Ephesians 2:1-22
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Chapter 2- Our new life in unity with Christ
*Week 4: Eph 2:1-10
(Summary: By Grace Through Faith)
a. The anatomy of a Christian: What he was (vv 1-3)
b What he is (vv 4-6,8-9)
c. What he will be (vv 7,10)
Week 5: Eph 2:11- 22
(Summary: The Wall Broken that separates )
a. The unique advantages of being Jewish
b. The new man
c. Images of the church
Eph 2:1-3
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
First 10 verses Paul gives us a view of the Christian
What he was (vv1-3)
What he is ( vv4-6,8-9)
What he will be (vv7,10)
Six aspects of Salvation
Salvation is from Sin
Before Like every other person who is apart from God dead in .. trespasses and sin (2:1)
Biblical View Man is a corpse, unable to make a move towards God
Gerstner
Compared our condition to zombies. Dead but nevertheless walking around. Dead, but also decaying. “They are an offense to God’s nostrils. These decaying spiritual corpses stink.”
Alive to sin Dead but alive to sin and wickedness!
If we are dead, can we choose God?
Luther Debated for centuries in the church. Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Edwards. Luther answered Erasmus in The Bondage of the Will
“Indeed, if God is to get all the glory then it must be asserted that “the mercy of God alone does all things, and that our own will does nothing, but is rather acted upon” (36-37).
Boice
“Jonathan Edwards probably saw the matter most clearly. He said the problem is not the will itself, since the will is simply the mind choosing what the mind deems best. The problem is with man’s moral nature, which is opposed to God and with the sinful ‘motives’ that flow from the corrupt nature… Edwards declared that the will is always free; we always choose what we judge best in a given situation. But as sinners we always judge wrongly.”
Sinner because
Not liars because we lie…but because we are liars
— Not thieves because we steal... we steal because we are thieves
— Not sinners because we sin…we sin because we are sinners
Jesus affirmed Jesus affirmed this truth in (Matt 12:35 ; Matt 15:18-19)
35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
Trespasses and sin
Eph 2:1 And you he made alive who were dead in trespasses an sin (2:1)
Trespasses paraptoma (trespasses) Slip, fall, stumble, go in the wrong direction
Sins hamartia (sins) missing the mark, bow and arrow, falling short
Not different Paul doesn’t use 2 different words because they are different. All encompassing, width and breadth. Rom 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Sin: the most basic sense
The most basic sense Failing to give God glory. Rom 1:21 Fallen man “knew” God they did not honor Him as God
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Herod’s sad epitaph Acts:12:23
23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.
Corrupt but not equal
12 fallen soldiers on the battlefield
Not all equally corrupt, but all equally dead, unable to move towards God
Holiness: the standard Gods’ standard is holiness, which we lost in the fall. 1 Peter 1:16 Be holy for I am holy (cf Lev 11:44)
16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
44 For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
Enslaved by the Devil
(2:2) The prince of the power of the air
Satan Ruler of the world system
— Unsaved are influenced by Satan
— Knowingly or unknowingly, unbelievers are influenced by Satan
— Humanism, materialism, illicit sex all characterize the world system
Our self Not everything is attributed to Satan
— Our own flesh can take care of that.
— Not true what Flip Wilson said on Laugh-in (1968-1973), “The Devil made me do it!”
Purpose Satan’s purpose is for us to believe evil about God
— False teachers are emissaries of God “his ministers” . 2 Cor 11:13-15
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
( 2:3 ) among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
All of us (2:3) we all once conducted ourselves
— Not just unsaved people live this way. All of us were once like this
Q: Aren’t we all God’s children?
Children of wrath Apart from Christ we are children of wrath
— Paul has described our terrible state but then it adds that in our sin we are by nature objects of wrath (2:3) (John 3:18)
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Wrath orge (wrath) to grow ripe
— God gradually building and intensifying in his opposition to sin, consistent, controlled, judicial
Salvation is by Love
Eph 2:4-5
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
(2:4) But
RC Sproul
But! The most beautiful word in the Bible!
— “If you want to understand reformed theology, read this verse a thousand times. The grace that brings us life comes to us at the very time we are dead in [our] sin and trespasses.”
Q: if you are a Christian, ask yourself… why are you a Christian? Is it because you are better than others? Because you are more intelligent?
NT Teaches You had nothing to boast.
