Ephesians 81-82_12 Ephesians 2:4-10
Ephesians 1981-82 Corps Teachings. Lesson 9: Ephesians 2:4-10.
Format: AUDIO
Publication Date: 1981-82
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
EPHESIANS 2:4-10
December 16, 1981
We concluded in our last session last week with the third verse of Ephesians chapter 2.
Tonight we go to chapter 2, verse 4. “But…” King James:
Ephesians 2:4
…God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
The word “but” in this verse sets this verse in contrast to the preceding parenthesis of
verses 2 and 3 (well, por…portions of…yes, 2 and 3), and it resumes the thoughts that
were presented in verse 1.
The word “rich” in this verse is a figure of speech Condescensio or Anthropopatheia
where human passions, actions or qualities are attributed to God. God is rich. In actuality,
only men pile up money, material possessions. God has no such need.
The word “in mercy”—See, I explained mercy and grace to you the other week again.
Uh….Grace makes it possible for us to receive blessings we do not deserve. Mercy, we
deserve it, the judgment, but it’s withheld. And grace is used 12 times in the Book of
Ephesians, although “of mercy” only occurs this one time. The Aramaic has this word
“mercies”—mercy in the plural.
The “love wherewith he loved us” is a figure of speech Polyptoton
(p-l…p-o-l-y-p-t-o-t-o-n). It’s a repetition of words in different inflections or parts of
speech, and this particular usage here lends great emphasis to the words “love” and
“loved” that are couched in this figure.
So, Walter, I’d like for you to come in please. I’d like to give you in the Corps, of
course, the literal according to usage of verse 4. “But…” verse 4:
Ephesians 2:4 Literal translation according to usage
…God is rich in mercies [plural] because of His great love with which He
loved us.
The expanded one is really not expanded much. “But…” the word “is”—“But God is.”
The text reads:
Ephesians 2:4 Expanded translation
But God being rich in mercies because of His great love [where with He
love…great love] with which He loved us.
Now verse 5 in King James reads:
Ephesians 2:5
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,
[parenthesis] (by grace ye are saved;) [end of parenthesis]
There’s a background study here on figures of speech in Ephesians 2:5, 6, and on the
words “you are saved.” And Walter, I’d like for you to handle both of these background
studies now before I get further into the rest of these…of this verse. Okay, Walter.
[Walter Cummins] Okay. First of all, in verses 5 and 6 together you have three phrases,
the first one is “made alive together,” the second one is “raised together” (that’s in verse 6)
and then “seated together” in verse 6 [Dr. Wierwille: right.]; those three phrases. And in
the Greek those three words all start with the preposit…preposition s-u-n prefixed to the
word. That’s why it’s translated “together” in each of those cases. So it’s made alive, sun,
together; and raised, sun, together; and seated, sun, together. They each…each of those
three words starts with sun in Greek which means together. And that’s a figure of speech
called Homoepropheron, spelled h-o-m-o-e-p-r-o-p-h-e-r-o-n, where successive words
begin with the same letter or syllable. In this case you have an entire syllable beginning
each word that’s the same.
[Dr. Wierwille] s-u-n.
[Walter Cummins] s-u-n, right. But in Aramaic you don’t have that figure. You have
another figure called Epistrophe, spelled e-p-i-s-t-r-o-p-h-e—Epistrophe, and that’s where
successive sentences, or clauses or phrases end with the same word, phrase or clause. And
in Aramaic, you have…if you want to write it down on our current transliteration system,
you put apos…a backwards apostrophe and then the letter M [’m]. That…those two letters
in Aramaic end or follows each of these three verbs. So you have uh…where he’s made
alive, and then this ’m; and then raised us, ’m; and seated us, ’m. So you have it ending
the…the phrase instead of beginning the word as you have in Greek. It’s still a figure of
speech putting emphasis on it, but the Aramaic just handles it a little bit differently.
[Dr. Wierwille] Yeah, but the difference is basically in the Greek, made alive together
and the emphasis in Aramaic is with Christ. Putting the Greek and the Aramaic together—
just fantastic because you’re made alive, with Christ! That’s the emphasis.
[Walter Cummins] Right.
[Dr. Wierwille] That’s wonderful.
[Walter Cummins] The emphasis is on what God did for the believers.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right.
[Walter Cummins] With Christ.
