THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS |
REVIEW – Chapter 1, “What You Have”
What You Have In Christ From the Father
Paul introduced
Himself as both the author and as “one of Christ Jesus Apostles.” He is thus
writing with a special authentication upon his words. His major thrust
throughout chapter 1 is that it is The Father God who is to be praised for the
salvation work of men, women, and children who would voluntarily believe His
requirements for that special work: that God the Father sent His only begotten
Son, Jesus, to provide Himself as a substitute sacrifice to pay for the sin and
sins of mankind. Upon His death, on a Cross, He was resurrected from death to
life, and ascended back to heaven where He was rewarded for His perfect
performance by His Heavenly Father placing Him upon the throne at His Father’s
right hand. Therefore, believing these things and placing one’s faith, trust,
and love in Jesus – brings the individual believer into God’s grace and
salvation. This salvation is available to every human being on the planet but is
only effective through belief. Thus, the Father is to be praised as the
originator of the love and grace in making this happen.
The second major
thrust of chapter 1 is that those who choose this salvation become members of
the “ecclesia”, the assembly, known as “The Church.” The total collection of
those who take Jesus Christ as their Savior. As members of this new body of
believers we have been “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
places in Christ.” We find ourselves to have been “chosen” to become holy and
blameless before the Father. We have become “redeemed,” our sins have been paid
for and we have been forgiven from them. We who “hope” in Christ, like those who
came to Him first, are to the praise of the Father’s glory – forever.
MacCorkle offers us
his list of the direct blessings listed in this chapter – and their verses:
Chosen – 4, Surety – 4, Predestined -
5a, Adopted - 5b, Accepted – 6, Redeemed - 7a, Forgiven - 7b, Informed - 8-9,
Christ as our Number One Head – 10, Heirship – 11, Sealing - 13
Of greatest benefit
is that each one of us has now the Holy Sprit of God indwelling in our physical
bodies giving us power, comfort, knowledge and wisdom to be about our individual
ministries for the cause of Christ and the Glory of the Father.
CHAPTER 2 - THE INTRODUCTION - Ephesians
2:1-10
Chapter two easily
breaks down into two important ideas that Paul wants clear in the minds of his
readers - The Believer's calling, and the Results of that calling. In this
lesson we will be focusing on “The Believer’s Calling.” We’ll be using the
imagery from John 1:14 and 2:19 & 21.
1:14 “And the
Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the
only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” –
2:19 “Jesus
answered them, “Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” --
2:21 ”But
He was speaking of the temple of His body.”
Dr. Douglas
MacCorkle sees Paul as building a picture of the new Temple of Christ, and we’ll
see more as we go through the chapter. In the study of the Tabernacle, which the
Temple was fashioned after, it is found that absolutely everything that Moses
taught, by the Word of God from the Father, concerning the Tabernacle/Temple…
was actually the description of the Savior that was promised to come. In this
lesson, we will focus on “The Temple Architecture,” that which goes into the
building of “the Church” as the “Body of Christ,” reflecting those promises of
the Savior.[1]
God's Calling:
The first is for believers to understand that when you were without Christ God
considered you to be Spiritually dead. Paul writes to the church and reminds
them that before Christ came into your life, through believing faith, you were
among the Spiritually Dead. You walked in your sin, you acted under the control
of satan and the world, and you lived according to the desires of your flesh.
[There is, of
course, an intermediate period (mostly dead, but not fully alive yet) when God
the Holy Spirit comes upon the chosen unbeliever and delivers the Gospel to the
heart so both the heart and the mind can make the decision to believe. But,
because Paul is not dealing with that decision making process here, it is not
brought forth in his letter.]
The Results of God's Calling:
The second is that once you believed, through faith, in Christ as your Savior, God
made you alive to Himself. Paul states that just as Christ was resurrected so
too were you - if you are indeed In-Christ. Because of this resurrected life you
have become the recipient of God's kindness and grace. You have become “Alive In
Christ.”
And now being
In-Christ, God the Father has taken you from the
position of "being far away," to a
position of "brought near." Because you are now "near" to God you
have access to Him and you are now a
member of God's
holy family.
During chapter two
we need to keep in mind that Paul is writing to a church, or group of churches,
that are primarily Gentile in content. The Gentiles would have no knowledge of
the teachings and relationship to God of the Hebrew "Covenant People," then
known as the Jew. Paul will discuss these issues with a view toward the
Gentile believer's understanding and
appreciation of their new relationship to God through belief in Jesus Christ.
Now being in-Christ should lead all
believers into a spirit of Unity.
God’s Solution
Let’s take a moment and consider the “solution” to our human condition.