— You were a debtor who could not pay your debt. And while you were dead, God quickened you from spiritual death
— Like Lazarus, you could do nothing. It is by grace that you are saved
MacArthur
The problem is not on God’s side
— But God shows that He takes the initiative to provide reconciliation
— The rebellion and rejection is on Man’s side
— Man’s rebellion is against His Law, Lordship and Love
Only Offended Only the offended can offer forgiveness
— If you are drunk and get involved in a car accident and kill another man, a married man with 3 children
— You will arrested and go to jail. You cannot offer forgiveness
— Only the offended can offer forgiveness
Q: How have we offended God?
Leonardo da Vinci
On his deathbed he said, “I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have” (last words)
Salvation is with purpose
Eph 2:6-7
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Aorist Tense The verb tense speaks as if it already took place
— Already in heaven with Christ
— Aorist tense emphasizes certainly as if it is in the past. We are now in the spiritual realm
— In the sphere of spiritual life not spiritual death
(2:6) sit together
Reign with Him, we are an extension of Christ here on earth
Hendriksen
As to state and as to condition, we can say that with Christ we ourselves were tried, condemned, crucified and buried (cf Rom 6:4-8, Rom 8:17, Col 2:12, 2 Tim 2;11) but also made alive, raised and set in heavenly places (cf. Rom 6:5, 8:17, Col 2:13, 3:1-3, 2 Tim 2:12, Rev 20:4). The right to receive it has been secured. New life already has begun. Life is hidden in Christ. Our names are in heaven’s register. We are governed by heavenly standards. Blessings of heaven descend on us through faith.
Saved by Grace Alone
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Well Known One of the best known verses in the bible along with John 3:16, 23rd Psalm.
3 Parts (1) God saves us by Grace
(2) The channel is through Faith
(3) How he does not save us: not by works
Not broken - but Replaced
Boice
Donald Gray Barnhouse tells the story the story of a social worker by the name of Henry Moorehouse.
— Worked in the slums of England
— A little girl came out of the basement store with a pitcher of milk
— She slipped and fell and broke the pitcher and started crying
— H. Moorehouse tried to help, the girl said, “my mother will whip me.”
— As Moorehouse attempted to put the pitcher together, the girl stopped crying. It was no use, he bought her a new pitcher
— He carried the girl and the pitcher back to her home
— “Will your mother whip you now,” he asked
— “Oh no sir because it’s a lot better pitcher than we had before!”
Jesus did not try to fix us
We are new Jesus did not try to patch us up
He said, You must be born again ( John 3:7 )
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
Paul said it differently, If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17 )
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
The Channel: Through Faith
Bad Teaching Faith is our part, Grace is God’s part, (Semi-Pelagianism)
— Even our faith is a gift of God
— We contribute nothing to our salvation, not even our faith. Faith is a gift.
— “Who have obtained” (2 Peter 1:1)
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
— “Been granted on behalf of Christ” ( Phil 1:29)
29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
— “which comes through Him” (Acts 3:16)
16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Diving Deeper
(3:8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Gender agreement
In Greek the pronoun and the antecedent must match in gender
— Here “Faith” (pistis) is feminine and “that” (touto) is neuter
— Therefore, “that” cannot refer to faith but rather to the act of believing or the ‘all’ of salvation
— But here in this context, from start to finish the apostle stresses that we owe our salvation all to God
— He gets all the credit
— Greek scholars agree that there are exceptions to this rule of gender and antecedent matching
— Context here warrants that exception
How God Does Not Save us
Even Faith
We cannot even boast in saying we have faith
— We cannot boast of any work
— We act by faith supplied by God’s grace
— All boasting is eliminated (cf. Rom 3:27, Rom 4:5)
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
No Boasting 1 Co 1:31 (NIV)
31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
God works have their place
(2:10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them
Good Works
Good works cannot provide salvation, but salvation produces good works
— Good works prove discipleship (John 15:8)
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
The bible and works
The Works of the Law The works of the law which cannot save you (cf. Gal 2:16)
16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Dead Works Works that are dead, dead in faith towards God (cf. Heb 6:1)
1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
The works of the flesh All of these are from man and contribute nothing to your salvation
— The works for the flesh (Gal 5:19-21)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(2:10) we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works
But First
Before we an do any good work, he must first work in us
— By grace through faith we became his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works
St. Augustine
— Before Christ we were non posse no peccare (not able not to sin)
— After Christ we are posse non peccare (able not to sin)
Salvation Verified
These good works verify our salvation
— Righteous acts will flow from a transformed life
— To the Corinthians Paul said, “you may have and abundance for every good work” (2 Cor 9:8)
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
— And in Titus 2:14 that we should be “zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14)
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
— And “work out our salvation” ( Phil 2:12-13)
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
MacArthur
“He is not showing them how to be saved, but how they were saved, in order to convince them that the power that saved them is the same power that keeps them. Just as they have been given everything necessary for salvation, they also have been given everything necessary for living a saved life. The greatest proof of a Christian’s divine empowerment is his own salvation and the resulting good works that God produces in them.”