[Dr. Wierwille] Made alive.
[Walter Cummins] Did it together.
[Dr. Wierwille] Who? You’re made alive. Who are you made alive with? With
Christ—wonderful.
[Walter Cummins] So that’s the…the a…figures of speech that are implode in that
verse. Then you have also in verse 5, in the Greek it has a form that’s used for emphasis
that doesn’t belong here in verse 5. It does belong in verse 8, because in the Aramaic there
is no emphasis in verse 5, but there is emphasis in verse 6. And this construction in Greek
is called a periphrastic perfect participle.
[Dr. Wierwille] Spell periphr…
[Walter Cummins] Periphrastic is spelled p-e-r-i-p-h-r-a-s-i-c…t.
[Dr. Wierwille] Peri means around, doesn’t it?
[Walter Cummins] Yeah. Peri—around.
[Dr. Wierwille] I don’t know what “phrastic” means.
[Walter Cummins] “Phras” probably comes from—around the phrase. What you
have…let me give you the Greek words. It’s spelled e-s-t-e, este, that’s the first word; then
you have s-e-s-long ō-s-m-e-n-o-i, sesōsmenoi. You have es…two words: este and
sesōsmenoi and that phrase means “you are saved”…
[Dr. Wierwille] in Greek.
[Walter Cummins] in Greek, right.
[Dr. Wierwille] Okay, go on.
[Walter Cummins] Now the normal way to say “you are saved” in Greek would be the
word sōzete, spelled s-long ō-z-e-t-e, and that’s just one word and that means “you are
saved.” But what they’ve done here is to take the perfect participle, sesōsmenoi, which
means “saved,” and then put an extra word, este, which means “you are.” So it’s a…a more
complex way of saying it. And it’s almost like you are one who has been saved, if you
uhh…made it very literal from the way the construction is in Greek, which puts much
more emphasis on that form.
But in the Aramaic it’s a very simple phrase, just as if you have that other word in
Greek, sōzete. It simply means “he save us.” It has no emphasis on it. But when you get
down to verse 8 in the Aramaic, it is by grace, by His grace therefore we were saved
through faith and in this Aramaic construction there is more emphasis than on the phrase
that’s in verse 5.
And so in the Greek they should have employed this periphrastic perfect participle, in
other words, este sesōsmenoi, in verse 8 to have the proper emphasis that by grace you are
one who has been saved, just like the Aramaic does. But in verse 5 it’s simply a
parenthetical insertion that’s not there for emphasis. As a matter of fact, being
parenthetical it might even be uhh…like a side…sideline, you know, an extra phrase
that’s…
[Dr. Wierwille] Just something thrown in.
[Walter Cummins] Right, thrown in. So you don’t want the emphasis in verse 5.
Understand? That’s the a…that’s the a…the most important parts of this.
[Dr. Wierwille] Is that right?
[Walter Cummins] That covers this. We have a…one Lat…bilingual Greek manuscript
[inaudible word] in both the Greek and the Latin that has “we are saved.”
[Dr. Wierwille] I think that’s the one I’m going to go with when I get into this stuff
here.
[Walter Cummins] Okay, that’s in verse 8. Okay. Yeah, I should bring that up.
[Dr. Wierwille] Yep.
[Walter Cummins] Verse 8…umm…most of the texts have “you are one sa…one who
is being saved,” este sesōsmenoi—but at least one Gre…uh…Greek manuscript and the
corresponding Latin manuscript. When we talk about a bilingual, it’s a manuscript that has
two columns; one column is Greek and one column is Latin. And both the Greek and the
Latin in that manuscript have esmen sosōsmenoi where the esmen is e-s-m-e-n and that
means “we are,” so it’s “we are saved” rather than “you are saved.” But it still has that
emphasis. It’s the same periphrastic perfect participle.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right.
[Walter Cummins] And then that gives you the same rendering as the Aramaic has as
well as Armenian manuscripts and the Ethiopian manuscripts.
[Dr. Wierwille] And the Armenian and the Ethiopian perhaps were both translated
from the original Aramaic.
[Walter Cummins] Aramaic, right.
[Dr. Wierwille] That’s why I went with it.
[Walter Cummins] Right.
[Dr. Wierwille] Okay, bless your heart. Thanks Walter.