In the plan and program of God, man would be created and given free will. This
program would be introduced to determine which humans would voluntarily and
willingly submit their lives and wills to God. Consider for a moment what we
know about angels. Created, then a fall caused by the introduction of evil
(choosing not-God), and then a division between those who would voluntarily and
willingly submit to the will of God, and those who would not. Similarly with the
plan for mankind with a new twist.
God’s brilliant plan for man’s redemption is
“substitutionary sacrifice.”
Here is a summary of the substitutionary plan that God requires for the
substitute (using a single man as the example):
1.
He would not be an angel or an animal. This would be an unequal exchange.
2.
He must therefore be a man.
3.
However, he must be sinless man; else he must die for his own sins.
4.
He must be infinite if he is to die for an innumerable company of
sinners. Because only God is infinite, he must be both God and man.
5.
He must be willing to take the sinner’s place and bear his punishment.
6.
In doing this, he must shed his blood, because God’s Law says that sins
cannot be remitted in any other way (Exodus 12:13).
Only the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God fits all the requirements, to die as
a substitute, that results in the full forgiveness and redemption of sinful man.
That forgiveness and redemption must be acquired by Belief through Faith in
Jesus Christ.[2]
Chapter One (“What You Have”) hopefully has educated us to the reality that God
the Father has made, and put into action, the plan whereby sinful man
can be redeemed from his sinful state. He,
God the Father, has accomplished it through the
willful sacrifice of His only begotten Son,
Jesus Christ.
His one life
was given on behalf of
the many. Part
of that plan of salvation includes a special set-apart category of people that
are unique from the world in general, and unique from the nation of Israel (even
believing Israel of the Old Testament).
This new assembly of believers, the "body of Christ," (referred to as
the Mystery
by Paul) the “set-apart ones,” is made up out of both the Jew and the Gentile
(that includes all human inhabitants of the world) who have heard the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, been visited by God the Holy Spirit, been convicted and convinced,
and have, by faith, believed in Him as Savior.
Paul calls this the
Mystery because this plan of action in creating this new body of
believers was unforeseen by the prophets of the Old Testament, although there
are many references there about a time when the Gentiles would be included in
the focus of God's plans for man.
In Chapter two Paul begins by telling members of this new body their spiritual
heritage now that they are believers. Verses
2:1-3
tell of where the believer stood
before salvation.
We are reminded, once again, that this study has two objectives for us
personally. The first is to make us familiar with our simple and standard
translation, the New American Standard Bible (the 1995 version).[3] Then to see MacCorkle’s exegetical (pulling out contextual
meaning) of the Greek text to help us understand in-depth, what Paul is saying
to the Ephesian, and other Asian churches.[4]
Here's MacCorkle’s Outline for this lesson, Chapter
2:1-10
(and a glimpse of 2:11-12)
II. CHAPTER TWO
The Church As The Temple Of Christ
A.The Temple Architecture
2:1-1
1. The Raw
Materials Used 2:1-3
a. The Raw Materials Were Spiritually Dead People 2:1
b. The Raw Materials Were Spiritually Disobedient People 2:2
c. The Raw Materials Were Spiritually Desirous People 2:3
B. The Reproduction Work Done 2:4-10
1. The Contractor Building the Temple is God 2:4-5
a. God Works Out of His Wealth 2:4
b. od Works Out of His Power 2:5
2. The Construction Work on the Temple is Great 2:6-7
a. The Work is Elevating 2:6
b. The Work is Excelling 2:7
3.
The Contract for the Work is Guaranteed 2:8-10
a. Guaranteed by Grace 2:8
b. Guaranteed But Not to Be by Any Works 2:9
c. Guaranteed by A New Creation 2:10
C. The Temple
Appointments 2:11-18
1. A
Study in Contrasts 2:11-12
a. The Ceremonial Aspects 2:11
b. The Covenant Aspects 2:12
THE STUDY
The Church As The Temple Of Christ
A. The Raw
Materials Used 2:1-3
1.
Spiritually Dead People 2:1
THE VISUALIZED TEXT
2:1
[MAC]
You all
were also long dead spiritually
because of
your
deviations and
sins.
2:1 [NASB]
and you
were
dead in your
trespasses and
sins,
THE COMMENTARY
As we begin this adventure into Chapter 2, we are reminded
that we are following a line of insight into the larger picture of what Paul is
illustrating. He’s building
a picture of
this new “Body Of Christ,” “The Church,” based upon Jesus’ own words as His body
being the Temple of God. He will take all of Chapter 2 to do it.
Paul’s first step in this chapter is to
consider the “raw materials” to be used in the
“building” of this New Temple image. Like building anything you need to start
with raw materials. For Paul, these raw materials will be
“unsaved, spiritually dead men and women.” The preparation phase was
to get them
“saved.”
