THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS
Lesson 09
The Temple Appointments, P-2 |
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2 | Return to Lesson 08 |
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J. Deering,
AncientPath.net
REVIEW
The Church As The Temple Of Christ, Part-1
The
Temple Architecture, 2:1-10
The Raw Materials Used, 2:1-3
Paul is building a picture of believers being the new Temple of Christ. 1st is our Calling. Pre-calling we were spiritually dead.
Post-calling we are made
spiritually alive to God through Faith in Jesus Christ. The Raw materials: God
takes spiritually dead people and makes them spiritually alive. He takes
disobedient people obedient. He takes self-centered people and makes them
“others” oriented.
The Reproduction Work Done, 2:4-10
It is revealed that it is God who is building His Temple of Christ. He is
building out of His wealth of Grace and mercy. He is building out of His wealth
of Power. He is doing a “Great and Powerful Work.” Through it we are “raised up
and seated together with Him,” in Christ Jesus. All of these things demonstrate
His Kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. All of His work in the believer is
Guaranteed by His Grace – and not through any work of our own. Our future will
be in making us and destining us to a “New Creation.”
The Temple Appointments, 2:11-18
A
Study in Contrasts, 2:11-12
The Ceremonial Aspects, 2:11
We were “formerly” amongst the Gentiles (Non-Jews). And untouched by God’s Law
where effectiveness was brought about in-the-flesh – that was unfulfillable by
design and by the…
The Covenant Aspects, 2:12
Paul said that as non-Jews we were separated from the Messiah, excluded from
Israel’s state, and ignorant of the covenants of God’s promises. We were not
possessing any hope, and without God’s help in the world-system. Without Hope
and without God in this world.
A Study in Combinations 2:13-15
Once we were far
away – Now we have been brought near (Through the Blood of the Messiah). We now
have a single mediator between us and God the Father who is Jesus. The dividing
wall between Jew and Gentile has been destroyed. The Law that divided us has
been rendered inoperative. The two kinds of people are now One in Christ Jesus.
We are now, both believing Jew and Gentile have become a “New Body” – The Body
of Christ – The Church – the Grouping of those “set apart” from the world
through Faith in Christ. Believers are now blessed by a new Proclamation – “And
He came and preached peace to you who were far away (the former believing
Gentile), and peace to those who were near (the former believing Jew)”
(Zechariah 9:10). For it is through Christ Jesus that we both have access in one
Spirit to the Father.
And now we’ll pick
up with the last three
“Studies in
Combinations” – 5. 2:16
“A New Body,
6.
2:17 “A New Proclamation,” and 7.
2:18 “A New Access” 2:16-18. Then the last section in Chapter 2
“The Temple Appearance” 2:19-22.
LESSON 9
Ephesians 2:16-22
II.
C.
2.
A Study In Combinations - Continued,
a. b. c. d.
e. One New Body, 2:16
f.
One New Proclamation, 2:17
g. One New Access, 2:18
D. The Temple Appearance, 2:19-22
1.
It Is A Secure
Temple, 2:19
2.
It is A
Substantial Temple, 2:20
3.
It Is A
Set-Apart Temple, 2:21
4.
It Is A
Spiritual Temple, 2:22
THE INTRODUCTION
The Chapter as a
whole is labeled “The Church
As The
Temple of Christ.” In the last lesson we covered the first half of chapter 2
labeled
“The Temple Architecture,”
and that took us as far as verse 15. We are the Temple of Jesus Christ and we
have Jesus Christ as
the foundation of
this Temple and He indeed is the
“Corner Stone.” In building structures, the corner stone is exactly a
square. It is set in a prominent corner of the foundation – before any of the
building is constructed. It is from this square stone that the straight paths of
the sides can be visualized and laid. Distances are measured from the front
outside corner, and angles are judged using the perfect square of the corner
stone. It is Jesus, our Lord, who
sets
the standard for building
His Church
– Like the Temple in the future – Perfect, Holy, Steadfast, Alive, and Living
for Him – All to the Glory of God The Father who has put all things under His
(Jesus’) authority and submission. Imagine this Temple of Christ, the Church,
with one of
our personal names on
each block that builds the entire structure.
