Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 4:8

διὸ λέγει· ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος ᾐχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν ἔδωκεν δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he took captive captivity, he gave gifts to men.".

Paul is here talking about what Christ has given as a gift, and he is using Scripture to support his statement. Paul is quoting from Psalm 68:19 in the Masoretic Text (MT) or Psalm 68:18 in the Septuagint (LXX). Paul did not quote either the MT or the LXX. There are significant changes between Paul's version and both the MT and the LXX. For example, Psalm 68:18 in the LXX has the second person, as does Psalm 68:19 in the MT, whereas Paul's version has the third person. Also, both the MT and the LXX have "receive gifts," not "gave gifts." The language is too similar, and yet the texts are not the same. What's going on?

There are several theories about what Paul was doing here in Ephesians 4:8. Two of the leading theories are as follows: one, Paul is quoting an Aramaic Targum that has its rendering different from the MT and the LXX; two, Paul is utilizing midrash pesher, a practice that allows the interpreter to quote a passage of Scripture and adapt it to one's argument while at the same time interpreting it. The first option contends that Paul was quoting an Aramaic Targum. These targums were translations of the Hebrew Bible into Aramaic. These targums came rather late, so it is likely that Paul was familiar with them and he could have used them. Midrash pesher, the second option, was not uncommon. It was an acceptable practice and is found elsewhere in the New Testament. In regards to the first option, interestingly enough, the Aramaic Targum uses "gave gifts." It is possible that Paul was utilizing a targum. But what about the other differences? Midrash pesher seems to account for those differences. What we have here are a couple of viable possibilities. First, Paul was utilizing both targums and midrash pesher. If this is the case, then Paul was using a targum to quote from, but he adapted it to his own argument. Second, Paul was using midrash pesher alone. If this were the case, then all the differences are as a result to his adapting the text to his argument. In either case, Paul was following excepted practices and should not be considered as a poor writer who violated modern codes and ethics for quoting.

Paul introduces his quotation with a common introductory phrase: διὸ λέγει. Among others, this is one kind of phrase that Paul uses to introduce Scripture quotations. The use of the conjunction, διὸ, is to connect the gift of Christ from 4:7 to what he was about to quote. Paul is making an inference on the gift of Christ in light of Psalm 68:19.

The participle, ἀναβὰς, is temporal, but it is also contemporaneous to the verb, ᾐχμαλώτευσεν, and should be translated this way: "When he ascended on high, he took captive captivity." This phrase, "he took captive captivity." The greek is a fairly close rendering of the MT. The Hebrew phrase, שָׁבִיתָ שֶּׁבִי, literally, "you took captive captivity," is rendered, "you led away captives." Both the LXX and Paul follow this wording, so it seems best to render it here in Ephesians as "he led away captives."

The verb ἔδωκεν is contemporary with ᾐχμαλώτευσεν; Christ gave gifts as he led away captives. To whom did he give gifts to? To ἀνθρώποις. This word does not mean "men and not women." By "men" it means "human," which includes both men and women. Paul was writing according to the cultural customs of his time; women simply were not addressed, generally speaking. By using ἀνθρώποις, Paul was addressing both men and women while following First Century practices. We can translate it as "men," or, if we want to be gender inclusive, we can translate it as "humans," which is rather awkward, or we can say, "men and women," since this word does not exclude women.

Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led away captives, he gave gifts to both men and women."

Christ gave gifts to men and women. He led away captives. Christ is indeed victorious. Because of Christ, we are victorious. His ascension, when he sat down at the right hand of God and was placed in authority of all things, marked his supremacy over all things. We would do well to remember that Christ is supreme and is in authority over all things, which is why he can give us gifts, such as grace.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 4:7

Ἑνὶ δὲ ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. But to each one of us it was given the grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

In this sentence, Paul is continuing on with the idea of unity or sameness. In the previous sentence, Paul exhorted the readers to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. He spelled out what is the unity and bond. Now he tells the readers why they are all equals. δὲ connects this sentence with what comes before it, but it is not contrasting anything, so "but" is not an appropriate translation. It would be best to leave it untranslated in english, so long as we note that this sentence is connected to the one before it.

To each and every one of them, including Paul the apostle, the grace of the Lord was given to them. They all had the gift, and therefore they were all equals. More than that, they all had the grace in accordance with the measurement. κατὰ marks the norm of similarity. What was similar in all of them was the fact that they all had the same measurement. μέτρον means "measure" or "measurement." In this case, it bears the idea of the result of measuring and is to be understood as a "measurement." But what was being measured?

The gift of Christ was being measured. What does this mean? Furthermore, how do we understand these genitives? First we have τῆς δωρεᾶς, and second we have τοῦ Χριστοῦ. The first genitive is attached to μέτρον. Is it in apposition (the measure, namely, the gift)? No, but rather it is a partitive genitive. The measurement is the part of the whole, δωρεᾶς. The second genitive is understood by many to be possessive (Christ's gift). Indeed, it is a possessive genitive. Who's gift is in view? Christ's. Christ's gift has been measured out and given to each and every one of the readers, including Paul.

Grace was given to each one of us in accordance with the normative measurement of Christ's gift.

In Christ, we are all equal. We are brought together in unity and peace. Let it not be mistaken: we are all on a level playing field. We all have the same gift. Christ's gift, grace, which was made possible by his own self-sacrifice, has been equally given to each and every one of us. Therefore, we are all equal. We should not think of any of us as being higher or superior to anyone else. The Apostle Paul put himself on the same playing field as his readers. Pastors, elders, and deacons are likewise on the same playing field as the rest of the congregation. Unity requires that we see each other on a level playing field. As a result, we should not think ourselves to be better than another.

It would be good to acknowledge that we are all equals in Christ, and that there is not a class or caste system in Christ. We do not enter into faith as though we are in a low ranking class and seek to move up in the system. We do not enter into faith as though we are placed into a single caste and can never get out of it. No, grace is equally given to all of us. There is no class and there is no caste. We are involved in a system of equality, for all have been given the same grace. If there ever is a time that we feel superior, we would do well to remember that in Christ we are equal. Feelings of superiority breed disunity and rancor. We must humble ourselves and in our equality maintain the unity of the spirit with the bond of peace.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 4:1-6

Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι τῆς κλήσεως ἧς ἐκλήθητε μετὰ πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ πραΰτητος μετὰ μακροθυμίας ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων ἐν ἀγάπῃ σπουδάζοντες τηρεῖν τὴν ἑνότητα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης ἓν σῶμα καὶ ἓν πνεῦμα καθὼς καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν μιᾷ ἐλπίδι τῆς κλήσεως ὑμῶν εἷς κύριος μία πίστις ἓν βάπτισμα εἷς θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ πάντων ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων καὶ διὰ πάντων καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν. I urge you, therefore, I, the prisoner in the Lord, worthily to walk of the calling of which you were called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

In chapter 4, Paul begins his section of exhortation in this letter, although it is not without its own bits of theology. In this sentence, we see a mix of both exhortation and theology.

