a smile on your face, but you were dead in sins and trespasses. The Holy
Spirit, sent by God, caused you to come to life.
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein
in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh
in the children of disobedience:
Before we accepted Christ, we
conducted our lives according to the rules of conduct set down and approved by
society. Society has not established its rules of conduct according to what God
considers correct.
The spirit of disobedience is alive
and well. The list of individual sins of society is so long that it defies our
ability to count.
Christians understand what it means
to be a lost. We were there lost. However, those that are living without Christ
do not understand what it is to be at peace with God.
Ephesians 2:3 Among
whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the
children of wrath, even as others.
"Conversation" means the
way a person conducts his or her life. Prior to meeting Christ Jesus we acted
in manner unpleasing to Him. Our lives were filled with things that were alien
to our well-being. As a whole, society is still acting in a manner that is not
in its best interest. Heathen have no personal intention to change for the
good. At this very moment, society is going 100 miles per hour toward a brick
wall with no idea what is ahead.
In the year 2000, the majority of
those sitting on the U. S. Supreme Court showed its callousness toward God by
declaring it improper to pray prior to public school sporting events. I truly
believe that one day those that espouse a vulgar form of "civil
liberties" shall ask the high court declare the U. S. Constitution
unconstitutional, because it speaks of a "Creator."
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in
mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Every day we should thank God for His
mercy. There is no rule that says God must give us mercy. God's mercy comes
from the goodness of His heart. We are rich in His mercy because He chose to
make use rich in His mercy. Unfortunately, most people measure wealth only in
monetary terms.
When did God direct His love toward
us?
It was while we were dead in sins! He
took pity on us and gave us life, real life, not that stuff that passes for
life.
God does not love us because we come to Him. He loved
us before we came to Him.
Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead
in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Here, we find an odd phrase, "hath quickened us together with Christ."
Due to our native tongue being English we lose much of the meaning.
"Hath quickened us together
with" is just one word, but it has an important prefix. The prefix is sun
(sun).
It
means, "with."
Now, that sounds simple enough
doesn't it?
It is not. Let me describe that word:
If you drew a line on a piece of paper, then drew another line exactly on top
of the first. The second line would be "with" the first.
"To quicken" speaks of
coming to life from a state of death. We were dead, but now we are alive with
Christ.
Now, let's re-read
that verse: “Even when we were dead in
sins, He has caused us to become alive together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).”
Ephesians 2:6 And
hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus:
God not only raised us up
"with" Christ but He "made us sit together (with Christ) in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus." The first part of the Greek word
translated "sit together" is again the prefix sun.
Notice that we are sitting
"IN" heavenly places. The Greek denotes a fixed position of rest. We
are WITH Christ IN heavenly places. We may not
physically see it, but it is true.
Ephesians 2:7 That
in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his
kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Why would God choose grace?
There are two reasons. First, we are
incapable of self-salvation. Salvation by works does not work.
Adam had only one commandment,
"Do not eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil." He couldn't handle just one commandment, and neither can we!
Second, He did it so that in the ages
to come He might display in us the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness
through Christ Jesus. Freedom through
grace is a universal object lesson.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
These verses seem redundant. They are
a re-affirmations. In the ancient custom if a thing is
repeated it is given greater emphasis. This repetition is giving greater
emphasis to the earlier statement in Ephesians 2:5.
It is impossible to overstate the importance
of grace in our lives. Now, we not only have the emphasis on grace, but why
salvation must be by grace. It is by grace so that no human can brag in the
presence of God about what he or she has done to deserve salvation.
Let me offer a personal translation:
“Out of the grace you all are the ones having been saved through the faith and
that is not out of yourselves, the gift is
from God.”
You will notice that in my personal
translation the definite article, which appears in the Greek text.
But, whose specific faith is it
referring to?
All Christians admit that grace comes
from God, but only a few will admit that faith to believe also comes from God.
Unregenerated human faith will never chose the righteousness One, Christ Jesus.
We find the referenced faith is the faith OF
Christ Jesus imputed to those chosen to believe.
Gal
2:16 Knowing that a
man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works
of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Unless God imputes to us the faith of
Christ we will never come to know Him. You may be thinking that if it is
entirely up to God that means we are all just a bunch of robots. Don't flatter
yourself.
You and I are just lumps of clay. We
are not far enough along to be considered robots. Clay may be molded into a
useful or decorative vase.
First, the clay is thrown onto the
wheel. That wheel is spinning. Some of us have experienced situations that made
us think our lives were spinning out of control. Just remember that the Master
Potter is in control.
The Potter pushes, pulls, bends, and
reshapes the ugly lump of clay. The Potter thrusts his hand into the midst of
the clay. That is done to form an inner place so the vase may become a useful
container. Inner space is more important than outer space in molding clay.
