Ephesians 2:20-22

2:20

built – constructed, past participle; so already erected. The figurative structure housing God’s household has already been created. We have now been brought into the household to fulfill our responsibilities and roles. Paul mixes metaphors here. In v. 19, we are God’s household. That refers to the people within the building. Now he shifts (sorta) to the image of the house itself. Or this could be seen as another figure of speech illustrating the people within.

on the foundation – solid basis, the underground base on which the structure stands and rises

of the apostles – those commissioned by Jesus

and prophets – primarily refers to the OT figures, but the office of prophet was clearly also functioning in the NT era

with Christ Jesus … chief cornerstone – all the rest of the structure—the house and the household—orients from and finds position and purpose in relation to where Jesus Christ is and what Christ Jesus is doing and what Christ Jesus HAS done.

2:21

In him – How many times in two chapters has Paul tied everything into Christ?

the whole – entirety, complete, no part unconnected

building – figurative imagery to picture an organic whole, an organism of believers: church, Kingdom of God, fellowship of believers, koinwnia

is joined – present participle, accomplished fact; current condition, we who follow Christ are already connected to Him and with each other, whether we like it or not, whether we realize it or not. I recall a telephone conversation with a local pastor. I asked him if there would be a time or context when I could present the needs of the persecuted church. He asked me one question, trying to assess exactly which kind of Christians (read denominations) we worked with. Before I finished my first sentence, he interrupted to say, “I’m sorry, but we will not be working together.” I thought later, that whether he wants to work together or not, we are working together, because the agency I represent (VOM) works with all denominations who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. So we are helping this pastor’s denomination and therefore working together, in spite of his not wanting us to cooperate. The Kingdom of God, the Household of God, is already joined as a Body, whether we recognize that or not.

together – arm in arm, if one is attacked we all are attacked

and – in addition to previous; another effect for the Household of God of being “in him”

rises – present progressive; while joined has already been achieved in the past and continues as a present condition, here “rises” describes an ongoing process of rising, growing higher, bigger more magnificent

to become – in process of becoming, future or ongoing achievement

a holy temple – This fellowship of believers, represented by the imagery of a building, is the dwelling place of our holy God. This is not merely another social gathering. How can I contribute to the sense of God’s holy presence in our gatherings?

in the Lord – again reminded that we do not achieve this on our own, but God has accomplished the joining and continues to produce the rising or growth, doing this in Christ Jesus.

2:22

And in him – in addition to the big picture version of all Christ’s followers becoming a magnificent holy temple …

you too – the Ephesians specifically, and our individual fellowships by inference

are being built together – still a work in progress; different groups within the Ephesian church were still being fitted into a whole

to become – not yet fully realized, but this is the aim

a dwelling – local church is not the magnificent holy temple pictured in v. 21. But it is nevertheless a dwelling …

in which God lives by his Spirit – God living in our local church makes it just as much a holy place as is the holy temple of v. 21, which represents the universal church. Having grown up in the church as a pastor’s kid, having pastored myself as well, and having lived in an apartment that was part of the church building, I need this reminder that the church is the dwelling place of our holy God. True, he is talking more particularly about the fellowship, the people, than the building. True, at that time there were few if any buildings identified as churches. Still, in our society, the building represents the fellowship. And I would do well to remember that whether I meet with believers during the week or on Sunday for worship, the places where we meet are holy because the structures and the relationships are the dwelling place of our holy God.