Paul has just finished with telling these new believers of
the glorious truths of their salvation (Chapter 1) and now he begins to remind
them of what God has saved them from, and to. Because Adam and Eve sinned in the
garden they received the penalty of death, both physical and spiritual. The
exercise of their own will to "be like him, the evil one" was a crime that
could not be pardoned.
Calvin states, "Every act of the self-will is death."[5] He
also reminds us that "God is offended not with men, but sin." However, in the
"beginning," God had already foreseen this and made allowances in His plan for
the salvation of man from the penalty of this crime.
Since the fall, God has considered, all who will not choose
Him willingly to love and follow… as lost and dead. In the New Testament it is
revealed that God's plan was for His only, unique, only begotten Son (Himself
God), to pay the penalty by the infinite death of infinite God. Those who would
willingly put their faith in this Savior Son would be freed from the penalty of
Death, not only for the original human problem that was found out in the garden
(original sin), but also from the sins of everyday life.
Paul now goes on to describe where these new believers had
come from.
First, that they were dead (to
God) in their trespasses and sins. God is a holy God who cannot abide sin. It
cannot be in His presence. We tend to not see sin as being so serious, but God
does. Even the slightest sin is enough to keep us from ever having any
fellowship what-so-ever with God - He is absolutely holy. The slightest sin is
enough to require that we be cast into punishment, apart from the presence of
God, for all eternity. That's Paul's point in Chapter 2, verse 1. Before Christ
entered into your life
you were dead to God.
THE STUDY
I. The Temple Architecture 2:1-10
A. The Raw Materials Used 2:1-3
1. Spiritually Dead People 2:1
2. Spiritually Disobedient People 2:2
2:2[NASB]
“in which
you
formerly walked
according to
the course of this world,
according to
the Prince of the power of the air, of
the spirit that is now working
in the sons of disobedience,”
2:2
[MAC]
You
formerly walked around in them:
in conformity with
the evil operation of this world's system,
in
conformity with
the authority of the prince of this lower sphere,
whose spirit now tenaciously drives
those who are disobedient.
THE COMMENTARY
Paul goes on
revealing that the previous life of these believers included walking (living)
according to the principles and ways of the unsaved, ungodly, world system. That
system is the domain of the fallen prince, the created angel satan (I refuse to
capitalize his name) who inhabits and controls this world. It is he who opposed
Almighty God as his god and fell from his exalted position in the heavenlies to
earth (for a time before judgment). Earth then became his domain from which God
would redeem those who believed upon His Son for salvation. (As a side
adventure, you may want to consider God’s purpose and plan for mankind from
before anything in this universe was created, even before the Angels. Try to
visualize God’s plan that includes this fallen angel, His placement of him on
earth, and the ages long testing of various groups of humans over the centuries
– not just for us… but certainly just for us in our understanding.)
Paul makes it
clear that the unsaved fall victim to the spirit of the evil one and that spirit
is working in them for satan's purposes, and he does so tenaciously.
Paul says to the
believer, "You who formerly walked,"
indicating that the believer was one who has turned-around, repented, from
following the world system, the evil one, and followed Jesus Christ instead - by
willing submissive choice.
THE STUDY
I. The Temple Architecture 2:1-10
A. The Raw Materials Used 2:1-3
1. Spiritually Dead People 2:1
2.
Spiritually Disobedient People 2:2
3. Spiritually Desirous People 2:3
2:3 [MAC]
We too
were
all formerly numbered among them.
We
conducted ourselves by habit,
doing
the cravings of our flesh and
our
evil thoughts.
We
were
by nature
children destined for wrath,
even as the rest of mankind is.
2:3
[NASB]
among them
we too all
formerly
lived in
the lusts of our flesh,
indulging the
desires
of the flesh and
of the mind and
were by nature
children of wrath
even as the rest.
THE COMMENTARY
Paul continues with
emphasis upon human flesh and its problem with lust. He says that lust leads to
the indulgence of the desires of our flesh and our fleshly mind – often
motivated by evil thoughts. Wanting what is not ours to have, not just those
things of sexuality, but all areas of life where we desire that which we do not
possess, defrauding others in our efforts to take that which belongs to them -
things, ideas, love, pleasure, etc.
Because humans
chose to follow their own way, their own mind, and because of sin their minds
are flawed with sin. We wanted, we lusted, we desired, in ways that are a
complete offense to God. Because of this the unsaved are declared destined for
God's wrath.
Paul closes the
verse with the reminder that those who have been redeemed - all came from the
same evil, lust filled, satan following, world following, pool of humanity. Not
one of the saved was better then any of all the rest without salvation In
Christ.
A.
The Raw Materials Used 2:1-3
1.
Spiritually Dead People 2:1
2.