We are His Church.
2:16-22, THE STUDY
A Study in Combinations P-2
The Church As The Temple Of Christ,
2:1-22
The Temple
Architecture, 2:1-10
The Temple Appointments 2:11-18
A Study in Contrasts 2:11-12
The Ceremonial Aspects 2:11
The Covenant Aspects 2:12
A Study in Combinations 2:13-18
One New Position, 2:13
One New Mediation 2:14a
One New Grouping 2:14b
One New Mankind 2:15
One New Body 2:16
2:16
[MAC]
and
that
He (Jesus)
might
reconcile them both
to God
in one Body
by means of the cross,
having slain the hostility upon it.
2:16
[NASB]
and
that
(He, Jesus)
might
reconcile them both
in this one body
to God
through the cross,
by it having put to death their hostility.
THE COMMENTARY
But, the work of Christ has changed that, because by the blood of Christ the
Gentiles have been "brought nigh (close)" also. The work of Christ has brought
both Gentile and Jew to the threshold of the House of God (Church) and there
remains just the step of
faith to bring them into an internal
and saving relationship with God through Jesus the Christ.
Paul wraps up the
two verses with these lines. "And that He (Christ) might reconcile them both (the former Jew and Gentile)
in this ONE "NEW" Body), the Body of Christ - to God." This "one body" is a
new creation - the Church, the
earthly and heavenly body of Christ, NOT a merger of the old (Israel) and new,
but a completely New Creation.
Through BELIEVING
you have become not only a member of The Body of Christ, but you HAVE BEEN
RECONCILED TO GOD, "Through the cross." This is where it all has taken place.
This did
not occur through our own
efforts or
the work of some good
doing people. Believers became reconciled
by way of the death of Christ on the Cross. And, thusly, believers
are no longer an enemy of God (either Jew or Gentile), because the death of
Christ put to death the Hostilities between man and God.
2:17, THE STUDY
The Church As The Temple Of Christ,
2:1-22
The
Temple Architecture, 2:1-10 (Lesson 07)
The Temple Appointments 2:11-18
A Study in Contrasts 2:11-12
The Ceremonial Aspects 2:11
The Covenant Aspects 2:12
A Study in Combinations 2:13-18
One New Position, 2:13
One New Mediation 2:14a
One New Grouping 2:14b
One New Mankind 2:15
One New Body 2:16
One New Proclamation 2:17
2:17
[MAC]
And having come
He proclaimed
peace
to you who were afar off (the gentile) and
peace
to those who were near (the Jew),
2:17
[NASB]
"AND
HE [Jesus]
CAME
AND
PREACHED
PEACE
TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND
PEACE
TO YOU WHO WERE NEAR;" (Isaiah 57:19)
THE COMMENTARY
Paul closes this
paragraph with a quote from the O.T. (Isaiah 57:19) - That Messiah would come
upon the world and preach Peace between Himself, the Jew and the (gentile) World
in general.
In order to move on
to the next set of verses we'll pause here for a recapitulation of verses
2:11-17
EPHESIANS 2:11-17 RECAP
11 “Therefore
remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
"Un-circumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the
flesh by human hands;”
There are seven
things Paul pointed that Gentiles, historically suffered in these following
areas:
1.
They were Gentiles,
not Jews
2.
They were
considered the
"Un-circumcision" (worthless sinners) by the Jews
3.
The were
separate from and
without the promised Messiah, Christ
4.
They were
excluded from the
commonwealth of Israel
5.
They were
strangers of the
covenants of the promise
6.
They had
no hope (Those things
that were future for Israel)
7.
They were
without God (He had
made His covenant with the Children of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob)
Because of these
disabilities they, the gentiles, were "far off."
2:12
“remember that
you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of
Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without
God in the world.”
This means more
than that they were
heathen: they
were destitute of the knowledge and expectation of
the Messiah. As Christ is the only
redeemer of men, and the only mediator between God and man, to be without
Christ, was to be without redemption and
without access to God. To possess Christ, to be in Him, is the sum of all
blessedness;
to be without Christ
includes all evil.
