Exegesis and Exposition of Ephesians 2 9

EXEGESIS AND
EXPOSITION OF
EPHESIANS 2:9
Pastor William E. Wenstrom Jr.

WENSTROM BIBLE MINISTRIES
Huntsville, AL 35801
2023 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries
Exegesis and Exposition of Ephesians 2:9
Original Text of Ephesians 2:9
Ephesians 2:9 οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται. (NA28)
Church Age Believer’s Salvation By No Means Originates from Meritorious Actions
Ephesians 2:9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast. (NET)
“It is not from works” is composed of the following: (1) emphatic negative
adverb ou (οὔ), “not” (2) preposition ek (ἐκ), “from” (3) genitive neuter plural form
of the noun ergon (ἒργον), “works.”
We begin our exegesis and exposition of Ephesians 2:9 by noting Paul’s use of
the figure of asyndeton, which means that he is not using a connective word between
verses 8 and 9. The purpose of this figure is to mark an emphatic contrast between
the contents of Ephesians 2:8 and 9. Specifically, it is marking an emphatic contrast
between the elliptical epexegetical statement theou to dōron (θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον), “It
originates as the gift from God” (Author’s translation) in Ephesians 2:8 and the
elliptical epexegetical statement ouk ex ergōn (οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων), “it by no means
originates from meritorious actions as a source” (Author’s translation) here in
Ephesians 2:9.
At this point in the verse, Paul also employs the figure of ellipsis which means
that he is deliberately omitting, though it is implied from Ephesians 2:8, the third
person plural present active indicative conjugation of the verb eimi (εἰμί), which
means “to originate from a particular source.”
The referent of the third person singular form of this verb is the church age
believer’s salvation, which is based upon grace and is received by means of their
faith in Jesus Christ at the moment of justification.
The meaning of this verb eimi (εἰμί) is emphatically negated by the emphatic
negative adverb ouk (οὐκ), which means “never, by no means” since the word
expresses an absolute, direct, full negation.
The noun ergon (ἒργον) denotes from Mycenaean Greek onwards a deed, an
action, by contrast either with inactivity or a mere word. The word can refer to a
specific occupational or official activity (e.g. agriculture or the military profession),
and means in certain cases achievement, work. It is finally encountered with the
weakened meaning of a thing, matter. In the plural ergon (ἒργον) can also mean
history.
Hesiod used ergon (ἒργον) for work which is described as having moral value.
Those who work are much preferred by the immortal gods. Labor is by no means a
2023 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1

disgrace, but laziness is a disgrace. 1 Man shows himself fit by his ergon. In Plato2
ergon (ἒργον) appears closely related to virtue (arete). This connection is
systematically unfolded in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. The ethical value of
particular deeds or accomplishments, erga is frequently expressed by predicates
such as kala, agatha or negative ones like kaka, adika and ponera.
The word has a passive sense meaning what is wrought, the result of work or the
product of the process of work such as the work of: (1) Sculpture (2) Architecture
(3) Literature (4) Art (5) Offensive or defensive works.
Liddell and Scott have compiled the following from their research in classical
literature: (1) Works or deeds of war (2) Of peaceful contests (3) Of works of
industry (4) Deed, action (5) Thing, matter (6) That which is wrought or made, work,
result of work, profit, or interest on money (7) Business, function. 3
The noun ergon (ἒργον) appears 574 times in the Septuagint (LXX) where it is
used to translate 27 different Hebrew words. In the LXX the word group is employed
with the whole range of meaning of the classical Greek usages, serving with especial
frequency to translate the Hebrew words `asah, “to do, to make, pa`al, “to make, to
do,” and abad, “to work, to serve.”
The noun ergon (ἒργον) is thus used right at the beginning of the LXX to describe
the work of the Lord Jesus Christ as Creator (Gen. 2:2). The word group is employed
often for the miracles of God in human history. It is also used of God’s work on
behalf of His people Israel as well as for His creative works.
This word group has three basic ideas in the LXX when used of human beings:
(1) Positive: Describing man’s accomplishment of a task laid on him by God (Gen.
2:15). (2) The Fall: Characterizing work as trouble, a burden, and a curse (Gen. 3:17;
4:12; 5:29). (3) Negative: Describing human good which is a result of spiritual death.
It is used at times of the service rendered to the Lord by the Levites in the tabernacle
and temple.
The noun ergon (ἒργον) appears 169 times in the New Testament (68 times in
Paul, including 20 times in the Pastoral Epistles).
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature-Third Edition: (1) that which displays itself in activity of any kind, deed,
action (2) that which one does as regular activity, work, occupation (3) that which is
brought into being by work, product, undertaking, work (4) something having to do
with something under discussion, thing, matter. 4
Louw and Nida list the following meanings for the word: (1) That which is done,
with possible focus on the energy or effort involved - ‘act, deed’ (42.11). (2) That
1
Works 307 ff.
2
Politicus 352d-353e
3
pages 682-683
4
Pages 390-391

which one normally does - ‘work, task’ (42.42). (3) The result of someone’s activity
or work - ‘workmanship, result of what has been done’ (42.12).5
The word is used to denote the actions of the following individuals: (1) Trinity
(2) Christ (3) Satan (4) Believers (5) Unbelievers. It is employed in both a positive
and negative sense in the Greek New Testament.
The following list denotes actions performed by individuals under the positive
category: (1) The Father’s plan from eternity past on behalf of the humanity of Christ
(Jn. 9:3-4; 10:37; 14:10). (2) Salvation work of the Father planned from eternity on
behalf of the entire cosmos (Acts 15:18). (3) The creative work of the Lord Jesus
Christ (Heb. 1:10; 2:7; 4:3-4, 10; Rev. 15:3). (4) Miracles of our Lord in His 1st
Advent (Matt. 11:2; Lk. 24:19; John 5:20, 36, 7:3, 21; 10:25; 32, 33, 38; 14:11, 12;
15:24; 17:4; Acts 7:22). (5) Finished work (redemption, propitiation and
reconciliation) of the humanity of Christ in hypostatic union on the cross (John 4:34;
17:4). (6) The seven salvation ministries of God the Holy Spirit (Rm. 14:20; Phlp.
1:6). (7) Actions produced by the Holy Spirit through the obedient believer (Mt.
5:16; Acts 26:20; Rm. 2:6-7, 15; 15:18; 1 Cor. 3:13-14; 10:11; 3:17; 2 Cor. 9:8; Eph.
2:10; Col. 1:10; 1 Th. 1:3; 2 Th. 1:11; 2:17; 2 Th. 2:17; 1 Tm. 2:10; 5:10, 25; 1 Tm.
6:18; 2 Tim. 2:21; 3:17; Tit. 2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14; Heb. 6:10; 10:24; 13:21; Jam. 1:4,
25; 2:14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26; 3:13; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:12; 1 Jn. 3:18; Rev. 2:2,
5, 9, 13, 19, 26; 3:1-2, 8; 14:13; 22:12). (8) Function of the believer’s spiritual gift
and service to the body of Christ (Eph. 4:12; 1 Tim. 3:1). (9) Kindness shown toward
Christ by the woman with the alabaster of cologne (Mt. 26:10; Mk. 14:6). (10)
Believing in Christ for salvation (Jn. 6:28-29; 8:39). (11) Function of Dorcas’
spiritual gift (Acts 9:36). (12) Proclamation of Christ as Savior (Acts 13:41). (13)
Adherence to civil laws (Rm. 13:3). (14) Communication of the Word of God (Acts
13:2; 14:26; 15:38; 1 Cor. 9:11; 15:58; Phlp. 1:22; 2:30; Th. 5:13). (15) Believers
out of fellowship and in fellowship with the Lord (Gal. 6:4). (16) Function of the
spiritual gift of pastor-teacher (1 Tm. 3:1). (17) Function of the spiritual gift of
evangelist (2 Tm. 4:5). (18) Humanity’s sovereignty over all creation (Heb. 2:7).
(19) Pre-incarnate Christ’s miracles in the midst of the Exodus generation (Heb. 3:9).
The following list denotes actions performed by individuals under the negative
category: (1) Spiritual death resulting in physical death (1 John 3:8). (2) Production
of human good and evil (Jn. 3:19-20; Rm. 4:2; 4:2, 6; 9:11; 11:6; 13:12; Heb. 6:1;
9:14; 2 Pt. 3:10; Rev. 9:20; 18:6; 20:12-13). (3) Adherence to the Mosaic Law (Rm.
3:20, 27-28; 9:32; Gal. 2:16; 3:2, 5; 3:10; Eph. 2:9; Titus 3:5). (4) Function of the
old sin nature (Acts 5:38; 1 Cor. 3:15; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 5:11; Col. 1:21; 2 Tm. 1:9;
4:14, 18; Tit. 1:16; 2 Pt. 2:8; 1 Jn. 3:12; 2 Jn. 1:11; 3 Jn. 10; Jude 15; Rev. 2:22-23;
3:15; 16:11) (5) Self-righteous acts of the Pharisees (Mt. 23:3). (6) Rejection of
5
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains

Christ as Savior (Jn. 7:7; 8:39, 41; Rm. 2:6). (7) Construction of the golden calf by
the Exodus generation (Acts 7:41). (8) Immorality of the Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:2).
(9) False doctrine taught by counterfeit teachers (2 Cor. 11:15).
Now, here in Ephesians 2:9, the genitive neuter plural form of the noun ergon
(ἒργον) means “meritorious actions, actions, works” and is used in relation to the
eternal salvation of the church age believer. It refers to a meritorious system of
actions which would be considered by God as meriting His giving them eternal
salvation.
This word is the object of the preposition ek (ἐκ), which is functioning here as a
marker of source. Therefore, this prepositional phrase ex ergōn (οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων) is
expressing the idea that the church age believer’s salvation, which is based upon
grace and is received by means of their faith in Jesus Christ by no means “originates
from” meritorious actions performed by the church age believer as a source.
The present tense of the verb eimi (εἰμί) is a gnomic present which is used to
make a statement of a general, timeless fact and says that something does happen.
Here it would express the idea that the church age believer’s salvation, which is
based upon grace and is received by means of their faith in Jesus Christ “as a general
timeless fact” or “an eternal spiritual truth” by no means originates from meritorious
actions performed by the church age believer as a source.
The present tense of this verb eimi (εἰμί) is also a customary present or stative
present used to signal an ongoing state. Therefore, this would indicate that the church
age believer’s salvation, which is based upon grace and is received by means of their
faith in Jesus Christ at justification by no means “exists in the state of” originating
from meritorious actions performed by the church age believer as a source.
The active voice of this verb eimi (εἰμί) is stative, which indicates that the subject
exist in the state indicated by the verb. Therefore, this would indicate that the church
age believer’s salvation, which is based upon grace and is received by means of their
faith in Jesus Christ at justification by no means “exists in the state of” originating
from meritorious actions performed by the church age believer as a source.
The indicative mood of the verb eimi (εἰμί) is declarative meaning that it is
presenting this assertion as a non-contingent or unqualified statement.
The Church Age Believer Can Never Boast
Ephesians 2:9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast. (NET)
“So that no one can boast” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction hina
(ἵνα), “so that” (2) negative particle me (μή), “no” (3) nominative masculine
singular form of the indefinite pronoun tis (τις), “one” (4) third person singular aorist
middle subjunctive conjugation of the verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι), “can boast.”

The conjunction hina (ἵνα) is employed with the subjunctive mood of the verb
the verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι), “can boast” in order to form a purpose-result
clause that indicates both the intention and accomplishment of the action of the verb
eimi (εἰμί), which we noted is deliberately omitted but implied. A purpose clause
emphasizes the “intention” of the action of the main verb whereas a result clause
emphasizes the consequence of the verbal action that is “not intended.” Now,
sometimes the conjunction hina (ἵνα) can introduce a clause that indicates both
purpose and result meaning that it indicates both the intention and its sure
accomplishment. Therefore, this indicates that this conjunction is introducing a
clause, which presents both the purpose and the result of the Father saving the church
age believer because of His grace policy by means of faith in His one and only Son,
Jesus Christ.
The nominative masculine singular form of the indefinite pronoun tis (τις) is used
as a substantive and is referring to any member of the body of Christ, i.e. the church
without further identification.
The verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) means, “to express an unusually high degree
of confidence in someone or something being exceptionally noteworthy,” thus, “to
boast.” In classical Greek, the verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) is found from Sappho
onwards (Fr., 26 [Diehl, I, 338]), Pindar and Herodotus is proved by the comic
dramatists to be an everyday word in Attic Greek. Homer uses instead euchomai,
“pray, ask, wish,” and the tragedians and orators use aucheo, “boast, plume oneself.”
The philosophers employ the verb occasionally.6 The Stoics avoid it, though it occurs
in Philodem. Intransitively, kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) means “to boast, vaunt
oneself, be proud.” With prepositions en, epi, peri, huper, eis, or kata, it means “to
boast of a person or thing.
The verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) appears 32 times in the LXX, of which 10 are
non-canonical. The verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) appears 37 times in the Greek
New Testament and of its 35 appearances 33 belong to Paul and only 2 are found in
James. The word is used extensively in 1 and 2 Corinthians.
Bauer, Gingrich and Danker list the following meanings: (1) Intransitive: boast,
glory, pride oneself in or about a person or thing (2) Transitive: boast about, mention
in order to boast of, be proud of something. 7
Louw and Nida define the verb, “to express an unusually high degree of
confidence in someone or something being exceptionally noteworthy-‘to boast.’ 8
The verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) is most often intransitive and means boast,
the context indicating whether taking pride in a positive sense or boasting in the
negative sense of bragging. The negative meaning of boasting or bragging is
6
Aristotle, Pol., V, 10, p. 1311b, 4
7
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, page 425-426
8
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, volume 2, page 431

determined only by the object. When the verb is transitive it can be translated boast
about.
Only rarely is the intransitive verb used in an absolute sense (1 Co. 4:7 [13:3]; 2
Co. 11:18b, 30a; 12:1, 6; Eph. 2:9). The verb is most often defined more precisely,
normally with a prepositional phrase. Most frequently the preposition en is employed
with dative, instrumental or locative.
The following is a list of objects or basis of boasting or expressing a total
confidence in: (1) God (Rm. 2:17; 5:11) (2) Mosaic Law (Rm. 2:23). (3) Adversities
(Rm. 5:3). (4) The Lord (1 Co. 1:31; 2 Co. 10:17). (5) Mankind (1 Co. 3:21). (6)
Corinthian believers (2 Co. 9:2). (7) Labors (2 Co. 10:15). (8) Old sin nature (2 Co.
11:18; Gal. 6:13). (9) Illnesses (2 Co. 12:5, 9). (10) Christ Jesus (Phlp. 3:3). (11)
Thessalonian believers (2 Th. 1:4). (12) Achievements performed through the old
sin nature (Jam. 4:16). (13) Cross (Gal. 6:14).
The verb appears significantly often in imperatives and prohibitions (1 Co. 1:31;
3:21; 2 Co. 10:17; Jam. 1:9). It appears frequently in final or consecutive
constructions such as in hina clauses (1 Co. 1:31 [13:3]; 2 Co. 5:12; 11:16; Gal. 6:13;
Eph. 2:9). In the same way the verb appears in typical recurring constructions that
express certain semantic relationships, thus it is almost always found in contrasts (2
Co. 5:12; 10:12f., 16f.; cf. Phlp. 3:3; Eph. 2:8f.; Jam. 1:9f.), in relationships of
correspondence (with kai, 2 Co. 1:14; 11:16, 18; cf. 8:24), in expressions of
limitation (with ei me, 2 Co. 12:5; Gal. 6:14), or in expressions of surpassing quality
(Rm. 5:3, 11).
The verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) appears with particular frequency in
polemical passages. In the same manner that Paul attacks the Judaizers doctrine of
justification by works, so he opposes the closely related habit of human self-praise,
based on the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law (Rm. 3:27). The worthlessness of human
boasting, when based on the law, is exposed in the context of Romans 2:23 (cf. Rm.
4:2). Paul also rejects the glory attached to proselytizing (Gal. 6:13). He attacks just
as strongly the self-confidence of the Greeks, who boast of their human wisdom
(sophia), which is cosmic viewpoint (1 Co. 1:29; cf. 1 Co. 3:21).
All these forms of boasting in the old sin nature (2 Co. 11:18) include the
following: (1) Arrogance of Gentile Christians to the non-Christian Jews (Rm.
11:17f.). (2) False bragging (1 Co. 4:7; cf. Jam. 3:14; 2 Co. 5:12; 12:6). They are in
fact various forms of evil which originates from Satan (Jam. 4:16; cf. 1 Co. 5:6).
They all conflict with the one and only appropriate and justified form of boasting,
cited by Jer. 9:24 in 1 Cor. 1:31, “Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord” (cf. 2
Co. 10:17). This is the only appropriate, justified form of boasting of the Christian:
to boast of God through the unique Person, Work and Life of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ (Rm. 5:11; Phlp. 3:3). This glorying has thus as its object something
before which all self-praise disappears. Thus, the only form of appropriate and

justified form of boasting is that of the work of the Father through the unique Person,
Finished Work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Now, here in Ephesians 2:9, the verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) means “to boast”
since the word pertains to expressing an unusually high degree of confidence in
someone or something being exceptionally noteworthy. 9 It pertains taking pride in
something one has accomplished.
The verb’s meaning is negated by the negative particle me (μή), which denies any
idea of the action of the verb taking place.
The nominative masculine singular form of the indefinite pronoun tis (τις)
functions as the nominative subject meaning it is performing the action of the third
person singular aorist middle subjunctive conjugation of the verb kauchaomai
(καυχάομαι), “can boast.” Therefore, this indicates that a church age believer cannot
perform the action of boasting that they were responsible for accomplishing their
own salvation.
The aorist tense of this verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) is an ingressive aorist
which is used to emphasize the entrance into a state. Here it stresses the church age
believer not entering into the state of boasting that they accomplished their own
salvation based upon their meritorious actions.
The middle voice of this verb is an indirect middle, which means that the subject
acts for himself or herself. Therefore, it is expressing the idea of the church age
believer “for their own benefit” or “for their own glory” entering into the state of
boasting that they accomplished their own salvation based upon their meritorious
actions.
Translation of Ephesians 2:1-9
Ephesians 2:1 Now, correspondingly, even though, each and every one of you
as a corporate unit were spiritually dead ones because of your transgressions,
in other words, because of your sins. 2 Each and every one of you formerly lived
by means of these in agreement with the standard of the unregenerate people
of this age, which is the production of the cosmic world system, in agreement
with the standard of the sovereign ruler, namely the sovereign governmental
authority ruling over the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere.
Specifically the spirit who is presently working in the lives of those members of
the human race who are characterized by disobedience. 3 Among whom, each
and every one of us also formerly for our own selfish benefit conducted our lives
by means of those lusts, which are produced by our flesh. Specifically, by
indulging those inclinations which are produced by our flesh, in other words,
9
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd
edition., Vol. 1, p. 430). United Bible Societies.

those impulses, which are the product of our flesh. Consequently, each and
every one of us caused ourselves to be children who are objects of wrath because
of our natural condition from physical birth. Just as the rest correspondingly
caused themselves to be children who are objects of wrath because of their
natural condition from physical birth. 4 But because God is rich with regards
to mercy, because of the exercise of His great love with which He loved each
and every one of us, 5 even though each and every one of us as a corporate unit
were spiritually dead ones because of our transgressions, He caused each and
every one of us to be made alive together with the one and only Christ. Each
and every one of you as a corporate unit are saved because of grace! 6
Specifically, He caused each and every one of us as a corporate unit to be raised
with Him. Correspondingly, He caused each and every one of us as a corporate
unit to be seated in the heavenlies because of our faith in and union and
identification with the one and only Christ. 7 He did this so that He could
display for His own glory during the ages, which are certain to come, the
incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace because of kindness for
the benefit of each and every one of us because of our faith in and union and
identification with Christ, who is Jesus. 8 Each and every one of you as a
corporate unit are saved because of grace by means of faith! In other words,
this never originated from any one of you as a source. It originated as the gift
from God. 9 It does not originate from meritorious actions as a source so that a
person cannot for their own glory enter into the state of boasting. (Author’s
translation)
Expanded translation of Ephesians 2:1-9
Ephesians 2:1 Now, correspondingly, even though, each and every one of you
as a corporate unit were existing in the state of being spiritually dead ones
because of your transgressions, in other words, because of your sins. 2 Each and
every one of you formerly existed in the state of living by means of these in
agreement with the standard of the unregenerate people of this age, which is
the production of the cosmic world system, in agreement with the standard of
the sovereign ruler, namely the sovereign governmental authority ruling over
the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere. Specifically the spirit who at
the present time exists in the state of working in the lives of those members of
the human race who are characterized by disobedience. 3 Among whom, each
and every one of us as a corporate unit also formerly for our own selfish benefit
conducted our lives by means of those lusts, which are produced by our flesh.
Specifically, by existing in the state of indulging those inclinations which are
produced by our flesh, in other words, those impulses, which are the product of

our flesh. Consequently, each and every one of us as a corporate unit in the past
caused ourselves to exist in the state of belonging to those who are children
characterized as being objects of wrath because of our natural condition from
physical birth. Just as the rest of unregenerate humanity correspondingly
caused themselves to exist in the state of belonging to those who are children
characterized as objects of wrath because of their natural condition from
physical birth. 4 But because God exists in the state of possessing inherently the
characteristic of being rich with regards to mercy, because of the exercise of
His great love with which He loved each and every one of us, 5 even though each
and every one of us as a corporate unit without exception were existing in the
state of being spiritually dead ones because of our transgressions, He caused
each and every one of us to be made alive together with the one and only Christ.
Each and every one of you as a corporate unit without exception belong to a
particular group of human beings who as an eternal spiritual truth exist in the
state of being saved because of grace! 6 Specifically, He caused each and every
one of us as a corporate unit to be raised with Him. Correspondingly, He caused
each and every one of us as a corporate unit to be seated in the heavenlies
because of our faith in and union and identification with the one and only
Christ. 7 He did this so that He could enter into the state of displaying for His
own glory during the ages, which are certain to come, the incomparable wealth,
which is the product of His grace because of kindness for the benefit of each
and every one of us because of our faith in and union and identification with
Christ, who is Jesus. 8 Each and every one of you as a corporate unit without
exception belong to a particular group of human beings who as an eternal
spiritual truth exist in the state of being saved because of grace by means of
faith! In other words, this (salvation on the basis of grace and received by means
of faith) as an eternal spiritual truth by no means exists in the state of
originating from any one of you as a source. It as an eternal spiritual truth exists
in the state of originating as the gift from God as a source. 9 It as an eternal
spiritual truth by no means exists in the state of originating from meritorious
actions as a source so that a person cannot for their own glory enter into the
state of boasting. (Author’s translation)
Exposition of Ephesians 2:9
As we noted in our study of Ephesians 2:1, this verse marks not only a transition
from the contents of Ephesians 1:15-23 to the contents of Ephesians 2:1-10 but is
also marking the correspondence between the sections. The former records Paul’s
intercessory prayer to the Father on behalf of the recipients of the epistle while on
the other hand, the latter contains a discussion of the identification of the recipients