In light of all that he had talked about--such as the work God has done on our behalf through Jesus Christ, and the unifying of the Gentiles with the Jews in Christ--Paul has some exhortations to make. He appeals to his condition as being the prisoner of Christ. He exhorts his readers to walk worthily of the calling that they were called to. The infinitive περιπατῆσαι does mean to walk, but in this context it has bears the idea of living. Paul is exhorting his readers to live worthily of the calling. They were to live a life worthy of the calling with all humility and gentleness. They were to live with patience. How were they to live with these inner qualities? By bearing with one another in love, which is the counterpart to patience, and by making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit, which is the counterpart to humility and gentleness. Patience is required for bearing with others; humility and gentleness is necessary for keeping unity. But this unity that Paul mentions is quite extraordinary. It is the unity of the Spirit, which is bound together by a common peace. Paul goes on to explain what the unity is by identifying the contents of the unity of the Spirit.

The Greek is interesting here. The editors of Nesle-Aland's 27th edition place a semicolon at the end of verse 3 and begin a new sentence in verse 4. However, since there is no conjunction in verse 4 and because the content of verse 4 and following explain what is meant by the unity of the Spirit in verse 3, it makes sense not to think of vv. 4-6 as a separate sentence. What comes in vv. 4-6 are all part of the same thought as vv. 1-3. In terms of translation, it is possible to separate it into different sentences, but such practice will not be utilized here in order to preserve the connection between the unity of the Spirit and the essentials laid out in vv. 4-6.

According to vv. 4-6, the unity of the Spirit has some common ground. There is one body, the Church, and one Spirit. In the same way, there is only one hope in the calling that the readers were called. If there is only one hope in the calling, then there is similarly only one group of called out ones, and there is only one Spirit that tends to them. In the unity of the Spirit, there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, one faith, trust and belief both in God and his work on our behalf, one baptism, the common practice of water pouring, dipping, or sprinkling to signify a new life out of an old, and one God and Father of all, who is over all things, through all things, and in all things. God is identified as the one in authority over all things, the one who works through all things, and the one who is associated with all things. Together, the one body, the one Spirit, the one hope, the one Lord, the one faith, the one baptism, and the one God are all the bond of peace that make the unity of the Spirit.

Therefore, I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling, of which you were called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, by bearing with one another in love, by making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, one body and one Spirit, just as you were also called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all things, through all things, and in all things.

Unity is important. Unity is part of living right--to live worthily of the calling. How often do we divide and forsake unity over issues that fall outside the bond of peace? Brothers and sisters, we should not divide over issues that fall outside of the bond of peace. So long as we hold to the one Lord, the one faith, and the one baptism, to the one God and the one Spirit, we should not be dividing up amongst ourselves. It is heartbreaking to hear of schisms in churches on the basis of systematic theological issues, such as, "Are humans predestined and without a choice, or does God not know what choice they will make?" Such an issue falls outside the bond of peace. We need to preserve the unity of the Spirit by bearing with one another in love, patience, and gentleness in regards to such issues. Unity does not mean full agreement on every aspect of biblical interpretation. In such instances, we should agree to disagree, so long as the basics--those fundamentals of the unity--are not violated. Ask yourself, "Am I living in a way that is worthy of the calling? In what ways am I causing disunity in the Church and how can I correct it?"

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 3:20-21

τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν, αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς πάσας τὰς γενεὰς τοῦ αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν. And to the one who is able to do infinitely more than all that we ask or think according to the power which works in us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus for all the generations of eternity, amen.

Continuing on from his description of what he seeks the Father for on behalf of his readers, Paul gives a doxology. The Father is the recipient of this glory offering. The Father is the one who is able to do infinitely more than what we ask or think. However, there is a comparison being made. The Father is able above all others to exceed what we ask or think. No one else can do what the Father does. He surpasses everyone as he surpasses our preconceived notions. The phrase is repetitive to underscore how much God surpasses our expectations. Not only does he go beyond what we ask, but he goes infintely beyond our preconceived ideas.

But now we have to ask a question. Is the phrase κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν supposed to go with the infinitive to do or with the verbs to ask and to know? In order to answer this question, we need to determine how κατὰ functions in the phrase. The word κατὰ marks the standard of similarity. The object of κατὰ is power. The accusative δύναμιν is linked not to the two verbs but to the action of the Father. The phrase κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν ties in with the infinitive, not the two other verbs. The Father is able to do more than what we can imagine. How? In accordance with the power he works in us. This power is the norm between his doing and working. The Father accomplishes things by his power, and his power is at work in us.

Paul continues his praise offering to the Father. The Father is still the recipient. He calls for glory to be directed towards the Father. In what sphere should glory be given to the Father? Glory should be given in two spheres: one, in the Church; and two, in Christ Jesus. For how long should glory be given to the Father? Throughout all generations for eternity.

To the One who is able to accomplish infinitely more than all that we ask or think by the power which is working in us, glory to him in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for eternity.

The Father deserves to be praised for the great work that he has done in us. He is able to do far beyond what we can conceive of and imagine, and therefore he deserves to be praised. We would do well to praise the Father for the work that he has done and point all the glory to him. Glory does not belong to us, but to him. We would also do well to rely on the Father, for no one else is capable of doing what he is able to do. No one else compares to the Father. All glory belongs to him, and likewise, all faith, hope, and trust belong to him.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 3:14-19

τούτου χάριν κάμπτω τὰ γόνατὰ μου πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἐξ οὗ πᾶσα πατριὰ ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀνομάζεται ἵνα δῷ ὐμῖν κατὰ τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ δυνάμει κραταιωθῆναι διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον κατοικῆσαι τὸν Χριστὸν διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἐρριζωμένοι καὶ τεθεμελιωμένοι ἵνα ἐξισχύσητε καταλαβέσθαι σὺν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἁγίαοις τί τὸ πλάτος καὶ μῆκος καὶ ὕψος καὶ βάθος γνῶναί τε τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν τῆς γνώσεως ἀγάπην τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα πληρωθῆτε εἰς πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ θεοῦ. For this reason I bend my knees toward the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, in order that he might give to you according to the richness of his glory in power to be strengthened through the Spirit of him in the inner person, Christ to dwell through faith in your hearts, in love having been rooted and established, in order that you might be fully capable to process with all the saints what is the width, length, height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ that is surpassing knowledge, in order that you might be filled in all the fullness of God.

As a result of his suffering on behalf of the readers, Paul said that he was bowing down to the Father. He says that the Father is the one who gives every family a name both in heaven and on earth. Paul was bowing down to the Father for the purpose that He would give to the readers according to his glorious riches. Paul followed this statement with two infinitives of purpose. The Father would give them according to his glorious wealth, with the purpose that they would be strengthened in power inwardly through his Spirit, and Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith. Following the first infinitive, κραταιωθῆναι, comes a genitive prepositional phrase expressing agency. It is through the Spirit, the agent that accomplishes the action, that the readers are strengthened in power. Following the second infinitive, κατοικῆσαι, is a genitive prepositional phrase expressing means. Faith is the means that for Christ to dwell in their hearts. Without faith, Christ could not dwell in their hearts.