Now, I want you to put down something regarding the word “Christ.” There are seven
things that Christ accomplished for the Body of the Church, number one, we are crucified
with Christ (you can just put down):
[1.] crucified with Christ (then from there on you can just put ‘em under)
[2.] died with Christ
[3.] number three, buried with Christ
Number four, raised or quickened…no quickened is the word I want…
[4.] quickened with Christ
[5.] five is raised with Christ
[6.] six is seated with Christ
And seven…
[7.] manifested in glory with Christ
Now the literal translation of verse 5 is:
Ephesians 2:5 Literal translation according to usage
When we were dead in sins He made us alive together with Christ [parenthesis]
(by His grace He redeemed us) [end of parethesis].
The expanded one has—the only difference I have in the expanded one is in the
parentheses:
Ephesians 2:5 Expanded translation
…(by His grace God saved [and the word “saved” means redeemed] us).
That “quickened” you noticed I translate “made us alive together.” The only translation
that gets close to that considering the Revised Version, the Murdock translation, the
Concordant Literal, the Living Bible, is the Phillips translation, and Phillip translates verse
5: gave us life together with Christ. I translated it “made us alive together with Christ.”
Phillips says life together with Christ, of all those translations.
I should have told you regarding verse 4 that the Revised Version uses the word
“being” that I used in translation also, and Murdock has the word “mercy” in verse 4 in the
plural like I gave it to you.
Now we go to verse 6, King James says:
Ephesians 2:6
And [has] raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus:
“…hath raised us up together”—That has to be “and were awakened together,” not
resurrected.
“…made us sit together” in the Aramaic is “he seated us with him.”
If you understand Oriental culture where the guest of honor or the host…the guest of
honor will have the people seated, there’s something like this in the Gospels where
somebody took a seat he wasn’t supposed to take. Remember? That’s in the light of that
that I worked this section. See? He seated us with him. He did the seating. He said, “Look,
you’re over here in this seat; you’re over here in that seat.” He seated us.
While I was working this I thought of when Mrs. Wierwille is at the head table with us
so whoever is the hostess at that table when we come in for dinner, they always tell the
people where to be seated. She’ll put a gentleman next, and then a lady, and then a
gentleman, but she tells them. God did this in Christ Jesus. He seated us; He seated us.
Now who’s going to complain about it? With him. And this is all part of our identification
with Christ, Corps. See, we were made alive together. Walter just shared that. We were
raised together with him, and we are what? seated together with him.
And then “in heavenly places” literally is “by heavenly things”—By heavenly things in
and by Christ.
A literal translation according to usage of verse 6 is:
Ephesians 2:6 Literal translation according to usage
And awakened [parenthesis] (us) [end of parenthesis] together and seated
[parenthesis] (us) [end of parenthesis] together by heavenly things in Christ
Jesus.
The expanded:
Ephesians 2:6 Expanded translation
And were awakened together with Jesus Christ and God seated us with
Christ by the heavenly things God did in and by Jesus Christ.
Now, Corps, I think that’s a fantastic translation. Let’s take another look at it: “…were
awakened together with Jesus Christ and God seated us with Christ...”—I didn’t use the
word Jesus here. By the heavenly things God did; “…by the heavenly things God did in
and by Jesus Christ.”
Verse 7, King James.
Ephesians 2:7
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in
his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
The word “kindness” needs to be handled. Well, maybe I better give you verse 6
uh…before I run into this and that. I keep forgetting, I’ve got so many papers up here.
Uh…King James Version, Revis—Murdock, Murdock translates “and resuscitated us with
him.” Uh…we translated “and were awakened together.” Awakened together is sort of like
the resuscitation. The Concordant Literal tran…uses the words “and arouses us together
and seats us together.” So only two of those get a little bit close to what we believe is the
inherent greatness and integrity and accuracy of that word.
Well, verse 7, this word “kindness,” the Greek word is spelled c-h-r-long ē-s-t-o-t-e-s.
It’s used 10 times in the New Testament. Twice it is translated goodness; once it is
translated good; four times it is translated kindness, and once it is translated gentleness.
Romans 2:4; Romans 3:12; Romans 11:22—it’s used three times as goodness, I didn’t
count it enough (it’s alright); 2 Corinthians 6:6, is kindness; Galatians 5:22, gentleness;
Ephesians 2:7, kindness; Colossians 3:12, it’s kindness; and Titus 3:4, it’s kindness.