of this epistle with Jesus Christ in His resurrection and session at the right hand of
the Father. They correspond to each other because both speak of the Father
exercising His omnipotence for the benefit of others. In Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul
speaks of the Father exercising His omnipotence by raising His Son from the dead
and seating Him at His right hand. On other hand in Ephesians 2:1-10, he speaks of
the Father exercising His omnipotence by making the recipients of this letter alive
with His Son by identifying them with His Son in His resurrection and session at His
right hand at the moment of their justification through the baptism of the Spirit.
“Each and every one of you” is the accusative second personal plural form of
the personal pronoun su (σύ), which not only refers to the recipients of the Ephesian
epistle but also is used in a distributive sense emphasizing no exceptions. Ephesians
2:11 identifies the recipients of this epistle as Gentile Christians. Therefore, the word
is emphasizing that “each and every one of” these Gentile Christians without
exception were made alive together with Jesus Christ and identified with Him in His
resurrection and session at the Father’s right hand at the moment of justification
through the baptism of the Spirit even though they were spiritually dead, enslaved
to the sin nature and Satan and his cosmic system and under the wrath of God.
The use of this personal pronoun su here in Ephesians 2:1 is unnecessary in Greek
since the form of a finite verb in this language indicates the person, number and
gender of the subject. Here in Ephesians 2:1 indicates that the accusative masculine
plural present active participle conjugation of the verb eimi (εἰμί) indicates the
person, number and gender of the subject. This is what makes Greek an
“inflectional” language. When the personal pronoun is used therefore, it may serve
to clarify the subject or contrast the subject with someone else or for emphasis.
Therefore, here in Ephesians 2:1, the accusative second personal plural form of
the personal pronoun su (σύ) is used for emphasis as well as contrast. First, it is
emphasizing that each one of these Gentile Christians whom Paul is describing in
Ephesians 2:1-4 before their justification were made alive by the Father through faith
in His Son even though they were existing in the state of being spiritually dead.
Secondly, it is marking a contrast between these Gentile Christians prior to their
justification and the state they now exist in as those who possess eternal life and are
identified with Jesus Christ in His resurrection and session at the right hand of the
Father.
“Even though…were” is the accusative masculine plural present active
participle conjugation of the verb eimi (εἰμί), which pertains to certain persons
possessing particular inherent characteristics which identify them with a particular
group. The referent of the masculine plural form of this verb is the recipients of this
epistle who are identified in Ephesians 2:11 as being Gentile Christians. Therefore,
this verb is expressing the idea that these Gentile Christians possessed particular
inherent characteristics, which identified them with a particular group of people

before their justification. These characteristics and this group are identified in
Ephesians 2:1 and 2:2-3. Thus, the recipients of this epistle prior to their justification
were spiritually dead in their transgressions and sins (Eph. 2:1), they lived under the
rulership of Satan as unregenerate people (Eph. 2:2), and they were enslaved to the
various lust patterns of their indwelling old Adamic sin nature and were thus under
the wrath of God (Eph. 2:3).
The participle conjugation of this verb eimi (εἰμί) functions as a concessive
participle, which indicates that the participle conjugation of this verb implies that
the recipients of the Ephesian epistle being made alive together with Jesus Christ is
true in spite of the fact that they were spiritually dead, enslaved to the sin nature and
Satan and his cosmic system and thus under the wrath of God.
The participle conjugation of this verb eimi (εἰμί) functions as a pendent
accusative. This type of accusative is introduced into the sentence as if it was
functioning as the direct object of the verb and here in Ephesians 2:1 this verb would
be the third person singular aorist active indicative conjugation of the verb
syzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω), “made alive together” (NET). However, as we can see
the rest of Ephesians 2:1 is completed in a syntactically awkward manner, leaving
the word verb eimi (εἰμί) dangling. In fact, the thought begun in Ephesians 2:1 is not
completed until Ephesians 2:5, which thus creates an “anacoluthon” in Ephesians
2:2-4, which means that there is a break the grammar. Ephesians 2:1-4 is one
incomplete sentence in order leave the readers in suspense as to how God the Father
would solve the dilemma the recipients of this epistle were in prior to their
justification. So therefore, the verb eimi (εἰμί) is thrown forward to the beginning of
the clause, followed by the contents of Ephesians 2:2-4. The participle conjugation
of this verb is replaced by the second person plural form of the personal pronoun su
(σύ) here in Ephesians 2:1, which is in the accusative case because it is required by
the syntax.
As we noted in our exegesis, the action of the present participle conjugation of
this verb eimi (εἰμί) here in Ephesians 2:1 is antecedent in time in relation to the
action of the aorist tense of the main verb syzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω), “made alive
together” in Ephesians 2:5. Therefore, this indicates that prior to being made alive
at the moment of justification through faith in Jesus Christ, the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle were existing in the state of being spiritually dead.
“Spiritually dead ones” is the accusative masculine plural form of the adjective
nekros (νεκρός), which is used metaphorically for the state of the unregenerate.
Specifically, it refers to the unregenerate state of the recipients of the Ephesian
epistle as being spiritually dead prior to the Father giving them eternal life and
declaring them justified through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. This word describes
their unregenerate state as being dead to God in the sense that they possessed no
relationship or fellowship with Him and had absolutely no capacity or desire to

establish one with Him because they had absolutely no merit to do so anyway. Thus,
the word describes unregenerate humanity as separated from the Triune God.
In Ephesians 2:2-4, the apostle Paul defines for the recipients of this epistle what
he means that they were spiritually dead prior to their justification.
Ephesians 2:1 And although you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
2 in which you formerly lived according to this world’s present path, according
to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the ruler of the spirit that is now
energizing the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom all of us also formerly lived
out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and
the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest. (NET)
Therefore, in these verses, Paul is describing a spiritually dead person as under
the rulership of the devil and characterized as disobedient to God and living
according to the desires of their indwelling old Adamic sin nature and under the
wrath of God.
In Ephesians 4:18-19, Paul further describes the unregenerate who are spiritually
dead.
Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated
from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness
of their hearts. 19 Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to
indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. (NET)
Therefore, in these verses, Paul is describing a spiritually dead person as
darkened in their understanding of God, alienated from the life of God because of
the ignorance in their souls which is the result of the hardness of their hearts. These
verses also say that they are spiritually dead because they have given themselves
over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness because
they are callous in their hearts.
Now, this description of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle here in Ephesians
2:1, who were noted were Gentile Christians according to Ephesians 2:11, is not only
true of these Gentile Christians but also true of each and every member of the human
race-past, present and future. Everyone born into this world is spiritually dead
because of the imputation of Adam’s original sin in the Garden.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world,
and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.
(NASB95)
“And death through sin” presents the result of the sin nature entering into the
human race through Adam’s disobedience and refers to “spiritual death” which is
the direct result of the imputation of Adam’s sin to a human being’s genetically
formed old sin nature at the moment of physical birth (Gen. 2:17; Prov. 14:12; Ezek.
18:20; Rom. 5:12; 6:23; 1 Cor. 15:22; Eph. 2:1, 5). Therefore, Romans 5:12 is
presenting a progression-Adam’s original sin plus Adam’s sin nature equals

“spiritual death.” This means that every member of the human race is separated from
God and has absolutely no capacity to have a relationship with God who is holy.
There are five major consequences for “Spiritual death”: (1) Slavery to the sin
nature and the devil and his cosmic system. (2) Physical death (Genesis 5:5). (3)
Imprisonment in Torments after physical death prior to the Great White Throne
Judgment (Luke 16:19-31). (4) Eternal condemnation in the Lake of Fire (Revelation
20:11-15). (5) Unique voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths of
Christ (Matt. 27:45-46; Mark 15:34; Phlp. 2:8; Heb. 2:9, 14).
Spiritual death in the human race resulted in the Father sending His Son to die
spiritually and physically on the cross as a substitute for members of the human race
in order to deliver them from spiritual death and the sin nature. The problem of
“spiritual death” is resolved when God gives life to those members of the human
race who exercise faith alone in Christ alone (John 3:16-18).
Now, in Ephesians 2:1, the articular neuter plural form of the noun paraptōma
(παράπτωμα), “because of your transgressions” refers to deliberate violations of
God’s laws. The word refers to the transgressions of the recipients of this epistle
prior to their justification. In other words, it refers to their deliberate violations of
God’s laws before justification, which for these Gentile Christians would be
deliberately violating the Ten Commandments, which are written in the soul of every
human being as Paul asserts they are in Romans 2:14-15.
Romans 2:14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by
nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law
to themselves. 15 They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts,
as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else
defend them. (NET)
In Romans 2:14-15, Paul is explaining that even though the Gentiles do not
possess God’s law in written form like the Jews, they also have a law so to speak by
which they will be judged and can be condemned without the law because their
conscience (which is the work of the law written in their hearts) is enough to
condemn them. Therefore, we can see that the central component of Romans 2:12-
14 is that the Law of God condemns both Jew and Gentile. The Jew is condemned
before God because he does not obey the written document given to Moses by the
Lord whereas the Gentiles are condemned before God because they do not obey the
Law of God written in their hearts as manifested by the function of their conscience
when they sin.
The law of the Gentiles to whom Paul was writing was not in code but in
conscience. They did not have a specific set of rules but they did have the basic
moral concepts which are contained in the Law and in particular the Ten
Commandments. Anthropologists know by research what God has revealed in His
Word. There is “absolutely no” societal group that is devoid of law in the sense of a

standard of right versus wrong. Also, all men know that they break their own laws
and they suffer guilt.
The content of the Ten Commandments is not really new since the book of
Genesis reveals the fact that these formalized laws were already followed or assumed
as a moral standard. All Ten Commandments had been part of the Law of God
previously written on hearts instead of stone, for all ten appear, in one way or
another, in Genesis. They are as follows: (1) Genesis 35:2, “Get rid of the foreign
gods.” (2) Genesis 31:39, “Laban to Jacob, ‘But why did you steal my gods?’”
(3) Genesis 24:3, “I want you to swear by the Lord.” (4) Genesis 2:3, “God
blessed the seventh day and made it holy.” (5) Genesis 27:41, “The days of
mourning my father are near.” (6) Genesis 4:9, “Where is your brother Abel?”
(7) Genesis 39:9, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against
God?” (8) Genesis 44:4-7, “Why have you stolen my silver cup?” (9) Genesis
39:17, “[Joseph] came to me to make sport of me … but … he ran. …” (10)
Genesis 12:18; 20:3, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have
taken; she is a married woman.”
Now, in Ephesians 2:1, the articular construction of the noun paraptōma
(παράπτωμα) functions as a dative of cause, which indicates the transgressions of
these Gentile Christians was the reason why they existed in the state of being
spiritually dead.
“In other words” is the conjunction kai (καί), which is epexegetical, which
means that the articular dative feminine plural form of the noun hamartia (ἁμαρτία),
which the word introduces, is explaining from another perspective the articular
neuter plural form of the noun paraptōma (παράπτωμα), “transgressions.”
“Because of your sins” is the articular dative feminine plural form of the noun
hamartia (ἁμαρτία), which is used with reference to mental, verbal and overt acts of
personal sin from the perspective that these acts miss the mark of the absolute
perfection of God’s character, i.e. His holiness. This word speaks of any thought,
word or action, which is in disobedience to God’s laws.
Like the noun paraptōma (παράπτωμα), the noun hamartia (ἁμαρτία) functions
as a dative of cause, which indicates that the sins of these Gentile Christians was the
reason why they existed in the state of being spiritually dead.
These two words are forming the figure of hendiadys, which means that the
conjunction kai (καί) is used to connect together the nouns paraptōma (παράπτωμα)
and hamartia (ἁμαρτία). This figure takes place when two nouns are used to express
one idea or concept and it literally means “one by means of two” and takes place
when the author uses two words but only one idea is intended. The two words are of
the same parts of speech, i.e., two nouns, and are always joined together by the
conjunction “and” and are also always in the same case. One of the two words
expresses the thing, and the other intensifies it by being changed (if a noun) into an

adjective of the superlative degree, which is, by this means, made especially
emphatic.
Therefore, this figure indicates that the nouns paraptōma (παράπτωμα) and
hamartia (ἁμαρτία) are not referring to two different concepts. Rather, they are
referring to one since both of these words speak of the thoughts, words and actions
of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle were in disobedience to the Father’s will and
contrary to His holy character and nature before the Father declared them justified
through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. This figure would indicate that
hamartia (ἁμαρτία) is intensifying or advancing upon the idea expressed by
paraptōma (παράπτωμα) in the sense that the noun hamartia (ἁμαρτία) is defining
the meaning of the noun paraptōma (παράπτωμα). Therefore, this indicates that
when Paul asserts that the recipients of the Ephesian epistle were spiritually dead
because of their paraptōmasin (παραπτώμασιν), “transgressions,” he means that
they were spiritually dead because of their hamartiais (ἁμαρτίαις), “sins.” This is
indicated by the fact that sin is the transgression of God’s law.
Paul’s use of these two nouns paraptōma (παράπτωμα) and hamartia (ἁμαρτία)
indicates that mental, verbal and overt acts which are in disobedience to the Law of
God are evidence of a person being spiritually dead. For the believer, they are
evidence of being out of fellowship with God, which is a temporary spiritual death.
The believer out of fellowship with God is not experiencing eternal life even though
they possess it permanently because they were permanently indwelt by the Triune
God and thus they are experiencing spiritual death. The spiritual death is only
temporary because they are restored to fellowship with God and delivered from this
spiritually dead state by confessing their sins (1 John 1:9). They maintain this
fellowship by obeying the Spirit inspired Scriptures (Eph. 5:18; cf. Col. 3:16). On
the other hand, the unregenerate person is delivered from spiritual death when the
Father declares them justified through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
Simultaneously, they are regenerated and receive eternal life. Therefore, the
difference between the unregenerate and regenerate in relation to spiritual death is
that for the former experiencing spiritual death is a static experience while on the
other hand, for the latter it is a dynamic experience.
Paul’s assertion here in Ephesians 2:1 echoes his statement to the Colossian
Christian community in Colossians 2:13 since he teaches the latter that prior to their
conversion they were spiritually dead because of their transgressions.
Colossians 2:13 In other words, even though each and every one of you
existed in the state of being spiritually dead ones because of your transgressions,
specifically because of the uncircumcision, which is your flesh, He caused each
and every one of you to be made alive together with Him. Simultaneously for
His own glory, He graciously forgave each and every one of our transgressions
for the benefit of each and every one of us. (Author’s translation)

The contents of Ephesians 2:2 continues Paul’s thought from Ephesians 2:1
because both speak of the transgressions or sins committed against God by the
recipients of the Ephesian epistle prior to their justification. As we noted, in the
latter, these pre-justification transgressions or sins were the reason why these Gentile
Christians were spiritually dead. However, in the former, they are the means by
which they lived their lives prior to their justification.
Ephesians 2:2 contains a declarative statement which is modified three
prepositional phrases. The third prepositional phrase is modified by an appositional
clause, which contains an articular participle, which is modified by a prepositional
phrase.
The declarative statement en hais pote periepatēsate (ἐν αἷς ποτε περιεπατήσατε),
“Each and every one of you formerly lived by means of these” refers to the
lifestyle of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle prior to the Father declaring them
justified by faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
The first prepositional phrase en hais (ἐν αἷς), “by means of these” is fronted in
order to link the contents of Ephesians 2:1-2. It indicates the means by which these
Gentile Christians lived their lives prior to the Father declaring them justified
through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. It expresses the idea that these
Gentile Christians lived their lives “by means of their transgressions” or in other
words, “by means of their sins.”
The second prepositional phrase kata ton aiōna tou kosmou toutou (κατὰ τὸν
αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου), “in agreement with the standard of this age, which is
the production of this cosmic world system” also modifies the declarative
statement because it reveals that the unregenerate lifestyle of these Gentile
Christians was “in agreement with the standard of” the unregenerate people of this
present age, which is the work of the cosmic world system.
The third prepositional phrase kata ton archonta tēs exousias tou aeros (κατὰ τὸν
ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ ἀέρος), “in agreement with the standard of the
sovereign ruler, namely the sovereign governmental authority ruling over the
evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere” advances upon the previous
prepositional phrase in that the unregenerate lifestyle of the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle was in agreement with the standard in which the sovereign
governmental ruler of this cosmic world system lives, who is the ruler over the evil
spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere and thus planet earth itself.
Lastly, the appositional clause tou pneumatos tou nyn energountos en tois huiois
tēs apeitheias (τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ νῦν ἐνεργοῦντος ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας),
“Specifically the spirit who is presently working in the lives of those members
of the human race who are characterized by disobedience” is modifying the third
prepositional phrase because it identifies or describes the sovereign ruler or
sovereign governmental authority of the cosmic world system. He is the spirit who

during the present age is working in the lives of those members of the human race
who are characterized by disobedience to God.
Now, as we noted, the temporal clause pote periepatēsate (ποτε περιεπατήσατε),
“Each and every one of you formerly lived” is modified by the prepositional
phrase en hais (ἐν αἷς), “by means of these.” Together, they assert that the recipients
of the Ephesian epistle, who were Gentile Christians, prior to their justification, lived
their lives by means of their transgressions or in other words, lived their lives by
means of their sins. In other words, their lifestyle was by means of these
transgressions, i.e. by means of these sins.
The prepositional phrase we noted is composed of the dative feminine plural form
of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς), which is the object of the preposition en (ἐν). We
also noted that the referent of the former is the articular dative neuter plural form of
the nouns paraptōma (παράπτωμα), “because of your transgressions” hamartia
(ἁμαρτία), “because of your sins,” which appear in Ephesians 2:1, since both of
these words agree in gender (feminine), number (plural) and case (dative) with this
relative pronoun. The preposition the preposition en (ἐν) we noted is a marker of
means indicating the means by which the recipients of the Ephesian epistle lived
their lives prior to their conversion.
As we noted in our study of Ephesians 2:1, the articular dative neuter plural form
of the noun paraptōma (παράπτωμα), “because of your transgressions” refers to
deliberate violations of God’s laws. The word refers to the transgressions of the
recipients of this epistle prior to their justification. In other words, it refers to their
deliberate violations of God’s laws before justification, which for these Gentile
Christians would be deliberately violating the Ten Commandments, which are
written in the soul of every human being as Paul asserts they are in Romans 2:14-
15.
We also noted in our study of Ephesians 2:1 that the articular dative feminine
plural form of the noun hamartia (ἁμαρτία), “because of your sins” is used with
reference to mental, verbal and overt acts of personal sin from the perspective that
these acts miss the mark of the absolute perfection of God’s character, i.e. His
holiness. This word speaks of any thought, word or action, which is in disobedience
to God’s laws.
Furthermore, we noted that these two words are forming the figure of hendiadys,
which means that the conjunction kai (καί) is used to connect together the nouns
paraptōma (παράπτωμα) and hamartia (ἁμαρτία). Therefore, this figure indicates
that the nouns paraptōma (παράπτωμα) and hamartia (ἁμαρτία) are not referring to
two different concepts. Rather, they are referring to one since both of these words
speak of the thoughts, words and actions of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle
were in disobedience to the Father’s will and contrary to His holy character and
nature before the Father declared them justified through faith in His one and only

Son, Jesus Christ. This figure would indicate that the noun hamartia (ἁμαρτία) is
intensifying or advancing upon the idea expressed by the noun paraptōma
(παράπτωμα) in the sense that the noun hamartia (ἁμαρτία) is defining the meaning
of the noun paraptōma (παράπτωμα). Therefore, this indicates that when Paul asserts
that the recipients of the Ephesian epistle were spiritually dead because of their
paraptōmasin (παραπτώμασιν), “transgressions,” he means that they were
spiritually dead because of their hamartiais (ἁμαρτίαις), “sins.” This is indicated by
the fact that sin is the transgression of God’s law.
Therefore, the prepositional phrase en hais (ἐν αἷς), “by means of these” is
identifying the transgressions or sins committed against God by these Gentile
Christians prior to the Father declaring them justified through faith in His one and
only Son, Jesus Christ as the means by they lived their lives before their justification.
Therefore, this prepositional phrase indicates that the recipients of this epistle lived
their lives by means of their transgression, or in other words, they lived their lives
by means of their sins.
We also noted in our exegesis that in this declarative statement, the verb
peripateō (περιπατέω) is used in a figurative sense with reference to the lifestyle of
the recipients of the Ephesian epistle prior to being declared justified by the Father
through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
This is modified by the indefinite temporal particle temporal particle pote (ποτέ),
which speaks of a period of time prior to these Christians being declared justified by
the Father through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, it refers to their
pre-conversion portion of their lives as human beings on planet earth.
We also noted that the second prepositional phrase kata ton aiōna tou kosmou
toutou (κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου), “in agreement with the standard of
the unregenerate people of this age, which is the production of this cosmic world
system” also modifies the declarative statement because it reveals that the
unregenerate lifestyle of these Gentile Christians was in accordance with the
standard in which the unregenerate people of this present age live, and which age is
the work of the cosmic world system of Satan.
This standard is evil which is indicated by Galatians 1:4, in which he describes
this present age as “evil.” In its root essence, evil is independence from God, which
originated in eternity past with Satan’s rebellion against God (Is. 14:12-14; Ezek.
28:12-19). Satan’s to live his life independently of his creator and seeks to establish
a kingdom independently of God and which rivals God’s kingdom.
As was the case when the word appeared in Ephesians 1:21, the noun aiōn (αἰών)
pertains to a particular period of history which has some distinctive feature, which
is distinguished from other periods of history. However, the word does not retain the
same referent here in Ephesians 2:2 as it did in Ephesians 1:21 where the word’s

referent was “the last days,” which began with the First Advent of Jesus Christ and
will end with the Second Advent of Christ.
Here in Ephesians 2:2, the referent of the noun aiōn (αἰών) is the period which
began with the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and will end with the
Second Advent of Jesus Christ. During this period of human history, Satan is the
temporary god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), with all of unregenerate humanity under
his temporary rulership (1 John 5:19) and thus all the nations of the earth are
temporarily under his rulership as well (Luke 4:5-7). This period of human history
will end with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, which ushers in His millennial
reign on planet earth.
The noun aiōn (αἰών) contains the figure of metonymy which means that this
present age is put for the unregenerate people of this age, which is indicated by the
fact that Paul in context is describing the unregenerate lifestyle of the recipients of
the Ephesian epistle who we noted were Gentile Christians according to Ephesians
2:11.
We noted that the noun aiōn (αἰών) is “monadic” indicating that this present
period of human history is unique or in a class all its own because it is the period of
human history in which the citizens of planet earth are subjugated to Satan and his
cosmic world system and is distinguished from Jesus Christ’s rulership over the earth
during His millennial reign. It implies that this particular age or period of human
history contains certain characteristics, which distinguish it from other periods of
human history such as the future millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
We also noted in our exegesis that the noun aiōn (αἰών) is the object of the
preposition kata (κατά), which functions as a marker of a standard indicating being
in conformity or agreement with a particular standard. In context, the word is used
to mark a particular in which the recipients of the Ephesian epistle lived prior being
declared justified by the Father through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
So therefore, this prepositional phrase kata ton aiōna tou kosmou toutou (κατὰ τὸν
αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου) is expressing the idea that prior to their justification the
recipients of the Ephesian epistle existed in the state of living their lives committing
transgressions or sins against God “in agreement with the standard of” the
unregenerate people of this present age.
This is why in Romans 12:2, Paul prohibits the Roman Christian community from
conforming their behavior in accordance with the standards of this present age in
which Satan is the ruler of the earth and his world system dominates and controls all
of humanity.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I appeal to each and every one of you spiritual
brothers and sisters on the basis of the merciful acts produced by God the
Father to offer your bodies as a sacrifice-alive, holy, extremely pleasing and
beneficial to God the Father, which is your reasonable service. 2 Consequently,

do not conform your behavior in accordance with the standards of this age. On
the contrary, permit yourselves to be transformed by renovating your mind in
order that each and every one of you may discern what is, as an eternal spiritual
truth, God the Father’s will, that which is good as well as extremely pleasing
and in addition perfect. (Author’s translation)
In Ephesians 2:2, the noun kosmos (κόσμος), “cosmic world system” pertains to
a vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless
governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the
cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan who is god of this
satanic cosmos.
This system is promoted by Satan, conformed to his ideals, aims, methods, and
character, and stands perpetually in opposition to God the cause of Christ. This world
system is used to seduce men away from God and the person of Christ. It is anti-
God, anti-Christ, and anti-Bible, and very anti-humanity though it often appears as
humanitarian as part of Satan’s masquerade as an angel of light.
The noun kosmos is not only a system but also an organization. An organization
is that which is organized.
Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines the verb “organize”:
(1) To form as or into a whole consisting of interdependent or coordinated parts,
especially for harmonious or united action (2) To systematize. If we paraphrase this
definition, we could say that the noun kosmos refers to the “formation into a whole
of interdependent and coordinated parts for harmonious and united action” against
God.
Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines a “system” as “an
assemblage or combination of things or parts forming a complex or unitary whole;
due method or orderly manner of arrangement or procedure.” If we paraphrase this
definition, we could say that the noun kosmos refers to the “assemblage of fallen
angels forming a complex whole” that is under the authority of Satan.
The cosmic system is not a theocratic or Christocentric society, organization or
system since it is designed by Satan to seduce men away from worshipping the Lord
Jesus Christ. Satan uses temptations to incorporate even believers into his system
and organization that is independent of God.
In our exegesis of Ephesians 2:2, we noted that the noun kosmos (κόσμος)
functions as a genitive of production, which indicates that this present age in which
all of unregenerate humanity is enslaved to the indwelling Adamic old sin nature as
well as enslaved to Satan and his cosmic world system is “produced by” this cosmic
world system. In other words, this present age is “produced by” the sinful rulership
of Satan over all the earth and its sinful inhabitants. In other words, this present age,
which began with the fall of Adam and Eve and continues up to the time Paul wrote
this epistle, is the work of the cosmic world system of Satan.