Going Deeper Eph 2:8-9 and Good Works
RC Sproul
One of the most profound issues of the Protestant reformation of the sixteenth century was the issue of the relationship between grace and merit
Grace
Something that we receive not because we earned it
— But out of God’s benevolence
Merit
Merit, on the other hand, is a reward owed someone for fulling the terms of an agreement
— Example: A merit salary increase
Complicated
The Western church developed a complicated merit system
— The Roman Catholic church made a distinction between the the different kinds of merit which every Christian should understand
Condign Merit - is is of such worth that a just God must reward such a merit
— Catholic church teaches that Christians have it in their power to perform acts of condign merit
Congruous Merit - congruous merit is a lower order of merit
— A good work might be done but not so good or virtuous that God is obligated to reward it
— Because it is still consistent with or congruous for God to bestow blessing / favor on it.
Q: Why is this important?
At the heart At the heart of the controversy that started the protestant reformation
Martin Luther Objected to the way that indulgences were being sold in order to raise money to build St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome
Penance
The sacrament of penance is one of 7 sacraments
— 1. baptism
— 2. eucharist
— 3. confirmation
— 4. penance
— 5. anointing of the sick
— 6. marriage
— 7. holy orders
Tetzel
Because of the unscrupulous man by the name of Johann Tetzel, the peasants were told that they could buy forgiveness - this is related to penance
Penance
Penance is a special sacrament that is given to the church “to aid those who have made shipwreck their faith” (Council of Trent)
— For Rome, justification takes place the moment your are baptized. You are infused with grace and remain “in grace” until you commit a mortal sin which kills grace
— If you lose your justification, you have to be justified again
— The Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (1545-1563) defined penance as “the second plank of justification for those who have made shipwreck of their faith.”
How Penance Works
Several parts
— Go to church confess your sins to a priest
— Priest gives you absolution in the name of the church and through the power of the church
Works of Satisfaction
But the priest also gives you certain tasks to perform which are called works of satisfaction
— Examples - saying the rosary Our Father, going on a pilgrimage
— In the 16th century the church said that one of the works of satisfaction was the giving of alms
— Either money to the poor or sacrificially to the work of the church
— Still taught by Rome
Clear Rules
The church made the rules clear that giving of alms “could not buy the influence of God” and had to be done with the right spirit
— What Tetzel was doing was a corruption of Rome’s intent w.r.t indulgences
Luther Noticed
When Luther looked at these works of satisfaction and compared them to Romans and here in Ephesians 2:8-9, he dashes to pieces any claim to both condign and congruous merit
— That is what the reformation was all about
— Whether justification is accomplished through a mixture of Faith + Works or Faith alone (sola fide)
Eph 2:11-13
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Jew and Gentile Both Jew and Gentile were dead in their sins
— But it was even worse for Gentiles because they were “aliens from the commonwealth of Isreal and strangers from the covenant of Promise.” (2:12)
Unique Advantage The Jews had a unique advantage
God sovereignly chose the Jews to be his special people (Amos 3:2)
2 “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
Q: What Tribe did the Messiah come from?
Separated from Christ
(2:12) Without Christ
We were without Christ
— The Jews at least had the Messiah. He came from the tribe of Judah
Distinction between Jew and Gentile
Circumcision and Circumcision was a further distinction between Jew and Gentile (2:11)
RC Sproul
“Those who were outside the sphere of this covenant of grace that God had made with Abraham and Moses were referred to as ‘the uncircumcised’. Remember how David was outraged and horrified that his people would sit there and do nothing in the face of the mockery of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:36). What incensed David was that the challenge to the soldiers of Israel was coming from one who was uncircumcised. For to be uncircumcised was to be outside the sphere of God’s redemptive favour.” (The Purpose of God: Ephesians)
Q: How did the Jews look upon the Gentiles? What was the sentiment?
