OUTLINE OF THE CHAPTER:

I. What we were (2:1-3)
II. What God did (2:4-9)
III. What we are now (2:10)
IV. What the Gentiles were (2:11,12)
V. What God did (2:13-17)
VI. What Gentiles and Jews are now (2:18-22)

 

I . WHAT WE WERE - (2:1-3)

A. We were "dead in trespasses and sins." (2:1; Jn. 6:63; Jn. 8:24; Lk. 9:60; Jn. 5: 24; Tit. 3: 5; Jn. 3:3-7)

B. We walked according to the course of this world (Gal. 5:16,17; Eph. 4:17)

[1]. According to the prince of the power of the air (Jn. 14:30, 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4)
[2]. Fulfilling the desires of the flesh.

C. We were by nature children of disobedience and wrath (Col. 3:6,7; 1 Jn. 3:10; Jn. 8:44)

 

II. WHAT GOD DID - (2:4-9) - "But God ... "

B. "Hath quickened us together with Christ" (2:5) (1 Pet. 3:18; Col. 2:13)

C. He "hath raised us up" (2:6) (Eph. 2:19; Phil. 3:10,20; Eph. 1:3)

D. He has planned our rewards and provisions for all eternity. (Eph. 3:20,21; Heb. 11:6)

E. He saved us by His grace, and has given to us the free gift (Rom. 3:24; 5:15,16; 6:23; 8:32) of eternal life. 2 Tim. 1:9; Rom 4:5; Tit. 3:5; etc.)

 

III. WHAT WE ARE NOW - (2:10)

B. "Created in Christ Jesus" - verse 5 says "quickened us together with Christ. "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature..." (2 Cor. 5:17)

C. Created for the purpose of good works...that "we should walk in them." (Tit. 2:14)

Seven walks in Ephesians: (2:2,10; 4:1,17; 5:2,8,15)

IV. WHAT THE GENTILES WERE - (2:11,12)

B. "...without Christ..." (Jn. 17:9)

C. "...aliens from the commonwealth of Israel..." (Eph. 4:18)

D. "...strangers from the convenants ...

E. "...having no hope..." (Tit. 2:13)

F. "...without God...''

V. WHAT GOD DID - (2:13-17)

B. "...hath broken down the middle wall of partition..." This is supposed to be an allusion to the wall separating the court of the Jews from the court of the Gentiles in Herod's temple. (See: 1 Chr. 28:10 in ref. to vs. 18)

C. "...abolished the law of commandments..." (Col. 2:14: Rom. 6:14)

D. He made peace (Rom. 5:1; Col. 1:20; 1 Thess. 1:10).

E. He reconciled us to himself through the blood of the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 5:18-20; Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:21; Heb. 2:17).

F. "...preached peace to you..." (Isa. 57:19)

VI. WHAT THE JEWS AND GENTILES ARE NOW - (2:18 -22)

B. We are fellow citizens with the saints in Heaven (Phil. 3:20; Heb. 12:23)

C. We are built upon the foundation, the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:10)

D. We as a body and as individuals are a building, an habitation of God through the Spirit. (1 Cor. 6:19,20; 3:16) There is an interesting spiritual application pictured in (1 Kings 6:7). Could it be at the Judgment Seat all of the stones will be cut, hewn, then placed before the temple of the Lord is built? It is interesting to note that in (1 Kings 6:38) the temple took seven years to build.