Spiritually Disobedient People 2:2
3. Spiritually Desirous People 2:3
B. The
Reproduction Work Done 2:4-10
1. The Contractor Building the Temple is God 2:4-5
a. God Works Out of His Wealth 2:4
The Visualized Text
2:4
[MAC]
On the other hand,
since
God is wealthy in mercy,
because of
His great love
with which
He loved us,
2:4
[NASB]
4 But
God (the Father),
being rich in mercy,
because of His (The Father’s) great love
with which He (The Father) loved us,
COMMENTARY
Paul brings us to a big
contrast here. Verse 3 ended with strong words that we all were "Children of
Wrath" before faith in Christ. "BUT GOD" Paul cries out, "But God," being rich
in mercy! What a great God He is. He is so alien to what one would expect of an
"almighty god." In our world absolute power corrupts absolutely. In our world
power for one means servitude for all the rest. In our world despotism results
in starvation, cruelty, pain, suffering, and death.
"But
God," rich in mercy, because of His great love. He is merciful, He is loving, so
different from the experience of our world system. And if that were not enough
to make you fall down on your knees and worship Him, "because of His great love
with which He loved us." Can you imagine, does it not deeply affect you - God
loves those who would believe with His "Great Love." A love that led the Trinity
of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to agree together in a plan that would
save men and women from the wrath to come through simple faith in the Son of God
who would willingly pay the price for the sins of mankind. He would do that by
suffering and dying upon the wooden cross of Calvary, and He would do it because
of His love for each individual man or women who would find faith in Him.
THE STUDY
I. The Temple Architecture 2:1-10
A.
The Raw Materials Used 2:1-3
1.
Spiritually Dead People 2:1
2.
Spiritually Disobedient People 2:2
3. Spiritually Desirous People 2:3
B. The
Reproduction Work Done 2:4-10
1. The Contractor Building the Temple is God 2:4-5
a. God Works Out of His Wealth 2:4
b. God Works Out of His Power 2:5
The Visualized Text
2:5 [MAC]
(He,
God the Father) 5 even when we were
spiritually long dead persons
because of those
deviations,
God made us spiritually alive together with
Christ —
by grace you now stand in a saved condition —
2:5
[NASB]
(He, God the Father) 5
even when
we were dead
in our transgressions,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved),
THE COMMENTARY
This plan was set in place knowing our wicked position of
being dead in our transgressions. Through the death of Christ, planned in the
eternal past, effective during our sinful lives, we who believe were made ALIVE
together with Christ. All due to the grace of God - He did it for you. This is
our Holy, Loving, Grace filled God!
THE STUDY
A. The Raw Materials Used
2:1-3
1. Spiritually Dead People
2:1
2. Spiritually Disobedient
People 2:2
3. Spiritually Desirous
People 2:3
B. The Reproduction Work Done 2:4-10
1. The Contractor Building the Temple is God 2:4-5
2. God Works Out of His Wealth 2:4
3. God Works Out of His Power 2:5
C. The
Construction Work on the Temple is Great 2:6-7
1. The
Work is Elevating 2:6
THE VISUALIZED TEXT
2:6
[MAC]
"and
He
raised us up
together
spiritually with Christ and
seated us
together
spiritually
in the heavenly places
in Christ Jesus.
2:6 [NASB]
“and
raised us up with Him, and
seated us with Him
in the heavenly places
in Christ Jesus,
COMMENTARY
But look! Not only did God the Father save us through His
Son, not only did our sins die with His Son's death, but He raised us up through
resurrection with Christ - not just to newness of life, but he raised us up to
the heavenly places and seated us with Jesus, beside the Father, Almighty God,
all In-Christ. All in the plan of the Father God, all through the work of Jesus
Christ, The Son of God, and all in believing in faith upon Him. All because you
have willingly chosen to love God’s only begotten Son.
THE STUDY
The Church As The Temple Of Christ
I. The Temple Architecture 2:1-10
A. The Raw Materials Used 2:1-3
1.
Spiritually Dead People 2:1
2.
Spiritually Disobedient People 2:2
3. Spiritually Desirous People 2:3
B. The Reproduction
Work Done 2:4-10
1. The Contractor
Building the Temple is God 2:4-5
2. God Works Out of His Wealth 2:4
3. God Works Out of His Power 2:5
C. The
Construction Work on the Temple is Great 2:6-7
1. The Work is Elevating 2:6
2. The Work is Excelling 2:7
THE VISUALIZED TEXT
2:7
[NASB]
so that in the ages to come
He might show
the surpassing riches of His grace
in kindness toward us
in Christ Jesus.
2:7
[MAC]
His purpose was
that
in the coming ages
He might demonstrate
the
excelling wealth of His grace —
shown in His kindness
toward us in Christ Jesus.”
COMMENTARY
Why? So that forever… The Father might continue to bless us with His
unfathomable grace, because of His kind nature, and all completed in His Son,
Jesus Christ. May we see Our Father’s love and grace towards us and consider His
kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, His Son.