This second prepositional phrase kata ton aiōna tou kosmou toutou (κατὰ τὸν
αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου), “in agreement with the standard of the unregenerate
people of this age, which is the production of this cosmic world system” is
expressing the idea that prior to their justification the recipients of the Ephesian
epistle existed in the state of living their lives committing transgressions or sins
against God “in agreement with the standard” in which the unregenerate people of
this present age live their lives, and which age is the work or production of the
cosmic world system of Satan.
The fact that unregenerate humanity live according to the standard of this present
evil age after the Fall and prior to the Second Advent and which age is produced by
the cosmic system of Satan is why John prohibits the Christian community from
loving the cosmic system in John 2:15-17.
1 John 2:15 Each one of you continue making it your habit of not loving the
world, nor the things in the world. If anyone does at any time love this world,
then the love for the Father is unequivocally not existing in him. 16 Secondly,
each and every one of these things in the world (the flesh’s lust resulting in a
person’s lust resulting in the arrogance produced by material possessions) are
unequivocally not originating from the Father. On the contrary, they are
originating from this world. 17 Furthermore, this world is passing away along
with its lust. However, the one who at any time does God’s will is living with
reference to that which is eternal. (Author’s translation)
As we noted earlier, the third prepositional phrase kata ton archonta tēs exousias
tou aeros (κατὰ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ ἀέρος), “in agreement with the
standard of the sovereign ruler, namely the sovereign governmental authority
ruling over the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere” advances upon the
second prepositional phrase in that asserts that the recipients of the Ephesian epistle
prior to their justification by faith in Jesus Christ lived their lives “in agreement with
the standard” in which the sovereign governmental ruler of this cosmic world system
lives, who is the ruler over the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere and thus
planet earth itself.
The referent of the articular accusative masculine form of the noun archōn
(ἄρχων) is the angel who is called in Scripture “the devil” or “Satan,” who is the
sovereign ruler of the cosmic world system, which unregenerate humanity is
enslaved to since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. This word
expresses the idea that Satan possesses sovereign authority delegated to him by God
over all of unregenerate humanity and the resources of planet earth as a result of the
fall of Adam and Eve.
The articular construction of the noun archōn (ἄρχων) is “monadic” indicating
that Satan’s sovereign rulership is unique to him because he is the temporary
sovereign authority over the earth’s atmosphere until Jesus Christ’s returns to earth

at His Second Advent. It implies here that this ruler possesses certain characteristics,
which distinguish him from the ruler of the millennial reign, Jesus Christ. Thus, the
article and the word’s genitive adjunct implies that Satan’s rulership of planet earth
is distinguished from Jesus Christ’s millennial reign in that the former rules by lies
and deception and tyranny whereas the latter will rule by truth, justice and
righteousness.
The articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun exousia (ἐξουσία), “the
sovereign governmental authority” pertains to a person’s authority to rule and is
used in relation to Satan’s sovereign governmental authority over all of unregenerate
humanity and the resources of planet earth. The articular construction of this word
is also “monadic” indicating that Satan’s sovereign governmental authority is unique
to him because this authority is that of ruling over the earth’s atmosphere. The noun
exousia (ἐξουσία) functions as a genitive of apposition or epexegetical genitive,
which means that it is identifying or describing the sovereign ruler of the cosmic
world system as the sovereign governmental authority who rules over the earth’s
atmosphere.
The articular genitive masculine singular form of the noun aēr (ἀήρ), “the evil
spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere” contains the figure of metonymy which
means that the earth’s atmosphere is put for Satan’s angels whose perform their
activities in the earth’s atmosphere. This interpretation is indicated by the fact that
people of the first century view the earth’s atmosphere as the personal abode of evil
spirits. It functions as a genitive of subordination, which indicates that the angels of
Satan who perform their duties in the earth’s atmosphere are subordinate to the
sovereign governmental authority of Satan. In other words, it indicates that the devil
is the sovereign governmental authority who rules over the angels who perform their
evil activities in the earth’s atmosphere.
The apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12 mentions these evil spirits who are
under the authority of Satan dwelling the earth’s atmosphere as well as the stellar
universe and having access as well to the first heaven and the throne room of God.
Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake
of you Gentiles—3:2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for you, 3:3 that by revelation the divine secret was made
known to me, as I wrote before briefly. 3:4 When reading this, you will be able
to understand my insight into this secret of Christ. 3:5 Now this secret was not
disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy
apostles and prophets by the Spirit, 3:6 namely, that through the gospel the
Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of
the promise in Christ Jesus. 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel according to
the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the exercise of his power. 3:8 To
me—less than the least of all the saints—this grace was given, to proclaim to

the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ 3:9 and to enlighten everyone
about God’s secret plan—a secret that has been hidden for ages in God who has
created all things. 3:10 The purpose of this enlightenment is that through the
church the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers
and the authorities in the heavenly realms. (NET)
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his
power. 6:11 Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able
to stand against the schemes of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh
and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers
of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. (NET)
The prepositional phrase en tois epouraniois (ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις) not only
appears in Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12 but also in Ephesians 1:3, 20 and 2:6. In each
instance, it refers to the first, second and third heavens. Therefore, in Ephesians 3:10
and 6:12 Paul is teaching that the evil spirits or angels under the authority of Satan
dwell in the first, second and third heavens and performing their rebellious and
activities against God in each of these three levels.
The prepositional phrase kata ton archonta tēs exousias tou aeros (κατὰ τὸν
ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ ἀέρος), “in agreement with the standard of the
sovereign ruler, namely the sovereign governmental authority ruling over the
evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere” is expressing the idea prior to their
justification the recipients of the Ephesian epistle existed in the state of living their
lives committing transgressions or sins against God “in agreement with the standard”
in which the sovereign ruler of the cosmic world system lives his life.
Lastly, as we noted earlier, the appositional clause tou pneumatos tou nyn
energountos en tois huiois tēs apeitheias (τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ νῦν ἐνεργοῦντος ἐν
τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας), “Specifically the spirit who is presently working in the
lives of those members of the human race who are characterized by
disobedience” is modifying the third prepositional phrase because it identifies or
describes the sovereign ruler or sovereign governmental authority of the cosmic
world system. He is the spirit who during the present age is working in the lives of
those members of the human race who are characterized by disobedience to God.
The noun pneuma (πνεῦμα), “the spirit” pertains to a supernatural non-material
being that is self-aware with powers to affect the course of human events. It functions
as a genitive of apposition or epexegetical genitive, which means that it is identifying
or describing this sovereign ruler and sovereign governmental authority of the
cosmic world system as the spirit who is now in this present working in the lives of
members of the human race who are characterized as disobedient to God. The
articular construction of this noun is “monadic” indicating that this spirit or
supernatural immaterial being is unique or in a class all its own because he is

working in the lives of those members of the human race who are characterized as
disobedient to God, i.e. they are unregenerate humanity.
In this appositional clause, the articular genitive neuter singular present active
participle conjugation of the verb energeō (ἐνεργέω) pertains to being engaged in
some activity or function, with possible focus upon the energy or force involved.
The articular construction of the participle conjugation of this verb functions as a
genitive of simple apposition, which means that the former is simply clarifying who
is this particular spirit or supernatural immaterial being, namely, he is the one who
working in the lives of those members of the human race who are characterized by
disobedience to God.
The adverb of time nun (νῦν), “presently” is modifying verb energeō (ἐνεργέω)
and pertains a point of time simultaneous with the event of the discourse itself. The
two points of time which are simultaneous with each other are Satan working in the
lives of those members of the human race who are who are characterized by
disobedience to God, i.e. unregenerate humanity and this age in which Satan is the
ruler of his cosmic world system and also the sovereign governmental authority who
rules over the earth’s atmosphere.
The articular dative masculine plural form of the noun huios (υἱός) does not mean
“the sons” but rather “the persons, the people, the members of the human race” since
the word pertains to human beings without reference to the gender. It refers to
members of the human race who are characterized by a particular way of living their
lives. It speaks of a particular category of human beings who are distinguished by a
particular characteristic. It denotes a particular kind or class of people with the
implication of possessing certain derived characteristics.
Therefore, here in Ephesians 2:2, the noun huios (υἱός), “the members of the
human race” is used of unrepentant, unregenerate sinners who are characterized as
being disobedient to God who stand in contrast to regenerate humanity who are
obeying God. It also contains the figure of metonymy which means that these people
are put for their lives. The articular construction of this word is monadic, which
indicates that this particular group of human beings are in a class by themselves in
that they are characterized as being disobedient to God.
The noun apeitheia (ἀπείθεια), “disobedience” refers to those members of the
human race who are unwilling or refuse to obey God’s authority as expressed in His
Word. In other words, it speaks of those members of the human race who are
unrepentant, unregenerate sinners. The articular construction of this noun is generic
distinguishing this group of people characterized as disobedient to God with those
who are characterized as being obedient to Him. This word apeitheia (ἀπείθεια)
functions as a descriptive genitive, which indicates these human beings are
“characterized by” disobedience to God. It is also the object of the preposition en

(ἐν), which is expressing the idea that Satan is working in the lives of people who
“exist in the state or condition of” being characterized as being disobedient to God.
This prepositional phrase en tois huiois tēs apeitheias (ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας)
is almost identical to the one which appears in Ephesians 5:6 and Colossians 3:6.
Namely, the prepositional phrase epi tous huious tēs apeitheias (ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς
ἀπειθείας), “the people characterized by disobedience” which is a Semitic idiom
refers to the unregenerate and also appears in Ephesians 5:6.
Ephesians 2:2 mentions two of the church age believer’s great enemies, namely,
the cosmic world system (John 16:33; 1 John 5:4; Ephesians 2:2) and Satan (1 Peter
5:8-9; Ephesians 6:12; John 16:11; Colossians 2:15; but note 1 John 2:13-14) who
rules over it and the third is mentioned in Ephesians 2:3, namely, the indwelling old
Adamic sin nature (Rom. 7:15; 8:4-8, 13; Gal. 5:16-26).
The contents of Ephesians 2:3 continues Paul’s thought from the contents of
Ephesians 2:1-2 because the former like the latter describes the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle who we noted were Gentile Christians living in the Roman province
of Asia prior to their justification or in other words, their conversion. However, in
Ephesians 2:1-2, Paul is describing these Gentile Christians in the Roman province
of Asia from the perspective of their relationship to Satan and his cosmic system
prior to God the Father declaring them justified through faith in His one and only
Son, Jesus Christ. On other hand, in Ephesians 2:3, Paul is describing both himself
and these Gentile Christians from the perspective of their relationship to their
indwelling old Adamic sin nature prior to God the Father declaring them justified
through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. This is indicated by the fact that
in Ephesians 2:1-2 Paul employs the second person plural form while on the other
hand in Ephesians 2:3 he uses the first personal plural. The former would mean that
Paul is describing only these Gentile Christians in the Roman province of Asia while
on other hand, the latter would mean that he is describing both himself and these
Gentile Christians.
Why would Paul do this? Prior to his justification, wasn’t he like the rest of his
fellow unregenerate Jewish countrymen enslaved to Satan and his cosmic system?
This would seem to indicate that he is identifying himself with his readers in
Ephesians 2:3 but not in Ephesians 2:1-2 implying that he was not enslaved to Satan
and his cosmic system. The contents of Ephesians 2:2 give the reader the answer to
these questions.
Notice in Ephesians 2:2 Paul asserts that each and every one of these Gentile
Christians formerly lived by means of committing sin which was in agreement with
the “standard” of the unregenerate people of this age, which began with the fall of
Adam and ends with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. This “standard” he asserts
is the production of the cosmic world system and specifically it is in agreement with
the “standard” of the sovereign ruler, and governmental authority ruling over the evil

spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere. This sovereign ruler and governmental
authority ruling over the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere is of course
Satan, the devil.
The Jews on the other hand however did “not” conduct their lives according to
the same standard as the Gentiles because they were given the Mosaic Law, which
was to govern their lives (cf. Rom. 9:4-5). So therefore the Mosaic Law was the
standard by which Paul and his fellow unregenerate Jewish countrymen were
conducting their lives. Of course, they could not live perfectly by this standard set
by a holy God as Paul taught in Romans chapter two. Thus, the need for the Son of
God to become a human being and accomplished this task for the Jewish people as
well as on behalf of every unregenerate Gentile. Interestingly, unlike the Gentiles
who are governed by Satan and his angels, the Jews have the elect angel Michael,
who presently is the highest ranking archangel in God’s kingdom, governing and
protecting the nation of Israel from the attacks of the devil according to Daniel 10:13,
21 and 12:1.
Ephesians 2:3 begins with the declarative statement en hois kai hēmeis pantes
anestraphēmen pote en tais epithymiais tēs sarkos hēmōn (ἐν οἷς καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες
ἀνεστράφημέν ποτε ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν), “Among whom, each and
every one of us also formerly for our own selfish benefit conducted our lives by
means of those lusts, which are produced by our flesh.” It is followed by a
participial clause, which is poiountes ta thelēmata tēs sarkos kai tōn dianoiōn
(ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ τῶν διανοιῶν), “Specifically, by indulging
those inclinations which are produced by our flesh, in other words, those
impulses, which are the product of our flesh.” This participial clause is followed
by a result clause, which is kai ēmetha tekna physei orgēs (καὶ ἤμεθα τέκνα φύσει
ὀργῆς), “Consequently, each and every one of us caused ourselves to be children
who are objects of wrath because of our natural condition from physical birth.”
Lastly, this result clause is followed by an elliptical comparative clause, which is
hōs kai hoi loipoi (ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί), “Just as the rest of unregenerate humanity
correspondingly caused themselves to be children who are objects of wrath
because of their natural condition from physical birth.”
So therefore, the declarative statement en hois kai hēmeis pantes anestraphēmen
pote en tais epithymiais tēs sarkos hēmōn (ἐν οἷς καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἀνεστράφημέν
ποτε ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν) is making an assertion about not only Paul
and by implication his fellow Jewish countrymen as well as these Gentile Christians.
This statement asserts that each and every one of them formerly for their own selfish
benefit conducted their lives by means of those lusts, which are produced by their
flesh.
As we noted in our exegesis, the referent of the dative masculine plural form of
the relative pronoun hos (ὅς), “whom” appears in Ephesians 2:2 and is the articular

dative masculine plural form of the noun huios (υἱός), “those members of the
human race,” which is modified by the articular genitive feminine singular form of
the noun apeitheia (ἀπείθεια), “characterized by disobedience.” This is indicated
by the fact that the relative pronoun hos (ὅς) here in Ephesians 2:3 agrees in gender
(masculine), number (plural) and case (dative) with the noun huios (υἱός), which we
noted appears in Ephesians 2:2.
As we noted in our study of Ephesians 2:2, the articular dative masculine plural
form of the noun huios (υἱός) pertains to human beings without reference to the
gender. It refers to members of the human race who are characterized by a particular
way of living their lives. It speaks of a particular category of human beings who are
distinguished by a particular characteristic. It denotes a particular kind or class of
people with the implication of possessing certain derived characteristics.
Therefore, in Ephesians 2:2, the noun huios (υἱός), “the members of the human
race” is used of unrepentant, unregenerate sinners who are characterized as being
disobedient to God who stand in contrast to regenerate humanity who are obeying
God. It also contains the figure of metonymy which means that these people are put
for their lives. The articular construction of this word is monadic, which indicates
that this particular group of human beings are in a class by themselves in that they
are characterized as being disobedient to God.
We also noted in our study of Ephesians 2:2 that the noun apeitheia (ἀπείθεια),
“disobedience” refers to those members of the human race who are unwilling or
refuse to obey God’s authority as expressed in His Word. In other words, it speaks
of those members of the human race who are unrepentant, unregenerate sinners. The
articular construction of this noun is generic distinguishing this group of people
characterized as disobedient to God with those who are characterized as being
obedient to Him. This word apeitheia (ἀπείθεια) functions as a descriptive genitive,
which indicates these human beings are “characterized by” disobedience to God. It
is also the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which is expressing the idea that Satan
is working in the lives of people who “exist in the state or condition of” being
characterized as being disobedient to God.
Therefore, here in Ephesians 2:3, the dative masculine plural form of the relative
pronoun hos (ὅς) refers to those members of the human race who are characterized
by disobedience to God. In other words, it refers to all of unregenerate humanity
who are under the wrath of God.
This word is the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which functions as a marker of
location among other persons or objects. Therefore, this preposition is marking those
members of the human race who are characterized by disobedience to God as the
people the recipients of the Ephesian epistle were living “among” prior to the Father
declaring them justified through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

The conjunction kai (καί), “also” is adjunctive, which means that it is presenting
these Gentile Christians living in the Roman province of Asia as an addition to those
members of the human race who are characterized by disobedience to God.
The nominative first person plural form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ) refers
to Paul and these Gentile Christians living in the Roman province of Asia as a
corporate unit. The nominative masculine plural form of the adjective pas (πᾶς)
means “each and every of” since the word is used in a distributive sense emphasizing
no exceptions. This word is in the anarthrous fourth attributive position (noun-
adjective), which indicates that it expresses an attributive relation to the nominative
first person plural form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ), “all of us as a corporate
unit.” Therefore, this word is emphasizing the idea that prior to God the Father
declaring them justified “Paul” and “each and every one of” the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle lived just like those members of the human race who are
characterized by disobedience to God. In other words, “each and every one of” them
lived their lives just like those members of the human race who are characterized by
disobedience to God. Thus, Paul is reminding these Gentile Christians that they were
unregenerate prior to their justification by faith.
The use of the nominative first person plural form of the personal pronoun ego
(ἐγώ) here in Ephesians 2:3 is unnecessary in Greek since the form of a finite verb
in this language indicates the person, number and gender of the subject. Here in
Ephesians 2:3, the first person plural aorist middle indicative conjugation of the verb
anastrephō (ἀναστρέφω), “lived out our lives” indicates the person, number and
gender of the subject. This is what makes Greek an “inflectional” language. When
the personal pronoun is used therefore, it may serve to clarify the subject or contrast
the subject with someone else or for emphasis.
In Ephesians 2:3, the nominative first person plural form of the personal pronoun
ego (ἐγώ) is used for emphasis as well as contrast. First, it is emphasizing that prior
to their justification, Paul and each one of these Gentile Christians living in the
Roman province who are the recipients of the Ephesian epistle for our own selfish
benefit conducted their lives by means of those lusts, which are produced by our
flesh. Secondly, it is marking a contrast between Paul and these Gentile Christians
prior to their justification and those members of the human race who are
characterized by disobedience to God. The contrast is with the expression tois huiois
tēs apeitheias (τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας), “those members of the human race who
are characterized by disobedience,” which appears at the end of Ephesians 2:2 and
refers to unrepentant, unregenerate humanity. Therefore, the contrast is between God
the Father saving Paul and these Gentile Christians from enslavement to the sin
nature and Satan and his cosmic system through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus
Christ and the rest of unregenerate humanity who are not saved because they have
rejected Jesus Christ as their Savior.