Paul continues with two participles, ἐρριζωμένοι and τεθεμελιωμένοι. These participles are perfect passive, meaning that the action is done to the subject, rather than by the subject, and while the action did happen in the past, its effect are still felt through the present. The former participle means to be deeply rooted or firmly grounded; the second means to be established, and this by God. Paul is moving on from the idea of God giving and is focusing now on what God has done and continues to do in their lives. God has firmly grounded and established the readers in the foundation of love. But this grounding and establishing continues. God has not left the readers to their own demise. He continually tends to them. God has done and continues to work in their lives for the purpose that they should be fully capable of processing information, information regarding the width, length, height, and depth, and the love of Christ that is surpassing knowledge. The purpose of the two infinitives, καταλαβέσθαι and γνῶναί, to process and to know, is for the readers to be filled in all the fullness of God.

For this reason I bow down to the Father, from whom every family is named in heaven and on earth, with the purpose that he might give to you according to his glorious wealth, in order for you to be strengthened in power on the inside through his Spirit, in order for Christ to dwell in your hearts through means of faith, having been grounded and established in love (and continue to be), with the purpose that you might be fully capable to understand with all the saints what is the width, length, height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ that is surpassing knowledge, with the purpose that you might be filled into all the fullness of God.

Despite his suffering, Paul bowed down to the Father. We need to be equally devoted to the Father in our suffering. We need to recognize that God is in charge; he has given everyone their name. As we devote ourselves to the Father, God will be faithful to grow us in love, giving us deep roots that dig deep in the richness of love. Christ dwells in our hearts through faith, and we are strengthened inwardly with power by the Spirit of God. In light of this gracious blessing, we need to process in an effort to comprehend the vast love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 3:13

διὸ αἰτοῦμαι μὴ ἐγκακεῖν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσίν μου ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἥτις ἐστὶν δόξα ὑμῶν. Therefore, I ask not to be discouraged in my tribulations on behalf of you, which is your glory.

Since bold, confident access to God is given to those who are in Christ Jesus, Paul asks his readers to not be discouraged by the tribulations he was suffering. He stated that he was going through tribulations on their behalf. These tribulations were their glory. It is hard to determine how Paul's tribulations were his readers' glory. But perhaps it was due to the fact that through his tribulations he was able to write to them or to teach them. With the glory phrase aside, Paul asks his readers to not be discouraged. This request is linked with the fact that they all have bold and confident access to God. For those who have such a connection with the Father do not need to be discouraged by troubling tribulations.

Therefore, I am asking you not to be discouraged by my tribulations on your behalf, which is your glory.

Tribulations need not trouble us, for we have access to the Father, to the Creator of the universe. The God who created all things has made it possible to have access to him through those who are in Christ Jesus. In such access, believers do not need to be troubled by tribulations, for such situations are under God's control. He who created all things can certainly help us through troubling situations.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 3:8-12

ἐμοὶ τῷ ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ πάντων ἀγίων ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις αὕτη τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εὐαγγελίσασθαι τὸ ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ φωτίσαι πάντας τίς ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐν τῷ θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ πρόθεσιν τῶν αἰώνων ἣν ἐποίησεν ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ προσαγωγὴν ἐν πεποιθήσει διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ. To me, the least of all the saints, it was given this grace, to the Gentiles to preach the incomprehensible riches of Christ and to enlighten everyone what the plan of the mystery which was hidden from the ages in God, the One who created all things, in order that it now might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms through the Church the diverse wisdom of God according to the purpose of the ages, which he made in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through the faith of him.

Paul said he was given this grace, meaning, a gift or task. It was a privilege to do what he was doing. This privilege is all the more poignant since Paul considered himself to be the least of all the saints. Paul was privileged to preach to the Gentiles and to enlighten everyone. What was he to preach and enlighten? He was to preach the incomprehensible riches of Christ to the Gentiles, and to enlighten everyone in what the plan of the mystery which was hidden from the ages, that is, for all time. The mysterious plan was hidden in God--the creator of all things.

Paul was given this grace with the purpose that it would now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. What would be made known? The diverse wisdom of God would be made known. By whom? The diverse wisdom of God would be made known through the called out one. The genitive phrase, διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, could be a reference to the church or to Christ. However, since the task was given to Paul for the purpose that the diverse wisdom of God would be made known, the reference is certainly to the church. As Paul preaches and enlightens believers, God used the Church to communicate his wisdom to the rulers and authorities.

The diverse wisdom of God would be made known according to the purpose of the ages. God accomplished or carried out this purpose in Christ Jesus. It is in Jesus Christ that God has designed purpose for all time, that is, an eternal purpose. But it is also in Jesus Christ that we have boldness and access in confidence through his faith. Because the church is in Christ, believers have boldness, and they also have confident access to God. This boldness and access is made possible through Christ's faith.

Many translations take the last genitive phrase, διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ, as an objective genitive. They translate it, through faith in him. However, we cannot translate it as an objective genitive. Instead, we must see it as a subjective genitive, and we need to translate it, through his faith. There are several pieces pointing to the subjective use rather than the objective use in Ephesians. The use of αὐτοῦ in Ephesians is always subjective or possessive. It is used a total of 33 times as one of these options, but never as an objective genitive. The use of διὰ plus the genitive article plus a genitive noun plus αὐτοῦ occurs in two other places in Ephesians, 1:7 and 3:16, and in both of those cases αὐτοῦ functions subjectively (first, through his blood, and second, through his Spirit). These reasons are enough to indicate at the least that an objective use of αὐτοῦ is not found in Ephesians, so it would be very strange for Paul to shift and use it in 3:12. Given the use of the genitive construction elsewhere and the use of αὐτοῦ throughout Ephesians, we conclude that this phrase is to be taken as a subjective genitive, translating it, through his faith.

What does it mean, then, for Christ to have faith? Some have attempted to say it was not faith, but rather, faithfulness that Christ had. They have said that Christ's faithfulness is what gives us boldness and access. However, to distinguish faith and faithfulness from πίστεως is impossible. Christ did have faith. It was evident in the Garden of Gethsemane. We have to remember that Christ prayed and was in relationship with the Father. He believed and trusted the plan of the Father, and although he asked for a different way, he carried out that plan. His faith was demonstrated in the cross, believing not only that the thief would be with him in paradise, but also that the Father was carrying out his salvation plan through Christ's death. Through this faith, believers, being in Christ, have boldness and access to God.

This grace was given to me, the least of all the saints, to preach the incomprehensible riches of Christ to the Gentiles and to enlighten everyone in what is the mysterious plan, which was hidden from eternity in God, the one who created all things, with the purpose that the diverse wisdom of God would now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places through the Church according to the eternal plan, which he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through his faith.

We need to rest assured in the faith of Christ. His faith paved the way for us to boldly enter into God's presence. Because of his faith, we can be bold and confident. We can be bold to preach and to enlighten. We can confidently enter into God's presence. But we must remember that it is through the Church that God's wisdom is passed on to the heavenly rulers and authorities. Through the Church God reveals his plan and his wisdom to the rulers and authorities of the heavenly realms.

Exegesis and Application of Ruth 4:1-4

The following is part of my Hebrew II final; it is a translation of Ruth 4:1-4 with an exegetical commentary using my own notes and several commentaries provided by the professor to use specifically for the final, and finally it is applied to our situation today.