Peter
He did not want to eat anything unclean, disdain (cf. Acts 10:9-16)
— He was a hypocrite
— feared being associated with Gentiles (Gal 2:11-14)
The Mission
The Jews had a mission to share their loving, gracious God with everyone
— They accepted their divine blessings but not their divine mission - to be the light to the Gentiles (cf. Isa 42:6, 49:6, 60:3, 62:1-2)
— In fact, they despised the Gentiles
— No one illustrated that better than Jonah
Jonah
Did not want to go to the Gentiles and preach repentance
— They were wicked in Nineveh. He wanted them to be judged (cf Jonah 4:1-2)
Q: What did the Jewish Council in Acts 15 determine?
The Council
The Jewish council (Acts 15) said you did not need to become a Jew to become a Christian
— Christian Jews continued to believer otherwise. Example, Judizers
OT
Had to be a Jew
(2:12) being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world
— One of the saddest words in the English language
— Had to be a Jew in OT to share in God’s blessings
Two OT Examples
Q: Who can share the story of Ruth?
Ruth
The book of Ruth
— She was a Moabitess who married a Jewish man who died
— Her mother-in-law Naomi was going back to Israel because her sons had died
— Ruth wanted to go with her
— But, Naomi did not want Ruth to join her (Ruth 1:16)
16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.
Worship Ruth wanted to join Noami in the true worship of Jehovah
— She could not say your God will be my God
— Until she first said your people will be my people.
Nationality
Ruth confessed her need to first change her nationality before she could change her God
Naaman (2 Kings 5)
Strong Syrian General but pitied
— Somehow caught leprosy
— No Cure
— From a young Jewish slave girl (no doubt), captured by Naaman’s army, he learned of Elisha who could cure him
Goes to Palestine
Naaman goes to Palestine, but Elisha refuses to see him
— Tells him to dip himself 7 times in the “muddy” Jordan river.
Servant Speaks
His servant speaks to him
— Tells him that if he was asked to do the difficult he would
— If he had asked for a ton of Gold, he would have given it
— So do this, it will cost you nothing (2 Kings 5:13)
13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
Fills Sacks
He dips himself 7 times in the Jordan river and he is clean
— Naaman orders his servants to fill sacks of dirt and load them on his mules
— Brings the dirt back to Syria
— He is saved by becoming a Jew (2 King 5:17)
17 So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.
Foreigners to the covenant of the Promise
Gentles Given what we just said, Gentles had no share in the promise
The Promise
Gentiles had no share of the covenant with Abraham
— The original promise to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3)
1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
— The Jews were to be “a light to the gentiles” (Isa 42:6)
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Still true of unbelievers
— “They can read the bible and it does not move them. They can look at these ‘exceeding great and precious promises’ and say: to whom does this apply? What is this about? They are strangers. They are like people from another country, they do not understand the language.”
(2:13) But now
Bringing Together
Unity
— Both Jews and Gentles brought together - the church of Christ
— Before without God
— Now members of his household (Eph 2:19-20)
— Brought near by the blood of Christ
Eph 2:14-18
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Q: What wall of separation is he talking about?
The Wall of Separation
A wall that partitioned off the Gentles from the Jews
— Holy of Holies - high priest once a year
— Court of the Priests
— Court of Isreal - only Male Jews
— Court of Women - down 5 steps from the court of women was a stone barrier wall that went all around the temple
— Inner courts - Women’s court, Court of Israel, Court of the priests and holy of holies all part of the inner courts
— Gentiles - down another 14 steps to the court of the Gentles
No foreigner
No foreigner non Jew was allowed past this wall that separated the Gentile court from the inner courts
— Paul was accused of bringing a Gentile, Trophimus into the temple inner courts (cf Acts 21:27-32)
— Trophimus was from Ephesus
— Left behind on one of Paul’s journeys because he was sick (2 Tim 2:20), traveled with Paul from Greece to Troas (Acts 20:4)
— Paul arrested for supposedly bringing a Gentile past the barrier
— So crazy, Trophimus should have been arrested and put to death if that were true, not Paul
Jesus
Jesus broke down every barrier separating us from God
— The wall that separated the Jews and the Gentiles. The ceremonial law, sacrifices, feasts, laws of cleanliness, purification
— All the distinctives that made Isreal different from all nations
Before Christ
Jews could not come together with Gentiles because of dietary restrictions
Q: Did Christ abolish the law?
