Ephesians 2:1-10

Bad News, Good News

Personal Observations:

v. 1:23-2:1, interesting transition from the headship of Christ to the spiritual condition of Christians

v. 1-3, Paul breaks down the spiritual condition of humanity (Bad News)

v. 1, Dead in sins & trespasses (what’s the difference?)

v. 2, Walked in accordance to the world’s course, in accordance with the prince of the power of the air, the spirit working in the sons of disobedience.

v. 3, Everyone is and was in this condition (no one is born saved; your Christianity is not a hand-me-down from your parents). The spiritual condition of mankind is intimately innerwoven with death.

v. 3, lives are driven by the lusts (gk. word?) of the flesh and mind

v. 3, the sin stature affects the very core (nature) of humanity

v. 3, humanity are a children awaiting the wrath of God

v.4-9, Paul breaks down the Gospel (Good News)

v. 4-10, Paul repeats Jesus four times (v. 5, 6, 7, 10) throughout the Good News portion, in a context that clearly establishes that this Good News is bound to Christ and Christ alone. No other venue exists to God’s grace. Our identity as children of God is bound to Christ.

v. 4, BUT GOD. Everything in v. 1-3 stands true UNTIL the intervention of God. We were dead, BUT GOD. We did walk according to the world and the enemy, BUT GOD. Everyone was bound to this condition, BUT GOD. Our lives were driven by the lusts of the flesh and mind, infected to the core of being with sin, BUT GOD. We were a people waiting for the fullness of God’s wrath to be poured out upon us, BUT GOD.

v. 4-5, God made us alive together with Christ, because He:

Is rich in mercy

Loved us with a great love (agape)

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament B. The Words for Love in Pre-biblical Greek.

The specific nature of ἀγαπᾶν becomes apparent at this point. Ἔρως is a general love of the world seeking satisfaction wherever it can. Ἀγαπᾶν is a love which makes distinctions, choosing and keeping to its object. Ἔρως is determined by a more or less indefinite impulsion towards its object. Ἀγαπᾶν is a free and decisive act determined by its subject. Ἐρᾶν in its highest sense is used of the upward impulsion of man, of his love for the divine. Ἀγαπᾶν relates for the most part to the love of God, to the love of the higher lifting up the lower, elevating the lower above others. Eros seeks in others the fulfilment of its own life’s hunger. Ἀγαπᾶν must often be translated “to show love”; it is a giving, active love on the other’s behalf.

Ἀγαπᾶν is a love which makes distinctions, choosing and keeping to its object. Ἔρως is determined by a more or less indefinite impulsion towards its object. Ἀγαπᾶν is a free and decisive act determined by its subject. Ἐρᾶν in its highest sense is used of the upward impulsion of man, of his love for the divine. Ἀγαπᾶν relates for the most part to the love of God, to the love of the higher lifting up the lower, elevating the lower above others. Eros seeks in others the fulfilment of its own life’s hunger. Ἀγαπᾶν must often be translated “to show love”; it is a giving, active love on the other’s behalf.

Quell, G., & Stauffer, E. (1964–). ἀγαπάω, ἀγάπη, ἀγαπητός. G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds.), Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed., Vol. 1, p. 37). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

v. 5, loved us despite our spiritual condition of death in sin

v. 5, we are alive in Christ, our spiritual disposition has changed. Our identity is radically transformed from being a broken cup destined to eternally drink the fullness of God’s wrath to a chalice destined to eternally drink the fullness of God’s grace.

v. 5, this is all possible through the grace of God. No one else could have achieved this for themselves, let alone humanity.

How could one man, in a matter of hours, drain the cup of God’s wrath that would have taken an eternity to pour out on me? How can that be?

v. 6, not only are we now alive, but we are raised, we have been exalted with God and seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (identity is changed, effective at the moment of our salvation).

v. 7, for the purpose of God to show the surpassing grace of His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (grace (χάρις) is best understood as gift, getting what you have not earned; this gift stems from His kindness)

v. 8, Again, by grace we have been saved. What’s more is that this grace is only attained through faith.