THE STUDY
The Church As The Temple Of Christ
I. The Temple
Architecture 2:1-10
A. The Raw Materials Used
2:1-3
1. Spiritually Dead People
2:1
2. Spiritually Disobedient
People 2:2
3. Spiritually Desirous
People 2:3
B. The Reproduction Work Done 2:4-10
1. The Contractor Building the Temple is God 2:4-5
2. God Works Out of His Wealth 2:4
3. God Works Out of His Power 2:5
C. The Construction Work
on the Temple is Great 2:6-7
1.
The Work is Elevating 2:6
2. The
Work is Excelling 2:7
D. The Contract for the Work
is Guaranteed 2:8-10
1. Guaranteed
by Grace 2:8
THE VISUALIZED TEXT
2:8
[MAC]
“For
by grace
you now stand in a saved condition
through faith, and
this salvation did not originate with
you;
it is God's free gift.”
2:8
[NASB]
For
by grace you have been saved
through faith; and
that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God;
THE COMMENTARY V. 8
You can't work for this salvation. You don't qualify for it through
any self worth or value. It is a gift to those who would by faith believe. We
have a saying in our family (and you may too), "It's not about you!" That saying
could not be more true about God's plan for the salvation of men and women. It's
not about you. It's not about how you qualify, either by your accomplishments or
your breeding, or your sacrifice. It's not about you at all. It is about Jesus
Christ and what He did. It's about God the Father and what He did. It is about
the Holy Spirit of God and what He did. But - it's not about you.
THE STUDY
The Church As The Temple Of Christ
I. The Temple Architecture 2:1-10
A. The Raw Materials Used 2:1-3
1.
Spiritually Dead People 2:1
2.
Spiritually Disobedient People 2:2
3. Spiritually Desirous People 2:3
B. The Reproduction
Work Done 2:4-10
1. The Contractor
Building the Temple is God 2:4-5
2. God Works Out of His Wealth 2:4
3. God Works Out of His Power 2:5
C. The Construction Work
on the Temple is Great 2:6-7
1.
The Work is Elevating 2:6
2. The
Work is Excelling 2:7
D. The Contract for the Work
is Guaranteed 2:8-10
1.
Guaranteed by Grace 2:8
2.
Guaranteed But Not to Be by Any Works 2:9
The Visualized Text
2:9 [MAC]
“This salvation was not derived from
human works,
so that no person may boast.”
2:9 [NASB]
“not as a result of works,
so that no one may boast.”
COMMENTARY
Having done what He did - He offers the completed benefit of salvation to you -
AS A GIFT that you can refuse, or your can receive. And He did it all because of
His mercy, His grace, and His love for you.
John Calvin reminds
us that “Faith is not the gift -
Complete, total, righteousness (by
salvation through faith) is the gift.”
[6]
THE STUDY
The Church As The Temple Of Christ
I. The Temple Architecture 2:1-10
A. The Raw Materials Used 2:1-3
1.
Spiritually Dead People 2:1
2.
Spiritually Disobedient People 2:2
3. Spiritually Desirous People 2:3
B. The Reproduction
Work Done 2:4-10
1. The Contractor
Building the Temple is God 2:4-5
2. God Works Out of His Wealth 2:4
3. God Works Out of His Power 2:5
C. The Construction Work
on the Temple is Great 2:6-7
1.
The Work is Elevating 2:6
2. The
Work is Excelling 2:7
D. The Contract for the Work
is Guaranteed 2:8-10
1.
Guaranteed by Grace 2:8
2.
Guaranteed But Not to Be by Any Works 2:9
3. Guaranteed By A New Creation 2:10
The Visualized Text
2:10 [NASB]
“For
we are His and
no other's masterpiece,
having been created by Christ Jesus
to do the really good works
that God prepared earlier,
purposing that we should be occupied
with them.”
2:10 [MAC]
“For
we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
for good works,
which God prepared beforehand,
that we should walk in them.”
COMMENTARY
Paul quickly swings
his thoughts around to our responsibilities as those who have believed. Now, as
a result of knowing what God has done for you, how will you respond? You were
created in Christ Jesus for good works. Your life before Jesus was anything but
good works. But Now - what will you do with your life In-Christ? Paul says that
you were created for good works that were prepared beforehand - before the
foundation of the world - God prepared good works for you to do before the
foundation of the world. Think of that! The question arises - are you doing
them? Is the quality of your life such that others can see the good work being
done in you. Paul uses the phrase "that we should walk in them."
Dr. Douglas
MacCorkle translates this verse: "For we are His and no other's masterpiece,
having been created by Christ Jesus to do the really good works that God
prepared earlier, purposing that we should be occupied with them." Yes, occupied
with them. We are not called to do a good deed every day! We are called to be
occupied with good, to walk in good, literally to "walk around in good works."