As the heathen were
not included in the covenant God made with his people, they held no interest in
the promise or the execution of which that covenant secured. Their condition was
therefore
most deplorable. They had
nothing to
hope, because they were
shut out of the covenant of promise. The promise of God is the
only foundation of hope, and
therefore those to whom there is no
promise, have no
hope.
And having
no hope of redemption, the great blessing promised, they were, in the widest
sense of the word,
hopeless. They
were moreover
without God. This meant
that they were
atheists, in so far
that they were destitute of the knowledge of the true God, and served those who
by nature were not gods.
Jehovah was not
their God; they had no interest in him, they were without him. They stood
outside of that community which belonged to God, who knew and worshipped him, to
whom his promises were made, and in the midst of whom he dwelt.
In every point,
therefore, their condition as heathen afforded a melancholy contrast to that of
the true people of God, and to that into which they had been introduced by the
Gospel. Their alienation was from God and his covenant.
2:13-17 Gentiles' relation to Israel and
God after the cross.
”13 But now in
Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood
of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and
broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the
enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in
Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and
might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put
to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY,
AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;”
God met the 7
Gentile sufferings and racial hatred through
the death of Christ. Upon that basis, God has brought about a great
model of union, namely,
the Church.
This proved to the world what His love and grace could do.
There are two separate truths here:
the available reconciliation and
the actual reconciliation.
First (the availability of salvation)
These seven
disabilities were removed at the cross for all Gentiles and thus God was able,
through the cross, to make the reconciliation of the world to Himself and
eternal salvation
AVAILABLE to all
who would believe.
Secondly (the actuality of salvation)
The nature of the
offer requires that the anyone desiring the salvation that God has offered,
through the death of His Son Jesus on the Cross, would evaluate God's offer and
believe, henceforth
becoming reconciled to the demands of
God. At that point God would be
reconciled to the individual, and the individual would be
reconciled to God, and through the act of
belief be
proclaimed
righteous,
acquiring the offered
salvation.
The picture here is
that the Jews before the cross were
"near" to God in external relationship in that through the covenant they had
the sacrifices, the blood of atonement, and could get to God by the
one step of faith; whereas Gentiles
had no sacrifices,
no blood of the atonement (etc.) and, ceremonially and externally,
were "afar off. " It was very
unlikely that they would become "proselytes of the gate" and get in.
Verse fourteen
brings in the
image that represents
the truth of the tearing down of the "dividing wall." When the reflection
(image) of the tabernacle (during the wilderness wanderings) was re-cast by
Solomon when He built his Temple of The Lord. The inner temple was for Jews
only. Outside the entrance to the inner temple was a walled-off area known as
the Courtyard of the Gentiles. It was in this area that the money changers,
animal inspectors, animal retailers, and a mixture of Gentiles and Jews doing
business.
However, no non-Jew
was allowed to enter the main part of the Temple. This outer wall was a stone
barrier with posted signs stating that "No Gentile allowed within, under penalty
of death." This law was upheld by both the Jewish leadership and the Roman
government. It is this stone embattlement that divided the courtyard between the
inner temple and the outer Gentiles that is the symbolic object that the death
of Christ "tore down."
Notes on Proselytes
- The term denotes those who entered into the nation of Israel under two
distinctions.
1. Those who came
to Israel for their defense or well-being, these were called "proselytes of the
gate." The meaning was literal, they had come into Israel and positionally they
were inside the gates of Israel (under her protection). They were not required
to become circumcised, nor did they have to follow the minutia of the Mosaic
law.
2. Those who came
to Israel seeking The One God of Israel and faith in Him alone. These were
called "proselytes of Righteousness." Upon their acceptance by the leadership
the males underwent circumcision and baptism (The proselyte baptism required
standing in a tank or pool of water up to your neck).
Isaiah 56:3-8
“Let not the
foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate
me from His people.” Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” 4 For
thus says the LORD, “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what
pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, 5 To them I will give in My house and
within My walls a memorial, And a name better than that of sons and daughters; I
will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. 6 “Also, the
foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, To minister to Him, and to love the
name of the LORD, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the
Sabbath And holds fast My covenant; 7 Even those I will bring to My holy
mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and
their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a
house of prayer for all the peoples.” 8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed
of Israel, declares, “Yet others I will gather to them, to those already
gathered.”
