Author: Will

Ephesians 3:5 – God’s Revealed Word

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which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as it now was revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit:

Truth to Learn

We have the Word of God in our possession.

 

Behind the Words

“Made known” is from gnoridzō, which we saw a couple of verses earlier. It means “to become known.” It is expressed here in the passive voice (action done to the subject). And, it is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicating action that occurred at a point in time in the past.

The words “the sons of men” are a literal translation of the Greek words, “tois huiois tōn anthrōpōn.” It is a reference to those who are men by nature. It is contrasted to the apostles and prophets to whom the mystery was revealed by the Holy Spirit.

The word translated “other” is heteros, which means “another of a different kind.” There is another Greek word, allos, which means “another of the same kind.” The use of heteros implies that the age we live in is different from previous ages.

“Generations” is from the Greek noun genea. It is derived from the verb ginomai, meaning “to become” or “to begin to be.” The original meaning of genea was that of “a generation,” but in New Testament Greek it sometimes refers simply to “a period of time.”

Apostolos is the word from which we get “apostles.” As you can see it is a transliteration (a word brought over directly from one language to another). It is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and a form of the verb stellō, meaning “to send forth.” Apostolos means “one who is sent forth from God.”

The word “prophets” is also a transliteration. It is transliterated from the Greek word prophetēs, which is made up of pro, meaning “before, in place or time” and a form of phēmi, meaning “to tell.” Thus, a prophet is “someone who declares God’s message before the people or before it happens.”

 

Meaning Explained

Previously, Paul told us that the mystery that he is talking about was revealed to him, not by a human teacher, but by God Himself. Now he informs us that through his ministry this mystery is also being revealed to us in the church age. This mystery (that Gentiles and Jews are both part of God’s chosen people) was unknown before Paul’s preaching.

If you read through the third chapter of his letter to the church in Rome, you will see that before the church age, the Jews had a great advantage over the Gentiles. Here’s what he said:

What, then is the superiority of the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because they were entrusted with the oracles of God. (Romans 3:1, 2)

The word translated “oracles” here is logion, which refers to “an utterance.” So, what Paul is saying is that the advantage the Jews had was that God spoke directly to them. His laws and commandments were given to them and not to anyone else.

But now, because of the preaching of the Apostles and Prophets since the time of Christ, all nations of the world can hear and understand God’s truth. And, it is through this truth, now written in the New Testament, that we all have an opportunity to hear and believe God’s promise of salvation.

 

Application

Do you recognize how precious the truths in the Bible are? Both the Old Testament and the New Testament contain information directly from God. That’s why it is often called “the Word of God.” Treasure it – and thank God for it!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:4 – Uncovering the Mystery

Posted on by Will

by the reading of which, you are able to understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

Truth to Learn

Mysteries are revealed in the Bible.

 

Behind the Words

“The reading” is translated from anaginōskō. This word is made up of ana, used as an intensifier and ginōskō, which means “to know.” Initially this word meant “to perceive accurately.” Later it came to mean “to recognize” and in some cases “to read.” In the New Testament it is always used in reference to reading. It is expressed here as a present participle.

“Are able” is the translation of the word dunamai, which means “to be able” or “to have power.”

The Greek word translated “understand,” is noieō. This word means “to exercise the mind,” that is “to comprehend” or “to understand.”

Sunesis is the Greek word translated “knowledge.” This word is made up of sun, meaning “together” and a form of the verb heimi, meaning “to send” or “to put.” This sunesis literally means “that which is put together;” that is to say, “perception” or “knowledge.”

 

Meaning Explained

This is one of those verses which has very little meaning without the verses surrounding it. You may recall that in the previous verse Paul talked about the fact that a mystery had been revealed to him. He also alluded to the fact that he had previously written to the Ephesians about this mystery. That previous writing is probably a reference to what he said in Ephesians 1:9-12.

He goes on to explain that this mystery is the gathering together in one place (heaven) of all created things which belong to Christ (both those things in heaven and those things on earth). This mystery also includes the fact that Gentiles, who had previously been alienated from God’s chosen people (the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), are now part of the same family, the family of God. We also learned recently that this mystery was not revealed to Paul by a human teacher, but by God, Himself. Now, because of what Paul has already written concerning this mystery, the readers of this letter are able to understand the mystery also.

