Ephesians 2:1-10
Mostly I follow The Chronological Study Bible in putting the readings together. However, my other Study Bible had chapter 2 split between verses 10 and 11, which to me is a better fit. So that’s what I’m doing today, only through verse 10, picking up 11-22 tomorrow.
But God … made us alive together with Christ … and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus… (vv. 4-6) Often there’s a sequential pattern in Paul’s triads. Today’s reading has that in verses 4-6, as noted in bold above. “Made us alive”, “raised us up”, and “seated us”. A nice sequence, especially with Jesus highlighted in each activity, and a glorious finish!
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works… (v. 10a) So many of us are familiar with Ephesians 2:8-9 and many of us know it (mostly) by heart. It’s one of the key “faith, not works” verses that are so often quoted. But I have often thought that people who quoted those two verses discounted works altogether too much, and I wished that they would add verse 10 to their quote. We are created “for good works” and we should “walk in them”. Yes, it’s still faith first and foremost, but let’s not discount good works.
Slava Bohu!
I love verse 10b as well, the whole verse: “We are what God made us; created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.“
Just wanted to make a comment about the phrase “…we are his workmanship…”
Fred and I met at a Bible study at the University of Maryland. The leader of the group was a gifted songwriter, and the lyrics of one used the alternate translation of this phrase to go:
I find so much joy and inspiration in these lines!
Hope you all do too!
Brian also added a last line as he sang to the group one Easter morning, “I’m singing to an art gallery!”