Ephesians 2:1-3To: Ephesians Main MenuTo: Grace Notes Home Page Ephesians 2:1 And you (hath he quickened) who were dead in trespasses and sins. -------------------- "and you": reference to Paul's addressees, believers in Asia Minor, and ultimately, all believers in Christ. -------------------- "(hath he quickened)": this phrase does not appear in the Greek. It has been added by the KJV translators because the verb appears a few verses down and is put in here by reference, for clarity. -------------------- "were dead": (eimi + nekros), "were dead". Topic: DEATH (in the Bible) Rom. 6:23; Prov. 21:16; Rom. 8:11 -------------------- "in trespasses and sins": (paraptwma + hamartia): "a stumbling aside; fault; offense; transgression" plus "sin, offense" The locative case implies location, hence, "in the sphere of..." Every human being is spiritually dead because of sin. Rom. 4:25; 2 Cor. 5:19; Eph. 1:7 Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience: --------------------- "wherein in time past": "formerly, in the sphere of". This verse is a reference to the Christian's manner of life before his salvation. -------------------- "you walked": (peripatew), "walk; lifestyle". Eph. 4:22; Col. 1:21; 3:7; 1 John 5:19 References to a sinful manner of life: Jer. 7:23-26; Phil. 3:16-19 Contrast this "walk" with "walking worthy of the vocation with which you are called" of Ephesians 4:1. The Greek word (anastrephw) is used in Eph. 2:3 for "a pattern of social life", and is translated "conversation" or "walk" in other passages. The word (stoikew) means "to follow a definite course of action"; used for the procedure followed in a military drill. Rom. 4:12; Phil. 3:16; Gal. 6:16 Topic: WALKING -------------------- "according to the course of this world: (kata + aiwn + kosmos). Thus, according to the age of this world system" This is a reference to the universe under the control of Satan and his forces. The concept includes the idea of Satan's thoughts, his viewpoint, his doctrines, his plans and strategies, his religions, his solutions, etc. Living as part of the world system is described in these passages: Matt. 13:22;16:26; Rom. 12:1,2; Col. 3:2; 2 Tim. 2:4; Titus 2:12; James 4:4; 1 John 2:5-17; 1 Sam. 8:19; 2 Kings 17:15. -------------------- "according to the prince": (kata + archon), "according to the highest ruler". The archon was the chief ruler of the Greek city-state. Historians do not refer to these individuals and "kings", because this type of ruler did not obtain his position through inheritance. He took over by coup d'etat or by conquering. This highest ruler of the world system is Satan. He is in the picture in the previous chapter and in chapter 6. -------------------- "of the power": (exousia), "delegated power; the ability and authority to perform an action". Satan is the chief ruler of all the subordinate demonic powers. -------------------- "of the air": (aeros), the lower or dense part of the armosphere. In classical Greek, this word was used to refer to the dwelling place of evil spirits. -------------------- "the spirit": (pneuma), "breath, spirit, being"; also refers to "state of mind". We use the word spirit for state of mind: "He was mean-spirited. She had a kind spirit." In this context, spirit speaks of the state of mind that originates with Satan and is characteristic of those who are disobedient to the will of God. This state of mind has been fostered by the "prince of the power of the air", Satan, whose kosmos (worldly) doctrines lead people into disobedience. -------------------- "that now works": pres. act. part.of (energew), "now operational; now working; now effective" Satan is presently working in the world to promote his own state of mind, his own teachings and doctrines. -------------------- "in the sons of disobedience": (huios + apeitheia). "the sons of obstinacy. Heb. 4:1-6. In Heb. 4:6, unbelief is apeitheia. Both believers and unbelievers can be obstinate, unbelieving. In Eph. 4:17-19, Paul, warns Christians that their manner of life must not parallel that of the unbelievers in that they fail to grow in Christ and be renewed in their minds. This obstinacy leads to `vanity' or `futility', an emptiness in the soul into which Satanic doctrines can penetrate. A believer influenced in this way can have a daily walk that is indistinguishable from his former manner of life before he became a Christian. Titus 1:15,16 SEE: Notes on Titus 1:15,16. Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. -------------------- "among them we too all": reference to the environment of a person as an unbeliever. The relative pronoun "whom" refers to the "sons of disobedience". We were all there when God's Grace found us. We were all under the control of Satan and the Sin Nature. Titus 3:3-7 -------------------- "had our conversation" - (anastrephw) "formerly lived", "manner of life in social living; the practicing of certain principles." Hence, the pattern of behavior or conduct of the unbeliever. Rom. 6:1-14; Col. 3:1-10; 2 Peter 1:1-9; Jer. 7:21-28; Romans 3:1-23 -------------------- "in the lusts of our flesh": (epithumias teis sarkos), lust patterns in the sin nature. Prov. 16:25,26 Rom. 6:12, "Let not sin reign...!" How? Rom. 7:5ff; Rom. 8:1-7; Rom. 13:14; 1 Cor. 10:1-12; Gal. 5:16-26 Topic: SIN -------------------- "fulfilling": (poiew), "doing". The only emphasis of this verb is simple "doing." Both KJV "fulfilling" and NAS "indulging" are attempts to add meaning to the word. The person who is controlled by his sin nature "does" what the desires of his mind dictate. -------------------- "the desires": (theleima), "desires". People do what they want to do; but they don't always want to absorb the consequences of their actions. The lifestyle of the sin nature is a frantic search for happiness through the details of life. But this search leads to misery long before happiness is realized. -------------------- "of the flesh":(sarkos), "flesh". The production of the sin nature, whether moral or immoral! The sin nature produces both sin and human good. This is an important distinction. Not everyone is a wanton, dissolute unbeliever. There are many upright unbelievers who have personal integrity, good character, and high ethical standards. But a good person is still doing what he wants to do, apart from divine guidance. It's just that his areas of weakness are not as noticeable as some other people's. After salvation, a believer tends to continue in the same pattern of living, until he begins to "walk worthy of the vocation" with which he is called (Eph. 5:1). Christian growth (edification) leads a Christian into producing "good works', divine good. -------------------- "of the mind": (dianoia), a compound which means to "think through" something, to plan. The unbeliever plans his deeds in advance, good or evil, and carries them out. -------------------- "and were by nature": (fusis), "natural condition; inherited endowment". The sin nature is inherited from Adam. 1 Cor. 11:14; Gal. 2:15; 4:8; James 3:7; 2 Pet. 1:4 -------------------- "the children of wrath": (teknon + orgei), "those who will experience the wrath of God." John 3:36; Rom. 1:18; Rom. 2:5-8 -------------------- "even as others": Rom. 8:7,8; 1 Pet. 1:13-16; 1 Pet. 2:11,12 Summarizing the passage: Ephesians 2:1 "And you were dead in transgressions and sins." Ephesians 2:2 In which you formerly walked according to the course of this world system, according to the highest ruler of the authority of the air, the state of mind which is now working in the sons of obstinacy. Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our manner of life in the desires of our sin natures, continually doing the desires of the sin nature, and the thoughts, and were continually, by natural inherited endowment, the children of the wrath as were also the rest {of the human race}. End of Lesson 9 Warren Doud [ Grace Notes] 1705 Aggie Lane, Austin, Texas 78757 Phone: 512-458-8923 E-Mail: wdoud@bga.com |
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