 

Application

Today it is in vogue to declare that all people are part of God’s family. And, there are some churches which teach that we will all go to heaven. After all, a loving God wouldn’t really send some people to Hell where they would suffer eternally with no possibility of being rescued from it, would He? The answer is a resounding yes!

All of us have sinned and deserve eternal hell because we don’t measure up to God’s standard of righteousness. But He has provided a way for us to obtain His righteousness. All we have to do is believe that the blood of Jesus Christ is the payment for our sins. Those who believe that Jesus died to pay for their sins will be gathered to Heaven someday. Those who reject His blood sacrifice will die in their sins and will be condemned by God to spend eternity in Hell. Have you accepted the blood of Jesus as payment for your sins?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:3 – Special Revelation

Posted on by Will

that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I briefly wrote before,

Truth to Learn

Paul received special revelation from God regarding the salvation of the Gentiles.

 

Behind the Words

The word “revelation” is translated from the Greek noun apokalupsis. This word is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and a form of kaluptō, meaning “to hide” or “to cover up.” Thus, apokalupsis refers to the uncovering or revealing of something. The last book of the Bible is called Revelation and that word comes from this Greek word, apokalupsis. Thus, the last book of the Bible is a book that uncovers, or reveals, Jesus Christ in the last days.

The Greek word gnōridzō is translated here as “made known.” The word literally means “to become known” or “to gain knowledge.” It is written here in the aorist tense (action done at a point in time in the past) and the active voice (action done by the subject). Some of the better manuscripts have this word written in the passive voice (action done to the subject). So, the first part of this verse could be translated, “that by revelation the mystery was made known to me.”

“Mystery” is transliterated from musterion (or mysterion), which refers to something that has previously been unknown but now is revealed.

“Briefly” is from the Greek word oligos which means “little.” It can refer to a small quantity, a short time span, or of small degree. In this case, it most likely refers to a small quantity.

The words “I .. wrote before” are translated from the verb prographō, which is made up of pro, meaning “before, in place or time” and graphō, meaning “to write.”

 

Meaning Explained

There are two things that we want to take a look at in this verse. The first is, “How did Paul learn about the mystery?” and the other is, “What did he mean by ‘as I briefly wrote before’?”

Before his conversion Paul, then called Saul, was an avid student of the Scriptures (the Old Testament). He was schooled by one of the greatest teachers of his day, a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel. But, his greatest understanding of the doctrines of salvation by grace through faith, was not taught to him by human teachers. Here’s how Paul explained it:

But I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12)

This mystery was revealed to Paul by our Lord, Himself. That is what he is referring to in the first part of today’s verse.

Now, what does Paul mean by the statement that he has already written briefly about this mystery? Some think that Paul is referring to a previous letter that he wrote to the Ephesians; however, there is no evidence of any such letter. The other possibility is that he is referring to what he wrote in verses nine through twelve of the first chapter of this letter, the mystery of God’s will regarding the salvation of the Gentiles.

 

Application

Unlike Paul, we have no need to receive special revelation from God, because we have His written word, the Bible. But, in order to understand God’s will for our lives, we need to read and study it daily.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:2 – Administrator of Grace

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if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

Truth to Learn

All Christians are commissioned to preach the Gospel.

 

Behind the Words

The word “if” is translated from ei. This is a conditional particle which introduces a conditional clause. In New Testament Greek (Koinē Greek) there are four types of conditional clauses, although only three of them appear in the Bible. The first class condition assumes the “if” clause to be true. The second class condition assumes the “if” clause to be false and the third class condition makes no assumption. In today’s verse we see a first class condition, so Paul assumes that his readers have heard of the dispensation.

“Indeed” is from ge, which is a particle of emphasis or qualification. It serves to strengthen or render more emphatic the word to which it is appended (if). It can be variously translated as “besides, doubtless, indeed, at least, or yet.”

The word translated “dispensation” is oikonomia, which is made up of oikos, meaning “house” and a form of nemō, meaning “to distribute or apportion.” In the first century, it was not uncommon for a land owner to have one slave who was steward (in charge) of his household. The word oikonomia refers to this position of household administrator, the work done by an administrator, or the process of administration. In today’s verse it refers to the “administration” or “stewardship” of the grace of God.