Scholars, Biblical scholars through the years have defined this word in various ways.
Bullinger says “it is sweetness of disposition,” which communicates. You’ve met the other
kind that haven’t been too sweet in their disposition.
The greatest definition of it that I believe fits the whole situation is active beneficence.
Craig Martindale demonstrated this tonight in what he said about his meeting some place
where he…where he absorbed their venom for 45 year…45 years? 45 minutes. Active
beneficence in spite of ingratitude. That is this word.
2 Corinthians 6:6 is really a great one that I think we really as a Corps need to drive in
our mind, that workers together with God, we approve or commend ourselves as diakonias,
as ministers or servants; we commend ourselves as ministers or servants by chrēstotēs, by
our beneficence in spite of ingratitude, translated kindness, gentleness. And that expression
of active beneficence by you in spite of ingratitude of people it is that which wins others by
encouraging them to do likewise.
Here in Ephesians 2:7, gentleness or sweetness of disposition would be the best
translation you could give it, meaning you’re not hard, you’re not calloused, so that you’re
not touched by the hurt in anybody else’s life. You’re not severe. That’s why this verse
shows God in His active beneficence to man in spite of man’s ingratitude to Him [slams
fist down].
Just need to say further to you that the “riches of his grace” is used when the
redemption of man is in view. And the words “riches of his glory” are used when man’s
inheritance is in view.
The literal according to usage of verse 7 is:
Ephesians 2:7 Literal translation according to usage
That in the ages to come He might exhibit...
The King James has the word “show.” The Greek word and the Aramaic literally mean
to exhibit. Well, when you have an exhibit, what do you do? Make a show. You have an
artist exhibit, then the artists bring all the best that they’ve got. They don’t drag in their
first grade stuff, kindergarten stuff. They bring in the best they got. Man, some day this
thing’s really going to hit you, really hit you, and when it does, you’ll throw your
shoulders back and you’ll walk spiritual big and tall for Him and you don’t cop out,
because in the ages to come, throughout all the ages to come, God is going to exhibit you
[taps]. He’s going to make an exhibit. And I’ll bet you when God does an exhibit, it’s
going to be better than any artist here upon this earth ever did one. He’s going to exhibit.
What’s He going to exhibit? He’s going to show the exceeding riches of His grace. I’d
better give you the literal translation and quit talking. Here it is.
Ephesians 2:7 Literal translation according to usage – Continued
That in the ages to come He might [exceed…] exhibit the exceeding riches
of His grace by His gentleness toward us through Jesus Christ.
That’s what He’s going to exhibit.
Here’s the expanded one. And again, I think this one is just electrifying. “In order
that…”; in order that—you see, we just finished verse 6 where things God did in and by
Jesus Christ. Then verse 7.
Ephesians 2:7 Expanded Translation
In order that throughout all ages to come God will exhibit for His own
purpose the super abundant greatness of the riches of His grace in His
sweetness of disposition [parenthesis] (benevolence) that was towards us
and upon us by and in what Jesus Christ did for us.
Boy that’s just believe…beautiful. In order that throughout all ages to come. That’s
eternity, people. God will exhibit, put in His showcase, for His own purpose, the super
abundant greatness of the riches of His grace in His sweetness of disposition, benevolence,
that was towards us and upon us by and in what Jesus Christ did for us.
Oh, kids, that’s just tremendous [tapping on desk]. King James, verse 8.
I just forgot to talk this over with Walter a little while ago but…Walter, come in here.
Uh, I believe…I believe we could honestly, Walter, put verses 8 and 9 into a parenthesis.
(Pull up a chair.) 8 and 9. (Pin that mic on because you may want to speak with me here.) I
think we could honestly put 8 and 9 into a parenthesis. I noticed that one of the scholars of
the past said if it was worked a certain way it would have to be a parenthesis. But if you’ll
just look at King James here, Walter and the rest of you. We’ll just go back to King James
for a moment. Last part of verse 7. Now everybody’s eyes in the Word.
Ephesians 2:7, 10
…in his kindness toward us through [whom?] Christ Jesus. [Then verse 10.]
For we are his [what?] workmanship,…
The continuity of thought continues from the end of verse 7 to the opening of verse 10.
