Part of our Absolute Beginner Bible Studies.

Introduction

As we did for chapter 1, we will follow the section headings in the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). They are as follows:

• From Death To Life (2:1–10)
• Unity In Christ (2:11–22)

Side note / helpful tip: You will notice Scripture references in parentheses with the letters “cf.” preceding the reference. The book of the Bible is often abbreviated. The letters “cf.” mean compare / confer with. It tells the reader that the writer has those verses in mind while making his / her point. Here is an example: “God created the earth (cf. Gen. 1:1).”

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From Death To Life (2:1–10)

Summary

This is one of the most commonly cited passages in the entire Bible. It breaks neatly into two sections: verses 1–3, and verses 4–10.

Here is a brief summary: Paul uses verses 1–3 to establish a baseline that applies to all people who have ever lived after the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. Verses 4–10 form a stark contrast to that baseline in order to emphasize the grace and work of God.

Details

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins

Ephesians 2:1

There are two things we need to notice about verse 1. First, you will notice that Paul begins the paragraph with the word “and.” This communicates that the content in the first paragraph of chapter 2 somehow relates to the content of chapter 1. At this stage, we are not yet able to see what that connection is, but it will become more evident as we move through the chapter. For now, we simply want to be aware that such a connection exists.

Second, we have another thesis statement. Verse 1 says And you were dead in your trespasses and sins. This is the idea that Paul wants to talk about as we move through chapter 2 (and remember, it is somehow connected to chapter 1). Notice the stark imagery: you were dead. Paul is not claiming they were physically dead. Rather, he claims that our trespasses and sins make us spiritually dead. This is the subtle nuance that the serpent used to deceive Eve in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. The spiritual death from trespasses and sins leads to physical death.

in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient.

Ephesians 2:2

Verse 2 uses some abstract language, but it communicates the following:

• The Ephesians used to walk in their trespasses and sins.
• The lifestyle of trespasses and sins are ‘normal’ within the world; it is the modus operandi of the world.
• There is a power at work within those who are disobedient to God that causes them to live lives that are dedicated to trespasses and sins.

In verse 3, Paul indicates “We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires…” Paul makes it clear that “we all” lived in accordance with verse 2 prior to salvation in Christ.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

Ephesians 2:4–5

Jumping to verse 5, we see the stark contrast. We are alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! It is the strongest of contrasts you could possibly make. We were dead, but now we are alive with Christ Jesus. So we now know the polar ends of the contrast, but why is there a contrast in the first place? Look at verse 4. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us. God made us alive with Christ Jesus because He is rich in mercy and because He has great love for us. Faith in Christ gives you a new life, and it is made available to you by God through mercy, love, and grace.

More than simply extending salvation to humanity, God raised us up with him [Christ] and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus (2:6). This echoes Paul’s comments in chapter 1 about God blessing us in the heavens, adopting us, and granting us an inheritance (Ephesians 1:3–14, this is one of the ways chapter 2 connects back to chapter 1).

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—⁹ not from works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8–10

Finally, let’s look at 2:8–10. Notice that Paul repeats the phrase you are saved by grace (the previous occurrence was verse 5). Repetition like this indicates the point is important. For Paul, it is vital the Ephesians understand the following:

• Death is married to trespasses and sins
• Life is married to faith in Christ because of God’s mercy, love, and grace.
• Salvation is a gift from God, extended through grace, and received by us through faith in Christ

We do not earn our salvation. That is why Paul says For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift– not from works, so that no one can boast (verses 2:8–9).

Lastly, verse 10 communicates a concept that both relates back to chapter 1 and also looks forward to chapters 3–6. It says For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do. Our salvation is for a purpose. God created us anew in Christ Jesus for the purpose of good works. The purpose of our salvation is bigger than making it into heaven. God has a plan He is implementing, and He includes us within the implementation process. 

Unity In Christ (2:11–22)

This section can be difficult to follow if you aren’t familiar with the Old Testament narrative. Paul is talking about God unifying diverse, distinct, and opposite peoples groups in Christ. To do this, Paul uses words and phrases that would have carried a lot of cultural-weight to the Ephesians, but they might not carry the same cultural-weight to us. The diverse peoples groups are really two categories: the Jews and the Gentiles. Jews are the descendants of Abraham, and they practice the Jewish religion– following the God of their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in accordance with the Mosaic Law (Genesis–Deuteronomy). The Gentiles are anyone who is not Jewish (that is, they are not physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they do not practice Judaism). Egyptians, Greeks, Romans– all Gentiles. Gentiles did not follow the Jewish religion and therefore had no access to the one, true, living God before the time of Christ (unless they converted to Judaism). An idiomatic way of referring to these two groups is ‘the circumcised and the uncircumcised’. Jews were circumcised. Gentiles were uncircumcised. We see in verse 11 that Paul uses the terms ‘Gentiles’, ‘the circumcised’, and ‘the uncircumcised’. This tells us he is discussing these categories of people.