The word “for” is from the Greek word eis, which literally means “into” or “toward.” In this verse it refers to a direction of the mind. In other words, this information was given to Paul to relay it to us. In this sense, it was given to him “for” us.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul, like every believer in Jesus Christ, has been the recipient of God’s grace as he described it in the previous chapter:

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8)

However, that’s not what he is specifically referring to in today’s verse. Here he is talking about “the dispensation of the grace of God” or the administration of the grace of God. God chose the Apostle Paul to be the administrator of His grace for the Gentiles. What he means by this is that God has entrusted him with the message of salvation by grace, through faith, and it is his responsibility to deliver it to the Gentiles. In Acts chapter twenty-six Paul described to King Agrippa how he received this responsibility directly from the Lord, who said:

But rise up and stand on your feet; for it is for this reason I appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things which you saw and of the things which I will yet reveal to you, delivering you from the Jewish people, and the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, (Acts 26:16, 17)

In fact, he told the believers in Corinth that he now has no choice but to preach the Gospel message:

For if I proclaim the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16)

Paul recognized his responsibility to administer the grace of God by proclaiming the Good News to people throughout the known world, and he performed that task until the day he died.

 

Application

We, too, have been given a commission to preach the Gospel message. Are you carrying out that commission? Are you sharing the Good News with those around you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:7 – Priceless Grace

Posted on by Will

that in the ages coming He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Truth to Learn
God’s grace is priceless.

Behind the Words
The word “ages” is from aiōn, which refers to a duration or continuance of time. As used here, it refers to “an indefinitely long period of time.”
“Coming” is translated from eperchomai, which is composed or epi, meaning “on, upon, to, over, or above” and erchomai, meaning “to come.” It is expressed as a present participle, so we could translate this as “coming upon us.”
The Greek word translated “He might show” is endeiknumi, which is made up of en, meaning “in” or “to” and deiknumi, meaning “to point out” or “to present for viewing.” We might translate this word as “to showcase.” It is expressed here in the middle voice (action done by the subject to the subject), so it could be translated as “He might showcase for himself.”
“Exceeding” is from the Greek verb huperballō, which is made up of huper (hyper), meaning “above” or “beyond” and ballō, meaning “to throw.” Thus huperballō literally means “to throw beyond,” that is, “to go beyond” or “to exceed.”
“Riches” is the translation of the Greek word ploutos, which refers to “wealth composed of valuable things.”
The Greek word translated “kindness” is chrēstotēs, which is based on chrēstos, meaning “usefulness” or “moral excellence.” Hence, chrēstotēs refers to “goodness” or “kindness.”

Meaning Explained
In the previous verse we learned that our merciful God did three things for us: He made us alive, He raised us up (resurrected us), and He caused us to sit in the heavenlies. Today’s verse explains why God decided to do this for us. Well, actually He didn’t do it for us. He did it for His own glory. Let me say that a little differently. God did not give us eternal life, raise us from the dead, and seat us in His presence for our sake. He did it for Himself to showcase His glorious grace.
According to the Apostle Paul, God did these things so that He could showcase, for Himself, the exceedingly great value of His grace, so that He would receive glory and praise. What is the value of grace? A couple of verses back we learned that God’s grace to us is undeserved “favor, good will, or kindness, especially that which causes joy and gratification.” Why is it undeserved? We are all sinners; that is, we are not righteous. And we know that the penalty for not being righteous is God’s wrath and eternity in hell. But, as a result of God’s grace, we who have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior will not experience hell because we have been made alive, resurrected, and seated in His presence.
So, let me ask again, “What is the value of grace?” There is not enough money in all the earth to purchase eternal life, resurrection, and a seat in God’s presence. God’s grace is more valuable than all we have or could ever possess. It is exceedingly valuable, and we can’t afford it.

Application
No, we can’t afford God’s grace. That’s why He freely gives it to us, not because we deserve it, but because we don’t. If we deserved it, it wouldn’t be grace; it would be something He owes us. God doesn’t owe us anything, but He gave it to us anyway, simply because He wanted to show how gracious and glorious He is!
I think it’s time once again to fall on our knees and thank God for His priceless grace. Thank you Lord!

Ephesians 3:1 – A Serving Stone

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Because of this I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—

Truth to Learn

Serving God as part of His kingdom is a very high calling.

 

Behind the Words

“Because of this” is translated from the Greek words toutou charin. The first of these, toutou, is a form of touto, meaning “this” and charin means “on account of,” “because of,” or “for the sake of.” So, we have translated the opening phrase as “Because of this.”

“Prisoner” is from desmios, which is derived from the verb desmeō, meaning “to bind.” Thus, desmios means “someone in bonds” or “a prisoner.”