I believe verse 8 and 9 are a parenthesis, an explanation, and in the light of that, I want to
handle it, Walter. Now, you can think about it. You can work it and see from what I’ve
said where the…why we…I’d go this way.
Now, Walter, this background study here on the word “this,” spelled t-o-u-t-o, touto.
[Walter concurs.] Okay. This and that. This is the word touto. That, you know…(same
word, only different “duflange”). This word here in this verse, verse 8.
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace…and that…
That. That’s the word, right Walter? [Walter: right.] That word “that” in verse 8, do
you see it? They have argued and argued and argued about it for years, the scholars. So
tonight we’re going to settle all the arguments of all the scholars. How’s that? [Walter:
right. Dr. Wierwille laughs.] Whoo…nobody enjoyed that one {audience laughs}.
Okay, the problem is that the word “faith” in this verse, verse 8 here, the word “faith”
is the Greek word pisteōs (p-i-s-t-e-o-s), and, of course, you know that comes from pistis.
[Walter Cummins] a form of pistis.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right. And that word is feminine. The word touto, that, is neuter.
[Walter Cummins] Both of them have had some Greek now…I know second year
Greek knows that a pronoun has to agree in its…with its antecedent in gender as well as
number. And here’s a case where it couldn’t refer to pisteōs because that’s feminine and
this is neuter.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right. Now, Wuest believes that it refers just to the idea of salvation.
[Walter Cummins] In other words, it has no direct antecedent stated, but it’s just a
thought.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right. But here in this last line is the great truth of it. [Walter concurs.]
The word touto, meaning “this” or “that” is neuter and it agrees with dōron (d-o-r-o-n), the
word “gift” in that verse.
Ephesians 2:8
…that not of yourselves: it is the gift…
That gift is what it agrees with.
[Walter Cummins] So it’s used as an adjective instead of a relative pronoun [Dr.
Wierwille: right] saying this gift is not of yourselves.
[Dr. Wierwille] Right. I marked this in here. Touto, “that,” and dōron, “gift” or
“offering,” are separated by the long phrase, “not from you, of God.” The separation of a
noun and its adjective by intermittent phrases happens frequently. [Walter concurs.] Then I
went over here. Touto, “that” has no antecedent, antecedent; rather, it is an adjective and
modifies the words…the word “offering,” or “gift.” This offering, it’s a demonstrative
pronoun used as an adjective. [Walter: right.] This gift of God’s grace is Jesus Christ.
[Walter: right.] Boy, kids, to me there’s no argument left. This gift of God’s grace is Jesus
Christ. That’s why this offering or this gift is out from God and not out from any other
individual. Well, Walter, I think as far as I’m concerned, there’s just no problem with this.
[Walter: no.] It’s all over with, and we have the documentation of it, so I don’t know what
they want to argue about. So we translated—thank you Walter. [Walter: okay.]
Verse 8. Well, we better see what else…well yes, verse 8 that’s the one we are working
on, right. That and the word “gift” we just handled. Now:
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace are you saved…
Well, first of all, the word “for”—And I told you all I think it’s a parenthesis. “For”
sets that which follows as the reason, or an explanation, of that which precedes or an
enlargement of it. It is God’s grace, people, that explains His benevolence to us in spite of
our ingratitude.
“We were saved” is the Aramaic text; Greek is “you are”; literally it is “you are
absolutely and absolutely and completely, completely saved.”
The words “should boast”’—This, is the extra extensive form, meaning it’s absolutely,
absolutely impossible to boast. [Lots of background movement within a long pause.]
I told you verse 9, didn’t I? Well, put the two together; they’re both in a parenthesis.
I’ll give you the literal according to usage of verse 8.
Ephesians 2:8 Literal translation according to usage
[Parenthesis] (Therefore it is by grace we were saved through [bracket]—
[the]—[end of bracket] believing [bracket]—[of Jesus Christ]—[end of
bracket] and this [bracket]—[gift]—[end of bracket] was not of you but the
gift of God.
Verse 9, literal.
Ephesians 2:9 Literal translation according to usage
Not from any source of man’s works in order that no one should boastfully
boast oneself.
The expanded of verse 8. Parenthesis again, you know.