Ceremonial law
Christ abolished the OT ceremonial laws, feasts and sacrifices
— Uniquely separated the Jew and the Gentile
Moral Law The moral law (as in the 10 commandments) was not abolished
— These are written in the hearts of all men (cf Rom 2:15)
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
Fulfilled He fulfilled both the ceremonial and moral law
Reflect God The 10 commandments reflect God’s character (cf Matt 5:17-19)
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Symbols The ceremonial law was symbolic
— Circumcision, washings, abstaining from certain types of food
— Symbolic of of sanctification
RC Sproul
RC Sproul asks the question: If Christ’s death on the cross won us our salvation, couldn’t he just come down from heaven and die on the cross?
No! He had to live a perfect life
— He had to fulfill the moral law
— He had to perform all of the requirements of the law in order for us to be reconciled to God (cf Matt 3:15, 2 Cor 5:21)
We We violated God’s moral law
— God could have no fellowship with law breakers
— We were estranged
— We had no peace
Christ The great armistice day of Calvary
God offered peace to everyone who put their faith in Christ (cf Rom 5:1)
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Prince of Peace
Christ made peace between God and Man, between Jew and Gentile (cf Isa 9:6)
(2:15) create in Himself
Diversity
Don’t look at the diversity of Jew and Gentile to find unity
— Look to Christ
— However we might be different, in Christ we are the same, one
— Christ did away with the ceremonies which defined the Jewish society
— Now, one new society, the Church, made them one new man in Himself
One new Man
(2:16) One new man from the two
Reconciliation
Reconciliation between God and Man, Jew and Gentile
— We were at odds with God because of sin, at odds with each other (Jew and Gentile)
— Now, no barriers between us and God and Gentiles
— Unity in the church
— The Gentiles needed reconciliation because we were “far off.”
— But the Jews needed reconciliation too
Being a Jew or Gentile was no benefit but the new creature holds the first and last place (cf Gal 6:15)
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
Hostility Ended
Christ’s death ended hostility between God and man
— Paid the price of death for men (2 Cor 5:20), He became a curse for sinners (Gal 3:13)
Q: What happened the moment Christ died?
Access to God
The moment Christ died the curtain separating the priests from the holy of holies was torn ( Matthew 27:51)
51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
Jesus is the door
He is the good shepherd and the door to the sheepfold
— The shepherd would lay down at the door
— To get to the sheep you had to go through the shepherd (cf. John 10:1-14)
1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
Ephesians 2: 19 - 22
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
(2:19) you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
All part of the his Kingdom
God has no strangers or second class citizens
— Our citizenship is now in heaven (cf. Phil 3:20).
— We are not strangers, or foreigners, but fellow citizens (2:19a)
God’s Family
(2:19) and members of the household of God
Household
He treats us as His son, infinite love
— If God sees us as His son we should have no distinctions between each other
— All fellow citizens and family members
God’s Temple (2:20-22)
(2:20) having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
Laid the foundation
The apostles were not the foundation (as Rome teaches)
— Isn’t that what this verse says?
— But they laid the foundation (cf 1 Cor 3:11)
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Cornerstone Christ is the cornerstone
— Had to be strong
— Every part of the building was orientated towards the cornerstone (Isa 28:16)
16 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.
(2:21) in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord
Growing The building is growing, believers are new stones being added to the church
(2:22) in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit
Dwelling A permanent residence
— God dwells in the church here on earth
The Church in Chapters 1 - 2
Chp 1 Paul has not tackled the church directly but everything is about the church. Only mentioned once by name (1:22)
Chp 2 How we are saved by from God’s perspective. Christ is head over everything for the church, which is his body (1:22)
19-22 3 more images of the church
a. The church as a kingdom
b. The church as a family
c. The church as a temple
Chapters 4-5 The church as Christ’s body
Additional Resources
Sproul, R. C. (1994). The Purpose of God: Ephesians. Scotland: Christian Focus Publications.
MacArthur, J. (2000). Ephesians: Our Immeasurable Blessings in Christ. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group.
MacArthur, J. (1986). The McArthur New Testament Commentary Ephesians. Moody Press Chicago.
Calvin, J., & Pringle, W. (2010). Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
Boice, James Montgomery (1997). An Expositional Commentary on Ephesians. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books
Hendriksen, William (1967). New Testament Commentary Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books
Michal Horton (1994) , Putting Amazing back into Grace, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books
Luther, Martin (1957), The Bondage of the Will, Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H Revell
Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition (1997).