Ephesians Chapter 2 Breakdown

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Yeshua made you alive whereas before you were dead. You were dead because you were living in sin and breaking Torah by walking according to the ways of the world. You lived according to the ways of Satan himself, the spirit who does his work within the sons of disobedience. Similarly, we all have lived according to the lusts of the flesh and desires of the mind. If Paul is saying there is a significant difference between the way believers and non-believers live, then I ask you, how does your life differ from the non-believer next door? It seems to me that believers as well as non-believers are virtually identical in actions. There are men who are well meaning and do many things that are morally correct, but have no faith or even belief in God. How is this man different in his daily actions than a typical believer? He is still living in disobedience and has no regard for the Law of God. Can we really believe that simply saying the words, I believe in Jesus is all one has to do in order to be in the Grace of YHWH? We can disregard everything YHWH Himself told us to do all throughout the Old Testament? Granted, I do not believe there are any works we can do to become saved, however, I do believe that keeping the commands YHWH gave to us shows our love and faith in the Father.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Because of YHWH’s great love, even while we continually broke His Law, gave us the opportunity to be alive again by His Grace.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Believers are saved by Grace, through faith. Faith means to have a strong belief in something you cannot see, in particular believing His way is better than our own.

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

YHWH says this immediately after He says “turn to YHWH”. Whenever He says to turn to Him, it was always in reference to keeping His commands.

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Believers are created to commit good works. Good works are the works of the Law. Take for example the heavily misunderstood verse from Matthew.

Matthew 5:16-19

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

 We can see when the entire statement is put together in its intended usage, Yeshua says let people see your good deeds, and then immediately references the works of the law. Our good deeds are the doings of the commands. This does not mean we must do them to be saved, but rather, we do them to be an example for others. We are showing our love to the Father, and by extension, our love to other men.

11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

You were once Gentiles, meaning you no longer are a gentile. When you were a gentile, you were without Christ and aliens of Israel. You were also strangers from the covenants of promise and had no hope.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Being with Yeshua, gentiles are now close to those things. With Christ you are no longer aliens to Israel, with Christ you are no longer strangers to the covenants of promise. Paul is saying here, believers are no longer considered gentiles. You should not live as such. Gentiles have always lived contrary to YHWH’s Laws.

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Yeshua has made both gentiles and Jews one together and has broken down the middle wall of separation. The Jews believed gentiles were lesser people and they did not associate with each other.

Acts 10:28

He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.

There was hostility between the two groups due to the Jewish man made laws and ordinances. This rule was not given by YHWH. Yeshua was bringing the two Houses of Israel back together again, the Southern kingdom made up of the Jews, and the Northern Kingdom made up of the scattered ten tribes who had become mixed with the gentiles.

Ezekiel 37:16-17

“Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.’ Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.

This passage has nothing to do with abolishing YHWH’s commands as so many preach. Instead, it has everything to do with bringing the two houses of Israel back together again and continuing in keeping His law together.

17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

Yeshua preached peace between the Jews and Gentiles.

18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Because of Yeshua, both Jews and Gentiles have access to the Holy Spirit who brings us closer to the Father. The Holy Spirit causes us to keep the commands of YHWH.

Ezekiel 36:26-27

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Because of this we know Paul is not teaching the abolishment of the Torah Law. Paul is not teaching against keeping YHWH’s Law.

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of Israel and we all, both Jews and Gentiles are part of the same body of Yeshua working together, keeping His Law as an example for others.