Translation:

And Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. Behold, the kinsman was passing by whom Boaz was speaking of. Boaz said, “Turn this way, sit here, So and so.” And he turned and sat down. And he took 10 men from the elders of the city and he said, “Sit down here.” And they sat down. And he said to the kinsman, “Naomi, the one who returned from the field of Moab, is selling a portion of the field belonging to our brother, Elimelech. “And I said, ‘I will reveal to you by saying, “Buy the land before the ones sitting and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem, redeem. But if he will not redeem, declare it to me and I may know that there is no other except you to redeem, and I am after you.”’” And he said, “I will act as kinsman.”

Ruth 4:1-4 describes the portion of Ruth where Boaz confronts the next-of-kin. In this text, Boaz publicly and officially declares to him to take charge of his responsibility, since he has not yet acted and fulfilled his duty. Let us examine the text in Hebrew, the original language with which the book of Ruth was written, starting with verse 1.

Boaz went to the city gate most likely during the conversation between Ruth and Naomi in Chapter 3 (these two events may in fact be simultaneous). Although it is not imperative to understanding the story, it might help in understanding the setting to know that the events may be happening at the same time. According to one commentator, Boaz was the head of the Sanhedrin; the Sanhedrin met at the city gate.*1* Regardless if this is true, for the text itself does not say Boaz was the head of the Sanhedrin, official matters were dealt with at the city gate. Boaz is seeking to officially settle the issue with the next-of-kin. What was the issue?

The next-of-kin, or גֹאֵל in Hebrew, had not performed his duty. As גֹאֵל, he was to buy the land from Naomi, thus keeping it in the family. But this גֹאֵל had not even so much as indicated that he was going to fulfill his role. As a result, Boaz went to the gate to resolve the issue. After Boaz arrived at the gate, the text literally says, “And behold, the kinsman was passing by whom Boaz was speaking of.” It is as though God orchestrated the event. Boaz was speaking of the גֹאֵל at the gate, and while he was speaking, not as coincidence, he came passing by.*2*

Boaz took charge at the moment the גֹאֵל was passing by. He commanded him to turn and sit down. But he did not call him by name. The NRSV rendering, “friend,” is misleading. The Hebrew reads פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי. The meaning of this phrase has been lost.*3* It is possible that it could be a name, but it is highly unlikely. It is possible that it could have an idea of concealment or secrecy behind it, but this is quite uncertain. It is probably best to take it to mean “So and so” (literally, “certain one--so and so”). Perhaps the reason for this convoluted phrase is the fact that in one copy of the Septuagint, one commentator says, the phrase is translated into Greek to mean “anonymous,” while in a different copy of the Septuagint, the phrase is translated to mean “secret.” It is plausible that this textual variant contributes to the obscure interpretation of the phrase for us today. Whatever the reason, the end result is we have lost the way the original audience heard, interpreted, and understood this phrase.*4* One commentator likes the translation “John Doe.”*5* However, this translation would lead a contemporary reader to believe that the person’s name is simply not known and so the anonymous name is applied to that person. However, we do not know if the situation merits this translation. Perhaps the real name was known to the original audience, and it was instead left out of the text and replaced with the anonymous phrase for dramatic effect (i.e., “unmentionable one”). In any case, it seems best to leave the translation as “So and so,” so that no confusion or incorrect interpretation might take place.

After commanding פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי to turn and sit, the text says he turned and sat down. In verse 2, Boaz then proceeded to get 10 elders to sit down at the gate. Ten men were necessary for a lawful assembly.*6* One commentator says that 10 sages were required to be present for marriage ceremonies, and thus links the situation here in Ruth with a wedding.*7* The text itself does not necessarily indicate that a wedding ceremony is occurring. To proclaim a wedding in this text is to interpret beyond the boundaries of the text. In other words, it makes more out of the story than is actually present. We need only to say that an official meeting is taking place, since the setting is at the city gate and ten elders of the city are present, which satisfy the requirements to have an official meeting.

After having assembled 10 elders at the gate, in verse 3 Boaz then speaks to פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי. He says that Naomi is selling the plot of land that belonged to Elimelech, their brother. What is difficult here is the Hebrew word מָכְרָה. It is Qal Perfect, which means it is rendered literally, “She sold.” Did Naomi already sell the land? Verse five prohibits a sale, since Boaz charges פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי to purchase the land, and there is no mention of a waiting period in accord with the law if it was previously sold.*8* As in this case, the Qal Perfect can have a present meaning. In this case, the verb ought to be translated, “She is selling,” or, “She is going to sell.” One commentator argues that since the land itself was not sold, only the right to use the land could be purchased, she in fact was not selling the land but was surrendering her rights to the use of the land.*9* This understanding seems logical enough, but the text does not strongly support it. Perhaps the text is literally, “She is going to sell,” but in the back of the minds of the audience it was understood that she was selling her rights to the land. In any case, a transaction is in view; it is the goods that are being purchased that are in dispute for this particular commentator. The Septuagint notes that the land was given to Naomi and does not have the idea of a purchase. This issue is not easily resolved. It seems as though the Septuagint translation wants to avoid Naomi selling land in any case, and so interprets it to mean that Naomi was given the plot of land Boaz was talking about. The Septuagint reading is very unlikely to be original, since it can be explained from the more difficult reading. It is somewhat problematic for a woman to be in charge of selling land. The Septuagint wants to avoid this problem and has strayed from the original reading. To sum up this situation, we can be certain that a transaction is in view, but all the specific details surrounding the transaction are uncertain.

Boaz continued speaking in verse 4. He literally said, “I said I will uncover your ears to say,” meaning, “I said I will reveal to you by saying.” Boaz is saying that he has set out to inform פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי of his duties. What were his duties? Boaz explicitly stated the duties, and he underscored the legal ramifications of his decisions, since they were at the gate with 10 elders. He said, “Buy the plot of land before the ones sitting down and before the elders of my people.” Boaz charges him to buy the land Naomi is selling, which is the responsibility of the next-of-kin. One commentator has argued that there are two groups present at the meeting, as indicated by the double use of נֶגֶב.*10* Another commentator argues that this double use is a reiteration. The second use is in apposition to the first to note the same group. In other words, there is only one group present.*11* Given the setting from verse 1, we should agree with the latter commentator and take the double use of נֶגֶב to be an appositional statement in reference to the same group. Boaz charges the גֹאֵל to purchase the land in the presence of the 10 elders he had assembled at the gate. He conditionally states, “If you will redeem, redeem.” In other words, “If you intend to act as kin, do it!” The second “redeem” is a command. He is firmly stating that if he intends to act as kin, he needs to do it promptly. But Boaz does not stop there. He continues his conditional statement, saying, “And if he will not redeem declare it to me.” Here we must stop to consider some important textual issues.