The verb anastrephō (ἀναστρέφω) is used here in a figurative sense with regards
to a person’s lifestyle. The middle voice of the verb is an indirect middle, which is
expressing the idea that Paul and each one of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle
“for their own selfish benefit” conducted their lives among the unregenerate lives
prior to their justification by means of those desires, which are produced by the old
Adamic sin nature.
This verb is modified by the indefinite temporal particle pote (ποτέ), “formerly.”
As was the case in Ephesians 2:2 when the word appeared, it speaks of a period of
time prior to Paul and these Gentile Christians being declared justified by the Father
through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, it refers to their pre-
conversion portion of their lives as human beings on planet earth when they were
unregenerate and enslaved to the sin nature and Satan and his cosmic system.
The articular dative feminine plural form of the noun epithumia (ἐπιθυμία),
“those lusts” pertains to the various lust patterns of the sin nature. However, this
word not only refers to sexual lust but also to power lust, approbation lust, social
lust, monetary lust, materialism lust, inordinate ambition resulting in inordinate
competition, revenge lust, criminal lust, chemical lust, crusader lust, and pleasure
lust. At the heart of such lusts is the desire to live independently of the will of God.
The articular construction of this word is monadic, which indicates that these
various lust patterns by Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian prior to the Father
declaring them justified through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ were
“unique” to Paul and these Gentile Christians living in the Roman province of Asia
prior to the Father declaring them justified through faith in His one and only Son,
Jesus Christ when they were unregenerate.
The articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun sarx (σάρξ) pertains to
the human body with emphasis upon its substance or what it is composed of
indicating that the genetic structure of the human body is the location of the sin
nature. So it indicates that the various lust patterns, which were unique to Paul and
the recipients of the Ephesian epistle prior to their justification, resided in their
human bodies. Thus, this word indicates that the old Adamic sin nature is located in
the genetic structure of the human body, which is further supported by Paul’s
teaching in Romans 6:6 and 7:24. The noun sarx (σάρξ) functions as a genitive of
production, which indicates that these various lust patterns in unregenerate humanity
are “produced by” the flesh, i.e. the old Adamic sin nature.
The noun epithumia (ἐπιθυμία) is the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which
expresses the idea that prior to their conversion, Paul and the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle conducted their lives “by means of” these lusts which are produced
by the flesh, i.e. produced by the indwelling old Adamic sin nature.
Now, as we noted the declarative statement, which begins Ephesians 2:3 is
followed by the participial clause poiountes ta thelēmata tēs sarkos kai tōn dianoiōn

(ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ τῶν διανοιῶν), , “Specifically, by indulging
those inclinations which are produced by our flesh, in other words, those
impulses, which are the product of our flesh,” which stands in apposition to this
declarative statement. It describes specifically what Paul means by the declarative
statement because it presents the means by which Paul and the recipients of the
epistle conducted their lives by means of those lusts, which are produced by their
flesh, in other words, those impulse, which are the product of their flesh.
We noted in our exegesis that the nominative masculine plural present active
participle conjugation of the verb poieō (ποιέω) means “to indulge” since the word
pertains to excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying one’s own desires.
The articular accusative neuter plural form of the noun thelēma (θέλημα), “those
inclinations” pertains to an intense nature disposition, preference or propensity, a
particular disposition of mind and character. The articular construction of this word
is monadic, which indicates that these inclinations are “unique” or “in a class by
themselves” because they are produced through the function of human volition by
the old Adamic sin nature, which resides in the genetic structure of every
unregenerate human being.
The articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun sarx (σάρξ) identifies
why these inclinations are unique or in a class by themselves. The articular
construction of this word is anaphoric, which means that the article is pointing back
to the use of this word earlier in the verse indicating that it is retaining the same
referent and meaning as it had earlier in the verse. As was the case when the word
appeared earlier in the verse, the noun sarx (σάρξ) functions as a genitive of
production, which indicates that these inclinations are “produced by” the flesh, i.e.
the old Adamic sin nature.
The nominative case of the participle conjugation of the verb poieō (ποιέω)
functions as a nominative of simple apposition, which indicates that the participle
conjugation of this verb defines or explains how Paul and the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle formerly conducted their lives by means of those lusts which are
produced by the flesh among unregenerate humanity prior to their justification. The
participle conjugation of this verb poieō (ποιέω) functions as a participle of means,
which would indicate that Paul and each one of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle
conducted their lives “by means of” indulging those inclinations, which are produced
by the flesh, i.e. the indwelling old Adamic sin nature.
Once again, Paul employs the conjunction kai (καί). However, this time the word
is epexegetical because the word, which it is introducing, which is the articular
genitive feminine plural form of the noun dianoia (διάνοια), is explaining
specifically what Paul means by the articular accusative neuter plural form of the
noun thelēma (θέλημα). The latter we noted means “inclinations” since the word

pertains to an intense nature disposition, preference or propensity, a particular
disposition of mind and character.
The articular genitive feminine plural form of the noun dianoia (διάνοια), “those
impulses” since it pertains to a force producing motion suddenly, the act of driving
onward with sudden force, a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some
usually unpremeditated action, a propensity or natural tendency. This noun also
functions as a genitive of product, which indicates that the genitive case of the noun
dianoia (διάνοια) is the product the flesh, i.e. the indwelling old Adamic sin nature.
Therefore, the expression kai tōn dianoiōn (καὶ τῶν διανοιῶν), “in other words,
those impulses, which are the product of the flesh” is describing the expression
ta thelēmata tēs sarkos (τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς), “those lusts which are produced
by the flesh” from a different perspective. Therefore, this indicates that when Paul
asserts that he and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle prior to their conversion
indulged those inclinations produced by the flesh, he means they indulged those
impulses which are the product of the flesh, i.e. the indwelling old Adamic sin
nature.
In Romans 7:23, the apostle Paul teaches that the sin nature resides in the genetic
structure of the human body.
Romans 7:23 However, I habitually recognize a different kind of propensity
in my members as perpetually waging war against the propensity originating
from my mind and in addition perpetually making me a prisoner of war with
respect to the propensity originating from the sin nature, which does
perpetually exist in my members. (Author’s translation)
These “inclinations” or “impulses,” which are produced by a person’s old
indwelling Adamic sin nature through the function of their volition are listed by Paul
in Galatians 5:19-20 and in Colossians 3:5.
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,
impurity, depravity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts
of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions. (NET)
Colossians 3:5 So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth:
sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is
idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of
disobedience. (NET)
As we noted, this participial clause in Ephesians 2:3 is followed by a result clause,
which is kai ēmetha tekna physei orgēs (καὶ ἤμεθα τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς),
“Consequently, each and every one of us caused ourselves to be children who
are objects of wrath because of our natural condition from physical birth,”
which presents the result of Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle indulging
those inclinations produced by their flesh. In other words, they indulged those
impulses which are the product of their flesh. This result clause asserts that Paul and

each and every one of these Gentile Christians prior to their justification caused
themselves to be children who are the objects of God’s wrath because of their natural
condition from birth and which condition was the result of the imputation of Adam’s
sin in the Garden of Eden at physical birth.
We noted in our exegesis that the first person plural imperfect middle indicative
conjugation of the verb eimi (εἰμί) pertains to belonging to a particular group of
individuals who possess certain inherent characteristics.
The nominative neuter plural form of the noun teknon (τέκνον), “children” since
pertains to a category of people distinguished by some common characteristic. Here
the referent of the word is unregenerate humanity who are objects of God’s wrath
because they are sinners by nature and practice due to the imputation of Adam’s sin
in the garden of Eden as well as through the function of their own volition. The word
emphasizes that unregenerate humanity was born into a sinful condition. The noun
functions as a predicate nominative, which means that it is making the assertion that
Paul and each of these Gentile Christians living in the Roman province of Asia were
children who by nature are characterized as being the objects of God’s wrath.
The dative feminine singular form of the noun physis (φύσις), “nature…from
physical birth” speaks of the sinful nature of human beings because they are sinners
by nature and practice as a result of the imputation of Adam’s sin in the garden of
Eden, which they received at the moment of physical birth (cf. Rom. 5:12-19).
Specifically, it pertains to something which is innate in that it refers to qualities or
characteristics that are a part of the inner essential nature of all of unregenerate
humanity. Therefore, this word refers to the natural human condition innately from
physical birth as a result of the imputation of Adam sin in the Garden of Eden.
This word functions as a dative of cause, which indicates that Paul and the
recipients of the Ephesian epistle belong to that group of people who are
characterized as being the objects of God’s wrath “because of” their natural
condition from physical birth due to the imputation of Adam’s sin in the garden of
Eden.
Therefore, this word is speaking of the total depravity of unregenerate humanity.
“Total depravity” means not only that the corruption has extended to all aspects of a
human being’s nature, to their entire being as well but also that because of that
corruption mankind has no merit with God. There are other passages of Scriptures
that address the issue of man’s total depravity (cf. Job 14:1-4; 15:14-16; Jeremiah
17:9; Matthew 15:19-20).
The implications of depravity are critical in relation to salvation in that man has
no ability whatsoever to save himself or justify himself before a holy God. The Lord
labeled His disciples evil in Matthew 7:11 because of their depraved nature. Romans
1:28 and Ephesians 4:18 teach that the mind of mankind is affected and Hebrews
9:14 says that the conscience is unclean. The heart is deceitful according to Jeremiah

17:9 and by nature mankind is under the righteous indignation of God, i.e. His wrath
according to Ephesian 2:3 and Romans 1:18. Depravity affects the soul (Mark 7:20-
23), thus defiling man’s thought process, which manifests itself in sinful words and
actions.
The concept of total depravity does not mean that mankind cannot perform
actions that are good or helpful to others or in God’s sight. What it does mean is that
man can perform no action that could gain him merit with God. Total depravity
means that man has absolutely no merit with God since he does not measure up to
God’s perfect standards. It also means that man’s conscience has been affected by
the Fall of Adam so that it cannot be a safe and reliable guide. Nor does total
depravity mean that people will indulge in every form of sin or any sin to the greatest
extent possible.
The fact that the entire human race is totally depraved is manifested through the
practice of sin among both Jew and Gentiles. In Romans 1:18-32, Paul demonstrates
that the Gentiles are unrighteous and totally depraved by virtue of their sinful
conduct and failure to worship God in light of God’s self-revelation in creation as
well as their failure to obey the moral law inherent within them.
In Romans 2:1-29, he demonstrates that the Jews are unrighteous and totally
depraved as well as manifested in their failure to obey perfectly the written Law of
God and committing the same sins that the Gentiles committed. In Romans 3:9-20,
Paul summarizes his statements in Romans 1:18-2:29 and teaches the totally
depravity and universal unrighteousness of mankind, both Jew and Gentile.
The noun orgē (ὀργή), “objects of wrath” pertains to God’s legitimate anger
directed towards unrepentant sinners which is an expression of His holiness. It will
be experienced for all of eternity by these unrepentant, unregenerate sinners in the
eternal lake of fire for either rejecting the revelation of God in creation, or the
revelation of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ, or the gospel of Jesus
Christ. It is used of God’s settled opposition to and displeasure against sin meaning
that God’s holiness cannot and will not coexist with sin in any form whatsoever. It
is not the momentary, emotional, and often uncontrolled anger to which human
beings are prone and does not refer to an explosive outburst but rather it refers to an
inner, deep resentment that seethes and smolders, often unnoticed by others as in the
case of God’s wrath. God hates sin so much and loves the sinner so much that He
judged His Son Jesus Christ for every sin in human history-past, present and future
and provided deliverance from sin through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. The only
way to avoid God’s righteous indignation is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
The noun orgē (ὀργή) contains the figure of metonymy which means that wrath
is put for being the object of God’s wrath or righteous indignation. This word also
functions as a genitive of description, which is indicating these children are

“characterized” as being the objects of God’s wrath or righteous indignation because
of their natural condition from birth.
In Ephesians 2:2, the expression tois huiois tēs apeitheias (τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς
ἀπειθείας), “those members of the human race who are characterized by
disobedience” emphasizes that prior to their conversion, Paul and the recipients of
the Ephesian epistle, who we noted were Gentile Christians living in the Roman
province of Asia, disobeyed God through the function of their own volition. On other
hand, in Ephesians 2:3, the expression tekna physei orgēs (τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς),
“children who are objects of wrath because of our natural condition from
physical birth” emphasizes that they were sinners under the wrath of God by virtue
of physical birth when they received the imputation of Adam’s sin.
The imperfect conjugation of the verb eimi (εἰμί) is a stative imperfect tense,
which expresses the idea that Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle “in the
past existed in the state” belonging to those who are children characterized as being
objects of God’s wrath because of their natural condition acquired at physical birth.
The middle voice of the verb is a causative middle, which expresses the idea that
Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian in the past “caused themselves” to exist in
the state of belonging to those who are children characterized as being objects of
God’s wrath because of their natural condition acquired at physical birth. The
causative middle indicates that they “caused themselves through the function of their
own volition resulting in” them being children who are objects of God’s wrath.
As we noted this result cause is followed by an elliptical comparative clause,
which is hōs kai hoi loipoi (ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί), “Just as the rest of unregenerate
humanity correspondingly caused themselves to be children who are objects of
wrath because of their natural condition from physical birth,” which is marking
a comparison between Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle prior to their
conversion to Christianity and the rest of unregenerate humanity. Here it is marking
the unregenerate lifestyle of Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle prior to
their justification as conforming with or in agreement with the lifestyle of the rest of
unregenerate humanity.
Ephesians 2:4-6 form a complete thought, which stands in a mild contrast to the
contents of Ephesians 2:1-3. In fact, the thought begun in Ephesians 2:1 is not
completed until Ephesians 2:5-6, which thus creates an “anacoluthon” in Ephesians
2:2-4, which means that there is a break the grammar. Up to this point in Ephesians
2:1-3, the main verb and the subject have not been mentioned until now where the
subject God the Father is mentioned here in Ephesians 2:4 and the main verb is
mentioned in Ephesians 2:5, which we noted is the third person singular aorist active
indicative conjugation of the verb syzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω), “made alive together”
(NET). Ephesians 2:1-4 is one incomplete sentence in order leave the readers in

suspense as to how God the Father would solve the dilemma the recipients of this
epistle were in prior to their justification.
Now, as we noted in our exegesis of Ephesians 2:4, the conjunction de (δέ)
functions as a marker of a mild contrast. This means that it is introducing an assertion
which stands in mild contrast with the assertions in Ephesians 2:1-3, which describe
the unregenerate state of Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle and all
church age believers prior to their justification. This word introduces an assertion
which appears not only in Ephesians 2:4 but also in Ephesians 2:5-6. This assertion
states that because God the Father is rich with regards to mercy because of the
exercise of His great love with which He loved the church age believer, even though
they were spiritually dead because of their transgressions, He made them alive with
His Son, Jesus Christ because of their faith in His Son at justification.
Correspondingly, the Father raised them up with His Son and seated them with Him
in the heavenlies because of their faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ at
justification. Therefore, the conjunction de (δέ) is marking a mild contrast between
the unregenerate state of the church age believer and their present state of being
made alive with Jesus Christ resulting in them being identified with Him in His
resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father. Paul does not employ the
strong adversative conjunction alla (ἀλλά) since he is not contrasting two
fundamentally different groups of people but rather the same group of people,
namely, church age believers.
As was the case in Ephesians 1:2-3, and 17, the noun theos (θεός), “God” refers
to the Father which is indicated by the articular construction of the noun, which in
the New Testament commonly signifies the Father unless otherwise indicated by the
context.
Here in Ephesians 2:4, the accusative first person plural form of the personal
pronoun ego (ἐγώ), “each and every one of us” since the word not only refers to
Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle as a corporate unit but is also used in
a distributive sense emphasizing no exceptions.
Now, here in Ephesians 2:4, the adjective plousios (πλούσιος), “rich” is used in
a figurative sense and pertains to being characterized by some particular trait which
is conceived as being wealthy in material possessions. Here the word is used in
relation to the noun eleos (ἒλεος), “mercy,” which speaks of the Father’s mercy,
which itself is related to the noun agapē (ἀγάπη), “love,” which speaks of the
Father’s attribute of love.
The nominative masculine singular present active participle conjugation of the
verb eimi (εἰμί) pertains to possessing a certain inherent characteristic. The referent
of the masculine singular form of this verb is of course the Father. The adjective
plousios (πλούσιος) functions as a predicative nominative, which means that it is
making the assertion that because the Father is rich with regards to mercy because

of the exercise of His love, He made the church age believer alive with His Son,
Jesus Christ and correspondingly, identified them with His Son in His resurrection
and session through the baptism of the Spirit.
Therefore, the verb eimi (εἰμί) is expressing the idea that the Father “possesses
inherently the characteristic of being” rich with regards to mercy because of the
exercise of His attribute of love with which He loved the church age believer.
The participle conjugation of this verb functions as a causal participle, which
means indicates that “because” God the Father is rich with regards to mercy because
of the exercise of His attribute of love with which He loved the church age believer,
even though they were spiritually dead because of their transgressions, the Father
made them alive with His Son, Jesus Christ. Correspondingly, He also raised them
up with Him and seated them with Him in the heavenlies because of their faith in
Him at justification and union and identification with Him.
The noun eleos (ἒλεος), “mercy” is used in relation to the Father’s actions in
relation to the church age believer when they were unregenerate or spiritually dead
and were His enemies because they were sinners by nature and practice. Thus, the
word speaks of the Father being rich in mercy because He withheld judging them in
order that He could make them alive or in other words, give them eternal life through
faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. In other words, it speaks of the Father being rich in
mercy because He did not condemn them to eternal condemnation and experiencing
His wrath for all of eternity in the lake of fire in order that He could make them alive
or give them eternal life through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:4-7 teaches that is “God is rich in mercy” and in “grace” and these
riches make it possible for sinners to be saved. We are not saved by God’s love but
by His grace and mercy, which are expressions of His love. He treats us in a manner
that we don’t deserve and this is made possible because of the spiritual death of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the cross. God manifested at the cross, His hatred
of sin and His love for sinners. Therefore, one of the attributes or characteristics of
God’s love is that it is “merciful” meaning that God is compassionate towards His
enemies and pardons them (Eph. 2:1-7). Mercy characterizes God’s love. Ephesians
2:1-7 teaches that God exercised His attribute of love by being in rich in mercy in
raising us up and seating us with Christ at His right hand while we were His enemies
and enslaved to the sin nature and the devil.
God’s love is “merciful” meaning that God is compassionate towards His
enemies and pardons them (Eph. 2:1-7). Ephesians 2:1-7 teaches us that God’s
attribute of love causes Him to be “merciful” meaning that God is compassionate
towards His enemies and pardons them when they believe in Jesus Christ.
The mercy of God is related to the believer’s salvation since God saved us on the
basis of His mercy and not on the basis of human merit or actions (Tit. 3:5).

Titus 3:4 But when the kindness, yes the love for mankind originating from
the Savior who is our God was manifested, 5 He saved us, by no means on the
basis of meritorious actions as constituting its source. In other words, on the
basis of human self-righteousness which we ourselves have done. But rather on
the basis of His mercy as constituting the standard, by means of a washing
produced by regeneration, specifically, a renovation produced by the Spirit
who is holy. (Author’s translation)
God has been merciful to all believers in that He sent His Son to the cross while
we were yet sinners (Romans 5:6-8).
Mercy is God acting upon His policy of grace and withholding judgment. The
mercy of God is a manifestation of Who God is and is thus helps to compose His
glory (Ex. 34:7).
Psalm 86:15 But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to
anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. (NASB95)
Psalm 119:156 Great are Your mercies, O LORD; Revive me according to
Your ordinances. (NASB95)
Psalm 145:8 The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great
in lovingkindness. 9 The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His
works. (NASB95)
James 5:11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the
endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the
Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. (NASB95)
David acknowledged and expressed in his song that God had been merciful to
him (Ps. 30:1-3; Ps. 86:15; 103:1-14).
The Lord Jesus Christ perfectly manifested the mercy and compassion of God
since He is the love of God incarnate who manifested perfectly the character and
nature of God, and thus has explained the love of God (cf. Jn. 1:18). The mercy of
God as an expression of the love of God was manifested perfectly to the entire human
race through the Father’s sacrifice of His Son at the cross of Calvary and the Son’s
willingness to be that sacrifice. The Lord Jesus Christ revealed the love of God
through His mercy and compassion towards members of the human race during His
First Advent (Mt. 9:27, 36; 14:14; 15:22, 32; 17:15; 20:30-31, 34; 23:37; Mk. 1:41;
5:19; 6:34; 8:2; 10:47-48; Lk. 7:13; 10:33; 15:20; 17:13; 18:38-39; Lk. 7:13; Jn.
11:35). In Luke 6:35-36, the Lord taught His disciples to imitate the Father in being
compassionate towards their enemies. Mercy and compassion are chief tenants of
the royal family honor code (Matthew 5:7; Jn. 15:9-13; Rm. 12:8; 12:1; 12:9-16;
15:1-2; Ga. 6:2; Eph. 4:30-32; Col. 3:12-14; Jam. 2:8; 1 Jn. 4:16-18; Jude 22).
There are many examples in the Scriptures of divine mercy being expressed
towards different individuals and nations throughout history. The Lord even
promised mercy upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah if there were at least 10

regenerate human beings in those cities and yet there weren’t except for Lot and his
family (Gn. 18:26). Lot and his family were recipients of God’s mercy (Gn. 19:16).
Ezra and the Jews returning from their Babylonian captivity were also
beneficiaries of the Lord’s mercy (Ezr. 9:13). The Lord was time and time again
merciful to the rebellious Exodus generation (Neh. 9:17, 31; Ps. 78:38). His mercy
has been, is and will be expressed towards every believer in every dispensation who
executes the Lord’s plan for their dispensation (Ps. 103:11). The Lord expressed His
mercy towards the Exodus generation when they were slaves to Pharaoh and the
Egyptians (Ex. 3:7). His compassion will be expressed towards Israel in the future
when they will be regathered from throughout the entire world and restored as client
nation to God during the Millennium (Dt. 30:3).
The Lord expressed His mercy towards Israel in the past by sending prophets to
warn them of the impending fifth cycle of discipline if they did not repent and adhere
to the Law (2 Ch. 36:15). David acknowledged and expressed in his song that God
had merciful to him (Ps. 30:1-3; Ps. 86:15; 103:1-14). He is always merciful towards
those who are humble and respect Him by joyfully executing His plan (Ps. 34:18-
20). David expresses in song that God is merciful towards those who are merciful
(Ps. 41:1-3). The Lord has been merciful towards those who’ve accepted the Lord
Jesus Christ as Savior (Ps. 107:19-22).
The Lord was merciful to King Hezekiah of Israel and allowed him to live another
15 years (Is. 38:15-20). The Lord through the prophet Jeremiah promised that He
would be compassionate to Israel if she turned from her apostasy (Jer. 12:15). As he
watched the nation of Israel being led captive into their Babylonian captivity,
Jeremiah prophesied that the Lord would be compassionate again and bring them
back from the captivity (Lm. 3:32). The Lord has always been compassionate to
Israel though she had not recognized it this fact (Ho. 11:4). The Lord promised that
He would have compassion upon them and provides a Savior Who would pay for
their sins (Mi. 7:19).
Now, as was the case in Ephesians 1:4, the noun agapē (ἀγάπη), “love” here in
Ephesians 2:4 refers here to the exercise of God the Father’s attribute of love.
However, in the former, the word was used of the exercise of the Father’s attribute
of love in eternity past when He elected the church age believer by predestinating
them to adoption as His sons. On the other hand, the in the latter, the word is used
of the exercise of the Father’s attribute of love at the moment He declared the church
age believer justified through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. The word
contains the figure of metonymy which means that the Father’s attribute of love is
put for the exercise of this love toward the church age believer because of their faith
in His Son, Jesus Christ when He declared them justified.
The noun agapē (ἀγάπη) is modified by the accusative feminine singular form of
the adjective polus (πολύς), “great” and is describing the exercise of the Father’s

attribute of love when He justified the church age believer through faith in His Son
and made them alive with His Son and identified them with Him in His resurrection
and session at His right hand as being remarkable in magnitude, degree and
effectiveness. It was remarkable in magnitude, degree and effectiveness because the
Father did this when they were spiritually dead and sinners by nature and practice
and His enemies. Neither human beings nor angels possess inherently because this
love is unique to God the Father’s holy character.
The noun agapē (ἀγάπη), “love” is the object of the preposition dia (διά), which
functions as a marker of cause, which means that it is marking the noun agapē
(ἀγάπη) as the reason why the Father possesses inherently the characteristic of being
rich with regards to mercy. Therefore, this prepositional phrase dia tēn pollēn
agapēn autou (διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἀγάπην αὐτοῦ) is expressing the idea that the Father
exists in the state of possessing inherently the characteristic of being rich with
regards to mercy “because of the exercise of His great love.”
As we noted in our introduction, the love of God is a major theme in the Ephesian
epistle and is tied to the theme of unity. The divine attribute of love is mentioned in
this epistle (Eph. 1:4; 2:4; 3:19) as well as the church age believer’s responsibility
to practice this love by obeying the Lord Jesus Christ’s command in John 13:34 and
15:12 to love one another as He has loved the church (Eph. 1:15; 3:17; 4:2, 15, 16;
5:2; 6:23). That the love of God is a major theme is indicated by the noun agapē
(ἀγάπη) appears 10 times in Ephesians (Eph. 1:4, 15; 2:4; 3:17, 19; 4:2, 15-16; 5:2:
6:23), the verb agapaō (ἀγαπάω) 7 times (Eph. 1:6; 2:4; 5:2, 28, 33; 6:24), the
adjective agapētos (ἀγαπητός) twice (Eph. 5:1; 6:21).
The verb agapaō (ἀγαπάω), “He loved” refers to the Father exercising His
attribute of love (i.e. divine-love) on behalf of each and every church age believer at
the moment of their justification when they were sinners by nature and practice and
spiritually dead and His enemies.
Now, Ephesians 2:5 contains a concessive clause, which is ontas hēmas nekrous
tois paraptōmasin synezōopoiēsen tō Christō (ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς
παραπτώμασιν συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ), “Even though each and every one of
us as a corporate unit were spiritually dead ones because of our transgressions,
He caused each and every one of us to be made alive together with the one and
only Christ” (Author’s translation). It is then followed by a declarative statement,
which is chariti este sesōsmenoi (χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι), “Each and every one of
you as a corporate unit are saved because of grace!” (Author’s translation). The
concessive clause resumes and completes the incomplete concessive clause hymas
ontas nekrous tois paraptōmasin kai tais hamartiais hymōn (ὑμᾶς ὄντας νεκροὺς
τοῖς παραπτώμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν), “Even though, each and every one
of you as a corporate unit were spiritually dead ones because of your
transgressions, in other words, because of your sins,” which appeared in