This should be the manner of your life. And we are to do these good works, now
and forever, according to God’s good pleasure and grace. What a wonderful God He
is!
THE STUDY
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON EPHESIANS 2:11-12
(Full Study in the
next lesson)
A. The Temple Architecture 2:1-1
1. The Raw Materials Used 2:1-3
a.
The Raw Materials Were Spiritually Dead People 2:1
b. The Raw Materials Were Spiritually Disobedient People 2:2
c. The Raw Materials Were Spiritually Desirous People 2:3
B. The Reproduction Work Done 2:4-10
1. The Contractor Building the Temple is God 2:4-5
a. God Works Out of His Wealth 2:4
b. od Works Out of His Power 2:5
2. The Construction Work on the Temple is Great 2:6-7
a. The Work is Elevating 2:6
b. The Work is Excelling 2:7
3.
The Contract for the Work is Guaranteed 2:8-10
a. Guaranteed by Grace 2:8
b. Guaranteed But Not to Be by Any Works 2:9
c. Guaranteed by A New Creation 2:10
C. The Temple Appointments 2:11-18
1. A Study in Contrasts 2:11-12
a. The Ceremonial Aspects 2:11
b. The Covenant Aspects 2:12
The Visualized Text
2:12
[MAC]
(You)
remember that at that time
you were
separate
from Christ,
(You
were)
excluded
(Alt., "alienated") from citizenship
in Israel and
(You
were) foreigners to the covenants of
the promise and
(You were) without hope
and
(You were) without God
in the world
2:11
[NASB]
Therefore
(you) remember, that formerly
you who, the Gentiles
by birth and
(you
were) called "uncircumcised"
by those who call themselves "the circumcision"
(that done in the body by the hands of men)
THE COMMENTARY
I added these last
two verses to our study for this week, but we will wait till next week to
discuss them thoroughly. Here, at the end of this lesson they are a fitting end
to the first 10 verses of Ephesians Chapter 2. For many are unaware of how
hopeless their situation is for those
who are unbelievers, and how hopeless their situation
was for those who are now believers.
Look again at these
verses – Verse 11 speaks of the people whom God chose to serve Him and how they
failed Him. They failed in their mission and ministry to the world – yet they
looked down their noses at the Gentile world around them. They (Israel) were
supposed to win the world around them for God – and instead they became self
centered and shut out the world around them.
Verse 12 brings
both Joy and a warning. As joy it tells us that we have a past – You, remember
that at that time, You… Back before you received Jesus Christ as your savior and
your Lord. Make sure of your salvation. Strengthen your position in-Christ every
day. Read and study your bibles. Pray for yourself and for others. Fellowship
with the saints. Share your faith with the world around you. Don’t become Israel
and look down your nose upon the un-born again around you. Love them with the
love of God that Jesus has made possible in your life.
Next week we will
revisit these two verses and move on to:
But God Made Us Alive With Christ.
HOMEWORK: |
LOOK AT THE QUESTION AND IGNORE
THE ANSWER… THEN STUDY THE ANSWER!
(2:1)
"And you were dead
in your trespasses and sins,"
1.
What is the Biblical definition of death?
Separation from God (Spiritual, Fellowship, Physical)
2.
What is sin?
That which is unlike the Character and Nature of God
3.
What are sins?
The Character of man's state - intentional / unintentional – original
4.
What is a transgression (trespass)?
Stepping over the line
5.
Is the text pointing to a difference between Transgressions, Trespasses,
Sin, and Sins?
Transgressions (trespasses):
1.
Sin: Active and
Current,
2.
Sins: Passive and
Past
6.
What is the character of life before Jesus Christ enters into it?
Walking in sin
7.
What's the occasion (as for you)?
Formerly - before believing
8.
Who is the YOU?
Believers, gentiles, and Ephesians
Does that include you?
Yes, by secondary application
10.
In what manner were you DEAD?
Separated from God
11.
Whose transgressions and sins?
Yours
(2:2)
"in which you
formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of
disobedience."
1.
Does "you" include you?
Yes, secondary application
2.
In what did you used to walk?
In your trespasses and sins
3.
What is the significance of the term "used to walk?"
The Imputation of Righteousness brought about a change
4.
If you were "dead" in verse 1, what is the
significance of
"walk" here?
Vs. 1 - the walking dead - as far as God was concerned - Alive in the body, dead
to God.
5.
When is "when?"
Formerly, before believing
6.
Does "you" include you?
Yes
7.
Describe "following the course of this world."
Walking and not giving Him the Glory in Belief
8.
What is a Prince?
A member of the royal family (former Angel)
9.
Who is the ruler of the kingdom of darkness?
Satan, the Devil, The evil One
10.