The text is written as “he will redeem.” However, many manuscript versions have “you will redeem.” It is odd to have the text in the third person while directly speaking to the גֹאֵל. It is problematic to have it in the third person. But it is precisely for this reason that we can say that “he will redeem” is the original text, for it explains the change in the other manuscripts into the second person (and not the other way around). If it was original, since it is difficult, later scribes would have changed it to the second person to make it easier and more in harmony with the context. Given this reason alongside of the fact that there are more manuscripts in support of the third person, the correct reading is “he will redeem.” It should also be noted that this verb is not passive, so any translation wishing to interpret it as “it will be redeemed” is not correct.*12*

If the גֹאֵל would not redeem the land, then Boaz requested that it be declared to him so that he would know, for there was no one else to redeem the land. But Boaz was next after the גֹאֵל he was confronting. The text reads, “and I will know,” but in the margins of the Hebrew Bible there is a marking indicating that the text should be audibly read as “and I may know.” The difference between the two is important. The former is incomplete, which is understood as an action to be done in the future. The imperfect makes the verb as a result of the declaration. The latter is causitive, which is understood to cause an action to be done. The cohortative makes the verb function as the purpose of the declaration. In this case, the text is written as imperfect, but it is understood by the scribes to be cohortative. In other words, although it is written as imperfect, and this is the original text, it is understood to be cohortative, so that it is not translated “and I will know,” but rather, “and I may know.”*13*

For the first time in the narrative, the גֹאֵל speaks. He said, “I will redeem.” However, he responds with the imperfect rather than the perfect. The perfect would be used if it were an official declaration, but since he responded with the imperfect, he was indicating that he was willing to perform the duty of the גֹאֵל, but at the same time he was leaving the option open for Boaz to take over.*14*

In the end, Boaz took the position of גֹאֵל and from his line came King David and eventually Jesus Christ. Boaz was not only a leader, but he was a valiant and noble leader. He helped, by the power and guidance of the Lord, to set things right for Naomi and Ruth, so that Naomi could override her previous declaration to be called Bitter (Mara) and instead be called Pleasant (Naomi). As for “So and so,” we do not know what became of him. We do know that Scripture has purposefully left as much as his name out.

In this text, we come to an important truth. We need to be led by God and to do what is right. Boaz was led by God to do what was right in relationship to his relatives. How often do we complain about having to go meet with relatives in our setting today? It should not be so. Family is important. The Bible places a strong emphasis on the importance of family, including relatives. God honors those who stand by the needs of their family. Boaz was honored by eventually having his lineage blessed with kingship; in addition, he was blessed when his lineage took on the Messiah, God’s chosen one. Therefore, we need to do what is right as God has instructed us to do, including with our family. If anyone has a relative in need, so long as it is possible, come to that relative’s aid. Lend them money without requiring a return. Loan them possessions. Tend to them when they are sick, or when they are near death. Do not forsake family; hold on to relatives.

A family had a grandmother who was a heavy smoker. She developed emphysema and needed an oxygen tank to help her breathe. Eventually, she developed lung cancer. She was in a terrible amount of pain. However, her family did not come to her aid. She was a bitter woman. For some reason or another, she treated her daughter-in-laws very terribly. Her grandchildren suffered psychologically from the verbal abuse that she shot at her sons’ wives. But her sons did not do what is honoring to the Lord. They did not aid their mother. She died bitterly. The story of Ruth demands that we do differently. If we ever find ourselves in that position, we should tend to our mothers even if they have dealt bitterly with us and with our wives. We need to spread the love of God to everyone, including those who hurt, and especially to our family. Just as Boaz acted, so also should we take leadership and honor God by coming to the aid of our family.

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Bibliography

Gray, James. The Biblical Museum: A collection of notes, explanatory, homiletic, and illustrative, on the Holy Scriptures, especially designed for the use of ministers, bible-students, and Sunday school teachers. Vol. 3. New York: Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, year not found.

Broch, Yitzchak. Ruth: The book of Ruth in Hebrew and English with a Talmudic-Midrashic commentary. 2nd ed. Jerusalem and New York: Feldheim, 1983.

Bush, Frederic. Word Biblical Commentary: Ruth, Esther. David Hubbard, Glenn Barker, John Watts, eds. Vol. 9. Dallas, Texas: Word Books, 1996.

Campbell, Edward. Ruth: A new translation with introduction, notes, and commentary. The Anchor Bible. New York: Doubleday, 1975.

Zlatowitz, Meir. The Book of Ruth. 2nd ed. Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 1993.

*1*Yitzchak Broch, Ruth: The book of Ruth in Hebrew and English with a Talmudic-Midrashic commentary, 2nd ed. (Jerusalem and New York: Feldheim, 1983), 90. Cf. also Meir Zlatowitz, The Book of Ruth, 2nd ed. (New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 1993), 120.
*2*Edward Campbell, Ruth: A new translation with introduction, notes, and commentary, The Anchor Bible (New York: Doubleday, 1975), 141. Cf. also Zlatowitz, The Book of Ruth, 120.
*3*Campbell, Ruth, 143.
*4*Ibid.
*5*Ibid., 141.
*6*James Gray, The Biblical Museum: A collection of notes, explanatory, homiletic, and illustrative, on the Holy Scriptures, especially designed for the use of ministers, bible-students, and Sunday school teachers, vol. 3 (New York: Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, year not found), 180.
*7*Broch, Ruth, 91.
*8*Zlatowitz, The Book of Ruth, 123.
*9*Frederic Bush, Ruth, Esther, Word Biblical Commentary, David Hubbard, Glenn Barker, John Watts, eds., vol. 9 (Dallas, Texas: Word Books, 1996), 200.
*10*Campbell, Ruth, 145.
*11*Bush, Ruth, Esther, 207.
*12*Bush and Zlotowitz are ones who take the verb to be passive.
*13*Bush, Ruth, Esther, 210.
*14*Bush, Ruth, Esther, 210.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 3:1-7

Τούτου χάριν ἐγὼ Παῦλος ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὑπέρ ὑμῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν εἴ γε ἠκούσατε τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς ὅτι κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον καθὼς προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ πρὸς ὃ δύνασθε ἀναγινώσκοντες νοῆσαι τὴν σύνεσίν μου ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὃ ἑτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις ἐν πνεύματι εἶναι τὰ ἔθνη συγκληρονόμα καὶ σύσσωμα καὶ συμμέτοχα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐν Χριστῷ Ἱησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὗ ἐγενήθην διάκονος κατὰ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ. For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles, if indeed you heard the plan of the grace of God, which was given to me for you, because the mystery was made known to me according to revelation, just as I wrote to you in brief, towards which you are able while reading to comprehend the insight of mine in the mystery of Christ, which was not made known in other generations to the sons of men as now it has been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, for the Gentiles to be co-heirs and belonging to the same body and sharing in the promise in Christ Jesus through the good news, of which I was made a servant according to the gift of the grace of God, which was given to me according to the work of his power.

As a result of the joining of the Gentiles with the Jews in Christ, Paul continues. He identifies that he is the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of the Gentiles. Paul considers himself the prisoner of Christ on the Gentile’s behalf inasmuch as the Gentiles had heard the plan of the grace of God, which was given to him for them. The word ἠκούσατε is understood rather than heard. Paul emphasizes that they had understood the plan of God’s grace. This plan was given to Paul for the purpose of the Gentiles.

Paul was given the plan of grace; indeed, the mystery was revealed to him. Paul ties his confidence in their comprehension of the plan of God’s grace to the fact that the mystery had been revealed to him, and he relayed his own insight on the mystery to them, which he was sure they comprehended. The mystery of Christ was not made known to other generations, to the sons of men, as now it was revealed to his holy saints and prophets in the Spirit. The prepositional phrase ἐν πνεύματι modifies the verb, not the noun, so that it is by the agency of the Spirit revelation happened.