Two examples of why we know our faith must be established in the life, death, and resurrection/ascension of Jesus Christ:

v. 8, Interpreters have differed on the precise reference of “this.” If the Greek pronoun were feminine, agreeing in gender with “faith,” then the reference to faith would be plain. The sense would be: even the faith through which you have been saved is not your own doing; you could not have exercised it unless God had given it to you. But the pronoun is neuter, and does not necessarily refer to faith. Even so, it may refer generally to faith: “the difference of gender is not fatal to such a view” (J. A. Robinson)

It is probably best to understand “and this” as referring to salvation as a whole, not excluding the faith by which it is received.

It is probably best to understand “and this” as referring to salvation as a whole, not excluding the faith by which it is received.

Interpreters have differed on the precise reference of “this.” If the Greek pronoun were feminine, agreeing in gender with “faith,” then the reference to faith would be plain. The sense would be: even the faith through which you have been saved is not your own doing; you could not have exercised it unless God had given it to you. But the pronoun is neuter, and does not necessarily refer to faith. Even so, it may refer generally to faith: “the difference of gender is not fatal to such a view” (J. A. Robinson)

Bruce, F. F. (1984). The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (p. 290). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

v. 9, regardless of one’s view, one thing is clear: salvation is not through what we do or attain. No one is in any position to boast of a salvation attained through themselves.

Bruce, F. F. (1984). The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (p. 289). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

v. 10, not only do we have an identity, but we have a purpose; we are not defined by our purpose, but rather our purpose is defined by our identity. (Who are you? Joshua? A sailor? A wife? A father? What defines you?)

We are His workmanship, purposed from the beginning for good works.

This new creation (as is emphasized below in v. 15) transcends natural distinctions of the old order: in it “neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation” (); “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” (). The new heaven and earth of which an OT prophet spoke (; ) have come into existence already in this new order, “created in Christ Jesus.” If those who belonged to the old order were dead through their trespasses and sins, those who belong to the new creation are characterized by “good works,” works performed not to secure salvation but as the fruit of salvation. God, we are told, “prepared” these good works “in advance,” that they might mark his people’s way of life.78 They are the good works which reflect the character and action of God himself. God gave his people the law that they might be like him: “I am the Lord your God; … you shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (). Jesus similarly taught his disciples to behave in a manner befitting God’s children, to be merciful as their Father is merciful (). But to live like this, to accomplish the good works prepared for his children by God, the empowering gift of his Spirit is necessary. The good works were promulgated long ago, but thanks to the saving act of God “the righteous requirement of the law” is fulfilled in those who “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (). His new creation “in Christ Jesus” is brought into being by the agency of the Spirit, and by the Spirit’s agency the promise of the new covenant is realized when men and women are found “doing the will of God from the heart” ().

This new creation transcends natural distinctions of the old order; in it:

“neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation” ()

“if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” ()

If those who belonged to the old order were dead through their trespasses and sins, those who belong to the new creation are characterized by “good works,” works performed not to secure salvation but as the fruit of salvation. God, we are told, “prepared” these good works “in advance,” that they might mark his people’s way of life.

They are the good works which reflect the character and action of God himself. God gave his people the law that they might be like him: “I am the Lord your God; … you shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (). Jesus similarly taught his disciples to behave in a manner befitting God’s children, to be merciful as their Father is merciful (). But to live like this, to accomplish the good works prepared for his children by God, the empowering gift of his Spirit is necessary.

The good works were established long ago, but thanks to the saving act of God “the righteous requirement of the law” is fulfilled in those who “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” ().

His new creation “in Christ Jesus” is brought into being by the work of the Spirit, and by the Spirit’s work the promise of the new covenant is realized when men and women are found “doing the will of God from the heart” ().

v. 4-10, Paul repeats Jesus four times (v. 5, 6, 7, 10) throughout the Good News portion, in a context that clearly establishes that this Good News is bound to Christ and Christ alone. No other venue exists to God’s grace. Our identity as children of God is bound to Christ.