The work of Christ
has changed that, because by the blood of Christ the Gentiles have been "brought
nigh (close)" also. The work of Christ has brought both Gentile and Jew to the
threshold of the House of God (Church) and there remains just the step of faith
to bring them into an internal and saving relationship with God.
Verse :17 closes
this paragraph with a quote from the O.T. (Isaiah 57:19) That Messiah would come
upon the world and preach Peace between Himself, the Jew and the World in
general.
We mustn’t also no
miss the image of the heavy woolen curtain torn in two between the “Holy Place”
and the “Holy of Holies” in the temple. Upon Christ’s death the way to approach
God directly through the sacrifice of His Son was forever opened up for those
who believe and love God with all their hearts, minds, and soul’s – not for just
the Jewish High Priests.
50 And
Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 And
behold, the [z]veil
of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the
rocks were split.
Matthew 27:50-51
Ephesians 2:18
THE STUDY
II.
C.
2.
A Study In Combinations - Continued,
a. One New Position, 2:13
b. One New Mediation, 2:14a
c. One New Grouping, 2:14b
d. One New Mankind, 2:15
e. One New Body, 2:16
f.
One New Proclamation, 2:17
g.
One New
Access, 2:18
(2:18
Mac)
“because
through
His (Jesus’) action
we both are
enjoying
perpetual access
by
one Spirit
to the Father.”
(2:18
NASB)
“for
through Him
we both have our
access
in one Spirit
to the Father.”
COMMENTARY
This verse is
exceedingly important to understand. This
new access is
entirely brought
about by
Christ. There is no longer
any merit in being a Jew – or being a Gentile, in respect to the acceptability
in Salvation. Because of the effective and efficient
sacrifice of the Lamb of God (Jesus, the Christ) upon the cross at
Calvary
every believer has
total and
immediate access to God the Father. This process is accomplished
through the
power of God the Holy
Spirit. All those who believe become
members of God’s immediate family upon their salvation.
Our relationship to God the Father is like that of a righteous and loving
father and his children. It is understandable that many do not have such a
relationship with their physical human fathers, however Paul is showing us an
example based upon what should be (should have been) the relationship between a
loving and righteous father and his children. As His children
we are
EXPECTED to come to Him
in
trust and with hearts full of love
for Him. He is there waiting for
us.
When we don’t know or won’t come to Him,
He comes to us.
Ephesians 2:19
THE STUDY
II.
Ch-2 – The Church As The Temple of Christ, P-2
D. The Temple Appearance, 2:19-22
1.
It Is A Secure
Temple, 2:19
(2:19
Mac)
So then
you Gentiles
are no longer strangers or outsiders,
but (you are) fellow citizens
of those who are set apart and
the immediate family of God.
(2:19
NASB)
Consequently,
you are no longer strangers and aliens,
but (now)
you are fellow citizens with the God's people,
(Lit.,
"holy ones")
and
you are members of God's household,
THE COMMENTARY
(pieces that belong)
The consequences of
this reconciliation are that the Gentiles are now
“fellow citizens” of the saints,
members of the family of God, and part of that temple in which God
dwells by his Spirit.
Formerly they, the
gentiles, were strangers, now they are fellow-citizens. Formerly
the Gentiles stood in the same
relation to the commonwealth of Israel, that we do to a foreign State. They had
no share in its privileges,
no participation in its blessings.
But now they
(you) are "fellow-citizens of the saints."
The "saints" are
not to be understood as the Jews, nor
the ancient patriarchs, but The People of God. Christians have become, under the new
dispensation, what the Jews once were (or better, were supposed to become),
saints, men and women selected and separated from the world and consecrated to
God as His peculiar people.
This
new body of believers constitutes a
theocracy (a state or
kingdom governed
directly by God) -- which is no longer confined to any one people or country
(Israel) but embraces all in every country who have
access to God by Christ Jesus (the
Church). In this kingdom the Gentiles now have the right of citizenship, and
they are on terms of
perfect equality
with the other members of the kingdom (those who have been accepted into this
kingdom
by faith during any age. And
that kingdom is the Kingdom of Heaven (where the King is).
