So as I approach Ephesians 2 with a magnifying lens, I must remind the reader that this chapter is not written in a void. My commentary will focus primarily on chapter 2—but please read the rest of the book.

For, whenever we look at any portion of Scripture we must ask the purpose of its existence. Why is this portion in this part of the letter to the Ephesians and not the beginning? Why isn’t it in the letter to Timothy? Are the concepts portrayed in Ephesians 2 repeated elsewhere in Scripture and if so, in what context?

We must take into consideration that Ephesians 1 primarily has us looking at the predestination of Sons in Christ with the end goal being both the praise of God’s glory and the individual personal understanding of being beneath that preeminent One. Chapter 3 would have us looking at the revealed mystery of the unified body and the hoped for comprehension of the unfathomable riches found in the love of Christ. Ephesians 4 puts the truth to the road having the believer walk worthy of the calling to the very point of growing into the full stature of the head. Ephesians 5 would show us how this is carried out in every day living and Ephesians 6 will impress on us how  this practical living reaches into the spiritual realm.

Every bit of this book is saturated with the purpose to work for the end goal of glory of Christ as we increase in those works and in love for Him. It is extremely sad (and sobering) when we later see the church at Ephesus busy about much work but admonished because she had forgotten her reason for the work—her first love, Jesus Christ (Rev 2:1-7).

How does Ephesians 2 fit into this picture then? What roles does Ephesians 2 play in the development of understanding the depth and breadth of God’s love and simultaneously energize the believer to work for God’s glory out of love? Some like to take the passages here and make it a statement on the inability of man to respond to the Gospel…does this passage speak of inability?

Eph 2:1-3 proves to be the black despair of mankind without God’s salvation. Calvinists are dead on here. Men are dreadfully sinful, walking in the course, or path, of this world—according to the prince of the power of the air…this authority that is currently working in the world. We believers were also in this dark atmosphere, breathing its air and enjoying it. We followed after the lusts of our flesh and mind and indulged ourselves. We, like the rest of the world were children of wrath…that is, worthy of the wrath of God. Here’s your deadness. The fact that men weren’t speaking to God is only part—the aspect that God has every right, and is personally required by His nature to judge them is the overarching Death.

That’s the black backdrop—not a statement of how God is electing some and not others. Because God’s mercy is now seen, breaking into the scene with the brightness of His overwhelming love and He saved these types of people. He then takes these people, who have died but now have been made alive and seated them in the heavenly places with Christ (Eph 2:4-9).

God’s mercy allows Him to save, His grace is the showering of His salvation and faith is the means of appropriating this salvation (Eph 2:8). Here the Calvinist might balk and say “Faith is a gift of God” and the Arminian may snap back “Grace is the gift of God.” Both wrong and if they get stuck there they miss the point of the passage in its entirety.

Ephesians 2 is dealing specifically with the dire need of man and God’s given salvation from beginning to end. Dead men in sins, made alive in Christ by God’s mercy, seated by God in heavenly places (Eph 2:5-6) with plans to show the surpassing riches of His grace in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:7).

What’s the gift? God’s salvation is the gift. It is completely a gift of God. He didn’t have to save men but out of his mercy He chose to. He didn’t have to show grace but out of His love He moved to. He didn’t have to make it available through faith, but in His wisdom He designed it to.

Does this mean that it is not appropriated through faith? Of course not, since that’s the very means that God makes salvation available to sinners—the righteous or just shall live by faith (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17)! Does this make faith a work? By no means! If faith was a work, God’s promises to Abraham would have been merited—but they were not, they were given and appropriated by his belief for “Abraham believed God and it was accounted to Him to righteousness” (Romans 4).

Ephesians 2:10 now makes the connection we’re searching for regarding works. We’re not saved by works nor by any action of ourselves (that salvation is solely God’s) but we’re saved unto good works. As a believer who is growing to the full stature of the Son (Eph 4:13), who is predestined to be conformed to His very image and for His glory (Eph 1)—we must understand that there is a path of good works that God has delineated for us to walk in. That’s right, a road of good works (which will consist of trials and hardships and even persecution) prepared beforehand for the person who is labeled a “child of God” to grow into the full stature of a “Son of God”

Speaking to Gentiles directly now (Eph 2:11-12), who were excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and were strangers to God’s package of promises, pagans in every sense of the word—these people have been brought near. That dividing wall which protected Israel and proved to be the enmity against all of mankind, has been torn down so that Jew and Gentile could be made into a new man (speaking of this new unit) and establishing peace between mankind and God (Eph 2:15-17).

How was this done? Thank God, it was also done by God Himself who has brought us near by the blood of Christ and through His flesh (Eph 2:2:13, 15)! Now, we Goyim are no longer strangers but are fellow citizens and are of God’s household with all the foundations that that entails of the apostles and the prophets and Christ in the corner stone (Eph 2:19,20). Imagine it: a holy and spiritual temple being built together for the housing of God (Eph 2:21-22).

This chapter is pivotal to the believer’s development. Our salvation is wholly God but not to be left in an ivory tower of theology. This salvation has tremendous practical implications in its very nature, by the fact that we as believers are being built into a temple like Israel’s old tabernacle, for the housing of God. Shudder believer and tremble in awe at the unfathomable riches of His love and His mercy by which He saved us. He didn’t have to do it; He did it and in His grace and mercy made it available to us through faith.

-r-
If you want a completely well-rounded picture, study Colossians with Ephesians. You may enjoy seeing how Ephesians focuses on the body and Colossians focuses on the head. Also, I'm sure you noticed the connections in Ephesians 2 with Romans 1 - 5...the first movement of Paul's defense of God's righteousness. Indeed, you might even see some similarities with Romans 6 - 8 as well.
Update: I just read Doug's post. Praise the Lord, looks like we're (mostly) vibing. Rebecca also has a few posts on Ephesians 2 (part 1, part 2).