Ephesians 2:8 Expanded translation
(For in and by God’s grace we were saved through believing and that
salvation wholeness gift offering is out from God and not you.
Expanded of verse 9. “Not by works…”—can I have some coffee, please. That’s not in
the text, kids. [Dr. Wierwille chuckles.]
Ephesians 2:9 Expanded translation
Not by the works or actions of man in order that there might be absolutely
not one to boastfully boast.
I don’t do this very often, but tonight I am going to do it. Because it will be the last
night of the ol’ year that we’ll have the change to do it, I guess. But I want to give you an
expanded-expanded translation [Dr. Wierwille laughs] of verse 8. So put it on the margins
someplace. But if you ever have any trouble of understanding verse 8, I think the
expanded-expanded one will do it.
Ephesians 2:8 Expanded-expanded translation
Therefore it is by, in and through God’s grace that we were saved, rescued,
ransomed,…
Not rancid [chuckles].
…made absolutely whole and complete by means of the believing of Jesus
Christ and this gift of God’s grace who is [sneezes]—(excuse me), Jesus
Christ was not out of or from you but in contrast the gift of God was the
offering of His son, Jesus Christ.
Now we go to verse 10, King James.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
All of you know from past teachings, from the Foundational Class on, how tremendous
this verse really is, and how absolutely true and beautiful, and I’ve used it many times in
teaching, that in my first birth I was the workmanship of my daddy and mommy, but in my
second birth I am the work…workmanship of God, and that’s the greatness among other
things in this verse, this word “workmanship.” The Greek word is spelled p-o-i-long ē-m-a;
poiēma, workmanship, poiēma. I think we used it once for an art gathering or some
thing…poiēma, workmanship. The result of the action was me, first birth [taps]. You got
it? The second birth, the result of whose action? God’s action. That’s why the word is so
tremendous. It means that which God makes or does. God’s work, God’s work. The first
work of my dad and mother was not perfect, but they liked it. People, this work of God,
this work of God, would He like it? My golly, how many times haven’t people slapped
God in the face who have been born again by saying how unworthy they are and “no
gooders.” God is perfect; therefore, this workmanship could be translated “masterpiece.”
We are God’s workmanship, God’s perfection, God’s masterpiece.
It’s interesting that this word is used in Acts 17:28 and it’s translated “poet.”
Poi…Poiētēs, Greek; poet, English. A poet is supposed to produce a masterpiece. That’s
what he’s a poet for, supposed to be.
In the Aramaic, “for we are his workmanship,” is translated “therefore, we are his own
creation.”
The word “for”—Again sets that which follows.
It’s interesting that Marcus Barth translated this “work of art.” A work of art. Well, a
work of art is a masterpiece.
The word “created” is used instead of “formed.” If the word “formed” was used, you
couldn’t put it together. It wouldn’t fit. It’s in aorist in the Greek, an aorist passive
participle.
And these…this word “workmanship” and the word “created” is a fantastic figure of
speech, which I’ve given you before, Polyptoton (p-o-l-y-p-t-o-t-o-n), words that are
repeated that have the same root. In the Aramaic they are the words which read “creation
created.” Creation and created. For we are His creation created.
The whole emphasis, Corps, is on God’s work and the result of His work.
The word for “ordained” is not the proginoskō word that I’ve taught you bef…on other
occasions. This word here in the Greek means prepared or made ready ahead of time,
beforehand.
The literal according to usage of verse 10 is:
Ephesians 2:10 Literal translation according to usage
Therefore we are His own creation who were created in Christ Jesus with a
view to good works which God made ready in order that we should walk in
them.
The expanded: Therefore we are His [parenthesis]—(God’s [G-o-d-apostrophe-s,
comma], due to the result of God’s work through His son)—[end of parenthesis]….Going
back now and deleting the parenthesis I gave you.
Ephesians 2:10 Expanded translation
Therefore we are [what?] His own creation [parenthesis]—(masterpiece)—
[end of parenthesis] who were created in Christ Jesus with a specific view
to good works which God prepared beforehand and made ready and
available to every believer in Christ Jesus in order that we should, could and
ought to walk in them and regulate our lives accordingly.
That again, I think is a very wonderful translation that should give you great under
standing of the truth of the beauty of the greatness of our God in Christ Jesus as it is given
in this tenth verse.
Well, that’s all we’re going to do tonight.