Ephesians 2:4-7To: Ephesians Main MenuTo: Grace Notes Home Page Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us. -------------------- "But God": the contrast is between what we were like when God found us and what God is like. -------------------- "who is rich": "who, being rich..." "Rich" is (plousios), "wealth" [English cognate: "plutocrat"] We share through all eternity everything that God has in abundance: love, mercy, justice, holiness, will always be available to us. Considering these things, the details of life can be enjoyed to their fullest if they are made secondary to occupation with Christ, that is if our permanent happiness is derived from the inner life. But God is able to share His happiness, His wealth, with us even when we have lost details of life. Circumstances change, but the wealth of God is unchangeable. -------------------- "in mercy": (eleos), "kindness, mercy", a benefit which results from compassion. 2 Cor. 8:9; 1 Tim. 6:17; Ex. 33:19; Rom. 2:4. -------------------- "for His great love": "because of His great love" -------------------- "wherewith He loved us": (agapao). God's love for us does not depend on us. We were not worth loving when God loved us. We were completely under Satan's influence. We were totally obnoxious to God. Even our good works were, to say the least, unacceptable. Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:10-18 The theological term for this condition is "Total Depravity". However, God loves unequivocally. His love depends on His character, not on ours. He is an initiator of love, not a responder. We, on the other hand, sell our love. If we don't get immediate dividends or long term benefits from our loving, we stop giving it out. As soon as our love is unrequited, we begin to lose interest. In fact, we often turn to hatred of the same person. We are love dispensers; put in a coin and out comes love. From Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, "...I want to the paid at once. I want to be praised, to be paid for love with love. Otherwise, I'm quite incapable of loving." Because we are this way, we think that God's love has to be purchased. We think that He will respond to us. So we try to bribe God with our love by offering Him good works. But God loved us with maximum love even when we were His enemies; and He loves us now as His children, even while He is chastening us. Topic: The Essence of God (Love) Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ (by grace ye are saved), -------------------- "even when": "at the time". That is, at the time that God loved us... -------------------- "we were dead": (nekros), "dead". We were totally alienated from God, totally unattractive to God, spiritually death. READ Eph. 2:11 to the end of the chapter. -------------------- "in sins": (parapiptw), "sin, transgression, fault, a defection" READ Rom. 5:6-10 -------------------- "has made us alive together with Christ": (sudswpoiew). This is sun + zw + poiew, or, "with + life + to make" Note: in this notation for the Greek, the "w" is used for the Greek letter omega. Hence, "to make alive along with Christ" 1 John 5:11-13 And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life. -------------------- "for by grace": instrumental singular of (charis). The instrumental case indicates that the noun is the means by which an action occurs. Therefore, "by means of grace you are saved". Topic: GRACE -------------------- "you are saved": perfect passive participle of (swdzw), "you are brought to a place of safety; you are delivered from danger" Note: the verb is in the passive voice, which means that the subject of the verb "you" receives the action of the verb, i.e., we do not save ourselves! Topic: SALVATION DOCTRINES Ephesians 2:6 And has raised up up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; -------------------- "and has raised up together": (sunegeirw), "to raise up with someone". Verse 6 is a continuation of a sentence begun in verse 4. This phrase speaks of the reality of our union with Christ. Col. 2:9-14, "For in Him all the fulness of God dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; "and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; "having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. "And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, "having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." READ Rom. 6:1-23 Application: Col. 3:1-4, "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. "When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. -------------------- "and made us sit together": (sunkathidzw), "to sit together with someone". -------------------- "in heavenly places": The "heavenly places" is the location of divine blessing, including all the blessings of Christian maturity Eph. 1:3; 1:19-23 This is the locale of the Lord's success in spiritual warfare against Satan, Psalm 103:19. Heaven is the location of the believer's position in Christ. Thus, the believer shares the victory of Christ. The result is daily victory in the believer's life. Eph. 2:6. The "heavenly places" is the sphere of angelic activity, Eph. 3:10. The "heavenly places" is the battlefield for spiritual warfare during the present age, Eph. 6:12 ff. -------------------- "in Christ": Topic: UNION WITH CHRIST Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. -------------------- There is a reason for our being raised up to the throne of God. "that": A Greek preposition here introduces a purpose clause. -------------------- "in the ages to come": (en + aion + eperchomai). "In the approaching ages". This is a reference to the future, beginning now and extending into eternity. -------------------- "he might show": (endeiknumai), "to demonstrate, to manifest". Believers will be part of a demonstration of God's grace throughout all eternity. This has particular consequences in the resolution of the angelic warfare, as God's fairness and grace are demonstrated to Satan and his "principalities and powers." -------------------- "the exceeding": (huperballw), "to throw beyond; to surpass" This word is used as a participle modifying the word "riches". God's riches are superabundant. -------------------- "riches": again, (ploutos), "riches". See verse 4. -------------------- "of His grace": genitive of (charis) -------------------- "in His kindness: (chreistoteis), "goodness, kindness, gentleness"" God's goodness is a combination of His grace thinking and merciful actions. Because God loves us, He shows us His goodness; but always through Jesus Christ. -------------------- "toward us through Christ Jesus." Because we are believers in Christ, we are in Christ, and we are members of His body. God judged His Son, Jesus Christ, for us. He was our substitute on the Cross. Therefore, God can be good to us without compromising His perfect justice or righteousness. Summarizing the passage: Ephesians 2:4 "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us..." Ephesians 2:5 "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, although we were dead in our transgressions, He has made us alive along with Christ (for by means of grace you have been delivered from danger." Ephesians 2:6 "and has raised us up together and made us sit together in heaven in Christ." Ephesians 2:7 "With the purpose that in the approaching ages, he might demonstrate the surpassing riches of His grace in His goodness toward us through Christ Jesus." End of Lesson 10 Warren Doud [ Grace Notes] 1705 Aggie Lane, Austin, Texas 78757 Phone: 512-458-8923 E-Mail: wdoud@bga.com |
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