What is a "kingdom?"
A ruled territory
11.
Who or what is a Spirit?
An unseen power
12.
Who is this "spirit?"
Satan
13.
What is his work?
Keeping God's kingdom from increasing
14.
Where is he doing his work?
This World - "The story of Man"
15.
Is Satan still active in this world?
Yes
16.
Who are defined as "disobedient?"
Those who do not, will not, believe
17.
When are they disobedient?
In everything and in everyway
18.
Specifically, what is their obedience?
Unbelief
(2:3)
"Among them we too
all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh
and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."
1.
How many is "All?"
All (non free from sin)
2.
What is the significance of the word "too?" - when we were in that state
with the others
The all here includes you and I - If we are now in Christ we were formerly
living in the lusts of our flesh - If you are not now in Christ you are still
living in the lust of your flesh.
3.
Define "among."
Part of them (before salvation - everyone)
6.
Who is "them?"
Those under the power of this world
7.
When was "at one time?"
Formerly, before salvation
8.
Define "indulging."
Living not in/for/to Christ
9.
Define "cravings, lust"
Desires any and all - apart from Christ
10.
Who was gratifying these desires?
Any and all
11.
Because of the preceding verses, why were they (we) gratifying the
cravings?
They were not under the power of Christ
12.
Where do cravings come from?
Internal
13.
What is a "nature?"
The natural way, before salvation in Christ
14.
Who's nature is the Holy Spirit, through Paul, talking about?
Human nature under sin
15.
Who is "the rest?"
Even though now saved, the chosen, all the rest
16.
What is "wrath?"
An attitude of revenge
17.
What is an "object of wrath?"
Children of wrath - Satan practices his revenge on his earthly children
18.
Who are the "object of wrath?"
Children of wrath - Satan practices his revenge on his earthly children
19.
Are we born in a right relationship to God?
No, born in sin, needing a savior
20.
Are babies, the mentally incompetent, and the still born sinful
creatures?
(all) - Yes
21.
Have you ever gratified the cravings of your sinful nature or followed
its desires and thoughts?
22.
Are the unsaved objects of God's wrath?
Yes
(2:4)
"But
God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,"
1.
What is God's motivation for changing all this?
His great love
2.
According to this verse, what is an important characteristic or attribute
of God?
His great love
(2:5)
"even
when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by
grace you have been saved),"
1.
What, according to the Bible, is the definition of "alive?"
Not seperated from God (a proclaimed position).
2.
What does "alive with Christ" mean?
As alive as Him, as "not seperate" from the Father as He is.
3.
What are the ramifications of God making us “alive” while “dead” in our
transgressions?
4.
What is God's Grace?
"Grace is what God may be free to do, and indeed what He does, accordingly, for
the lost after christ has died on behalf of them." (L. S. Chafer)
5.
In what manner are you saved, if it is by grace?
Un-forfeitable and unmerited
(2:6)
"and
raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ
Jesus,"
1.
In what manner are we "raised?"
Proclaimed - with Him.
To what office, that Jesus holds, are we "raised up" and "seated" with
Him?
(compare with 1:20)
"His Right Hand."
3.
Where does this take place, and what are the ramifications of that?
In the Heavenlies.
4.
Describe what it means to be "In Christ."
A.
Redemption (1:7)
B.
Forgiveness of Trespasses (1:7)
C.
The making known of His Will (1:9)
D.
Our inheritance In Him (1:11)
E.
The
outworking of the purposes of His will through His Predestination of believers
(1:11)
F.
His making believers the "Praise of His glory" (1:12)
G.
The sealing of The Holy Spirit (1:13)
H.
The redemption of God's own possession (1:14)
I.
Doing these things while the believer was "yet in their sins?"
(2:7)
"in
order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace
in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
1.
What are the ages to come?
First of all there are ages. If you
don't see the scriptures in a dispensational manner, you should. All of time is
marked up into understandable slices that have beginnings and endings based upon
earthly events. Studying the scriptures, understanding this construct sheds
light on God's planning of the events of time. The past, the present and the
future are all included in God's plan and the flow of time is divided into
times, epochs, administrations, and events. There have been ages in the past
such as "before the fall of Adam and Eve." Who would argue that life before the
fall was the same as life after the fall? Or there is the Flood, the same before
as after - I don't think so. How when the Assyrians ruled the known world, was
that different than when they were conquered and the Babylonians took world
domination. In our own time are things the same since the end of the "Cold War?"
Or even with the change of a president - things change, and we track time by
these changes.
Second the ages to come are the times
and epochs that came after the letter of Paul to the Ephesians. Paul's point is
not so much what epoch as it is that God's grace and kindness will continue to
be toward is In Christ Jesus.
2.
Why was all this done in kindness?