But what is the mystery? The mystery is for the Gentiles to be co-heirs, belonging to the same body and sharing the promise in Christ Jesus through the good news with the circumcised. For this gospel, Paul was made a servant according to the gift of the Grace of God, which was given to him according to the work of God’s power. It was by God’s power, by his work, that Paul was given the grace. God entrusted Paul with the message of his grace for the Gentiles, and he served God by passing on his insight to them.

Note the sandwich technique. Paul uses the same phrase to open and close the thought following the disconnected introductory line. The phrase τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι occurs at the beginning and ending to open and close his emphatic point. In this “grace of God” sandwich, Paul identifies his confidence that the Gentiles have understood the plan of the grace of God, as well as what he has already written to them regarding the mystery of Christ, which its meaning was hidden from other people, yet it was revealed to the apostles and prophets. It is also important since the mystery is explained. The mystery was mentioned earlier in 1:9 in reference to the plan of the fullness of the times, but here it is made explicit. The mystery is the plan for the Gentiles to be co-heirs with the Jews; being joined into one body with the Jews; sharing the promise of Christ with the Jews. But this plan has already been put into effect in Christ.

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles inasmuch as you understood the plan of the grace of God, which was given to me for your purpose, that the mystery made known to me according to revelation, just as I wrote to you briefly, in accordance with reading you were able to comprehend my insight in the mystery of Christ, which was not made known by the Spirit in other generations to the people as now it was revealed to his holy saints and prophets for Gentiles to be co-heirs and belonging to the same body and sharing of the promise in Christ Jesus with the Jews through the good news of which I was made a servant according to the gift of the grace of God, which was given to me according to the work of his power.

We need to understand that the body of Christ contains both Jews and Gentiles. It seems as though we often forget that Jews have a place in the Church. Ephesians is clear: in Christ, both Jews and Gentiles receive the grace of God. We are co-heirs of the grace of God with the Jews in Christ. We belong to the same body as the Jews in Christ. We share in the promise with the Jews in Christ. In Christ, we are both part of the same body.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 2:19-22

Ἄρα οὖν οὐκέτι ἐστὲ ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι ἀλλὰ ἐστὲ συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων καὶ οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελἰῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν ᾧ πᾶσα οἰκοδομὴ συναρμολογουμένη αὔξει εἰς ωαὸν ἅγιον ἐν κυρίῳ ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι. As a result, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow-citizens of the saints and members of the house of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, being the cornerstone himself Christ Jesus, in whom all the building is joined together increasing into a holy temple in the Lord, also in whom you are built up together into the dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Paul is here concluding his conclusion, which he started back in verse 11. God's grace means that the readers are no longer the foreigners, those that were far away, but are now fellow-citizens of the saints and are members of God's household. They have been built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. Christ himself is the cornerstone of the foundation. As the cornerstone, the whole building is constructed by becoming aligned with Christ. The apostles and prophets form the foundation for the whole building, but the foundation was not formed without being aligned perfectly with Christ, so that the whole building depended upon Christ. Christ was laid first, the apostles and prophets came next in alignment with Christ, and the uncircumcised and the circumcised came last, being laid upon what Christ and the apostles and prophets laid down. It is in Christ that the whole building is joined together and is constructed into a holy temple in the Lord. It is also in Christ that the readers are built up together into a dwelling place for God in the Spirit. The dative ἐν κυρίῳ marks controlling influence; since there is a parallel structure in verses 21 and 22 (ἐν ᾧ . . . εἰς . . . ἐν . . .), the other dative, ἐν πνεύματι, should likewise be understood as a marker of controlling influence, that is, as a dative of association. The Lord is associated with the building, influencing it to grow or increase, becoming a holy temple. Similarly, the Spirit is associated with the control of the building up of God's dwelling place.

Therefore, as a result, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow-citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building being joined together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, and in whom you were built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

As a result of God's grace through Christ we are no longer aliens but are citizens among the saints, and we belong to God's house. We are part of the building that was built upon the apostles and the prophets, who were laid down as a foundation for us in alignment with Christ. The Lord brought us together to form a holy temple; the Spirit built us up to be God's dwelling place. We are therefore part of the building that relies on Christ, and we are under the control of God.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 2:17-18

καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην ὑμῖν τοῖς μακρὰν καἰ εἰρήνην τοῖς ἐγγύς· ὅτι δι᾽αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα. And who came preaching peace to you the ones far away and peace to the ones near, for through him we have access both in one spirit to the Father.

Paul continues his explanation of the importance of Christ in these two verses. Christ came preaching or proclaiming peace to the ones who were far away and peace to the ones who were near. This statement is odd, for Christ did not come to the Gentiles, i.e., the uncircumcised, but rather he came to the Jews who are the circumcised. How can Paul make such a statement? Even in the Gospels we do find Gentiles being presented with the good news by Jesus, although his main focus was towards the Jews. Yet, after his ascension it was made clear in the book of Acts that the Gentiles were also part of God's plan. So, either, Paul's statement fits perfectly well and there is no problem. Christ came to preach to both. Christ came to preach to both because it is through him that we have access to the Father. Both the ones who are far away and those who are near have access in one unified spirit.

And who came preaching peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near, for both have access to the Father through him in one spirit.

Because of Christ we have access to the Father. Christ came to preach peace to all people; it is through him that we have peace, because through him we are brought into a unified spirit within which we have access to God.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 2:14-16

Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ τὸν ωόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ τοὺς ἀμφοτἐρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ. For he is our peace, the one working both one and destroying the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity in his flesh, invalidating the law of the commandments in ordinances, so that the two might create in him for one new person making peace and reconcile both in one body in God through the cross, destroying the enmity in him.

Paul explains the importance of Christ in these verses here in relation to grace. He already mentioned that Christ is the one who brings unbelievers near to God, to himself, and to God's chosen people. Now he explains even more about the significance of Christ.

Christ is the peace for Paul and the readers. He is peace because he is the one who makes both the circumcised and the uncircumcised one, and destroys the dividing wall, which is a fence or partition, between the two. Christ unites them into one group. Furthermore, Christ invalidates the enmity found in the law of the commandments, consisting in ordinances. This invalidation he did in his flesh. Why did he do all of this? For the purpose that he might create in himself the two into one, and this for the result that he would make peace. Furthermore, he did it for the purpose that he would also reconcile both in the one body in God, which was done through the cross, with the result that he destroyed the enmity in himself.

For he is our peace, he made both one and he destroyed the dividing wall which is the fence, he abolished the enmity in his flesh, the law of the commandments consisting in ordinances, in order that he might create in himself the two into one new person with the result of making peace and he might reconcile both in one body in God through the cross with the result of destroying the enmity in himself.

Christ is our peace because he made peace by destroying the partition, the dividing wall, between the uncircumcised and the circumcised. In himself he has joined the two together, and this through the cross. He has abolished the enmity brought about by the law of commandments, which are ordinances. The point of the matter is that Christ succeeded. He destroyed the enmity and he created peace. We are the result of Christ's work, and for that reason we have peace, because we have Christ.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 2:13

νυνὶ δὲ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ὑμεῖς οἵ ποτε ὄντες μακρὰν ἐγενήθητε ἐγγὺς ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far away have been made near in the blood of Christ.