The words “Christ Jesus” are transliterated from the words christou iēsou. The interesting thing to note here is that Paul adds the definite article tou (the). Therefore, this could be translated as “the Christ, Jesus.”

 The second use of the word “for” in this verse is translated from huper, which means “above” or “over.” As used here it means “for the sake of” or “for the benefit of.”

Ethnos is the Greek word translated “Gentiles.” We looked at this in the previous chapter. It refers to any group or race of people. It is what Jews have historically called anyone who was not a Jew. Paul uses this term in reference to two different groups of people. Sometimes, he uses it, like the Jews do, in reference to anyone who is not a religious Jew (as he is in this verse). Sometimes, however, he uses this word in reference to a non-Christian.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul starts out this verse (and this chapter) with “Because of this.” So, we have to ask ourselves, “Because of what?” Well, what has he just been talking about? Beginning in verse eleven of the previous chapter, Paul taught us that before Christ came, we Gentiles were without a savior, we were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and we were not included in the covenants that God made with Israel. Basically, we were without hope. But now, because of Christ, we are no longer strangers and foreigners, we are fellow citizens with the saints of old and we are part of God’s household. And – we are part of God’s temple, which is being built with the lives of all who are saved. In short: we were lost, we are now saved and part of God’s family, and God has a purpose for us in His kingdom.

Because of this, Paul wants to give us further instruction. However, a strange thing happens starting in this verse and continuing through verse thirteen. In these verses Paul gets sidetracked with an explanation and justification of his own ministry (his position as a foundation stone in the temple of God). So, to learn the rest of “Because of this” we have to go to verse fourteen, “I bow my knees to the Father …” As we get to that verse, we will see that Paul has a special prayer for the rest of us building blocks in God’s temple.

Meanwhile, he will share with us some of the reasons why God has made him a foundation stone in the temple. He starts that off with a reminder that he is in bonds. He tells us that he is a prisoner of the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. In the book of Romans, he goes to great lengths to show us that we were once in bondage to sin but we are now owned by a new master, God Himself. He is now our master. But I don’t think that’s what Paul is referring to here. In chapter six, verse twenty of this letter, he will tell us that he is an ambassador in chains. From this most scholars believe that Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome where he was sent because of his testimony of salvation in Jesus Christ. Thus, he says that he is a prisoner of Christ (or “because” of Christ). He literally was a prisoner because of his testimony of Christ.

 

Application

How high do you consider your calling in Jesus Christ? Are you willing to go to prison simply because you are a Christian? Are you willing to lose your job simply because you are a Christian? Are you willing to suffer simply because you are a Christian? What’s more important, serving God, or yourself?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:22 – Living Building Blocks

Posted on by Will

in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Truth to Learn

Every Christian has a specific function within the temple of God.

 

Behind the Words

The word “you” is translated from humeis, which is a second person plural pronoun (you-plural). This is one area where the antiquated language of the original King James Version is helpful. The words thee, thou, thy, and thine are second person singular pronouns, whereas you and your are second person plural pronouns.

The words “are being built together” are from the Greek verb sunoikodomeō, which is made up of sun, meaning “together,” oikos, which refers to “a dwelling place” or “a house,” and demō, meaning “to build.” Therefore, sunoikodomeō, literally means “to build a dwelling place together.” It is expressed here in the present tense (current action) and the passive voice (action being done to the subject). It is also expressed as a plural verb.

“Into” is translated from the Greek word eis, meaning “into” or “unto.” The primary idea of this word is of motion into a place or a thing. Sometimes, however, it is used to express motion to or toward a place or thing.

“A dwelling place” is from katoikētērion, which is made up of kata, meaning “down” but possibly used as an intensifier and oikētērion (a dwelling place). It refers to “a permanent dwelling place.”

 

Meaning Explained

At the time this letter was written, most houses were typically built with bricks. Temples, however, were usually built out of blocks of stone. The stones in the temple were all properly placed so as to form a complete structure to be a habitation for the Deity that was being worshipped there. Paul is telling us that we are being built along with others as a dwelling place for God.

There is some ambiguity introduced here, however, as to whom Paul was specifically referring. The fact that he uses the second person plural pronoun (you-plural) and a plural verb means that he is referring to a group of people who are being built together. In this verse He is not saying that each individual believer is being built together with others. So, he can either mean that you (members of the church at Ephesus, and by extension all believers) are being built together, or he means that you (Gentiles) are being built together. Based on the context of verses nineteen through this verse, it is most likely that he is talking about Gentiles.

