Y Not I

I was listening to a mp3 message yesterday driving home from work on my iPod through my car stereo speakers (lest you think I am driving with headphones on. Part of the message dealt with Ephesians 2:8-10. I don’t know if I ever heard all three verses together like this usually. I think usually you hear Ephesian 2:8-9, for it says something very profound in and of itself. It, of course is a foundational statement of where our salvation comes from. Ephesian 2:10 is usually quoted to show G-d’s great love, that we are His workmanship is the part that is stressed, however having all three verses together got me to notice that the word works, ergon in the Greek is used in both verses 9 and 10.

I think the normative interpretation of verse 9 is that works would be like works of keeping the Law, and yet the works in verse 10 would not usually be described in such a way. Most likely this would be about works that are so-called Spirit led works of charity, etc. I guess to some Christians verse 9 is talking about ceremonial laws and verse 10 is talking about moral laws, however it is interesting and I would think confusing that Paul would use the same exact word two times so close together and expect his readers to derive different meanings from that one word. For an example I noticed teh Amplified Bible translates these verses as so:

8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

10 For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

In verse 9 the works is amplified as having to do with the Law’s demands, yet in the next verse it is a more opened ended good works, planned beforehand. Interesting, isn’t it.

I read somewhere and will try to find it, that if the same word is used in close proximity to itself in Scripture then it is best to assume the same meaning. If this is true, then the two uses or works should mean the same thing here. From searching out the word and seeing it’s usage in Scripture it seems that it means in general deeds, not necessarily so called works of the Law, but also not excluding them. Therefore it seems to me that these verses amplified mean:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works (either works of the Torah or other good deeds), so that no one may boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works (either works of the Torah or other good deeds), which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

By looking at them this way I see that I am not saved by doing these works of Torah, yet I was created to do them, and going back to verse 8, by grace. It is by G-d’s grace that I can do any good work, whether it is in the foods I eat or whether it is feeding the homeless. There is no division. Yet those who are so often all on about the no division of Jew or Gentile, love to divide works up like a Thanksgiving turkey, yet that division seems to me to be more invented then in Scripture.

B”H