Draw Me a Diagram: Ephesians 2

See previous diagram and a short explanation of what I’m doing in these posts here and here.

Here’s the text from Ephesians 2:8-9:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (ESV)

When I looked at this, I immediately saw two phrases that are very similar: not your own doing and not a result of works. They are both negative statements—about not doing or not working. When I made the little chart that you see below, I added an unstated your to the second phrase, giving me not of your own doing and not a result of your works.

Okay, since it (or this), which I’m taking to refer to salvation*, is not of your doing and not of your works, where does it come from? It is the gift of God. This is a contrasting parallel, if there is such a thing, to the other two phrases. Salvation is not of your works, but it is a gift. In other words, you don’t earn our salvation, but it comes to you as a gift. What’s more, it is not of your own doing, but of God. The source of you salvation is not you, but God.

I made a simple little sticky note chart or diagram of the relationships between the phrases and stuck it along the margin next to this passage in my study Bible. (If I’ve really studied a passage of scripture, I’ve probably got stickies stuck all over it.) Here’s a scan of that note.

I wish I’d not added the your to not of works, because the contrast between works and gift would be  clearer that way. Similarly, if I’d used not of yourself—which is what some versions say—instead of not of your own doing, there would be a clearer contrast with of God. If I’d done those two things, the chart would be better wouldn’t it?

It’s a good thing the point of making these simple charts is not to have a perfect one, but to learn something about the relationships between the words and ideas in a text of scripture. This chart has flaws, but it still gives a picture of what it means to be saved by grace. That our salvation is by grace means that it has its source in God, not us and comes as a gift, not as a result of anything we do to earn or merit it.

*My apologies to those who think that “it is the gift of God” refers back to faith and that this is the perfect text to prove that faith is a gift. I do believe that faith is a gift, but I wouldn’t use this verse to prove it.

Comments

[Kim in ON]

I'm going to be helping teach a ladies' bible study over the summer, and we're doing the book of Ephesians. I am hoping to use some of the arcing stuff I have learned when I teach.

[Jen]

Thank you again. I am really enjoying these posts.