Paul is still drawing his conclusion to the act of God's saving grace from before verse 11. Previously he brought the former state of being in unbelief to the forefront, to which he now emphatically demonstrates the grace of God. While they used to be unbelievers, being without God, separate from Christ and alien to God's people, God, by his grace, has in Christ Jesus brought those who were formerly far away to be near. Christ is where the unbelievers are brought near. It is in the sphere of Christ that the unbelievers are made near to God and to the people of Israel. But this act is done through Christ's blood, which is the instrument that enacts it.

But now (!) you, the ones who were formerly far away, were made near in Christ Jesus by the blood of Christ.

There has been a dramatic and emphatic change in unbelievers who have come to Christ through faith. They were once far away, but in Christ they are made near through his blood. In Christ believers have hope, have connection with God, Christ, and God's chosen people.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 2:11-12

Διὸ μνημονεύετε ὅτι ποτὲ ὑμεῖς τὰ ἔθνη ἐν σαρκί οἱ λεγόμενοι ἀκροβυστία ὑπὸ τῆς λεγομένης περιτομῆς ἐν σαρκὶ χειροποιήτου ὅτι ἦτε τῷ καιρῷ ἐκεῖνῳ χωρὶς Χριστοῦ ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι τῆς πολιτείας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ξένοι τῶν διαθηκῶν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες καὶ ἄθεοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. Therefore, remember that formerly you were unbelievers in the flesh, the ones being called "uncircumcision" by the one being called "circumcision" in flesh made by human hands, that you were at that time separate from Christ and foreign to the decrees of the promise, not having hope, and without God in the world.

Paul continues now with a conclusion to what he previously stated. It was by grace that the readers are being saved, and as a result, they need to remember what God has done in them through Jesus Christ. Paul points to what they used to be before they came to Christ through faith. They were unbelievers who were called, "Uncircumcised." The one calling them "uncircumcised" was the one who is circumcised, i.e., the Israelites, who were circumcised by human hands. Paul also points out that they were at that time, meaning, while they were unbelievers, separate from Christ. As unbelievers they were not connected to Christ. Furthermore, as unbelievers they were alienated from the nation or house of Israel. Still more, as unbelievers they were foreigners to the decrees of the promise, perhaps a synonymous phrase referencing the Law or the Torah. Finally, as unbelievers they did not have hope and they were without God.

Therefore, remember that you formerly were unbelievers in the flesh, the ones who are called uncircumcised by the one who is called circumcised being made by human hands in the flesh, that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the state of Israel, foreign to the decrees of the promise, not having hope, and without God in the world.

We should remember as Paul urged his readers that we were once lost. We were hopeless. We were without God. We were separate from Christ and foreign to God's commands, which he gave to his chosen people. We were likewise separate from Israel. In other words, were were once desolate and destitute. This position was characteristic of our lives before coming to Christ through faith. We can be thankful, therefore, that we have been saved by God's grace, for which we can now have hope, be with God, be connected to Christ and God's chosen people, knowing the Law.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 2:10

αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς οἷς προητοίμασεν ᾽θεός, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν. For we are his creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, in order that we might walk in them.

The conjunction, γὰρ, connects this verse with σεσῳμένοι from v. 8. The conjunction indicates an explanation for the purpose of salvation. Why are we being saved? Because we are God's creation. Furthermore, we are not being saved by works because God created us to do good works. Doing good works only fulfills God's purpose; it does not constitute earning salvation. But the purpose of salvation is for the purpose that we would do good works that God prepared in advance for us to do. God prepared these good works in advance for the purpose that we should conduct ourselves, behave or live according to them. We should be characterized by such good works.

For we are God's creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance, for the purpose that we might be characterized by them.

Although we are being saved by grace, the whole purpose of salvation is to fulfill the good works God has called us to do. We need to be characterized by such works.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 2:8-9

Τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳμένοι διὰ πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον· οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται.For you are being saved by grace through faith and this not from yourselves it is the give of God not from works in order that no one might boast.

Paul here returns to his statement about being saved, which he originally mentioned in v. 5. Here he adds that the readers are being saved by grace through faith. Grace is the cause of salvation and faith is the instrument of salvation. The distinction between the two is simple. It is on the basis of grace that salvation is possible, and it is faith that gives the means or way for salvation to be possible. In other words, faith puts grace to work. Faith is the tool, but grace is the foundation.

This statement is linked to τὸ ὑπερβάλλον πλοῦτος τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ. The conjunction, γὰρ, links the current sentence with the previous clause. Salvation is made possible by grace, and this grace is abundant and rich. God worked in us for the purpose that he might reveal his abundantly rich and generous grace in the ages to come, because it is by grace that we are being saved.

This salvation is not from the readers, but rather, it was brought about by God as a gift. Nor is salvation from works, so that no one might boast. The purpose behind salvation coming from God and not from us or from works is so that we cannot boast. The result of God's work is the same; no one who is being saved can boast, because it is God's gift to give. Since it is God's gift, salvation can only be received; it cannot be earned.

For you are being saved on the basis of grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. It is not from works, in order that no one might boast.

We ought to realize that grace cannot be earned, but it can be received. It is God's gift to give. His grace is abundant and rich, and he is generous with his grace. It is on the basis of grace that we are being saved, and it is through faith that enacts grace that we are being saved. Salvation is not our doing. It is God's work in us who believe.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 2:1-7

καὶ ὑμᾶς ὄντας νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἀμαρτίαις ὑμῶν, ἐν αἷς ποτε περιεπατήσατε κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ κὀσμου τοὐτου, κατὰ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσἰας τοῦ ἀέρος, τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ νῦν ἐνεργοῦντος ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας· ἐν οἷς καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἀνεστράφημέν ποτε ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ τῶν διανοιῶν, καὶ ἤμεθα τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί· ὁ δὲ θεὸς πλούσιος ἥν ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς, καὶ ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ, χαριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι, καὶ συνήγειρεν καὶ συνεκάθισεν ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα ἐνδείξηται ἐν τοῖς αὦσιν τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις τὸ ὑπερβάλλον πλοῦτος τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ ἐν χρηστότητι ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. And you being dead in wrongdoings and in your sins, in which you formerly lived according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit who is now working in the sons of disbelief, in which also we all formerly behaved in the lusts of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the negative impulses, and we were children of wrath by nature as also the rest, but God being rich in mercy according to his great love, which he loved us and he made alive together with Christ us being dead in wrongdoings, you are being saved by grace, and he raised us up with Christ and caused us to sit down in the heavenly realms with Christ, in order that he might reveal in the coming ages the over-passing wealth of his grace in generosity for us.

It is likely that Paul is still in the same sentence from 1:20-23. The vocabulary and syntax at least permits it. It is obvious that the two belong together--he is still going on about the work of God. Thus, this sentence is linked with Ephesians 1:20-23 and also the contents preceding that verse. But this present part now explains more about what God has done in terms of his chosen ones through and with his Chosen One.