We are now, says
Paul, citizens of heaven. That family
is a much more intimate brotherhood than any national state. Our relationship to
The Father is much more
sacred and tender
than that which we bear to any civil ruler. Paul makes the point that this
transition has made us members of "God's Household." We have become
literal children of God, adopted and
grafted into His immediate family, whose character and privileges belong to all
those in whom God dwells by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:20
THE STUDY
II.
Ch-2 – The Church As The Temple of Christ, P-2
D. The Temple Appearance, 2:19-22
1.
It Is A Secure
Temple, 2:19
2.
It Is a Substantial Temple 2:20
(2:20
Mac)
You
have been built up
on the foundation
laid by the apostles and prophets,
of which Jesus Christ is the head cornerstone.
(2:20
NASB)
having been built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
THE COMMENTARY
Paul has built into
this dialog a double meaning for the word used in verse 19 for
"household." The second meaning the
Greeks used for this word was "home or house." His imagery turns now to the
"house" picture. When we entered into
this new "household" we entered into a "house" whose
foundation was made up of the
apostles and the
prophets and
whose very support rests upon the
"Keystone" or "Capstone," and not so much a corner stone.
The Bible uses the
phrase
"Stone of Stumbling" quite
often when describing things we "fall over" that keep us from believing or
following our Lord. The use of the term brings images to me of a great building
that is in the process of being built, perhaps the Temple in Nehemiah's time.
Because there are many more laborers than architects there tends to be a
lack of knowledge concerning building out in the field. So, our imaginary
workers are busy building the basic structure from the ground up. Every once and
a while a worker finds a funny shaped building block (or stone) that doesn't
seem to "fit in" anywhere and the worker
tosses it out into the nearby field.
There the block
stays and is a booby-trap just waiting for the evening or nighttime wanderer.
Walking into a large stone can result
in injury and keep you from your destination.
Meanwhile, back at
the temple construction, the workers have come to the tops of the first story
windows and can go no further, as they know of no way to put more building
blocks over the spaces where the windows belong. They call for the architect,
casting the blame upon him. When he arrives, he patiently shows them how to make
an arch from some of the stones that have been discarded, and lastly places that
final funny shaped stone at the very point of the arch - the "Key Stone."
Specially shaped to support the weight of the entire building above and over the
open window space.
Then there is the
“Cornerstone.” The image below shows the place and function of the cornerstone.
This stone has been selected or milled because it ‘s sides are parallel to each
other perfectly. This allows the walls to be aligned with it’s sides and the
height of the structure to be straight when aligned with the cornerstone.
Paul writes that
the foundation of this new "house" of God, of which we are the building blocks
(The Royal Priesthood), rests upon the Apostles of the New Testament and the
Prophets of the Old, and Jesus, the rejected stone, is the Key Stone in one
metaphor, or the Corner Stone in another, that holds the whole structure up. The
Architect and Builder is God, the workers are the rabbis, pastors, teachers that
have labored for righteousness sake, and the building they are building is the
Body of Christ - the church invisible - all believers of all ages.
In this building
there is no Jew, no Gentile, but one new man (woman), the individual member of
the body of Christ.
2:21, THE STUDY
The Church As The Temple Of Christ,
2:1-22
The
Temple Architecture, 2:1-10
The Temple Appointments, 2:11-18
The Temple Appearance, 2:19-22
It Is A Secure Temple, 2:19
It is a Substantial Temple, 2:20
It Is A Set-Apart Temple, 2:21
(2:21
Mac)
In Christ
the whole building,
harmoniously fitted together,
keeps on growing
into a holy temple
in the Lord.
(2:21
NASB)
in whom
the whole building,
is being fitted together and
is growing into a holy temple (Alt.,
"sanctuary")
in the Lord;
THE COMMENTARY
Christ being the
corner stone, everything depends on
union with him. Therefore, the
apostle adds, "In whom all the building fitly framed together growing unto a
holy temple in the Lord." Christ is the principle at once of
support and of growth. He not only
sustains
the building but carries it on to its
consummation.