So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. ¹² At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:11–12

As he commonly does, Paul again speaks in contrasts. He reiterates the fact that his Ephesian readers were (the past tense here is important) Gentiles, which meant they were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world (verse 2:12). The point is clear, during the time in which his readers were Gentiles, they had no hope of living lives connected with God. They were outcasts without the hope of gaining membership.

Ready for the contrast?

But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility… (2:13–14).

Think about what those two verses mean in light of what Paul has previously said. All people without Christ walk in the way of the world and are dead in the trespasses and sins (2:1–2); prior to having Christ, the Gentiles were excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world (2:12). Everything about their status has changed because of Christ. Not only are they saved, but Christ unifies the Gentiles to the group of people they were previously alienated from (the people of God– the Jews). Where there was once a dividing wall of hostility, there is now peace because Christ has made both groups one (2:14).

The unifying language continues. Through Christ, God is making one new man by unifying two formerly incompatible groups, which allows both to now come before God in peace; instead of hostility characterizing the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, hostility itself was put to death on the cross (2:15–16). The dividing wall is completely torn down, and reconciled unity has replaced it.

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit. 

Ephesians 2:18–22

We’ll close this section by looking at verses 2:18–22. Christ is the agent of reconciliation, and the Holy Spirit poured out equally on all who are in Christ (2:18). Remember, we learned in chapter 1 that the Holy Spirit is the downpayment of God’s promised inheritance to those who believe in Christ (Ephesians 1:14). Now we see that this promise is indeed poured out equally on all people who believe in Christ (another way that chapter 2 connects back to chapter 1).

Since all who believe are “in Christ”, and all receive and share the same Spirit, all believers are in the one, unified household of God (2:19). Christ is the cornerstone (the anchor), and the apostles and prophets built a foundation around Christ (2:20)– remember from chapter 1 that apostles were individuals who witnessed the resurrected Jesus.

Finally, this whole household of God is being framed and built as a holy temple in the Lord (2:21). God’s people have become His temple, His dwelling place (2:22). This continues the thread from chapter 1 as to why God is blessed (Ephesians 1:3), and it also lays a foundation for what Paul will say in chapters 3–6.

Concluding Thoughts

That’s chapter 2!

Ephesians 2 is one of my favorite chapters in the New Testament. It communicates deep truths that put me in a posture of reflection and worship.

Here are some takeaways from today:

• God’s power and goodness is illustrated through contrasts. Without Christ, we are dead. With Christ, we are made alive. Without Christ, we are alienated. With Christ, we are members of God’s household. It cannot be more stark than that, and the final result that God brings us to is remarkable and good.
• God acted upon His mercy, love, and grace when He made us alive in Christ. He did not offer salvation reluctantly. He does not resent His creation.
• Not only has God made us alive with Christ, but He raised us into the heavens with Him. This elevation of status is remarkable.
• Knowing God has created us anew in Christ for the purpose of good works, we should respond in three ways: (1) ask God to make us aware of what these works are; (2) commit to faithfully living out these good works; (3) asking God to help us desire to live out these good works.
• God’s unity does not have loose ends. He has torn down the wall of division and replaced it with the Spirit of unity.
• All believers in Christ are equally members of God’s household. There is now one, unified people of God.
• The people of God are being formed and built into a temple for God to dwell in by means of His Spirit. This idea is bigger than Ephesians 2 communicates, so we should eagerly look for how Paul develops this concept as the letter continues. Once fully realized, this concept should deeply change us. Begin prepping your hear for this change by asking God for insight, growth, maturity, understanding, and obedience.

Keep working through Ephesians! Remember, God is speaking to us when we engage His Word. You won’t understand everything right away, but you will continue to increase your understanding as you repeatedly engage His Word. For me, that’s encouraging.

See you in chapter 3!

Until then,

Happy Bibleing!

Watch our Absolute Beginner Bible Study for Ephesians 2 on YouTube!