Believers, once in dire straits, but now sharing Christ’s exaltation, demonstrate to the universe God’s mercy, love, grace, and kindness as they undertake good works. Ephesians 2:1-10
Prior to regeneration, the sphere of the Ephesians’ life was governed by evil influences (Eph 2:2–3), so much so, unbelievers are referred to as “sons of disobedience.” These are people characterized by disobedient lives. They are rebels against God, and their fate is divine punishment: the “sons of disobedience” become “children of wrath” (2:3). A total pervasiveness of sin in every aspect of pre-Christian life is characteristic of such people “by nature” (2:3): humanity is born dead to God.
Verses 5–6 contain the three main verbs of the single sentence of 2:1–7, describing three divine operations, each prefixed with the Greek preposition syn- (“with,” translated as the prefix “co-”): synezōopoiēsen, synēgeiren, and synekathisen (“co-enlivened,” “co-raised,” and “co-seated”; 2:5, 6). All three indicate identification “with” Jesus Christ with whom believers were made alive, raised, and seated. The point is reinforced by “with Christ” and “in Christ” in 2:5, 6. The similarities between the raising up and seating of Christ and that of believers are striking (1:20; 2:6). This is a shared destiny: what is true of Christ, is also true of believers!
A number of contrasts are visible within 2:1–10 that develop the pericope’s thrust: “dead” in sin (2:1, 5) vs. “co-enlivened” (2:5); following the “course of this world” and the dictates of evil entities (2:2) vs. being related intimately to Christ and exalted with him in the heavenlies (2:5–6); and God’s wrath (2:3) vs. God’s mercy, love, grace, and kindness (2:4, 5, 7). There has also been a change of lineage: from doomed “by nature” (2:3) to exalted “in Christ” (2:5–6).
The referent of “this” in 2:8 (and implied in 2:9) is best seen as referring to the entire process of God’s saving work. God’s glorious salvation is, all of it, a gift from God. Paul pointedly makes it clear by a deviation from normal word order: 2:8c literally has “of God the gift,” thus juxtaposing “of yourselves” with “of God”—making 2:8bc read: “and this not of yourselves, of God the gift.”
This salvation wrought by God was a public demonstration, even proof (endeiknymi, “to show/prove,” 2:7), of divine grace and kindness—an eternal display on a cosmic scale. Thus, God’s concern is not restricted to individuals or even to the community of his people; it involves the whole of creation. All of this is part of the consummation of all things in Christ (1:9–10), for the glory of God (1:6, 12, 14).
“Workmanship” (poiēma, 2:10), is used elsewhere by Paul in Rom 1:20 for the creation of the universe. Here, then, is a second creation, of sorts, in Eph 2:10. In fact, the verb used here, ktizō (“create”), is employed in Ephesians only for the first creation of the universe (3:9) and for this second creation of a new peoples (here and in 2:15; 4:24)—both works of God.
This pericope, 2:1–10, is bounded on either side by peripatein, “to walk/live” (in 2:2 and 2:10). Thus, there is also the contrast in lifestyles between those who once “walked” in the evil way (2:1–2), and those who are now to “walk” in God’s way (2:10). Notice the parallels (following the word order in the Greek text): 2:1–2 has “in transgressions and sins … in which you formerly walked”; and 2:10 has “for good works … in them we may walk.” Thus, though salvation is not “of works” (2:9), the outcome is “for … works” (2:10), already prepared by God for his people to undertake. This is the future role of believers as they participate in God’s magnificent scheme for the cosmos in Christ. This is why God acted in grace to save them.