Paul said his readers were dead. He said they were dead in wrongdoings and in their sins. They were dead in the sense that they had fallen away from accepted standards of conduct (in God's eyes) and they had departed from standards of uprightness (which are God's). Paul uses a sort of parallelism here between four dative case words. The first two are dative plural articles (first masculine, then feminine), and the second two are dative plural relative pronouns attached to ἐν. The first and last correspond to each other while the second and third are related. This inverted parallel structure seems to simply be a way that Paul was explaining what he meant by his readers being dead. The first, τοῖς παραπτώμασιν, and the last, ἐν οἷς …, seem to be connected in the sense that the falling away from accepted standards of conduct was expressed by living according to the lusts of the flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the negative impulses, being children of wrath or anger by nature as everyone else. "Formerly," ποτε, indicates that the state of being dead according to living in alignment with the desires of the flesh is no longer a present reality; it was true of the past but is no longer true for the present. Likewise, in the other prepositional phrase, it indicates that the state of being dead according to living in alignment with the world is no longer a present reality. The second, ταῖς ἀμαρτίαις, and the third, ἐν αἷς …, seem to be related in the sense that the departure from Gods standards of uprightness was demonstrated in living according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit who is now working in the sons of disobedience. It seems in this case that while being dead in sin the readers had veered from God's standards of uprightness to take on a different divine perspective on living, one that is in contrast to God's.

Paul then contrasts the readers with God. The readers were dead in wrongdoings and sin, but God is rich in mercy. Indeed, God showed love to us according to his great love. He made us alive together with Christ, us who were dead in wrongdoings. Paul adds in a quick sentence that is hard to place, because it does not fit the flow of his argument and it does not match or connect with anything surround it in terms of vocabulary and syntax, but contextually it matches. Paul is talking about God's work in the chosen ones. This work is God's act of grace. He introduces the grace act of God briefly and eventually will return to it in the next sentence of chapter 2. Paul says that the readers are being saved by grace. "Being saved," σεσῳσμένοι, is a perfect participle. It indicates an action that has taken place in the past but the effects of which are still being felt today. God's saving act, his grace act, is something that has happened in the past ("You are saved") but it continues to be in effect ("You are being saved"). It is not easy to get this understanding across in english without being redundant ("You are saved and you are being saved by grace"). At any rate, σεσῳσμένοι indicates that God's grace act is a process. But Paul moves on quickly and picks up this idea again later. God showed his love to us, making us alive with Christ even though we were dead, and he raised us up and sat us down with Christ in the heavenly realms. Earlier we saw that God sat Christ down in the heavenly realms after having raised him up from the dead. Now Paul declares the same is true for the chosen ones. We have been raised up from the dead and caused to sit down in the heavenly realms with Christ. Therefore, we share in the activity of Christ. He is in authority over all things, and we take part in that authority too. It is both God's purpose and result that he might demonstrate his over-passing wealth of his grace in generosity for us. The subjunctive marker, ἵνα, indicates in this case that purpose is given to the previous aorist verbs and also result. God showed love on us, made us alive, raised us up, and sat us down in the heavenly realms with Christ for the purpose that he might reveal the great riches of his grace. Yet, God's actions also yield the result that his love, life giving, raising, and causing to sit demonstrates the great riches of his grace. God set out to demonstrate his grace, and he succeeded.

And you being dead in the fallen state of accepted standards of conduct, in your departure from God's standards of uprightness, in which you formerly conducted yourselves according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit who is now working in the sons of disbelief, in which also we all formerly behaved in the lusts of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the negative impulses, and we were children of anger by nature as is everyone else, but God being rich in mercy according to his great love, which he showed us and he made us alive with Christ, us who are dead in wrongdoings, you are being saved by grace, and he raised us up from death with Christ and caused us to sit down in the heavenly realms with Christ, in order that he might reveal in the coming ages the over-passing wealth of his grace in generosity for us.

We need to recognize that God has worked in Jesus Christ, but also in us. He has raised us to life out of our death, he has raised us up and sat us down in the heavenly realms with Christ. As a result, we share in the authority of Christ. God did all of this work in us so that he might reveal his grace, which he is abundantly rich in and generous with for us. Furthermore, God is still in the process of saving us. We are helpless, but God has given us a most generous gift, the gift of being saved. Thus, God has worked in our lives but he continues to work in our lives, strengthening us to live accoring to his standards of conduct and uprightness.

Ephesians Sentence by Sentence: 1:20-23

ἣν ἐνήργησεν ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐγείρας ἐκ νεκρῶν καὶ καθίσας ἐν δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἐποθρανίοις ὑπεράνω πασῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας καὶ δυνάμεως καὶ κυριότητος καὶ παντὸς ὀνόματος ὀνομαζομένο οὐ μονόν ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τοῦτῳ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι καὶ ὑπέταξεν πάντα ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν κεφαλὴν ὑπερ πάντα ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἥτις ἐστὶν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ πληρουμένου τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν. Who worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and causing him to sit down at his right hand in the heavenly realms far about every ruler and authority and power and angelic lord, and every name being named, not only in this age but also in the coming one, and subordinated all things under his feet, and gave him as head over all things in the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every respect.

Paul really likes long sentences. Ephesians 1:20-23 is long, but it is actually tied to the "action" of v. 19, so that it is part of the previous sentence, vv. 15-23. What we have is really one long sentence from v. 15 through v. 23. The English translations and even the Greek text in Nesle-Aland split up this long sentence into smaller sentences for better English understanding. Βut we should consider vv. 15-23 as one sentence. This consideration is not really a problem, for Paul already did give a long sentence (vv. 3-14), and so the style is in keeping with what we have already seen in Ephesians.

God is now seen as the one who worked in the Messiah. He worked in Christ in four ways. First, he raised him from the dead.  The verb here is an aorist participle, identifying that this action constitutes the result of the work God has done in Christ. What work did God do? He raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Second, he caused Christ to sit down at his right hand. This verb is also an aorist participle identifying the result of the work God has done in Christ. Not only did God raise him from the dead, but he also sat him down at his right hand. This action signifies judgment in First Century usage. Sitting down at the right hand is also significant; this position was of the favored one (we might say that the Son became the Father's right-hand man). Christ is placed by the Father into a position of foremost authority where he is seen as the judge. He is placed as the authority in the heavenly realms and is superior to every ruler, authority, power and angelic lord, and every name being named. There is no one, human or spirit, who is not under Christ's position of authority. This truth applies to this age and the one that is coming. Third, God subordinated all things under his feet. Everything is subject to Christ, who rules over all things. Fourth, he appointed Christ as head over all things in the church. The church, that is, the church universal, is the body of Christ and Christ is the head of the church, being placed there by the Father. The church is the fullness of Christ, and Christ is the one who fulfills all things in every respect.

Who worked in Christ, with the result that he raised him from the dead, and he caused him to sit down at his right hand in the heavenly realms far above every ruler, authority, power, angelic lord, and every name being named, not only in this age, but also in the coming age, and he subordinated all things under his feet, and he appointed him head over all things in the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

God has done some major work. The Father has worked in Christ, the recipient of the action, raising him from the dead and placing him into a position of authority over everything in the universe, whether physical or spiritual, but also as head of the church, the congregation of believers everywhere. The church universal is the fullness of Christ, and as Christ fills everything in every way, it is in the church universal that Christ is fully represented as of now. We should recognize or bear in mind that Christ is not only our ruler, but also the ruler over all things, and there is nothing that has not been placed under his authority.

Create in me a clean heart - Psalm 51:10-12

The Lord's Prayer