What is clear is that Paul is talking about a temple that is being built. In the past few verses Paul has been talking about the construction of a building and in verse twenty-one he made it clear that he is talking about a temple. You may recall from our discussion of the word translated “temple” that it refers to the dwelling place of a deity. In the current verse, Paul makes it clear that he is talking about a temple which is the dwelling place of God. This temple consists of all believers since the beginning of time.

 

Application

The living temple of God, which Paul refers to here, is an intricately designed and constructed building. We are each building blocks with specific talents and gifts to perform the function (or functions) that God has intended for us. If we are not allowing God to utilize those specific talents and gifts, then the temple is not as God designed it. Do you know what part of the temple you are? If so, are you performing that function?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:21 – Temple Building

Posted on by Will

in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

Truth to Learn

Every Christian is part of the temple of God.

 

Behind the Words

The words “the whole” are translated from a form of pas, which can mean “all” or “every.” So this could be translated as “all the building” or “the whole building.”

“Building” is from the Greek word oikodomē, which is very similar to the word translated “having been built on” in the previous verse. This word can refer either to “the act of building” or to “the building” itself.

The verb sunarmologeō is translated here as “being fitted together.” This word is made up of sun, meaning “together,” harmos “to join things together,” and legō, which means “to lay forth” or “to say a word.” Putting these all together, we find that sunarmologeō means “to lay things closely joined together,” as one would do with stones or bricks in building a structure. The word is expressed here as a present participle, indicating that it is action that is continually taking place.

The word “grows” is from auxanō, which means “to grow” or “to increase.” This word is expressed in the present tense, indicative mood, which implies current continuous action.

“Temple” is translated from naos. This is derived from the verb naiō, meaning “to dwell.” Naos refers to “a shrine” or “a temple” where a deity dwells. There is another word in Greek, often translated “temple.” It is hieron, which refers to the entire temple area or temple grounds. Naos, however, refers specifically to the central building in the temple area.

 

Meaning Explained

In the Greek text there is no definite article associated with the word oikodomē, which introduces some ambiguity as to whether Paul is talking about every believer being a holy temple, or the whole church being a single, holy temple. However, since both “building” and “temple” are singular Greek words and the following verse says that “you [plural] are being built together for a dwelling place [singular] for God,” there is strong evidence that Paul is referring to the entire church as the building.

Assuming that this is, in fact, what Paul was expressing, we are told here that the church, which is composed of every believer from the beginning of time, is continually being built by God. Each member of the church has a place in the building and is put in place joined closely together with those around him or her. Later in this letter (Ephesians 4:12) Paul will refer to the church as “the body of Christ.” Also. in his first letter to the Corinthians, he refers to the church as “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Since Paul uses both of these metaphors to refer to the church universal, we can see that the church, whether a living body or a building, is continually being built. And, we see from this verse, that the church is the central temple (dwelling place) of God, Himself. We are all part of the body, and we are all part of the holy temple where God lives.

 

Application

Whether we consider the church to be the temple of God or the body of Christ, we each have a part in it. Each and every Christian has an important function to perform. Are you performing your function? Are you being used by God as part of the church? If not, you’re not fulfilling God’s purpose for your life.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:20 – Building Material

Posted on by Will

having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

Truth to Learn

Every Christian is part of God’s building.

 

Behind the Words

The words “having been built on” are translated from epoikodomeō, which is a double compound word made up of epi, meaning “upon,” oikos, which refers to “a dwelling place” or “a house,” and demō, meaning “to build.” Thus, epoikodomeō literally means “to build a dwelling upon.” It is expressed here as an aorist, passive, participle, so “having been built on” is a very accurate translation of this word.

“Foundation” is from the Greek noun themelios. This word is derived from the verb tithēmi, which means “to stand” or “to set in place.” Themelios, therefore, refers to something that has been put down in place, like a foundation.

Apostolos is the Greek word translated “apostles.” This word is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and a form of the verb stellō, meaning “to send.” Apostolos refers to someone who is sent forth on a certain mission.

“Prophets” is translated from prophētēs, which is made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or space” and phēmi, meaning “to tell.”

The words “chief cornerstone” come from akrogōniaios, which is made up of akron, meaning “the extreme” or “the one on the end” and gōnia, which refers to “an angle” or “a corner.” So, we see that akrogōniaios refers to the extreme corner. Metaphorically, it refers to the first corner stone laid.