Ephesians 2:1. The declarative statement in Ephesians 2:5 emphatically presents the
implication for this completed concessive clause in Ephesians 2:5.
As we noted in our exegesis of Ephesians 2:5, Paul employs the ascensive use of
the conjunction kai (καί), which means that the assertion which it is introducing is
not only an addition to the previous assertion in Ephesians 2:4 but also out of the
ordinary or unexpected and rises to a climax like the crescendo in music. It
introduces the concessive clause ontas hēmas nekrous tois paraptōmasin
synezōopoiēsen tō Christō (ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν
συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ), “Even though each and every one of us as a
corporate unit were spiritually dead ones because of our transgressions, He
caused each and every one of us to be made alive together with the one and only
Christ” (Author’s translation). The protasis of this concessive clause is almost
identical to the one in Ephesians 2:1. The only difference between the two is that the
one in Ephesians 2:1 employs the accusative second personal plural form of the
personal pronoun su (σύ), which refers to the recipients of the Ephesian epistle. On
the other hand, the one in Ephesians 2:5 employs the accusative first person plural
form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ), which refers to both Paul and the recipients
of this epistle. Therefore, the conjunction kai (καί) here in Ephesians 2:5 introduces
a concessive clause, which resumes and completes the one it introduces in Ephesians
2:1 but with a slight difference in subject.
So therefore, the ascensive use of conjunction kai (καί) here in Ephesians 2:5
indicates that the assertion in the concessive clause ontas hēmas nekrous tois
paraptōmasin synezōopoiēsen tō Christō (ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν
Christ” (Author’s translation) is out of the ordinary or unexpected and has brought
Paul’s statements in Ephesians 2:1-4 to a climax like a crescendo in music. It is out
of the ordinary and unexpected because the Father did this for the church age
believer when they were spiritually dead because of committing transgressions
against Him. It brings Paul’s assertions in Ephesians 2:1-4 to a climax like a
crescendo in music because it completes his thought from these verses.
We also noted in our exegesis of Ephesians 2:5 that the accusative masculine
plural present active participle conjugation of the verb eimi (εἰμί) in this concessive
clause pertains to certain persons who belong to a particular group of human beings
who exist in the state or condition of possessing certain characteristics. The referent
of the masculine plural form of this verb is Paul and the recipients of this epistle who
are identified in Ephesians 2:11 as being Gentile Christians.
As was the case in Ephesians 2:1, the accusative masculine plural form of the
adjective nekros (νεκρός) here in Ephesians 2:5 means “dead ones” referring to those

members of the human race who exist in the state of being spiritually dead or who
exist in an unregenerate state. However, unlike Ephesians 2:1, here in Ephesians 2:5
the referent of this word is not only the recipients of the Ephesian epistle but also
Paul.
As was the case in Ephesians 1:7 and 2:1, the noun paraptōma (παράπτωμα) here
in Ephesians 2:5 is in the plural and means “transgressions” referring to the
deliberate violations of God’s laws by the apostle Paul and the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle prior to their justification. It functions as a dative of cause, which
indicates the reason why Paul and each one of the recipients of this epistle existed
in the state of being spiritually dead. Therefore, this indicates that they existed in the
state of being spiritually dead “because of” their transgressions.
Therefore, the verb eimi (εἰμί) is expressing the idea that Paul and each of these
Gentile Christians belong to a particular group of people in the human race who exist
in the state of being spiritually dead because of their transgressions before their
justification.
The participle conjugation of this verb eimi (εἰμί) functions as a concessive
participle, which implies that Paul and each of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle
being made alive together with Jesus Christ is true in spite of the fact that they were
spiritually dead because of their transgressions they committed against the Father.
Thus, the idea of this concessive participle is that “although” Paul and each of these
Gentile Christians were spiritually dead because of their transgressions prior to their
justification, the Father made them alive together with His Son, Jesus Christ.
As was the case in Ephesians 2:1, the action of the present participle conjugation
of this verb eimi (εἰμί) here in Ephesians 2:5 is antecedent in time in relation to the
action of the aorist tense of the main verb syzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω), “made alive
together.” Therefore, this indicates that “before” being made alive at the moment of
justification through faith in Jesus Christ, Paul and each of the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle were existing in the state of being spiritually dead because of their
transgressions.
Now, in this concessive clause, the referent of the accusative first person plural
form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ), “each and every one of us” is of course
Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle, who were Gentile Christians
according to the contents of Ephesians 2:11. This word is not only speaking of Paul
and these Gentile Christians as a corporate unit but is also used in a distributive sense
emphasizing no exceptions.
Now, as we noted in our exegesis, in the concessive clause in Ephesians 2:5, Paul
employs the third person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb
suzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω), which appears only twice in the Greek New Testament,
namely here in Ephesians 2:5 and also in Colossians 2:13. In both instances, the
word means “to raise to life with, to make alive with” someone since it pertains to

causing someone to live again together with someone else. The subject of this verb
in both Ephesians 2:5 and Colossians 2:13 is God the Father. In both instances, the
word speaks of the church age believer’s identification with Jesus Christ in His
resurrection. This identification took place at the moment of the church age
believer’s justification and was accomplished through the baptism of the Spirit.
In Ephesians 2:5, this verb suzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω) is expressing the idea of the
Father “causing” Paul and each one of these Gentile Christians “to be alive together
with” Christ when He declared them justified through faith in His one and only Son,
Jesus Christ despite the fact that they were dead spiritually because of their
transgressions. This verb speaks of each of them being identified with Jesus Christ
in His resurrection at their justification through the baptism of the Spirit.
The articular dative masculine singular form of the proper name Christos
(Χριστός), “Christ” functions as a dative of association which indicates the person
one associates with. Therefore, this indicates that the Father caused Paul and each
one of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle to be alive “together with” or “in
association with” His Son, Jesus Christ.
The active voice of this verb suzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω) is a causative active,
which means that the subject is not directly involved in the action but may be said
to be the ultimate source or cause of it. Therefore, this indicates that the Father is the
ultimate cause of Paul and these Gentile Christians being identified with Jesus Christ
in His resurrection but not directly involved in it because He accomplished it through
the baptism of the Spirit, which is supported by the contents of Colossians 2:12 and
Romans 6:1-13.
As we noted, the verb suzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω) appears not only in Ephesians
2:5 but also Colossians 2:13. In both instances, the word speaks of the church age
believer identification with Jesus Christ in His resurrection.
Now, the concessive clause ontas hēmas nekrous tois paraptōmasin
synezōopoiēsen tō Christō (ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν
Christ” (Author’s translation), which appears in Ephesians 2:5, echoes not only
Colossians 2:13 but also Paul’s statements in Romans 6:4-6, 8 and 13 because the
latter also speaks of the believer being identified with Christ in His resurrection.
A comparison of Romans 6:1-13 and Colossians 2:11-13 reveal that experiencing
eternal life is inextricably tied to the church age believer’s identification with Christ
in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the
Father. They are experiencing eternal life because they are identified with Christ in
His resurrection because this identification means that they are no longer spiritually
dead but are now raised with Christ and because they are raised with Christ, they

now have eternal life. Christ has been them life from the dead and a life which is
eternal. Thus, in Colossians 2:13 and Ephesians 2:5, when Paul speaks of the church
age believer being made alive with Christ, he is not only speaking of the church age
believer’s identification with Christ in His resurrection but also that they are
regenerated and now possess and are experiencing eternal life. This is indicated by
the fact that the Scriptures also teach that the believer is regenerated through faith in
Jesus Christ at justification, which results in the believer experiencing eternal life.
Now, after the concessive clause in Ephesians 2:5, Paul employs the figure of
asyndeton in order to solemnly emphasize the declarative statement chariti este
sesōsmenoi (χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι), “Each and every one of you are saved
because of grace.” This declarative statement anticipates the assertion Tē gar chariti
este sesōsmenoi dia pisteōs (Τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ πίστεως), “For by
grace you are saved through faith” (NET), which appears in Ephesians 2:8.
Therefore, this figure emphasizes with the recipients of the Ephesian epistle that it
was on the basis of the Father’s grace policy towards unregenerate sinners that He
caused them to be made alive with His Son, Jesus Christ through the baptism of the
Spirit at their justification even though they were spiritually dead because of their
transgressions. In other words, they emphatically did not earn or deserve this act on
their behalf at their justification because the Father did this solely based upon the
merits of the person of His Son Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection
and session at His right hand. He also did this based upon the merits of their union
and identification with His Son in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and
session at His right hand. He also did this because the transgressions they committed
against Him resulted in that they did not possess any merit with Him since He is holy
or perfect.
This declarative statement chariti este sesōsmenoi (χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι),
“Each and every one of you are saved because of grace” here in Ephesians 2:5
actually summarizes in emphatic terms the previous concessive clause in this verse
because of Paul’s use of the figure of asyndeton. In fact, this statement summarizes
all of Paul’s teaching in Romans 1-8.
The apostle Paul employs the noun charis (χάρις), “grace” for the fourth time in
this epistle (cf. 1:2, 6, 7) and in each instance, the word refers to God the Father’s
grace policy towards unregenerate sinners, which manifests His attribute of love.
Grace is also a major theme in this epistle since the noun charis (χάρις), “grace”
appears 12 times in this epistle (Eph. 1:2, 6, 7; 2:5:, 7, 8; 3:2, 7, 8; 4:7, 29; 6:24).
Grace is all that God the Father is free to do in imparting unmerited blessings to
those who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior based upon the merits of Christ and His
death on the cross. It is God treating the sinner in a manner that they don’t deserve
and excludes any human works in order to acquire eternal salvation or blessing from
God.

Grace means that God saved us and blessed us despite ourselves and not
according to anything that we do but rather saved us and blessed us because of the
merits of Christ and His work on the Cross. It excludes any human merit in salvation
and blessing (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5) and gives the Creator all the credit and the
creature none. By means of faith, we accept the grace of God, which is a non-
meritorious system of perception, which is in total accord with the grace of God.
Grace and faith are totally compatible with each other and inseparable (1 Tim. 1:14)
and complement one another (Rom. 4:16; Eph. 2:8). Grace, faith, and salvation are
all the gift of God and totally exclude all human works and ability (Eph. 2:8-9).
Now, in the emphatic declarative statement in Ephesians 2:5, which follows the
concessive clause in this verse, Paul employs again the verb eimi (εἰμί). However,
this time he uses the second person plural present active indicative conjugation of
the verb. Here it again pertains to certain persons who belong to a particular group
of human beings who exist in the state or condition of possessing a particular
characteristic. The referent of the second person plural form of this verb refers to the
recipients of the Ephesian epistle which Ephesians 2:11 identify as Gentile
Christians. The word not only refers to them as a corporate unit but is also used in a
distributive sense emphasizing absolutely no exceptions expressing the idea that
“each and every one” of them were saved because of grace.
The dative feminine singular form of the noun charis (χάρις), “by grace” and the
nominative masculine plural perfect passive participle conjugation of the verb sozo
(σῴζω), “you have been saved” identify them as those who exist in the state of
belonging to a particular group of human beings who were saved by the Father’s
grace policy.
Therefore, the verb eimi (εἰμί) is expressing the idea that each and every one of
these Gentile Christians belong to a particular group of human beings who exist in
the state of being saved because of the Father’s grace policy.
The present tense of this verb is a customary present or stative present used to
signal an ongoing state. Therefore, this would indicate that each one of the recipients
of the Ephesian epistle “exist in the state of” belonging to a group of human beings
who are saved because of the Father’s grace policy towards unregenerate sinners.
The present tense can also be interpreted as a gnomic present which is used to
make a statement of a general, timeless fact and says that something does happen.
Here it would indicate that each one of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle “as a
general timeless fact” or “an eternal spiritual truth” “exist in the state of” belonging
to a group of human beings who are saved by the Father’s grace policy towards
unregenerate sinners.
Now, in this emphatic declarative statement which brings to an end Ephesians
2:5, the verb sozo (σῴζω) is used of the act of the Father delivering a sinner from
personal sins, the sin nature, Satan, his cosmic system, condemnation from the Law,

spiritual and physical death and eternal condemnation. The Father delivers the
unregenerate sinner through the voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical
deaths on the cross as well as His resurrection and session at His right hand of the
Father. This deliverance is appropriated by the unregenerate sinner when they
exercise faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Consequently, the Father delivers the
unregenerate sinner from personal sins, the sin nature, Satan, his cosmic system,
condemnation from the Law, spiritual and physical death and eternal condemnation.
The referent of the masculine plural form of this verb sozo (σῴζω) is of course
each one of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle, who we noted were Gentile
Christians according to the contents of Ephesians 2:11. The word not only refers to
them as a corporate unit but is also used in a distributive sense emphasizing
absolutely no exceptions expressing the idea that “each and every one” of them were
saved because of grace.
The verb sozo (σῴζω) is modified by the dative feminine singular form of the
noun charis (χάρις), which we noted means “grace” and refers to God the Father’s
grace policy towards unregenerate sinners who are under His wrath. The latter
function as a dative of cause, which means that the word indicates the cause or the
basis of the action of this verb sozo (σῴζω). Therefore, this indicates that the Father
saved the church age believer “because of” His grace policy towards unregenerate
sinners.
Therefore, this verb sozo (σῴζω) is expressing the idea that each one of these
Gentile Christians “are saved” because of the Father’s grace policy on behalf of
unregenerate sinners.
The perfect tense of the verb sozo (σῴζω) is an intensive perfect which is
emphasizing the present state of every church age believer being saved because of
the Father’s grace policy as a result of the Father declaring them justified through
faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Again, simultaneously, He identified
them with His Son in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at His
right hand through the baptism of the Spirit.
The passive voice of this verb sozo (σῴζω) indicates that each and every church
age believer as the subject exists in the state of having received the action being
saved because of the Father’s grace policy as a result of the Father declaring them
justified through faith in His Son and simultaneously identifying them with His Son
in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at His right hand through
the baptism of the Spirit.
The participle conjugation of this verb sozo (σῴζω) functions as a periphrastic
participle, which emphasizes with the recipients of the Ephesian epistle that they
exist in the state of being saved from the Father’s wrath because of the Father’s grace
policy when He made them alive together with His Son, Jesus Christ even though

they were spiritually dead because of the transgressions they committed against Him
prior to their justification.
There is one final interpretative issue that we must address with regards to this
declarative statement chariti este sesōsmenoi (χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι), “Each and
every one of you are saved because of grace” here in Ephesians 2:5. This issue
why did Paul switch from the first person plural to the second person plural? The
former speaks of Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle who we noted are
Gentile Christians. Thus, Paul as a Jewish Christian employs the first person plural
here in Ephesians 2:5 and throughout Ephesians 1:3-24 to identify promote unity
and solidarity with these Gentile Christians. The second person plural refers to these
Gentile Christians exclusively.
This author believes that Paul switches from the first person plural to the second
person plural for two reasons. First, he wants to emphasize with these Gentile
Christians that they as unregenerate Gentiles did not earn or deserve being made
alive with Christ and identified with Him in His resurrection but because of the
Father’s grace policy toward unregenerate sinners. Secondly, inextricably connected
to the first reason, he wants to emphasize with these Gentile Christians how utterly
amazing that the Father made them alive with His Son Jesus Christ when they unlike
the Jews did not possess a covenant relationship with God. Consequently, they did
not possess the revelation and privileges that were given to the Jews because of their
covenant relationship with the Lord. In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul discusses at length
this issue of the Gentiles being far away from God because they did not have a
covenant relationship with the Lord as the Jewish people did.
Ephesians 2:6 is composed of two elliptical declarative statements, which serve
to explain the previous concessive clause in Ephesians 2:5. The latter asserts that the
Father caused the church age believer to be made alive together with Christ even
though they were spiritually dead because of their transgressions. The first elliptical
statement in Ephesians 2:6 asserts that the Father raised the church age believer with
His Son in the heavenlies, because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and
their union and identification with Him. The second asserts that the Father caused
the church age believer to be seated with His Son in the heavenlies because of their
faith in Him at justification as well and because of their union and identification with
Him through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification. These assertions mean
that the church age believer was identified with Christ in His resurrection and session
at the right hand of the Father through the baptism of the Spirit. This took place when
the Father declared them justified through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus
Christ. Simultaneously, the Father identified the church age believer with His Son
in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at His right hand through
the baptism of the Spirit. Therefore, these elliptical declarative statements here in
Ephesians 2:6 indicate that when Paul asserts that the Father made the church age

believer alive with Christ, he means that they were identified with Christ in His
resurrection and session through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification.
As we noted in our exegesis of Ephesians 2:6, the verb sunegeirō (συνεγείρω)
pertains “to causing someone to be raised to life together with someone else” and is
conceived as causing someone to wake up and arise out of bed along with others.
The referent of the third person singular form of this verb is God the Father. As we
also noted in our exegesis of Ephesians 2:6, the apostle Paul employs the figure of
ellipsis here in Ephesians 2:6 because he is deliberately omitting the accusative first
person plural form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ) and the dative masculine
singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός), though they are
clearly implied from Ephesians 2:5. As was the case in verse 5, here in verse 6 the
referent of the accusative first person plural form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ)
is Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle, who were Gentile Christians
according to the contents of Ephesians 2:11. This word functions as the accusative
direct object of the verb sunegeirō (συνεγείρω) indicating it receives this verb’s
action. The referent of the dative masculine singular form of the intensive personal
pronoun autos (αὐτός) is Jesus Christ. This word functions as a dative of association
which indicates that the Father caused Paul and each one of the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle and all church age believers to be raised “together with” or “in
association with” His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, these three words refer to the
church age believer’s identification with Jesus Christ in His resurrection which took
place by means of the baptism of the Spirit when they were declared justified by the
Father through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
Like the active voice of the verb suzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω) in Ephesians 2:5,
which speaks of the Father causing the church age believer to be made a live with
Christ, so the active voice of this verb sunegeirō (συνεγείρω) here in Ephesians 2:6
is a causative active voice. Therefore, this indicates that the Father is the ultimate
cause of Paul and these Gentile Christians and every church age believer being
identified with Jesus Christ in His resurrection but not directly involved in it because
He accomplished it through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification. This
interpretation is supported by the contents of Colossians 2:12 and Romans 6:1-10.
The second elliptical declarative statement in Ephesians 2:6 corresponds to the
first and asserts that the Father caused the church age believer to be seated with
Christ in the heavenlies because of their faith in Him at justification and because of
their union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at their
justification. The previous assertion we noted states that the Father caused the church
age believer to be raised with His Son at the moment of justification through the
baptism of the Spirit. The correspondence between the two assertions is that both
took place through the baptism of the Spirit at the moment of justification and

together, they explain what Paul means when he asserts in verse 5 that the Father
caused the church age believer to be made alive with Christ.
The verb sygkathizō (συγκαθίζω) pertains to causing someone to be seated with
another person. The referent of the third person singular form of this verb sygkathizō
(συγκαθίζω) is God the Father. Once again, the apostle Paul employs the figure of
ellipsis here in Ephesians 2:6 because he is again deliberately omitting the accusative
first person plural form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ) and the dative masculine
singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός), though they are
clearly implied from Ephesians 2:5. As was the case in the previous statement in
verse 6 the referent of the accusative first person plural form of the personal pronoun
ego (ἐγώ) is Paul and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle, who were Gentile
Christians according to the contents of Ephesians 2:11. It functions as the accusative
direct object of the verb sygkathizō (συγκαθίζω) indicating that it is receiving the
action of this verb. Once again, the referent of the dative masculine singular form of
the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) is Jesus Christ. As was the case in the
first declarative statement this word functions as a dative of association which
indicates that the Father caused Paul and each one of the recipients of the Ephesian
epistle and all church age believers to be seated “together with” or “in association
with” His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, these three words refer to the church age
believer’s identification with Jesus Christ in His session at the right hand of the
Father, which took place by means of the baptism of the Spirit when they were
declared justified by the Father through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
As was the case in Ephesians 1:3 and 20, the articular dative neuter plural form
of the adjective epouranios (ἐπουράνιος) here in Ephesians 2:6 means “the
heavenlies” and refers to the first, second and third heavens. It is the object of the
preposition en (ἐν), which functions here as a marker of location. Therefore, this
word indicates that the session of Jesus Christ is “located in” the first, second and
third heavens.
As was the case in Ephesians 1:1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 20 and 2:5, the proper name
Christos (Χριστός), “Christ” here in Ephesians 2:6 emphasizes that Jesus of
Nazareth, the incarnate Son of God delivered the believer from the sin nature,
personal sins, the devil and his cosmic system, spiritual and physical death and
eternal condemnation through His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths and
resurrection. This word contains the figure of metonymy which means that the one
and only Christ is put for the church age believer’s faith in Him at justification and
their union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at their
justification.
This word Christos (Χριστός) denotes the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth; thus
He is the Deliverer of the human race in three areas through His death, resurrection,
ascension and session: (1) Satan (2) Cosmic System (3) Old Sin Nature. The Lord’s

