HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION (EPHESIANS 2)
The world is big, boundless and beautiful, with her geographical places, local peoples and cultural practices. I’m a third generation Chinese whose father was born in Malaysia, but his father was from Dongguan, China. In Malaysia I had a roommate who was Indian.
Into my 20s I went to Dallas for my seminary. In my late 30s, I was pastor of a small church of 70 people with people from at least ten countries – Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Caucasians, American Indian, African American and Caucasians from mixed marriages. Later, I met my wife who left Hong Kong for high school and became a Canadian citizen, and she took me to Hong Kong 10 years after we were married.
Paul in Ephesians chapter 2 skillfully wrote what makes people from all walks of life like each other and what makes us unlike and how we can be both. Ephesus was a melting pot with different cultures, religions, and learning. It was a coastal city that attracted tourists, residents and merchants. Most recipients of Paul’s letters were written to Jews as well as Gentiles. The church Ephesians is renowned for its eight lengthy sentences (1:3-14, 15-23; 2:1-10, 3:1-13, 14-19; 4:1-7, 11-16; 6:14-20), of which chapter 1 has two (1:3-14, 15-23) and chapter 2 has its own, namely Ephesians 2:1-10.
How are believers similar in Christ, whether they be Gentiles and Jews, East or West, immigrants or residents?
Be Converted - Not Works But Grace
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
An Englishman who boasted that he did not believe in God once visited the Fiji Islands. As he saw the natives going to church with Bibles in their hands, he exclaimed, “The Bible is no good. Your religion about Christ is false.”
To this a simple native teacher answered, “It is a good thing for you that we left our heathenism and cannibalism and took to our Bibles and Christianity, else you would be clubbed, cooked in a native oven, and eaten.”
Here are the repetitions and contrasts in the salvation experience:
V 1 DEAD in transgressions and sins V 5 DEAD in transgressions
V 2 ACCORDING to the course of this world V 2 ACCORDING to the prince of the power of the air
v 2 the CHILDREN of disobedience v 3 the CHILDREN of wrath
v 3 the lusts of our FLESH
v 3 the desires of the FLESH
and of the mind
V 1, 2 You V 3 Us + our V 3 The rest
There are five markers in the text: four repetitions, including the words “dead” (v 1 dead in trespasses and sins, v 5 dead in sins), “according” (v 2 according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air), “children” (v 2 the children of disobedience, the children of wrath), and “lusts” (v 3 the lusts of our flesh, v 3 the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and finally, the progression of “you” (vv 1-2) to “us/we” (v 3) to “the rest/others” (v 3).
Paul’s focus, however, is not verses 1-3, but in the three points of verses 4-6: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, (1) MADE US ALIVE (su-zoopoieo) with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. (2) And God RAISED (sun-egeiro) us up with Christ and (3) SEATED (sug-kathizo) us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,” followed by two reasons (gar).
God’s “great love” (v 4) is celebrated, surprisingly, for the first time in the Bible. His love is awesome, amazing and abundant. Because of this great love, He did three things, all beginning with the preposition “sun” or “sum” (together): made us alive with Christ (su-zoopoieo), raised us up (sun-egeiro, with Christ) and seated us with him (sug-kathizo) in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. The first verb “made alive” is “sun” (together) + “zoo-poieo” (living-made) or from the noun “zoo,” or an enclosure of living animals. It’s been said, a zoo is about life animals and a museum is about dead things. Made alive is from death, dirt and dust. The second thing He did was He raised us up (sun-egeiro) to be transformed, thankful and triumphant. The third thing He did was He seated with Him (sug-kathizo) in heavenly places. It means recognition, royalty and rule.
Made us alive with Christ (su-zoopoieo) Raised us up (sun-egeiro, with Christ) Seated us with him (sug-kathizo)
Resurrect Renewed Reign
Animated Alive Above
Energized Eternal Exalted
Paul is not over yet. He followed his assertion of what God did in Christ with a grand purpose (hina, v 7 in order that in the coming ages he might SHOW the incomparable riches of his grace) and two reasons (gar, v 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, v 10 For we are God's workmanship---”hina”….walk), of which the first reason has its own grand purpose (hina, v 9 so that no one can BOAST)!
The grand purpose in God’s conjoint (sun-) work is in order (hina) to SHOW us in the coming ages the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Chapter 2 is the “riches” chapter in the Bible (1:7, 18, 2:7, 3:8, 16), with “riches” occurring more in this chapter than any chapter in the Bible. Five of its 22 occurrences in the Bible are in this chapter! The word “incomparable” (huper-ballo) riches in Greek comes with the preposition “hyper” - over and beyond, over and above, over the top riches, which leads us to the first reason (v 8, gar). Grace is repeated in verse 7 and 8. What is grace? Grace is not merited, mushy or mutual. It is God’s doing, (for) our debt, (in) Christ’s death. The grand purpose (v 9, hina) of grace is that one can boast. Boast is to brag, blow your own horn or buy into your own hype.
The second reason (v 10, gar) is “we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” or “walk” in Greek. Consistent with grace, the verb “do” is missing in Greek (v 10) – it is created in Christ Jesus “upon” (epi) good works. This is more consistent with the emphasis of grace (vv 7, 8). Paul was careful with his choice of words: His workmanship, upon/towards (epi) good works (plural) that (hina) we should walk (peri-pateo) around in them, or walk about in them. There is more walking around in Ephesians than any of Paul’s letters! It means active, adventurous, able and achievable walk. We can walk far, fast and firm.
Be Counted - Not Two But One
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
When God was creating the world, He told the angels He was going to create an extra-special place called Israel. He described the beautiful hills, the verdant fields, the wonderful springs and rivers He planned to create. Then He described how the people who lived there would be smart and resourceful, and would create great cities, wonderful art, and amazing scientific innovations.