That is the revealed nature and character of Almighty God - Father, Son, Holy
Spirit - a character of Kindness.
(2:8)
"for
by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is
the gift of God;"
1.
What does the word "for" indicate here?
Results or Purpose: Paul now states the reason that we should see the character
of God as Kind.
2.
Describe or define Grace.
Unmerited favor.
3.
What is important about the tense of the word Saved?
You have been saved. Not just a simple past here. Paul could have said, "You
were saved," but instead he chose complex clause combining a present active
indicative, "you are being" and a perfect passive participle, "having been
saved." The importance here is that your are, right now, in the process of
"having been saved," in the past. Paul wants it made clear that the process of
salvation began in the eternal past and that you have become a part of this
eternal plan now in the present, and that the process continues on into the
future.
4.
Describe or define Faith.
Putting your trust in something or someone.
5.
Explain Grace through Faith.
What God has done is to put salvation on the table for you to receive or reject.
If you choose to participate in the Salvation offered by Jesus Christ, then you
are putting your faith In Him. So you become a beneficiary of God's grace
through the act of having faith in Him.
6.
Why is it important to know that this process is not about you?
God's glory is at stake. Acting or believing that you are the saving force in
your own salvation makes you an idolater. According to God's word there is
nothing about you that merits any attention to you from God with the exception
that you should have already been cast from His presence into eternal suffering.
Instead it is God who initiates salvation, it is God who performs salvation, It
is God who offers it up freely in exchange for your love and adoration freely
given to Him.
(2:9)
"not
as a result of works, that no one should boast."
1.
What are the results of works?
"I did it!" "I deserve it because I did it!"
2.
What is there to boast about in the process of salvation?
Nothing. He did it!
(2:10)
"For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
1.
What does the word "for" indicate here?
Results or purpose: further defines 2:9 in that this salvation is in no way a
work which we have performed to merit it.
2.
Who is the "we" here?
Specifically Paul and the readers of his letter who are believers in Christ
Jesus. In a much larger sense: All those who believe!
3.
Who is the "His" here?
God the Father - We are His workmanship.
4.
Describe workmanship.
Work done by the Father in the creation of the people and the plan of salvation.
5.
How are believers created in Christ Jesus?
All of creation was performed by the Father through the Son, Jesus Christ.
6.
What does Paul mean "For good works?"
A good work would be one that is God in the definition of God's mind.
7.
When did God prepare these good works?
Beforehand - before the foundation of the world.
8.
What would be our roll in these good works?
The lives of believers would be based upon a daily walk that is IN GOOD WORKS, it should be our habit, our constitution, our way of life (walking in works that God has created and called good).
1 |
|
2 |
|
3 |
[1]
See also: Ephesians 2:19-22; Isaiah 28:16-17; Daniel 2:34-35; Psalm
118:22-23; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 2:6-8; Matthew 21:42;
Isaiah 8:14; Acts 4:11; Romand 9:33.
[2]
Adapted from “The Good News,” by William MacDonald, a Bible Correspondence
Course, Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, 1970, p. 35
[3]
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph+2&version=NASB1995
[4]
God’s Special Secret, Copyright © 1993, by Douglas B. MacCorkle, Cocoa
Beach, FL
[5]
Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. 41: Galatians and Ephesians, tr. by John King,
[1847-50], at sacred-texts.com
[6]
Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. 41: Galatians and Ephesians, tr. by John King,
[1847-50], at sacred-texts.com
The Book of Ephesians Bible Study materials on this website are a ministry of
AncientPath.net and are made available here free and may be copied for use in
Bible study groups, in limited numbers, providing that no charge is made for
them. Items that appear as copyrighted materials that are not of our authorship
are not to be copied without the express permission of the original copyright
holders. Every effort has been made to give proper footnote credit for items
that are quoted. No further distribution or use of these materials is allowable
under U.S. or International Copyright Law without the express permission of
AncientPath.net.
The Writings of Douglas B. MacCorkle
Dr. MacCorkle's Books and Study
materials on this website are made available here free, through the generosity
of Judith and Ray Naugle, and may be copied for use in Bible study groups, in
limited numbers, providing that no charge is made for them. No further
distribution or use of these materials is allowable under U.S. or International
Copyright Law without express permission.
The Outline and Expanded Translation Text presented in this study
is from Dr. MacCorkle's God's Special Secret - The Case Paul Argues in the
Epistle to the Ephesians, Copyright 1993 by Douglas B.
MacCorkle. Printed and bound in the United States of America. Published by the
not-for-profit MacCorkle bible Ministries, Inc. Books, P.O. Box 320909, Cocoa
Beach, Fl. 32932-0909.
J. Deering
-
AncientPath.net
© 2008-2025 All rights reserved.
Jeremiah 18:15
"Don't stumble from the Ancient Path.”
2025-01-19 update