Messiahship has a four-fold significance: (1) Separation unto God. (2) Authorization
from God. (3) Divine enablement. (4) The coming Deliverer. It also signifies the
uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth who is the God-Man.
Christos (Χριστός) also signifies that Jesus of Nazareth served God the Father
exclusively and this was manifested by His execution of the Father’s salvation plan
which was accomplished by His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical
deaths on the cross. The word signifies that Jesus of Nazareth has been given
authority by God the Father to forgive sins, give eternal life, and authority over all
creation and every creature as a result of His execution of the Father’s salvation plan.
It denotes that Jesus of Nazareth was perpetually guided and empowered by God the
Holy Spirit during His First Advent. Lastly, it signifies that Jesus of Nazareth is the
promised deliverer of the human race from the bondage of Satan, his cosmic system
and the old Adamic sin nature.
The dative masculine singular form of the proper noun Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς) means
“Jesus” and refers to the human nature of the incarnate Son of God, Jesus of
Nazareth. The word functions as a dative of simple apposition meaning that it stands
in apposition to the dative form of the noun Christos (Χριστός), “Christ” and simply
clarifies who is Christ here, namely Jesus of Nazareth since there were many in the
first century who made the claim.
The noun Christos (Χριστός), “Christ” is the object of the preposition en (ἐν),
which functions here as a marker of cause or reason. Therefore, this indicates that
the church age believer’s faith in Christ at justification as well as their union and
identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at justification is the
“reason” why the Father caused each and every church age believer to be raised and
seated with the one and only Christ in the heavenlies.
Therefore, in Ephesians 2:6, Paul is applying what he has already asserted about
Christ in Ephesians 1:20.
Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, after I myself heard about the faith among
each and every one of you in the one and only Lord Jesus as well as you are
practicing divine-love, which is on behalf of each and every one of the saints, 16
I never permit myself to cease regularly expressing thanks to the one and only
God because of each and every one of you. I do this while disciplining myself to
make it my practice of remembering each and every one of you during my
prayers. 17 I make it a habit of occupying myself with praying that God, that
is, the glorious Father of the one and only Lord ruling over each and every one
of us as a corporate unit, who is Jesus Christ, would cause each and every one
of you to receive divine wisdom, specifically, divine revelatory wisdom provided
by the one and only Spirit with respect to an experiential knowledge of Himself.
18 Namely, that the eyes of your heart are enlightened in order that each and
every one of you would possess the conviction of what constitutes being the

confident expectation of blessing produced by His effectual call, what
constitutes His inheritance, which is characterized by glorious wealth, residing
in the person of the saints. 19 Also, what constitutes being His incomparable,
great power on behalf of each one of us who believe which is equivalent to the
exertion of His sovereign, omnipotent power to overcome. 20 This He caused to
enter into the state of being exerted on behalf of the incomparable Christ.
Specifically, by causing Him to be raised out from the dead ones. Then, by
causing Him to be seated at His right hand in the heavenlies. (Author’s
translation)
Not only does the apostle Paul speak of the church age believer’s identification
with His Son, Jesus Christ in His resurrection in Ephesians 2:6 but also in Colossians
2:12.
Colossians 2:8 Don’t stop making it your habit of watching out for anyone
belonging to a group who would seek to take each one of you captive through
empty, deceitful philosophy based upon the tradition produced by human
beings, based upon the elementary teachings promoted by the cosmic system,
which are by no means based upon the teaching originating from Christ. 9 The
reason for this command is that in Him, the totality of attributes which compose
the divine nature permanently dwell in bodily form. 10 Also, by means of your
union and identification with Him, each one of you is made complete, who is the
head over each and every ruler and authority. 11 Furthermore, because of your
faith in Him, each one of you was circumcised by means of a circumcision which
was not performed by human beings, by means of the removal of your body
composed of that which is flesh, by means of this circumcision which is
specifically your identification with the Christ. 12 Specifically each one of you
were buried with Him by means of the baptism which is essential and superior.
Correspondingly, by means of which each one of you were raised together with
Him by means of your faith in God the Father’s exertion of power who caused
Him to be raised out from the dead ones. (Author’s translation)
Not only does Paul speak of the church age believer’s identification with Christ
in His resurrection in Ephesians 2:6 and Colossians 2:12 but also in Colossians 3:1.
In fact, he also speaks of the church age believer’s identification with Christ in His
session at the right hand of the Father in Colossians 3:1. In Colossians 3:1-5, Paul
discusses the implications of this identification with Christ in His resurrection and
session in relation to the spiritual life of the church age believer.
The church age believer’s union and identification with Jesus Christ enables the
Father to restore mankind as sovereign ruler over the earth, which was His original
plan with Adam and Eve (cf. Gen. 1:26-27). However, they lost the rulership of the
earth to Satan and his angels (cf. Luke 4:6; 2 Cor. 4:4; 1 John 5:19) and which

rulership is only temporary because at His Second Advent, Jesus Christ and His bride
the church will be installed as permanent rulers over the earth.
As was the case in Ephesians 2:6, the apostle Paul taught the Colossian Christian
community in Colossians 3:1-4 that they are identified with Jesus Christ in His death
and resurrection. Then, in Colossians 3:5-14, he brings out the implications of this
identification with regards to their lifestyle.
The command here in Colossians 3:5 echoes the command in Romans 6:11. In
fact, Paul’s teaching in Colossians 3:1-5 echoes much of his teaching in Romans
chapter 6. Romans 6 provides much greater detail of what Paul is teaching the
Colossians in Colossians 3:1-5.
The church age believer’s union and identification with Jesus Christ in His
crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the Father’s right hand is
extremely important because it is related to the Father’s purpose in restoring the
human race to rulership over the earth.
By seating His Son, Jesus Christ and His bride the church at His right hand and
placing every animate and inanimate object under their authority, the Father restored
humanity to its original position, namely rulership over the earth. This restoration of
humanity to rulership over the earth is prophesied about in Daniel 7:14. Also, the
title deed to the earth that is mentioned in Revelation 5 is related to the rulership of
the earth. In this chapter, this title deed to the earth was sealed with seven seals,
which no one moral rational creature in creation was able to open except Jesus
Christ.
Genesis 1:26-30, Psalm 8 and Hebrews 2:7-8 teach that mankind was designed
to rule over the works of God’s creation. Adam was created and designed in the
image and likeness of God in order that he might exercise sovereign authority over
all creation.
Genesis 1:26 Next, God decreed let Us model man in Our image, according
to Our likeness. Consequently, they will rule over the fish in the various bodies
of water and over the birds in the earth’s atmosphere and over the animal
kingdom and over the entire earth and over each and every creeper-crawler,
those which crawl upon the earth. (Author’s translation)
So Adam was created and designed in the image and likeness of God in order that
he might exercise sovereign authority over all creation (Psalm 8). However, the
rulership of the creation was lost by Adam and the Woman in the Garden of Eden
when they disobeyed the Lord’s prohibition to not eat from the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil (Genesis 3). Satan usurped the rulership of the first Adam over the
earth when he deceived the woman into disobeying the Lord’s prohibition to not eat
from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and getting Adam to do so as well.
However, the Last Adam, the God-Man, the Lord Jesus Christ has regained that
rulership over the earth with His obedience to the Father’s will in going to the cross

in order to suffer the wrath of God as a substitute for all of sinful humanity (Rom.
5:12-21; Hebrews 2:6-9).
That Satan is the temporary authority over the earth is indicated in that 2
Corinthians 4:4 says that he is the “god of this world.” The Lord Jesus Christ’s
death on the cross gained the rulership of the earth back for mankind according to
Philippians 2:5-11 and Hebrews 2:9.
In Hebrews 2:6-8a, we have the record of God’s purpose for mankind decreed
whereas in Hebrews 2:8, we have this purpose delayed due to the Fall and in
Hebrews 2:9, 14 and 17 we have this purpose accomplished through the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Hebrews 2:5 For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning
which we are speaking. 6 But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is
man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned
about him? 7 You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You
have crowned him with glory and honor and have appointed him over the
works of Your hands; 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”
For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him.
But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. 9 But we do see Him who
was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the
suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God
He might taste death for everyone. (NASB95)
Verse 8 teaches that all things are not in subjection to mankind. However, verse
9 does asserts that Jesus was crowned with glory and honor as a result of His
substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the cross.
Now, the church is the bride of Christ according to Ephesians 5:32. So therefore,
a comparison of Ephesians 5:32 with Ephesians 2:6, and Colossians 3:1-4 implies
that the Lord Jesus Christ and His bride, the church will restore humanity to its
rightful place as rulers of the earth. In other words, the mystery of the Father’s will
is tied to the millennial reign of Christ because it reveals that the church will be the
bride of His Son and together the two will restore humanity to rulership over the
earth. The church’s union and identification with Christ in His crucifixion, death,
burial, resurrection and session at the Father’s right hand is the means by which the
Father is providing a bride for His Son and restoring the human race to rulership
over the earth. Therefore, Paul is communicating to the recipients of the Ephesian
epistle, who we noted were Gentile Christians, that they and Jewish Christians like
himself have victory over Satan and his armies because Jesus Christ and His bride,
the church will dispossess Satan and his armies at His Second Advent, which will
establish the millennial reign of Christ. During which time, the church will reign
with Him.

Ephesians 2:7 is a hina (ἵνα) purpose clause, which is composed of the declarative
statement hina endeixētai to hyperballon ploutos tēs charitos autou…ephʼ hēmas
(ἵνα ἐνδείξηται τὸ ὑπερβάλλον πλοῦτος τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ… ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς), “so that He
could display for His own glory the incomparable wealth, which is the product
of His grace.” This declarative statement presents the purpose of the Father making
the church age believer alive with Christ by raising and seating them with His Son
despite the fact that they were spiritually dead because of their transgressions.
This declarative statement is modified by four prepositional phrases. The first of
these is ephʼ hēmas (ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς), “for the benefit of each and every one of us.” This
prepositional describes each and every church age believer as benefiting from the
Father’s intended action of displaying His incomparable wealth, which is the product
of His grace policy.
The second is en tois aiōsin tois eperchomenois (ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσιν τοῖς
ἐπερχομένοις), “during the ages, which are certain to come.” This prepositional
phrase identifies when the Father will display for His own glory His incomparable
wealth, which is the product of His grace policy on behalf of each and every church
age believer. It identifies the millennial reign of Christ and the eternal state as when
the Father will display for His own glory His incomparable wealth, which is the
product of His grace policy on behalf of each and every church age believer.
The third prepositional phrase is en chrēstotēti (ἐν χρηστότητι), “because of
kindness” and identifies the Father’s kindness as the reason why He will display for
His own glory His incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace policy on
behalf of each and every church age believer.
Lasty, the fourth and final prepositional phrase is en Christō Iēsou (ἐν Χριστῷ*
Ἰησοῦ), “because of our faith in and union and identification with Christ, who
is Jesus.” It identifies the church age believer’s faith in Jesus Christ at justification
and their union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at
justification as they reason why the Father will display for His own glory His
incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace policy on behalf of each and
every church age believer because of His kindness. Or we could say that it identifies
the church age believer’s faith in Christ at justification and union and identification
with Him as the ultimate reason why the Father will display for His own glory His
incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace policy on behalf of each and
every church age believer. The Father will do this in the future for each and every
church age believer not only because of His kindness but because of their faith in
Christ at justification and union and identification with Him. In other words, the
Father could not express this kindness in the future on behalf of the church age
believer unless He first declared them justified through faith in His one and only
Son, Jesus Christ. At which time, He identified them with His Son in His crucifixion,
death, burial, resurrection and session through the baptism of the Spirit.

So therefore, we can see that in Ephesians 2:7, the apostle Paul under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit asserts that the Father will for His own glory display
during the ages, which are certain to come in the future, the incomparable wealth,
which is the product of His grace on behalf of each and every church age believer.
He then asserts that the reason why He will do this is because of His kindness. He
then asserts that the reason why He will do this because of His kindness is their faith
in His Son at justification and correspondingly their union and identification with
the one and only Christ, who is Jesus, and which union and identification took place
at justification through the baptism of the Spirit.
These assertions present the purpose of the assertion in Ephesians 2:5 that the
Father caused the church age believer to be made alive together with His Son. It also
presents the purpose of the assertion in Ephesians 2:6, which states that Father
caused the church age believer to be raised as well as seated with His Son. As we
noted in our study of Ephesians 2:6, the Father raising and seating the church age
believer with Christ defines what Paul means when he asserts that the church age
believer was made alive together with Christ.
Therefore, a comparison of the contents of Ephesians 2:5 with the contents of
Ephesians 2:7 is that the purpose for which the Father caused the church age believer
to be made alive with His Son was to display for His own glory during the ages,
which are certain to come in the future, the incomparable wealth, which is the
product of His grace policy. The reason He will do this on behalf of each and every
church age believer is because of His kindness. Furthermore, the reason why He will
do this because of His kindness is because of their faith in Christ at justification and
correspondingly, their union and identification with Him. Correspondingly, a
comparison of the contents of Ephesians 2:6 with the contents of Ephesians 2:7
indicates that the purpose for which the Father caused the church age believer to be
raised and seated with His Son was to display for His own glory during the ages,
which are certain to come in the future, the incomparable wealth, which is the
product of His grace. The reason He will do this is because of His kindness on behalf
of each and every church age believer. Furthermore, the reason why He will do this
because of His kindness on behalf of them is because of their faith in Christ at
justification and correspondingly, their union and identification with Him.
The articular dative masculine singular form of the noun aiōn (αἰών), “the ages”
pertains to a particular period of history which has some distinctive feature, which
is distinguished from other periods of history. Here in Ephesians 2:7, the referent of
the word is the millennial reign of Jesus Christ as well as the eternal state in the new
heavens and new earth. Together, they constitute the future age in which Jesus Christ
and His bride the church will rule over the works of God’s hands. They stand marked
contrast to the present age, in which Satan and his angels rule the world (2 Cor. 4:4;

1 John 5:19) and which age began with the Fall of Adam but will end with the Second
Advent of Jesus Christ.
This word aiōn (αἰών), “the ages” we noted in our exegesis is the object of the
preposition en (ἐν), “during” which functions as a marker of an extent of time within
a unit. Therefore, this preposition marks the periods of human history within human
history as when the Father will for His own glory display the incomparable wealth,
which is the product of His grace policy on behalf of church age believers.
Specifically, it marks the millennial reign of Jesus Christ and the eternal state as
when the Father will for His own glory display the incomparable wealth, which is
the product of His grace policy because of His kindness on behalf of church age
believers.
The verb eperchomai (ἐπέρχομαι), “which are certain to come” is used in
relation to time and pertains to an event taking place in the future. The referent of
the dative masculine plural form of this verb is of course articular dative masculine
singular form of the noun aiōn (αἰών), “the ages.” Therefore, the former refers to
the ages of human history which are the millennial reign of Christ and the eternal
state, which we noted constitute future ages in which Christ and His bride, the church
will rule over the works of God’s hands and stand in contrast to the present age, in
which Satan and his angels rule the world.
The word functions here as a dative of simple apposition, which means that it
stands in apposition to the articular dative masculine singular form of the noun aiōn
(αἰών), “the ages,” which begs to be defined. Thus, the former defines the latter as
the ages, which will come in the future. We noted in our exegesis that the present
tense of the participle conjugation of this verb eperchomai (ἐπέρχομαι) is a futuristic
present which describes these future ages with the connotation of the certainty of
them both taking place in the future.
The noun ploutos (πλοῦτος), “wealth” is used in a figurative sense to refer to a
spiritual and material abundance of material and spiritual possessions and spiritual
resources possessed by God the Father. In other words, it is used figuratively of the
spiritual and material prosperity of the Father.
The noun charis (χάρις) refers to God the Father’s grace policy towards sinners,
which manifests His attribute of love. Specifically, it speaks of the Father’s grace
policy which benefits the church age believer because of the Father declaring them
justified through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Correspondingly, it
speaks of His grace policy on behalf of the church age believer because of their union
and identification with His Son.
This noun functions as a genitive of production, which indicates that it
“produces” this incomparable wealth. In other words, it indicates that the Father’s
incomparable wealth, both spiritually and materially is “produced by” His grace
policy towards the church age believer or is “the product” of His grace policy.

The articular nominative neuter singular present active participle conjugation of
the verb hyperballō (ὑπερβάλλω), “incomparable” since the word pertains to
something that is eminent and beyond comparison. Thus, it describes the Father’s
wealth as conspicuous and beyond comparison.
As we also noted in our exegesis, the verb endeiknumi (ἐνδείκνυμι) means “to
display” since the word pertains to exhibiting or something or making something
evident ostentatiously. The referent of the third person singular form of this verb is
of course God the Father. The aorist tense of this verb is an ingressive aorist, which
emphasizes the Father “entering into the state of” displaying during the coming ages
(millennial reign and eternal state) the incomparable riches, which is the product of
His grace policy on behalf of each and every church age believer.
The middle voice of this verb is an indirect or benefactive middle which is
expressing the idea of the Father displaying “for His own glory” during the ages,
which are certain to come, the incomparable wealth, which is the product of His
grace policy on behalf of each and every church age believer.
Therefore, the verb endeiknumi (ἐνδείκνυμι) is expressing the idea that “for His
own glory,” the Father will “enter into the state of displaying” during the ages, which
are certain to come, the incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace
policy because of His kindness on behalf of each and every church age believer.
The noun chrēstotēs (χρηστότης), “kindness” pertains to the quality of being
warmhearted, considerate, gentle and sympathetic and it also pertains to an event or
activity which is benevolent. This kindness was expressed by making the church age
believer alive with Christ by raising and seating them with Christ despite the fact
that they were spiritually dead because of their transgressions.
This word is the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which can be interpreted as a
marker of manner, which means that it is marking this word as the manner in which
the Father will display for His own glory during the ages, which are certain to come,
the incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace on behalf of the church
age believer. Therefore, this prepositional phrase en chrēstotēti (ἐν χρηστότητι)
expresses the idea that the Father will for His own glory enter into the state of
displaying during the ages, which are certain to come in the future, the incomparable
wealth, which is the product of His grace “expressed in a kind manner” or expressed
“with kindness” on behalf of the church age believer.
However, this author believes that it is better to interpret this preposition as a
marker of cause or reason, which means that the preposition en (ἐν) is marking the
noun chrēstotēs (χρηστότης), “kindness” as the reason why the Father will display
for His own glory during the ages, which are certain to come, the incomparable
wealth, which is the product of His grace on behalf of the church age believer.
This interpretation is supported by the contents of Ephesians 2:4-5, which assert
that the Father made the church age believer alive with Christ when they were

spiritually dead because of their transgressions because of His mercy and
specifically because of the exercise of His great love. Ephesians 2:6 defines what it
means to be made alive with Christ by asserting that it means to be raised and seated
with Christ. Therefore, a comparison of Ephesians 2:4 with 2:6 would indicate that
the Father raised and seated the church age believer with His Son because of His
mercy and specifically because of the exercise of His great love. Notice in Ephesians
2:5 that Paul asserts that the Father is rich in mercy “because of” His attribute of
love. Correspondingly, he is asserting here in Ephesians 2:7 that the Father will
display the incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace policy on behalf
of the church age believer “because of’ His kindness, which like His mercy, flows
from the exercise of His attribute of love.
Now, in Ephesians 2:7, the referent of the accusative first person plural form of
the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ), “each and every one of us” is Paul and the
recipients of the Ephesian epistle, who were Gentile Christians according to the
contents of Ephesians 2:11. This word is not only speaking of Paul and these Gentile
Christians as a corporate unit but is also used in a distributive sense emphasizing no
exceptions. Therefore, the idea expressed here with this word is that the Father will
display for His own glory during the ages, which are certain to come, the
incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace because of His kindness on
behalf of “each and every” church age believer as “a corporate unit.”
This word we noted is the object of the preposition epi (ἐπί), which functions as
a marker of benefaction or advantage. Therefore, this prepositional phrase ephʼ
hēmas (ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς) is expressing the idea that the Father will display for His own glory
during the ages, which are certain to come, the incomparable wealth, which is the
product of His grace because of His kindness “on behalf of” or “for the benefit of
“each and every” church age believer as “a corporate unit.”
The proper name Christos (Χριστός) contains the figure of metonymy which
means that the one and only Christ is put for the church age believer’s faith in Him
at justification and their union and identification with Him through the baptism of
the Spirit at their justification.
As we noted in our exegesis that the noun Christos (Χριστός) is the object of the
preposition en (ἐν), which functions here as a marker of cause or reason. Therefore,
this indicates that the church age believer’s faith in Christ at justification as well as
their union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at
justification is the “reason” why the Father will for His own glory display during the
ages, which are certain to come in the future, the incomparable wealth, which is the
product of His grace policy because of kindness. Therefore, this prepositional phrase
is expressing the idea that the Father will display for His own glory during the ages,
which are certain to come, the incomparable wealth, which is the product of His
grace because of His kindness for the benefit of each and every church age believer

and “because of” their faith in His Son at justification as well as “because of” their
union and identification with His Son through the baptism of the Spirit, which took
place at their justification.
This interpretation is supported by the fact that Paul teaches throughout his
writings as well as in Ephesians that the church age believer receives every spiritual
blessing because they were declared justified by the Father through faith in His one
and only Son, Jesus Christ. Correspondingly, he teaches that the Father identified
the church age believer with His Son in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection
and session through the baptism of the Spirit when He declared them justified
through His Son (cf. Rom. 6; Col. 2-3; Eph. 2:4-6).
The dative masculine singular form of the proper noun Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς), “Jesus”
refers to the human nature of the incarnate Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth. The word
functions as a dative of simple apposition which means that it is simply clarifying
who is Christ here, namely Jesus of Nazareth since there were many in the first
century who made the claim.
So therefore, in Ephesians 2:5-7, Paul is teaching that the Father made the church
age believer alive together with His Son, which means that the Father raised and
seated them with His Son because of their faith in His Son at justification and
because of their union and identification with His Son which also took place at their
justification through the baptism of the Spirit. The purpose of the Father doing this
on behalf of the church age believer was that He could for His own glory display
during the ages, which are certain to come in the future, the incomparable wealth,
which is the product of His grace policy for the benefit of the church age believer.
The reason the Father will do this is because of His kindness, which like His mercy
flows from the exercise of His attribute of love. Ultimately, the Father will do all
this because of the church age believer’s faith in His Son at justification and because
of their union and identification with His Son which also took place at their
justification through the baptism of the Spirit.
Now, the purpose of the Father displaying for His own glory the incomparable
wealth, which is the product of His grace policy because of His kindness on behalf
of each and every church age believer and because of their faith in Christ at
justification and union and identification with Him is ultimately to praise His
glorious grace policy which again flows from His attribute of love. This corresponds
to Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 1:3-6, which asserts that the Father’s work in eternity
past on behalf of the church age believer in electing them by predestinating them to
adoption as son is to praise His glorious grace policy. It also corresponds to his
teaching in Ephesians 1:7-12, which asserts that the Son’s work in redeeming the
church age believer at the cross of Calvary was to praise the Father’s glory. Lastly,
it corresponds to his teaching in Ephesians 1:13-14, which asserts that the Holy
Spirit’s work at the church age believer’s justification when they were sealed by

means of the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit as a down payment of their inheritance
was for the praise of the Father’s glory.
As we noted in our study of Ephesians 1:6, 12 and 14, the noun epainos (ἔπαινος),
“praise” pertains to an expression of approval and commendation and speaks of the
excellence of a person. The word pertains to the act of expressing admiration or
approval. 10
In Ephesians 1:6, the word was used in relation to the Father predestinating the
church age believer for the purpose of adoption as His sons because His love through
Jesus Christ Himself (cf. Eph. 1:5). This action of the Father in eternity past was so
that the church age believer would praise the Father’s glorious grace.
In Ephesians 1:12, the noun epainos is used in relation to the Father claiming the
church age believer as His possession because of the Father predestinating them
according to His predetermined plan. It is also used in relation to the church age
believer belonging to a group of people who are characterized as being the first to
possess a confident expectation of blessing because of their faith in and union and
identification with Jesus Christ. Therefore, this word indicates that the church age
believer belongs to a group of people who are the Father’s possession and are the
first to possess a confident expectation of blessing in order to “praise” the Father’s
glory.
In Ephesians 1:14, the noun epainos is used in relation to the Holy Spirit
permanently indwelling the body of the church age believer as the down payment of
their inheritance, which we noted is until the Father redeems this possession, i.e. the
church age believer, at the rapture or resurrection of the church. Therefore, this word
epainos indicates that the Holy Spirit permanently indwelling the body of the church
age believer as the down payment of their inheritance until the Father redeems this
possession, i.e. the church age believer, at the rapture or resurrection of the church
was for “the praise” the Father’s glory.
We also noted in our study of Ephesians 1:6, 12 and 14 that the noun doxa (δόξα),
“glory” pertains to the honor, which is accorded to, or the splendor which
characterizes, a person or thing. 11 As we noted in our study of Ephesians 1:6, the
word in this verse serves as a description of the work of the Father in eternity past
which is described in Ephesians 1:3-5. Thus, it was used in relation to the work of
the Father in eternity past when He elected the church age believer by predestinating
them for the purpose of adopting them as His Sons. Then, in Ephesians 1:12, it serves
as a description of the work of the Son during His First Advent. However, here in
Ephesians 1:14, it serves as a description of the work of the Holy Spirit in time at
the church age believer’s justification.
10
Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). In A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian
literature (3rd ed., p. 357). University of Chicago Press.
11
Fenlason, A. C. (2014). Beauty. In D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Lexham Press.

