THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS
Lesson 07

Chapter 2:1-12, The Study
"The Church As The Temple Of Christ"

 

 

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J. Deering, AncientPath.net


 

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

I. The Temple Architecture 2:1-10
    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

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

 

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

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
 

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.

 


 

 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
            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

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
            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

 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

 

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)

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 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:
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS – 2:1-10

 

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

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2

Go to Ephesians Home Group Homepage

3

Go to AncientPath.net Homepage

 


 

[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

 


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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.

 

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2025-01-19 update