If hollow spaces are not dealt with properly, the object may collapse.
The master Potter uses both hands to
bring the top of the vase up to a level that is correct for the intended use of
the vase. He pushes and tugs some more to add certain qualities to the vase
that cannot be accomplished by just one hand doing the molding. The result is
pressure inside and out. Notice that the vase is never left alone to form
itself.
Suddenly, the wheel begins to slow
down. The spinning stops. The vase is overjoyed to have come through the
spinning experience and survived. The Potter takes the vase and paints it
extremely beautiful colors. The vase thinks, "How lovely I must be."
That is the moment the vase is placed into the kiln, the furnace.
President Harry Truman said, "If
you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." In life, the heat may
seem intolerable, but there is no way out of the kitchen. We are clay in the
hands of the Master Potter.
What I have told you is not my
imagination working overtime. That is a scriptural description of our
relationship to God Almighty.
In Isaiah we find these words, "But
now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we
all are the work of thy hand" (Isaiah 64: 8).
I have been in many homes, and seen
many beautiful pottery pieces. I have yet to hear one of them brag about having
made itself so lovely or useful.
Ephesians 2:10 For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are the creation. God is the Creator. The Greek Word translated "created"
has great meaning to it. It indicates something that was created as an
original, or fabricated by the
proprietor. It does not in any way indicate a job that has been
sub-contracted.
"Hath before ordained"
means prepared in advance. If a thing has been "before ordained," it
has been predestined. There are some very good things that God predestined us
to accomplish.
Ephesians 2:11 Wherefore
remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by
hands;
Let me explain what seems to be a
complex concept. This one teaching will increase your understanding.
Many sincere and believing Christians
think that they are Gentiles. Physically that may be true, but Christ deals
with the spiritual.
At this time, you may be thinking,
"Oh no, he is trying to tell us all Christians are Jews.” I don't see any
harm in that, BUT it's not
true. All Christians are not Jews. Some are. At this time most are not.
No person is born a Christian. Some
are born as Jews, some as Gentiles. Whether Jew or Gentile,
we must be "born again" as a Hebrew.
The origin of the word Hebrew is both
physical and spiritual. It means "those who crossed over." The ancient Hebrews "crossed over"
the Red Sea and the Jordan River. That symbolized baptism.
Following Christ's death on the cross
and his resurrection, in Christ there are no more Jews or Gentiles. However,
all are Hebrews.
All in Christ have crossed over from
death to life. A Jew is part of a Semitic race. The majority of Semites are
spoken of as Gentile. Palestinians are part of that Semitic race.
Abraham was not a Jew! He was
Chaldean (Genesis 11:27-28).
In the spiritual realm, a Hebrew is
one who had an encounter with God, and passed over from death to life. A
Christian may not be a Jew, but he/she is a spiritual Hebrew. Abram had an
encounter with God and became Abraham, the father of many nations (Genesis
17:5). Jacob had an encounter with God and became Israel (Genesis 32:28). Saul
(Paul) the Pharisee had an encounter with God and became Paul the Apostle. Encounters with God cause change.
That is why Paul could make a bold
past tense statement, saying that in the past you were
"Gentiles in the Flesh." You "were" a Gentile, an
unbeliever. Now you are one who has passed over. You are a spiritual Hebrew. As
a Christian, you have had an encounter with God.
Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye
were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and
strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the
world:
Paul continues his theme, by saying
that, "at that time you were without Christ." That fact made you, and
all others that are without Christ "aliens" from the commonwealth of
Israel.
Many Jews today are, at this time
"aliens" from the commonwealth of Israel. You and I We were strangers to the covenants
and promises.
Being strangers we were without hope.
As strangers we had no hope, because we were lacking something. That something
was the spark of life that only God, through Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit,
can give.
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ
Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Here, Paul gets to the good stuff. In
Christ Jesus, those of us who were remote and without a relationship have been
brought into close relationship to God by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
I may make some Jews angry, but our
relationship to God is totally based on out
relationship to Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
Some of the Jewish faith may become
angry saying, "I believe in God. Do you mean that I am not saved because I
don't accept Jesus as my Messiah?"
Let me be blunt. That is exactly what
I am saying. Whether Jew or Gentile, if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as
Lord of your life, you are lost.
I also firmly believe that no matter
what you say or feel at this moment, you shall, in due time, proclaim Jesus to
be Lord.
Ephesians 2:14 For
he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall
of partition between us;
Do you want peace?
There is only one way to gain lasting
peace. Jesus said, "I am the way" (John 14:6a). As the “Way”, Christ
is not only the route to God. He is the means of conveyance.
As a Christian, you have a right to
God's peace. Jesus said, "My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives
do I give you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John
14:27).