In Ephesians 1:6, it speaks of the manifestation of the character and nature of
God through the work of the Father in eternity past on behalf of the church age
believer. The Father glorified His character and nature by electing them by
predestinating them for the purpose of adoption as sons because of His love through
the person and work of His Son Jesus Christ and their faith in and union and
identification with His Son. Therefore, in Ephesians 1:6, it is related to the
manifestation of the Father’s character and nature, which exceeds the limits of
human and angelic understanding and experience and was manifested by the Father
electing the church age believer by predestinating them. Thus, it refers to the honor,
which is accorded to that which characterizes the Father and the splendor which
characterizes Him. It speaks of the fact that the Father is a transcendent being in that
He exceeds the limits of human and angelic understanding and experience.
In Ephesians 1:12, the word doxa serves as a description of the Son’s work during
His First Advent. Therefore, it is used in relation to the crucifixion, death, burial,
resurrection and session of the Father’s one and only Son, Jesus Christ during His
First Advent. The Son glorified His character and nature by redeeming them out of
the slave market of sin through His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on
the cross (cf. Eph. 1:7). Therefore, the noun doxa in this verse is related to the
manifestation of the Father’s character and nature, which exceeds the limits of
human and angelic understanding and experience. However it was perfectly
manifested through His Son’s substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the
cross. This sacrifice manifested the justice and righteousness of God in that it
propitiated the Father’s holiness, which demanded that sin and sinners be judged. It
also manifested God’s attribute of love, which was for the benefit of His enemies,
namely, sinful humanity who are enslaved to sin, Satan and his cosmic system. The
Father’s glory is related to His omnipotence of God because the Son’s crucifixion,
death, burial, resurrection and session at the Father’s right hand delivered all of sinful
humanity from the wrath of God, condemnation from the Law, personal sins,
spiritual and physical death and enslavement to sin, Satan and his cosmic system.
Thus, doxa refers to the honor, which is accorded to that which characterizes the Son
and the splendor which characterizes Him. It speaks of the fact that the Son is a
transcendent being in that He exceeds the limits of human and angelic understanding
and experience.
In Ephesians 1:14, the noun doxa serves as a description of the work of the Holy
Spirit in time at the church age believer’s justification. Thus, this word here refers
to the honor, which is accorded to that which characterizes the Father and the
splendor which characterizes Him. It speaks of the fact that the Father is a
transcendent being in that He exceeds the limits of human and angelic understanding
and experience. Therefore, the noun doxa in this verse is related to the manifestation
of the Father’s character and nature, which exceeds the limits of human and angelic

understanding and experience. However, it was perfectly manifested through the
Holy Spirit permanently indwelling every church age believer as the down payment
of their inheritance until the Father redeems this possession, i.e. the church age
believer, at the rapture or resurrection of the church.
So therefore, in Ephesians 2:7, when Paul speaks of the Father displaying for His
own glory during the ages to come the incomparable wealth, which is the product of
His grace policy on behalf of the church age believer, he is referring to the Father
glorifying Himself in the sense of revealing His transcendent character and nature.
This glorification of Himself He accomplished through the work of His Son and the
Holy Spirit. He will also reveal His transcendent character during the millennial
reign of Christ and throughout the eternal state. Specifically, He will reveal during
the millennial reign of Christ and throughout the eternal state the incomparable
wealth, which is the product of His grace policy because of His kindness on behalf
of the church age believer and because of their faith in Christ at justification and
union and identification with His Son. Each and every church age believer when
they are in a resurrection body and decorated with rewards for faithful service and
reigning with His Son during the millennium and the eternal state will not only cause
the church age believer to praise the Father for His glory and His glorious grace
policy but also Old Testament saints and tribulational martyrs and elect angels will
praise the Father for His glory and glorious grace policy, which again manifests His
attribute of love.
Ephesians 2:8 is composed of a declarative statement, which is then followed by
an elliptical epexegetical clause. The first Tē gar chariti este sesōsmenoi dia pisteōs
(Τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ πίστεως), “Each and every one of you as a
corporate unit are saved because of grace by means of faith!” (Author’s
translation) functions as a causal clause. The second kai touto ouk ex hymōn, theou
to dōron (καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον), “In other words, this never
originated from any one of you as a source. It originates as the gift from God”
(Author’s translation) functions as an elliptical epexegetical clause.
The declarative statement in Ephesians 2:8 functions as a causal clause because
it presents the reason for the statements in Ephesians 2:6-7. It asserts that the church
age believer is saved because of the Father’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This
statement presents the reason for the statement in Ephesians 2:6, which asserts that
the church age believer has been raised with Jesus Christ and seated with Christ at
the Father’s right hand. It also presents the reason for the statement in Ephesians 2:7,
which presents the purpose for the statements in Ephesians 2:5-7. The latter asserts
that the Father made the church age believe alive with Christ by raising and seating
them with His Son in order to display for His own glory during the ages to come the
incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace. The reason the Father will
do this is because of His kindness and ultimately because of the church age believer’s

faith in Christ at justification and correspondingly, their union and identification
with Christ.
Therefore, the first statement in Ephesians 2:8 expresses the idea that the Father
raised and seated the church age believer with His Son at His right hand “because”
they are saved because of the Father’s grace policy through faith in His Son. It also
expresses the idea that the Father for His own glory will display His during the ages
to come His incomparable wealth, which is the product of His grace policy on behalf
of the church age believer “because” they are saved because of His grace policy
through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Paul made almost the same identical assertion at the end of Ephesians 2:5 by
stating that the church age believer is saved because of the Father’s grace policy on
their behalf. This assertion emphasizes that it was on the basis of the Father’s grace
policy towards unregenerate sinners that He caused them to be made alive with His
Son, Jesus Christ through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification even though
they were spiritually dead because of their transgressions. In other words, they
emphatically did not earn or deserve this act on their behalf at their justification
because the Father did this solely based upon the merits of the person of His Son
Jesus Christ. He also did this on the basis of the merits of His Son’s crucifixion,
death, burial, resurrection and session at His right hand, which propitiated the Father,
redeemed the entire human race and reconciled them to the Father. He also did this
based upon the merits of the church age believer’s union and identification with His
Son in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at His right hand. He
also did this because the transgressions they committed against Him resulted in the
fact that they did not possess any merit with Him since He is holy or perfect.
Therefore, in Ephesians 2:8, the declarative statement in this verse functions in
the same manner as the statement at the end of Ephesians 2:5. However, the former
amplifies the latter because it contains the prepositional phrase dia pisteōs (διὰ
πίστεως), “by means of faith” (Author’s translation). It also contains as we noted
the elliptical result clause kai touto ouk ex hymōn, theou to dōron (καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ
ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον), “Therefore, this never originated from any one of you as
a source. They originate as the gift from God” (Author’s translation). Thus, this
declarative statement in Ephesians 2:8 asserts that the church age believer is saved
because of the Father’s grace policy on their behalf. In other words, they
emphatically did not earn or deserve this act on their behalf at their justification when
the Father raised them up and seated with His Son at His right hand because the
Father did this solely based upon the merits of the object of their faith and in
particular the merits of the person of His Son Jesus Christ. He also did this based
upon the merits of His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at His right
hand, which provided the church age believer their so great salvation. The Father
also did this based upon the merits of their union and identification with His Son in

His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at His right hand, which was
accomplished at their justification through the baptism of the Spirit. He also did this
because the transgressions they committed against Him resulted in the fact that they
did not possess any merit with Him since He is holy or perfect.
Therefore, the assertion at the end of Ephesians 2:5 and the one at the beginning
of Ephesians 2:8 both state that the church age believer is saved because of the
Father’s grace policy, which flows from the exercise of the Father’s attribute of love.
Together, they emphatically assert that the church age believer was made alive
together with Christ by raising them up and seating them with His Son at His right
hand at their justification through the baptism of the Spirit because of the Father’s
grace policy, which flows from the exercise of the Father’s attribute of love. In other
words, the Father made them alive with Christ by raising them up and seating them
with His Son at His right hand at their justification through the baptism of the Spirit
because of the merits of His Son Jesus Christ. Also, He did this because of the merits
of His Son’s crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at His right hand.
The Father also did this based upon the merits of their union and identification with
His Son in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at His right hand.
He also did this because the transgressions they committed against Him resulted in
the fact that they did not possess any merit with Him since He is holy or perfect.
As was the case in Ephesians 2:5 when Paul asserts here in Ephesians 2:8 that the
church age believer is saved because of the Father’s grace policy on their behalf, he
uses the second person plural present active indicative conjugation of the verb eimi
(εἰμί), which pertains to certain persons who belong to a particular group of human
beings who exist in the state or condition of possessing a particular characteristic.
The referent of the second person plural form of this verb of course refers to the
recipients of the Ephesian epistle which Ephesians 2:11 identify as Gentile
Christians. The word not only refers to them as a corporate unit but is also used in a
distributive sense emphasizing absolutely no exceptions expressing the idea that
“each and every one” of them were saved because of grace.
The dative feminine singular form of the noun charis (χάρις) and the nominative
masculine plural perfect passive participle conjugation of the verb sozo (σῴζω)
identify them as those who exist in the state of belonging to a particular group of
human beings who were saved because of the Father’s grace policy.
Therefore, these words are expressing the idea that each and every one of these
Gentile Christians belong to a particular group of human beings who exist in the
state of being saved because of the Father’s grace policy through faith in His one
and only Son, Jesus Christ.
As was the case in Ephesians 2:5, the verb sozo (σῴζω) here in Ephesians 2:8 is
used of the act of the Father delivering a sinner from personal sins, the sin nature,
Satan, his cosmic system, condemnation from the Law, spiritual and physical death

and eternal condemnation. The referent of the masculine plural form of this verb
sozo (σῴζω) is of course each one of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle, who we
noted were Gentile Christians according to the contents of Ephesians 2:11. The word
not only refers to them as a corporate unit but is also used in a distributive sense
emphasizing absolutely no exceptions expressing the idea that “each and every one”
of them were saved because of grace.
The verb sozo (σῴζω) is modified by the articular dative feminine singular form
of the noun charis (χάρις), which again as in Ephesians 2:5 means “grace” and refers
to God the Father’s grace policy towards unregenerate sinners who are under His
wrath. This is the fifth time that we have seen this word in Ephesian epistle (cf. 1:2,
6, 7; 2:5). In each instance, the word refers to God the Father’s grace policy towards
unregenerate sinners, which manifests His attribute of love. Specifically, it speaks
of the Father’s grace policy which benefits the church age believer because of the
Father declaring them justified through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
Correspondingly, it speaks of His grace policy on behalf of the church age believer
because of their union and identification with His Son.
As was the case in Ephesians 2:5, the noun charis (χάρις) here in Ephesians 2:8
functions as a dative of cause, which means that the word indicates the cause or the
basis of the action of this verb sozo (σῴζω). Therefore, this indicates that the Father
saved the church age believer “because of” His grace policy towards unregenerate
sinners. Therefore, this verb sozo (σῴζω) is expressing the idea that each one of
these Gentile Christians “were saved” because of the Father’s grace policy on behalf
of unregenerate sinners.
As was the case in Ephesians 2:5, the perfect tense of the verb sozo (σῴζω) here
in Ephesians 2:8 is an intensive perfect which is used to emphasize the results or
present state produced by a past action. Here. Therefore, the intensive perfect of this
verb is emphasizing the present state of every church age believer being saved
because of the Father’s grace policy as a result of the Father declaring them justified
through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Again, simultaneously, He
identified them with His Son in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and
session at His right hand through the baptism of the Spirit.
Again, as was the case in Ephesians 2:5, the participle conjugation of this verb
sozo (σῴζω) here in Ephesians 2:8 functions as a perfect periphrastic participle,
which emphasizes with the recipients of the Ephesian epistle that they exist in the
state of being saved from the Father’s wrath because of the Father’s grace policy
when He made them alive together with His Son, Jesus Christ even though they were
spiritually dead because of the transgressions they committed against Him prior to
their justification.
As was the case in Ephesians 1:15, the genitive feminine singular form of the
noun pistis (πίστις) here in Ephesians 2:8 means “faith.” In each instance, this refers

to the non-meritorious system of perception of placing one’s “trust” or “confidence
in” Jesus Christ as one’s Savior. Specifically, it speaks of justifying faith or in other
words, the faith exercised by the recipients of the Ephesian epistle which resulted in
the Father declaring them justified.
There are three forms of perception: (1) Empiricism: Trusting in one’s
experiences in life to make decisions. (2) Rationalism: Trusting in one’s intellect to
make decisions in life. (3) Faith: Trusting in the authority of another to make
decisions in life. Faith is the only system of perception that God will accept because
it is compatible with His grace policy (Ephesians 2:8-9). The believer is saved and
receives the forgiveness of his sins-past, present and future based upon the merits of
Christ and His death on the Cross (1 John 2:12).
Therefore, in Ephesians 2:8, the noun pistis “faith” refers to making the non-
meritorious decision to trust or place one’s complete confidence in the Person of
Jesus Christ at the moment of justification for eternal salvation and the forgiveness
of sins. In other words, it refers to justifying faith meaning that the recipients of the
Ephesian epistle exercised faith in Jesus Christ which resulted in God declaring them
justified.
The genitive feminine singular form of the noun pistis (πίστις) is the object of the
preposition dia (διά), which means “through, by means of” since the word is
functioning here as a marker of means expressing the means by which the recipients
of the Ephesian letter were saved. They were saved “by means of” or “through” their
faith in Jesus Christ at their justification.
Paul taught in Romans 1:16 that the gospel is the power of God for salvation. The
Lord Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right
hand of the Father provided the sinner salvation. Specifically, it delivered the human
race from eternal condemnation, condemnation from the Law, enslavement to the
sin nature and Satan and his cosmic system as well as spiritual and physical death
and of course, personal sins. These events in the life of Jesus Christ demonstrated
the power of God to deliver sinners. The sinner appropriates this deliverance as well
as the power of God, which delivers them, by means of faith in Jesus Christ as one’s
Savior. The Father credits or imputes to the sinner’s account His Son’s righteousness
the moment the sinner trusts in His Son Jesus Christ as their Savior. Consequently,
the Father declares them justified. This justification is based solely upon the merits
of the object of the sinner’s faith, Jesus Christ. Specifically, it is based upon the
merits of His holy person as well as the merits of His crucifixion, death, burial,
resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father.
What must a sinner believe about Jesus Christ in order to be saved through faith
in Him? First, the sinner must believe that Jesus is both God and man because no
one sinner can approach God without a mediator. The Son of God became a human
being in order to be that mediator (1 Tim. 2:4). Secondly, the sinner must believe

that Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead because if He does not rise from the dead
then He was a deceiver and someone who was deluded. Also, if He does not rise
from the dead, then the sinner has no hope and spiritually dead because of their sins
(1 Cor. 15:12-17).
As we noted the first statement in Ephesians 2:8 is then followed by an elliptical
epexegetical clause, which means that it explains from an emphatic negative
perspective the previous assertion which states that the church age believer is saved
because of the Father’s grace policy through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. This
elliptical epexegetical statement asserts that the church age believer’s salvation is
emphatically not from themselves as a source but rather that it originates as a gift
from God the Father. Therefore, it is expressing in emphatic terms the idea that
because the church age believer’s salvation is based upon the Father’s grace policy
through faith in His Son, or “in other words” their salvation is emphatically not from
themselves as a source but rather it originates as a gift from God the Father.
This epexegetical statement which appears in Ephesians 2:8 is elliptical in order
to emphasize with the recipients of the Ephesian letter that their salvation does not
originate with anything that they have done but rather is solely the work of God. In
other words, the figure of ellipsis in this epexegetical clause states in emphatic terms
that the church age believer can never receive credit for their salvation but rather all
the credit flows to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It also
emphasizes the divine initiative with regards to the salvation of the church age
believer as well as the divine activity which provided and appropriated their
salvation for their benefit.
The nominative neuter singular form of the demonstrative pronoun houtos
(οὗτος) means “this” and is “anaphoric” meaning it is referring to the immediate
preceding statement, which asserts that the church age believer is saved because of
the Father’s grace policy through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, the
referent of this word is the church age believer’s salvation, which is based upon the
Father’s grace policy and was received by them when they exercised faith in Jesus
Christ as their Savior which resulted in the Father declaring them justified.
The referent of this word is not the noun charis (χάρις) or pistis (πίστις) because
they are in the feminine gender and the demonstrative pronoun houtos (οὗτος) is in
the neuter gender. The neuter gender of this demonstrative pronoun is often used in
the Greek New Testament to refer to a phrase or an entire clause.
The genitive second person plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ), “any
one of you” since the word not only refers to the recipients of the Ephesian epistle
as a corporate unit but also is used in a distributive sense emphasizing no exceptions.
This word is the object of the preposition ek (ἐκ) means “from” since the word is
functioning here as a marker of source. Therefore, this prepositional phrase ex hymōn
(ἐξ ὑμῶν) is expressing the idea that the church age believer’s salvation, which is

based upon grace and received through faith in Jesus Christ by no means “originates
from” themselves as a source or we could say that they emphatically never “originate
from” themselves as a source.
The articular nominative neuter singular form of the noun dōron (δῶρον), “the
gift” pertains something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without
compensation. The referent of this word is the previous assertion that the church age
believer is saved because of grace through faith. In other words, the referent is the
church age believer’s salvation, as well as grace and their faith in Jesus Christ at
their justification. The articular construction of this word is monadic which means
that the church age believer’s salvation, grace and their faith in Jesus Christ at
justification constitute a “unique” gift because they originate only from God the
Father.
The genitive masculine singular form of the noun theos (θεός), “God” refers to
the Father since He is the word’s referent in each instance in which the word has
appeared in this epistle (cf. Eph. 1:1, 2, 3, 17; 2:4).
As we noted in our exegesis, this word is the object of the preposition ek (ἐκ)
which is omitted but implied from the previous prepositional phrase because of Paul
using the figure of ellipsis again. As was the case earlier in this verse, this preposition
means “from” since the word is functioning here as a marker of source. Therefore,
this prepositional phrase ex hymōn (ἐξ θεοῦ) is expressing the idea that the church
age believer’s salvation, which is based upon God’s grace and received by means of
faith in Jesus Christ “originates from” God the Father as a source or we could say
that they emphatically “originate from” the Father as a source.
Ephesians 2:9 is composed of an elliptical epexegetical clause ouk ex ergōn (οὐκ
ἐξ ἔργων), “it by no means originates from meritorious actions as a source”
(Author’s translation). It is followed by a hina (ἵνα) purpose-result clause hina mē
tis kauchēsētai (ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται), “so that a person cannot for their own
glory enter into the state of boasting” (Author’s translation).
As we noted in our exegesis, the apostle Paul is employing the figure of
asyndeton in order to mark an emphatic contrast between the contents of Ephesians
2:8 and 9. Specifically, it is marking an emphatic contrast between the last elliptical
epexegetical statement theou to dōron (θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον), “It originates as the gift
from God” in Ephesians 2:8. Therefore, the figure of asyndeton in Ephesians 2:9 is
marking an emphatic contrast between the salvation of the church age believer
originating as a gift from God the Father and this salvation originating from
meritorious actions performed by the church age believer.
The elliptical epexegetical statement ouk ex ergōn (οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων), “it by no
means originates from meritorious actions as a source” in Ephesians 2:9 also
defines specifically the previous elliptical epexegetical clause kai touto ouk ex
hymōn (καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν), “In other words, this never originated from any

one of you as a source” in Ephesians 2:8. The latter explains from an emphatic
negative perspective the previous assertion in this verse, which states that the church
age believer is saved because of the Father’s grace policy through faith in His Son,
Jesus Christ. These two elliptical epexegetical statements in Ephesians 2:8 assert that
the church age believer’s salvation is emphatically not from themselves as a source
but rather that it originates as a gift from God the Father. Therefore, it is explaining
in emphatic terms the idea that because the church age believer’s salvation originates
as a gift from the Father, it by no means originates from meritorious actions on the
part of the believer as a source of their salvation. Or we could say that their salvation
is emphatically not from themselves as a source but rather it originates as a gift from
God the Father.
Also in Ephesians 2:9, Paul is using the figure of ellipsis which means that he is
deliberately omitting, though it is implied from Ephesians 2:8, the third person plural
present active indicative conjugation of the verb eimi (εἰμί), which means “to
originate from a particular source.” The referent of the third person singular form of
this verb is the church age believer’s salvation, which is based upon grace and is
received by means of their faith in Jesus Christ at the moment of justification. The
meaning of this verb eimi (εἰμί) we noted is emphatically negated by the emphatic
negative adverb ouk (οὐκ), which means “never, by no means” since the word
expresses an absolute, direct, full negation. The present tense of the verb eimi (εἰμί)
is important because it is a gnomic present, which is used to make a statement of a
general, timeless fact and says that something does happen. Here it would express
the idea that the church age believer’s salvation, which is based upon grace and is
received by means of their faith in Jesus Christ “as a general timeless fact” or “an
eternal spiritual truth” by no means originates from meritorious actions performed
by the church age believer as a source.
The genitive neuter plural form of the noun ergon (ἒργον), “meritorious actions
as a source” refers to a meritorious system of actions which would be considered
by God as meriting His giving them eternal salvation. In our exegesis, we noted that
this word is the object of the preposition ek (ἐκ), which is functioning here as a
marker of source. Therefore, this prepositional phrase ex ergōn (οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων) is
expressing the idea that the church age believer’s salvation, which is based upon
grace and is received by means of their faith in Jesus Christ by no means “originates
from” meritorious actions performed by the church age believer as a source.
Now, we have an interpretation issue, which we need to address with regards to
this prepositional phrase, namely, is it used in relation to the Mosaic Law or does it
simply refer to meritorious actions in general? In both Romans and Galatians, Paul
sets an emphatic contrast between salvation that is based upon “the works of the
Law” and salvation based upon faith in Jesus Christ as Savior (Gal. 2:16; 3:2-5, 9,
10; Rom. 3:27-28; 4:2, 3, 5; 9:32). In both Romans and Galatians, Paul was

concerned about the teaching of the Judaizers who were Jewish Christians who were
attempting to put Gentile Christians under the Mosaic Law by compelling them to
receive circumcision. In Acts 15, the first church council resolved this issue
decisively by ruling in favor of Paul and not these Judaizers. Therefore, the question
arises, is Paul concerned about the same issue with the recipients of the Ephesian
epistle who we noted were not only the Ephesian Christian community but also
various Christian communities in the Roman province of Asia since as we noted in
detail in our introduction, Ephesians is a circular letter.
Now, some expositors argue that the expression “the works of the Law,” which
Paul employs in both Galatians and Romans, is not being referred to in Ephesians
2:9 because in this verse he omits any reference to the Law when using the term
ergon (ἒργον), “works.”
Andrew Lincoln writes “In Paul, as we noted above, works of the law are most
frequently set in contrast to faith and regarded as excluding faith (cf. Gal 2:16; 3:2–
5, 9, 10; Rom 3:27, 28; 4:2, 3, 5; 9:32), though in one passage, Rom 11:6, the contrast
is between works and grace. It should also be observed that the phrase Paul uses is
‘works of the law,’ and in the few places where he simply uses the more general
term ‘works’ the context makes clear that he still has the law in view, even though
he may be discussing the patriarchs (cf. Rom 4:2, 6; 9:11, 32; 11:6). In other words,
‘not by works’ in Paul belongs firmly to the contexts of Galatians and Romans and
thus to the apostle’s conflict with Judaizers over the relation of Gentile converts to
the law and to his assessment of the role of the law in the history of salvation. But
here in Ephesians, it is simply the term ‘works,’ not ‘works of the law,’ that is
employed. It is extremely unlikely, in a letter to predominantly Gentile readers, in
which the only reference to νόμος, ‘law’ (2:15), occurs in a passage reminding
Gentiles of what God did in the past to allow them access to the God of Israel, that
‘works of the law’ are still in view (contr a Schlier, 116; Mussner, 67). Instead, the
writer has again taken up what he believes to be a characteristically Pauline theme
in such a way that, removed from its original specifically polemical context, it now
has a more general reference (cf. also 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5; 1 Clem 32.3). ‘Works’
now stands for human effort in general. Salvation is not achieved by human
performance or any attempt to earn God’s approval. It is not that, in the writer’s
mind, works of natural law have replaced works of the Mosaic law (pac e Meyer,
115), nor that he believes that his Gentile readers are attempting to secure their
salvation on the basis of their new holiness of life (pace Abbott, 52). In regard to the
latter point, as the paraenetical section of the letter clearly indicates, the danger the
writer sees is not that his readers are relying on their outstanding ethical qualities for
contra in contrast to
pace with due respect to, but differing from
pace with due respect to, but differing from

salvation, but that their lives are being conformed to the surrounding mores and are
not holy enough. It is simply that he wants them to have an absolutely clear
understanding of their privileged position as recipients of a salvation that is totally
God’s gracious work. The false teaching attacked in Colossians had already provided
an example of how easily this principle can become obscured, as human effort took
the form of ascetic regulations and mystical techniques meant to ensure fullness of
salvation, though, again, this would not have been specifically in view in the writer’s
use of the general term ‘works’ here.”12
Clinton Arnold writes “To emphasize even more the gracious nature of salvation
as a gift, he appropriates the language he has used throughout his ministry in his
polemic with law-observant Jews. For instance, Paul told the Galatians that ‘we
know that a person is not justified by works of the law (ἐξ ἔργων νόμου) but through
faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified
by faith in Christ and not by works of the law (ἐξ ἔργων νόμου), because by works
of the law (ἐξ ἔργων νόμου) no one will be justified’ (Gal 2:16 ESV). Similarly, he
tells the Romans, ‘by the works of the Law (ἐξ ἔργων νόμου) no flesh will be
justified in His sight’ (Rom 3:20 NASB). In these contexts, Paul is challenging the
common Jewish opinion that God’s end-time verdict will be based both on election
and obedience to the Torah.13
Ephesians is situated in a different historical context, however, than Galatians
and Romans. There is no controversy looming in the background with Jewish
Christians asserting the importance of observing the law. Consequently, Paul does
not say ‘works of the law’ here, but simply ‘works.’ His comments to the Ephesians
come closer to what he says to Titus (lit.): ‘he saved us—not by works of
righteousness (ἐξ ἔργων τῶν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ) that we had done, but according to his
mercy’ (Titus 3:5). Paul thus generalizes to his predominantly Gentile readers that
there will never be an adequate amount of good deeds to warrant a favorable verdict
from God on the day of judgment.”14
We must keep in mind when answering this question that the recipients of
Ephesians were Gentile Christians like the recipients of Galatians and Romans for
that matter. In both Romans and Galatians, Paul was addressing with Gentile
Christians their relationship to the Mosaic Law as well as with their interaction with
the Jewish Christian community (cf. Rom. 14). Furthermore, Paul does make
reference to the Law in Ephesians 2:15 with the expression “the law of
commandments in decrees” (NET), which he asserts in Ephesians 2:14 was
12
Lincoln, A. T. (1990). Ephesians (Vol. 42, pp. 112–113). Word, Incorporated.
ESV English Standard Version
NASB New American Standard Bible
13
See the discussion in Simon Gathercole, Where Is Boasting? Early Jewish Soteriology and Paul’s Response in Romans 1–5 (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 2002), 248–51.
14
Arnold, C. E. (2010). Ephesians (pp. 139–140). Zondervan.