“Won’t the rest of the world be jealous, God, putting so many wonderful things inside Israel?” the angels fretted.
“Don’t worry,” said God, “wait until the world sees the neighbors I’m giving them!”
The Gentiles were “n nothing” before in God’s kingdom. Paul negated their status skillfully: First, they were “separate from Christ” or “without (choris) Christ” (KJV). Second, they were excluded (apallotrioo=being aliens) from citizenship in Israel (v 12); “excluded’ is derived from the word “another” in Greek. Third, they were strangers or xenos ??in Greek. Fourth, they were “without” (a strong “me” in Greek) hope. Finally, they were without God (a-theos).
The focus in this next section is “brought near” (v 13), or translated as “at hand” (Matt 26:18) and “near” (Matt 24:33). In Christ Jesus and through the blood of Christ (repetition of Christ) the far-off have been made near - connected, coupled and combined. The distance, detachment and differences presently are minor and minimum, if any. Greek is “in” the blood of Christ. The reason Christ has brought us near because He is (present tense) our peace who has made us one by breaking down the wall of partition between the Jews and the Greeks. This is the peace (vv 14, 15, 17) chapter of the Bible. Worldly peace is fragile, fragile and futile. Our peace is from God (1 Cor 1:3), through Christ (Acts 10:36) and with God (Rom 5:1). Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of Christ. Peace is not the absence of disagreements but the presence of divisions. Peace is not the absence of problems but the presence of patience. A barrier (v 14can be a block, a barrier and a barricade. The reason (‘gar”) is followed by a twofold purpose (“hina”). The purpose (hina) of this peace is to “create in himself one new man out of the two (amphoteros)” (v 15) and “to reconcile both (duo) of them to God through the cross” (v 16). The second purpose was to reconcile (apokatallasso) us (v 16). The repetition of “one” is very strong in this section: “FOR - the two (amphoteros) one” (v 14), HINA- “one new man out of the two (duo)” (v 15), HINA - “one body to reconcile both (amphoteros)” (v 16) and “we both (amphoteros) have access to the Father by one Spirit” (v 18).
The idea of oneness is done “in”: IN Christ Jesus (v 13), through/IN the blood of Christ (v 13), IN his flesh (v 15), IN himself (v 15), IN this one body (v 16), and by/IN one Spirit (v 18). Christ is the cause, the center and the completion of all things. The most repeated noun in the chapter, however, is not peace (4x), but Jesus (5x), God (6x) and Christ (8x)!
Be Constructive - Not Strangers But Saints
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
In late January and early February of 2024, two atmospheric rivers dumped large amounts of rain over Southern California, causing flooding and mudslides and killing at least nine people. What is an atmospheric river? An atmospheric river is literally a river of water vapor in the sky. Like rivers on land, they can stretch over 1,245 miles long and 620 miles wide, carrying more water than a dozen Mississippi Rivers. https://www.businessinsider.com/atmospheric-river-meaning-definition-how-long-last-storm
Dozens of homes in the most expensive areas of Los Angeles were destroyed. So what homes face the most damage? Hillside homes, clifftop mansions and lofty locales. Why? Their foundation is stones, sand and soil!
Foreigners/strangers (v 19) is “xenos,” aliens/foreigners is “by-dweller” (alien resident) or sojourner (Acts 7:6, KJV), and the contrast of fellow citizens (sum-polites) and “members.” Sum is “syn” (from synopsis), “sync” and summation. Fellow citizens (-polites) is “joint-citizen,” from the noun “city.” The Gentiles were no longer outsiders, outcasts or outliers. The Gentiles and Jews, therefore, travel on the same path, have the same purpose and receive the same privileges. They are co-heirs in Christ, complimenting and completing one another.
There is also a reference to the Trinity in every verse in the last section (vv 19-22): GOD's household (v 19), CHRIST JESUS himself as the chief cornerstone (v 20), become a holy temple in the LORD (v 21), and become a dwelling in which GOD lives by his SPIRIT (v 22). Our unity reflects the holiness, honor and harmony of the Trinity.
v 19 members of GOD 's household
v 20 CHRIST JESUS himself as the chief cornerstone
v 21 to become a holy temple in the LORD
v 22 to become a dwelling in which GOD lives by his SPIRIT
Verse 22’s built together is “sun-oikodomeo.” Paul is doing such a masterful job in literature letting his audience know how verse 22 is the climax: you are… members of God’s household (v 19, OIKos), built upon (v 20, ep-OIKodomeo) the foundation of apostles and prophets, the whole building (v 21, OIKodome) is joined together, built together (v 22, sun-OIKodomeo) and dwelling (kat-OIKeterion).
The preposition “joint” or “sun/sum” is the climax or cumination of five “joint/together” (sun/sum) verbs in the chapter: God hath quickened us together with Christ (v 5), hath raised us up together (v 6), made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (v 6), building fitly framed together (v 21) and built together for an habitation of God (v 22).
The climax of Paul’s teaching is to rise/grow (v 21, auzano) in Christ. It is translated as “increase” in Mark 4:8. To grow, we have to learn from one another, listen to each other and lean on one another. We are dependent, independent but interdependent in Christ. From the beginning numbers “both + one” (vv 14, 16, 18) equation, Paul ends with the broader numbers “all + together” (v 21). The growth is shared, steadfast and sprightly. We have progressed from barrier/wall for “foes between races” (v 14) to building for “family to all” (v 21) to temple for “follower” of God (v 21)!
Conclusion 5G: Growing Guarding Guiding Gaining Giving