Union with him is
the sole
essential condition of
our being parts of that
living temple of which he is the
cornerstone. Christ has but
one body,
and there is but
one temple composed
of Jews and Gentiles, in which God dwells by his Spirit. All the parts of this
temple are
"fitly framed together"
(condensed from Hodges Bible Commentary).
2:22, THE STUDY
The Church As The Temple Of Christ, 2:1-22
The Temple Appointments
2:11-18
The Temple Appearance, 2:19-22
It Is A Secure Temple, 2:19
It is a Substantial Temple, 2:20
It Is A Set-Apart Temple, 2:21
It Is A Spiritual Temple, 2:22
(2:22 Mac)
You too,
in Christ,
are being built together
into a dwelling of God
by the Spirit.
(2:22 NASB)
in who
you also are
being built together
into a dwelling
in which God
lives
by His Spirit.
THE COMMENTARY
What was said of the whole body of believers, is here affirmed of the Ephesian Christians. "In whom ye also are built together into a place of habitation of God through the Spirit." "And you Ephesians are built together with other believers so as to form with them this habitation of God." It is in union with God and His Son, and by the agency of the Holy Spirit that this glorious work is carried on." God lives here in the Church - The Body of Christ! Merrill F. Unger states (Unger's Bible Dictionary, Moody Press, Chicago, p. 954) "Believing themselves to be what they are in their position before God, they become such in their everyday experience. The more one's experience conforms to one's position, the more practical holiness is manifested in the Child of God.
HOMEWORK:
Chapter 2:16-22,
The Study
The Temple
Appearance |
LOOK AT THE QUESTION AND IGNORE
THE ANSWER… THEN STUDY THE ANSWER!
(2:16)
“and might
reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to
death the enmity.”
Q-1 What does it mean to "reconcile" two parties?
A-2 It would mean that two parties would have had difficulties with each other,
even hatred, but found a way to satisfy that division and hatred and rejoined
with each other.
Q-2 What was the reconciliation that was
spoken of in this verse and how was it satisfied?
A-2 One group, the Hebrew people, had found a special relationship with God and
the other, the Gentile (members of all other nations) had not. The reunion of
these two groups was the work of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. He
paid the price for the enmity between the two groups by joining them, when
believing, into one new body, the Body of Christ.
(2:17)
"AND HE [Jesus] CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND
PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE NEAR;" (Isaiah 57:19)
Q-1 Who preached this message?
A-1 Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
Q-2 Who was far... near?
A-2 The Gentile was far from God, as he did not have that special "covenant"
with God that the Hebrew people had. Therefore the Hebrews were those who were
"near."
(2:18)
“for through Him
we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”
Q-1 Who NOW has access to the Father through the Holy Spirit of God?
A-1 All who
believe by faith.
(2:19)
“So then you are
no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and
are of God’s household,”
Q-1 If you are a believer, a person of personal faith, what is now your position
before God the Father?
A-1 Fellow
citizens of Heaven with all other believers, members of God's own household.
(2:20)
“having been built
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the
corner stone,”
Q-1 What does it mean to have a foundation?
A-1 The picture
presented here is of a rock-solid basis upon which to place your faith (for now
and the future).
Q-2 Who makes up that foundation?
A-2 The Prophets
of the Old Testament, The Apostles of the New Testament, and Jesus Christ, the
Son of God.
(2:21)
in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy [q]temple
in the Lord,
Q-1 What building is growing into a holy temple?
A-1 The Body of
Christ, what we call "the Church." Not the building or the organization we call
the church, but the members of the Body of Christ - that is the true church. We
are being born, saved, and are accumulating (building) into the very holy temple
of the Lord, again not a physical building, but a temple made - "note with
hands" - but a spiritual temple which belongs to God.
(2:22)
No question, just the verse!
"in whom [this
holy temple is the very body of Christ] you also are being built together into a
dwelling of God in the Spirit."
1 |
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2 |
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3 |
The Book of Ephesians
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The Writings of Douglas B. MacCorkle
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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
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2025-01-19 update