destroyed by the Lord Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross. In fact, in Ephesians
2:11-22, Paul instructing these Gentile Christians in the Roman province of Asia that
they were united with the Jewish Christian community in order to promote and
stimulate the unity among these two communities in an experiential sense. As we
noted in our introduction of this epistle, we noted that the purpose of Ephesians was
to maintain unity between Jewish and Gentile believers by means of the practice of
the command to love one another when interacting with each other (Ephesians 4:1-
16). Therefore, based on these reasons, this author believes that Paul is not making
a distinction between the terms “works” in Ephesians and “the works of the Law” in
Romans and Galatians. In fact, both refer to human effort to accomplish one’s
salvation apart from faith in Jesus Christ. This lack of distinction between the phrase
“the works of the Law” in Romans and Galatians “works” in Ephesians is indicated
by Paul statements in Romans 4:1-5 in which he illustrates his teaching in Romans
3:20-28 that a sinner is justified by faith in Christ rather than meritorious actions,
which are in obedience to the Mosaic Law. In Romans 4:1-5, Paul asserts that
Abraham was not justified by “the works of the Law” because he lived and died
before the Law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Furthermore, the problem of
sinners attempting to accomplish their salvation from Christ by performing actions,
which they believe will merit their salvation or God declaring them righteous is
found among both unregenerate Gentiles as well as unregenerate Jews. Indeed, all
the world religions with the exception of Biblical Christianity are “works” based
rather than “faith” based. So therefore, this author believes that there is sufficient
evidence that when Paul asserts in Ephesians 2:9 that salvation is by no means
originating from meritorious actions, he is concerned that the Gentile Christian
community in Asia have the conviction that they are not saved based upon
meritorious actions, which are in obedience to the Mosaic Law.
Harold Hoehner writes “Paul continues by saying that the origin of salvation not
only does not come from within a person but it is also not from his or her works or
efforts. He consistently shows that works or works of the law are an antithesis to
grace. In Rom 11:16 he states, ‘if it is by grace it is no longer from works, otherwise,
grace is no longer grace’ (cf. also 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5). Hence, as in verse 8, grace
is the means or instrument of our salvation. Furthermore, on numerous instances
Paul makes the stark contrast between works and faith (cf. Rom 3:20, 28; 4:1–5;
9:32; Gal 2:16; 3:2–5, 7, 9). However, Romans and Galatians refer to the ‘works of
the law,’15 whereas the present context refers only to ‘works.’ But it needs to be
15
There has been a great debate regarding Paul and the law since Sander’s epoch-making book, E. P. Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A
Comparison of Patterns of Religion (London: SCM, 1977). Dunn proposes that the “works of the law” is thought by Paul as “particular observances
of the law like circumcision and the food laws” including special days and feasts and thus “these feast observances were widely regarded as
characteristically and distinctively Jewish.” See James D. G. Dunn, “The New Perspective on Paul,” BJRL 65 (spring 1983): 107, cf. also 95–122.
This article is reprinted with an additional note responding to those who criticized the view. See idem, Jesus, Paul and the Law: Studies in Mark
and Galatians (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster/Knox, 1990), 183–241. The view is refined and broadened so that the “works of the law” refers to a

realized that in Romans and Galatians Paul is dealing with many Jews, whereas in
Ephesians he is dealing primarily with Gentiles. In fact, ‘law’ (νόμος) is mentioned
only once in Ephesians (2:15) where Paul reminds them that Christ has rendered the
law inoperative in order that he might create in himself the two (believing Jews and
Gentiles) into one new person. Furthermore, it is incorrect to think that ‘works of the
law’ is really different from ‘works.’ ‘Works’ is a broad term referring to human
effort, which is the same as “works of the law” in a Jewish context.16 This is clearly
seen in Romans where Paul states that one is justified without the “works of the law”
(3:20, 28) and then he illustrates it in the life of Abraham who was justified not by
“works” since he was before the law (4:1–5); however, that was also true in David’s
life who was after the law (4:6). Other examples within Romans (9:11 [AV, RV, ASV,
RSV, NASB, NEB], 12 [NA27, UBS 4, JB, NIV, NJB, NRSV], 32; 11:6) indicate that Paul
uses ‘works’ with the same meaning as ‘works of the law,’ that is, human effort.17
Peter O’Brien writes “In conflict with the agitators for whom the law/gospel
antithesis was prominent, Paul frequently uses the phrase works of the law. This
disputed expression denotes not legalism but works which are commanded by the
Mosaic law, that is, actions performed in obedience to it, possibly including practices
required by Judaism such as circumcision, food laws, or sabbath keeping. 18
Accordingly, the apostle pronounces that no one is justified by works of the law
(Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16 [3 times]). Justification does not come via this route, since a
mode of existence distinctly determined by the law whereby the individual Israelite is identified as belonging to the people of God as distinct from
other nations, see idem, “Works of the Law and the Curse of the Law (Galatians 3:10–14),” NTS 31 (October 1985): 523–42, esp. 527–32 and the
reprint with an additional note, idem, Jesus, Paul and the Law, 219–25, 237–41; idem, “Yet Once More—‘The Works of the Law’: A Response,”
JSNT 46 (June 1992): 99–117. Cf. also idem, The Partings of the Ways, 117–39; idem, “4QMMT and Galatians,” NTS 43 (January 1997): 147–53.
This view has been challenged. See Stephen Westerholm, Israel’s Law and the Church’s Faith: Paul and His Recent Interpreters (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1988), 117–19, 143–44; C. E. B. Cranfield, “ ‘The Works of the Law’ in the Epistle to the Romans,” JSNT 43 (September 1991): 89–
101; Thomas R. Schreiner, “ ‘Works of Law’ in Paul,” NovT 33 (July 1991): 217–44; Donald A. Hagner, “Paul and Judaism—The Jewish Matrix
of Early Christianity: Issues in the Current Debate,” BBR 3 (1993): 111–30; Joseph A. Fitzmyer, According to Paul: Studies in the Theology of the
Apostle (New York: Paulist, 1993), 23.
16
Lincoln, 112–13; Lincoln and Wedderburn, The Theology of the Later Pauline Letters, 131–32, 135–36; Marshall, “Salvation, Grace and Works
in the Later Writings in the Pauline Corpus,” 345–48, 355–57.
AV Authorised Version (King James Version)
RV Revised Version
ASV American Standard Version
RSV Revised Standard Version
NASB New American Standard Bible
NEB New English Bible
NA Novum Testamentum Graece. Edited by Barbara and Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, 27th
rev. ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1993
27
Novum Testamentum Graece. Edited by Barbara and Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, 27th rev.
ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1993
UBS The Greek New Testament, Edited by Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karvidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, 4th rev.
ed. Stuttgart: United Bible Societies, 1993
4
The Greek New Testament, Edited by Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karvidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, 4th rev. ed.
Stuttgart: United Bible Societies, 1993
JB Jerusalem Bible
NIV New International Version
NJB New Jerusalem Bible
NRSV New Revised Standard Version
17
Hoehner, H. W. (2002). Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (pp. 344–345). Baker Academic.
18
For a brief discussion of this disputed phrase, together with bibliographical details (to 1993), see T. R. Schreiner, ‘Works of the Law’, DPL, 975–
79; note further details in Hoehner.

person is counted righteous apart from works of the law (Rom. 3:28). Indeed, works
of the law cannot confer the Spirit or work miracles (Gal. 3:2, 5), and all who rely
on such works are under a curse (Gal. 3:10).
In Romans 3 and 4 the simple expression works, which denotes deeds that are
performed, is used synonymously with the full phrase works of the law. There is a
direct connection between the full expression in Romans 3:20 and 28 and works in
4:1–5, which states that Abraham was not justified either by his works (v.2) or by
his working (vv. 4–5). What is said about works of the law is asserted by the apostle
in relation to works: so justification does not come by works (Rom. 4:2; cf. 9:32). It
is apart from works (4:6), while election, too, is not by works (Rom. 9:12; 11:6).
Ephesians is a letter written to predominantly Gentile readers in which works of
the law are not primarily in view; 19 works now stand for human effort in general, a
nuance found elsewhere in Paul. This inclusive reference to human activities does
not exclude but includes the practices required by Judaism. 20 In Romans 9:11–12
works, which are defined as doing anything good or evil, are ruled out as a way of
obtaining salvation. Salvation is not based on human performance or on any effort
to win God’s approval. And if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works;
otherwise grace would no longer be grace (Rom. 11:6). Indeed, in the light of what
has already been said about the desperate plight of men and women outside of Christ,
dead in trespasses and sins, subject to wrath, and living in terrible bondage (Eph.
2:1–3), it was impossible for the readers to turn to their previous behaviour as the
basis for achieving salvation. Their former life and works had caused the very
predicament from which they needed to be delivered.”21
Therefore, the elliptical epexegetical statement ouk ex ergōn (οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων), “it
by no means originates from meritorious actions as a source” in Ephesians 2:9
is expressing the idea that the church age believer’s salvation, which is based upon
grace and is received by means of their faith in Jesus Christ “by no means originated
from meritorious actions performed by them as a source.” Or, we could say that the
church age believer’s salvation, which is based upon grace and is received by means
of their faith in Jesus Christ at the moment of justification “emphatically never
originated from meritorious actions performed by the church age believer as a
source.” In other words, salvation is a gift from God, which is based upon His grace
policy by means of faith in His Son, Jesus Christ is mutually exclusive from salvation
that is accomplished by a person’s actions, which they believe will merit their
salvation or acceptance by a holy God. Or we could say that salvation received from
God as a gift is antithetical with salvation, which a sinner attempts to accomplish
through actions, which they believe will merit a holy God accepting them.
19
The only reference to νόμος (‘law’) occurs in a context which reminds Gentile readers that God has, in the past, allowed them access to him as
the God of Israel (Eph. 2:15; note, however, the reference to the fifth commandment in Eph. 6:2; cf. Lincoln, 112; Arnold, 149).
20
I. H. Marshall, ‘Salvation’, 345–46, following F. Mussner, Der Brief an die Epheser (Gütersloh/Würzburg: Mohn/Echter, 1982), 67.
21
O’Brien, P. T. (1999). The letter to the Ephesians (pp. 176–177). W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

As we noted, this elliptical epexegetical statement ouk ex ergōn (οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων),
“it by no means originates from meritorious actions as a source” in verse 9 also
defines in emphatic terms the elliptical epexegetical clause elliptical epexegetical
clause kai touto ouk ex hymōn (καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν), “In other words, this never
originated from any one of you as a source” in Ephesians 2:8. The latter explains
from an emphatic negative perspective the previous assertion in this verse, which
states that the church age believer is saved because of the Father’s grace policy
through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. These two elliptical epexegetical statements
in Ephesians 2:8 assert that the church age believer’s salvation is emphatically not
from themselves as a source but rather that it originates as a gift from God the Father.
Therefore, it is explaining in emphatic terms the idea that because the church age
believer’s salvation is based upon the Father’s grace policy through faith in His Son.
Or we could say that their salvation is emphatically not from themselves as a source
but rather it originates as a gift from God the Father.
Now, this elliptical epexegetical statement ouk ex ergōn (οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων), “it by
no means originates from meritorious actions as a source” in verse 9 is thus
defining specifically what Paul means by this elliptical epexegetical clause kai touto
ouk ex hymōn (καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν), “In other words, this never originated
from any one of you as a source” in Ephesians 2:8. Therefore, a comparison of
these two statements indicates that when Paul asserts that the church age believer’s
salvation is emphatically not from themselves as a source but rather that it originates
as a gift from God the Father, he means that their salvation emphatically never
originated from meritorious actions performed by the church age believer as a
source.
As we noted earlier, the elliptical epexegetical clause ouk ex ergōn (οὐκ ἐξ
ἔργων), “it by no means originates from meritorious actions as a source” is
followed by the hina (ἵνα) purpose-result clause hina mē tis kauchēsētai (ἵνα μή τις
καυχήσηται), “so that a person cannot for their own glory enter into the state of
boasting.” The latter indicates both the intention and accomplishment of the action
of the verb eimi (εἰμί), which we noted is deliberately omitted but implied. A purpose
clause emphasizes both the intention and this verb’s sure accomplishment.
Therefore, this hina (ἵνα) purpose-result clause presents both the purpose and the
result of the Father saving the church age believer because of His grace policy by
means of faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ and never from meritorious
actions as a source of this salvation. Thus, this hina (ἵνα) purpose-result clause
indicates that it was the Father’s “intention” to save the church age believer based
upon His grace policy by means of faith in His Son, Jesus Christ and not from any
meritorious actions on their part as a source of this salvation. It also indicates that
the Father “accomplished” His purpose of saving the church age believer based upon
His grace policy by means of faith in His Son, Jesus Christ and not from any

meritorious actions as a source of this salvation on their part. So therefore, this hina
(ἵνα) purpose-result clause emphasizes that the Father “accomplished His purpose
or intention” by saving the church age believer based upon His grace policy by
means of faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, and by no means from any meritorious
actions as a source on their part.
The nominative masculine singular form of the indefinite pronoun tis (τις), “one”
is referring to any member of the body of Christ, i.e. the church without further
identification. Despite the fact that the word is used in the masculine gender, the
word’s referent is both male and female members of the body of Christ. Though this
indefinite pronoun is in the masculine gender, this elliptical epexegetical statement
here in Ephesians 2:9 is obviously applicable to every Christian whether male or
female. This interpretation is indicated by the fact that Paul is teaching an eternal
spiritual truth as indicated by the gnomic present tenses of the verbs sozo (σῴζω)
and eimi (εἰμί) in verse 8. The latter we noted is omitted in verse 9 but implied from
verse 8. Thus, this indefinite pronoun is being used like the masculine noun
anthropos (ἄνθρωπος), which often in the Greek New Testament does not refer to
males in the human race but rather it refers to human beings in a generic sense
without reference to their gender.
In our exegesis of Ephesians 2:9, we also noted that the verb kauchaomai
(καυχάομαι) means “to boast” since the word pertains to expressing an unusually
high degree of confidence in someone or something being exceptionally
noteworthy. 22 It pertains taking pride in something one has accomplished. The verb’s
meaning is negated by the negative particle me (μή), which denies any idea of the
action of the verb taking place. The nominative masculine singular form of the
indefinite pronoun tis (τις) functions as the nominative subject of this verb.
Therefore, this indicates that a church age believer cannot perform the action of
boasting that they were responsible for accomplishing their own salvation.
The aorist tense of this verb kauchaomai (καυχάομαι) is an ingressive aorist
which stresses the church age believer not entering into the state of boasting that
they accomplished their own salvation based upon their meritorious actions.
The middle voice of this verb is an indirect middle, which is expressing the idea
of the church age believer “for their own benefit” or “for their own glory” entering
into the state of boasting that they accomplished their own salvation based upon their
meritorious actions.
Andrew Lincoln writes “God’s purpose in providing a salvation that is not based
on human effort or performance is to exclude boasting. With this assertion the writer
again takes up a typically Pauline theme. Paul had claimed in Rom 3:27 that his
gospel of justification by faith left no room for boasting. Boasting accompanies
22
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.,
Vol. 1, p. 430). United Bible Societies.

works because they become the ground for self-congratulation and pride in the
presence of God (Rom 3:27; 4:2), and drag in the notion of merit, or earning one’s
reward (Rom 4:4). It was vital to Paul’s perspective on salvation that men and
women should not be in the position to claim even the least degree of credit for their
acceptance by God. Instead, the common denominator in Paul’s objection to
righteousness by law in Romans and his objection to human wisdom in 1 Corinthians
(cf. 1:28–31) is that both involve ‘boasting.’ His gospel with its focus on the cross
effectively deals with both the predominantly Jewish and the predominantly Greek
forms of self-assertion. To boast is to glory in, to put one’s confidence in, the flesh
(cf. Gal 6:13; Phil 3:3). Boasting perverts human autonomy by making it the object
of trust. Paul’s gospel brings a new orientation which enables one instead to boast
in the Lord (cf. 1 Cor 1:31; 2 Cor 10:17; Rom 5:11; Phil 3:3), particularly in the
cross of Christ (cf. Gal 6:14), to recognize that whatever one possesses one has
received as a gift (cf. 1 Cor 4:7), and to glory in one’s weakness and suffering as the
opportunity for the display of God’s power (cf. 2 Cor 11:30; 12:9; Rom 5:2, 3). (On
“boasting” in Paul, cf. especially R. Bultmann, “καυχάομσι,” TDNT 3 [1965] 645–
54; Theology of the New Testament 1 [New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1951]
240–46, 264, 281,315–16.) The writer to the Ephesians also clearly sees that
salvation by grace through faith destroys boasting; it leaves people no contribution
of their own which they can bring to God. He knows that what is at stake in salvation
is God’s glory, particularly the glory of his grace, but that works would lead only to
human glorying.”23
Harold Hoehner writes “Verse 9 reinforces this by showing that the means is not
by works since its basis is grace (Rom. 3:20, 28; 4:1–5; 11:6; Gal. 2:16; 2 Tim. 1:9;
Titus 3:5), and its means is faith (Rom. 4:5). Therefore since no person can bring
salvation to himself by his own efforts, no one can boast (cf. Rom. 3:27; 1 Cor.
1:29). Their boasting can only be in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:31).” 24
F. F. Bruce writes “‘It is not based on works’—of course not, for ‘if it is by grace,
it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace’
(Rom. 11:6). If it were based on works, those who received it could claim some
credit for it. ‘If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about’25
(Rom. 4:2), but it was Abraham’s faith that was ‘reckoned to him as righteousness’
(Gen. 15:6, quoted in Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6). ‘For this reason it is based on faith, that
it might be according to grace’ (Rom. 4:16). And where divine grace operates,
human merit is excluded, and human boasting too (Rom. 3:27).26 There is no room
TDNT G. Kittel and G. Friedrich, eds., tr. G. W. Bromiley Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 10 vols., ET (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1964–76)
23
Lincoln, A. T. (1990). Ephesians (Vol. 42, p. 113). Word, Incorporated.
24
Hoehner, H. W. (1985). Ephesians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures
(Vol. 2, p. 624). Victor Books.
25
Gk. ἔχει καύχημα, a noun derived from the verb καυχάομαι (used here, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται).
26
ποῦ οὖν ἡ καύχησισ̀ ἐξεκλείσθη.

for such boasting in God’s presence; ‘therefore, as it is written, “Let anyone who
boasts, boast in the Lord”’ (1 Cor. 1:29, 31, quoting Jer. 9:24).”27
Peter O’Brien writes “Boasting is a characteristically Pauline theme, 28 which
frequently occurs in polemical contexts. 29 The apostle’s references to it need to be
understood against the contemporary backgrounds of the professional practices of
the sophists, among others, and of the Jews, whose basic attitude was one of self-
confidence before God, convinced that their membership in the covenant people and
keeping of the law would bring honour to themselves. As Paul attacks the doctrine
of justification by works, so he opposes all boasting based on self-trust. According
to Romans 3:21–26 justification is grounded in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
and it comes as a gift from God. Every attempt to affirm oneself before God by
boasting in ones own achievements is excluded, according to Romans 3:27. To boast
is tantamount to putting one’s confidence in the flesh, and this the apostle decisively
rejects (cf. Phil. 3:3; Gal. 6:13). Men and women are in no position to claim even
the slightest credit for their acceptance with God (note Paul’s argument in Rom. 4:1–
8). But in the gospel of reconciliation by which justification comes through Christ’s
death, men and women are now able to boast in the Lord (Rom. 5:9–11; 1 Cor. 1:31;
Phil. 3:3). Here in Ephesians the apostle makes it plain that salvation by grace
destroys all human boasting. Men and women have nothing which they can bring as
their own to the living God.” 30
27
Bruce, F. F. (1984). The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (p. 290). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
28
καυχάομαι (‘I boast’) and its cognates. Of the thirty-seven occurrences of this verb in the New Testament thirty-five are in Paul. For details see
R. Bultmann, TDNT 3:645–54, and J. Zmijewski, EDNT 2:276–79.
29
In the Old Testament there are many proverbs against self-glorying or boasting (1 Kings 20:11; Prov. 25:14; 27:1). It is not simply a casual fault,
but the basic attitude of the foolish and ungodly person (Ps. 52:1[LXX 51:3]; 94:4[93:3]), for in it one sees the person who stands on his own feet
and does not depend on God. On the other hand, opposed to self-confident boasting there is a true boasting that consists in humbling oneself before
God (Jer. 9:23–24), who is the praise of Israel (Deut. 10:21). Such boasting is related to ‘confidence, joy and thanksgiving, and the paradox is that
the one who glories thus looks away from himself, so that his glorying is a confession of God’; R. Bultmann, TDNT 3:647.
30
O’Brien, P. T. (1999). The letter to the Ephesians (pp. 177–178). W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

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EXEGESIS AND

Pastor William E. Wenstrom Jr.

Original Text of Ephesians 2:9

Ephesians 2:9 οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται. (NA28)

Church Age Believer’s Salvation By No Means Originates from Meritorious Actions

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The Church Age Believer Can Never Boast

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Translation of Ephesians 2:1-9

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Expanded translation of Ephesians 2:1-9

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Exposition of Ephesians 2:9

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