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul told us that we are no longer strangers from the covenants of promise and we are no longer foreigners from the commonwealth of Israel. We are now fellow citizens of a holy nation and members of God’s household. The word translated “household” is oikeios, which usually refers to people who live and work under the master of the house, but it can also refer to the things which make up the building as well. We see in the previous verse that Paul’s meaning was “a person who is a member of the household.” In the current verse, however, he twists the meaning of the word and now refers to us as part of the building itself. And, in the next couple of verses Paul will twist the meaning a little further yet.

For now, Paul is telling us that not only are we part of God’s family, but we are part of his building as well. The foundation of this building consists of Jesus Christ, as the first corner stone as well as the apostles and prophets. At the time that Paul wrote this letter, buildings were built differently than they are today. The foundation was not cement poured into forms; it consisted of large square-cut stones laid next to each other. Sometimes there was a second or third course of stones laid upon the first. The placement of the initial corner stone was the most critical because it set the position for the entire structure. If it was not set level and oriented in the proper direction, the entire building could suffer.

Jesus Christ was, Himself, the initial corner stone of this building, and He sets the position and the basis for the remainder of the structure. The apostles and prophets (that is, New Testament prophets) provide the remainder of the foundation of the building. Paul’s reference is probably to the writings of these men of God. You and I are also part of the building and we depend on the foundation for our stability.

 

Application

There is no Christian who exists alone and apart from the rest of the church. We are all interdependent and each one of us is needed to make the building whole.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:19 – Household Members

Posted on by Will

So, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Truth to Learn

Christians are part of God’s household and will live with Him for eternity.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “So” is ara, which is an inferential particle. That is, it indicates that an inference, or conclusion is being made. It is somewhat difficult to translate directly into English, but is often translated as “now,” “then,” “so,” “in conclusion,” or “truly.”

“Therefore” is from another Greek inferential particle, oun. This word is most often translated “therefore” or “certainly.”

The words “no longer” are translated from a single Greek word, ouketi. This is made up of ouk, meaning “not” and eti which refers to a duration of time. It is most often translated as “yet” or “still.” When these two words are combined they mean “not still” or “no longer.”

“Strangers” is the Greek word xenos, which we saw back in verse twelve. It refers to someone who is “a stranger” or “an alien.”

Paroikos is the Greek word translated “foreigners.” It is made up of para, meaning “by, beside, or near” and oikos, which refers to “a dwelling place” or “a house.” Thus, paroikos refers to “someone who lives nearby,” that is, “someone who lives in a nearby foreign country.” The strong implication here is that the foreigner is not of the household (see below).

“Fellow citizens” is translated from the Greek word sumpolitēs. This word is made up of sun, meaning “together’ or “together with” and politēs (from which we get our English word “politics”), meaning “citizen.”

Hagios is the word translated “saints.” The fundamental idea behind this word is “separation from one thing and consecration to another.” Throughout the New Testament, this word is used to refer to those who have been separated from the world (world system) and consecrated to God.

The word “household” is from oikeios, which is derived from oikos, meaning “a house” or “a household.” Thus, oikeios means “a member of a household.”

 

Meaning Explained

As we saw above, the opening words of this verse indicate a conclusion is being drawn. In this case, the two words ara oun, are best translated as “So then” or “so therefore” as we have in our translation here. Some translations have this as “Now, therefore” which can be a little confusing. Paul is not saying “Now” as opposed to “previously.” He is simply summarizing what he has been teaching. This summary takes us back to verse twelve, where Paul said that we were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise.”

Paul has been teaching us about how the blood of Jesus Christ and faith in His death on the cross as payment for our sins has broken down the dividing wall between the Gentiles and Jews. By breaking down this wall, we are at peace with the Jews and with God, and we have access to God the Father through the Holy Spirit. So, therefore …

We are no longer strangers from the covenants of promise and we are no longer foreigners from the commonwealth of Israel. Instead, we are fellow citizens of a holy nation with all the saints. “Saints” is a reference to all those whom God has declared righteous through faith, from the time of Adam to the present day. And, not only are we fellow citizens of that holy nation, we are now members of God’s household. That means that when we leave this life and “go home” it will be to God’s home.

 

Application

As Christians, we have so many precious promises that will help us endure this life of service to God. One of the greatest promises, however, is that when this life is over, we will live with Him in His home forever. What a blessing!

In God's service, for His glory,

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