The peace of Jesus Christ is belongs
to all that acknowledge Him as Lord.
Many will try to tell you that there are many ways to God.
WRONG!
There is only ONE WAY.
Christ Jesus is that way.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, there was
always a wall between Jew and Gentile. Now, Christ has broken down the wall
that separated us. That the wall has crumbled, and it will never be rebuilt.
Ephesians 2:15 Having
abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
The Law has
been “abolished” (Gr katargeesas-katarghsaV),
“rendered useless” in Christ Jesus. Here, Paul speaks of
God having abolished in Christ's flesh the enmity, which is the law of
commandments, contained in ordinances.
Grace does not nullify the Ten
Commandments. It enhances them.
In Matthew 5:18 we read that
Jesus said, For "Till heaven and earth pass, one
jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled."
Have heaven and earth passed?
Has all been fulfilled?
If not, the Law of God is still
valid. But, not for Christians! Instead, we are led by the Spirit. Paul wrote
to the Roman Church, "Do we then make void the law through faith?
God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Romans 3:31).
This misunderstanding came about
because most Christians and Jews do not understand that the law of God was
never intended to save man. The Law points the way to the Savior of man. The
Law is still a valid guide for the lost!
Gal 3:24-25
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to
bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But
after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
In the Bible, God caused Paul to
write, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us" (Galatians 3:13a). We have been redeemed from the CURSE
of the Law, not from the Law.
We may not be able to follow the Law
to perfection as Christ did. Nevertheless, we are to find delight in it as Paul
did.
Paul wrote, "I delight in the
law of God after the inward man" (Romans 7:22). Lawlessness is not
freedom. It is anarchy.
Did Christ come to establish anarchy?
I don't think so! Antichrist is the
Lawless one. The law of man is another matter.
Moses gave a law regarding divorce.
Christ told the Jews that Moses did it because of the callousness of their
hearts. Christ Jesus said, "It has been said that Whosoever
shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. But I tell
you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of
fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And, whosoever shall marry her that
is divorced also commits adultery (Matthew 5:31-32).
Moses law was temporary. God's Law is
permanent. By bringing both Jew and Gentile under the same Law of grace, God
took two and made them one.
Ephesians 2:16 And
that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain
the enmity thereby:
God sent Christ Jesus so that He
might reconcile both Jew and Gentile, male and female to Himself in one by
virtue of the cross of Jesus Christ. He did it by nullifying those things that
were artificially been placed between God and man. Man's lack of revelation
concerning the Law of God has led to an unnatural, synthetic, and counterfeit
law being enacted by man. Those "religious" laws have been abolished.
Many will deny it, but the truth is that all things shall be reconciled to God
by Christ.
Rom
11:36 of Him and
through Him and to Him are all things.
That verse is a simple statement of
fact!
Rom
11:32 For God hath
concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
That is another simple statement of
fact! There are many such facts that the mainstream Church will not now accept.
Ephesians 2:17 And
came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Jesus came and preached peace to us
at a time that we were separated from God. He did not wait until we got our act
together. He took the first step we have been brought to God. The Holy Spirit continues that mission of
evangelism to this very day.
Ephesians 2:18 For
through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Because of Jesus' work on the cross and
the sending of the Holy Spirit, we have access to the Father. None may come to
the father except by way of the Son (John 14:6). And, none may acknowledge the
Son except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:3b).
Due to the work of the Son and the
Holy Spirit, we can go boldly into the Father’s throne room knowing that Christ
Jesus, our Savior and friend is at God's right hand interceding on our behalf.
The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of immediate access.
Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are
no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens
with the saints, and of the household of God;
Those born into Gentile families are
no longer strangers to God and alien to the promises of God. You and I are now
fellow-citizens with all the saints. We are members of the household, the
family of God.
Ephesians 2:20 And
are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner stone
We have been taken off the faulty foundation
of sin, and placed on a solid foundation of Christ Jesus represented by the
apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ is the Church's Chief Corner Stone.
I recently received an email from
Arthur Eedle. He wrote concerning this chapter in
Ephesians. I do not translate every verse when doing commentary. Perhaps I
should. Arthur wrote that that "chief corner" (Gr. akrogooniaiou-akrogwniaiou) actually means
"capstone." The Church is
built from the top (Christ) down, not the base up.
Ephesians 2:21 In
whom all the building fitly framed together groweth
unto an holy temple in the Lord:
We have been made into a holy temple.
1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us that we are the temple of the Holy Ghost.
Ephesians 2:22 In
whom ye also are builded together for an habitation
of God through the Spirit.
God inhabits us. This verse seems
almost surreal. Truth is sometimes that way. The Church is a temple, and yet it
has not been built with human hands. It also has no denominational sign on the
front door.