Does Ephesians 2:8 Teach Sola Fide And Sola Gratia?

 

By : Bro. Nathan

“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.” (Eph. 2:8-9) NKJV

Ang Ephesians 2:8-9 ay ang common na proof text na ginagamit ng mga Evangelicals para isupport ang doctrine ng Sola Fide. This verse is frequently abused at misunderstood. This passage doesn't tell us anything about their soteriology. New Testament scholar Markus Barth commented :

" There appears to be some resemblance between the opponents fought in Ephesians 2:9 and those refuted in Galatians, Philippians, and Romans. Therefore, the "works" of these opponents can be more clearly defined as "works of law". . . .What are the "works of law" which Paul's opponents were "boasting" about? Because their works were connected with OT commandments and Jewish customs, and because they were obviously recommended to or imposed upon Gentiles, the adversaries of Paul are usually called "Judaizers". . . . In the New Testament the term "works of law" and polemics against "righteousness by law" occur only in contexts where the imposition of some [Jewish] legal elements upon the Gentiles is discussed." (Commentary on Ephesians, published as part of the Anchor Bible commentary series p. 244-45 1974)

Ang Greek ng Ephesians 2:8-9 reads :

Τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον· οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται. (Eph. 2:8-9) NA28

Ang Greek word dito na δῶρον (Doron) which is translated as "gift" in Ephesians 2:8-9, is rendered as Isang gift in a form ng sacrifice. Ang Greek word na ito is followed by a demonstrative τουτο. Ang demonstrative na ito cannot refer to πιστις (faith) since morphologically feminine ito samantalang Ang particle na σεσωμενοι (naligtas) ay morphologically a masculine plural. Ang word na ito therefore grammatically refers to the Atonement ni Jesus Christ at Hindi sa salvation. Isa itong unselfish act na Hindi kaya na mapantayan ng mga works natin. 

δῶρον, ου, τό (Hom.+; ins, pap, LXX; En 100:12; Test12 Patr; JosAs 7:4; EpArist, Philo; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 207; Just., D. 28, 4.—Philostrat., Vi. Soph. 2, 10, 7 [589] distinguishes betw. δωρεά [special grant or privilege] and δῶρον [material gift]) gift, present. Of gifts in general: προσφέρειν δ. bring gifts (cp. Gen 43:26; Did., Gen. 228, 1 10: αὐτὴν ὡς δῶρον) Mt 2:11; cp. ἐξἐβαλον ἀπὸ τῆς πήρας αὐτῶν δῶρα χρυσόν … they took a gift of gold out of their traveling bag GJs 21:3; δῶρα πέμπειν ἀλλήλοις send gifts to each other Rv 11:10. Of God’s gifts (Hom. et al.; Sotades Lyr. [III b.c.] 9, 7 p. 242 Coll.; oracular saying Diod S 8, 18, 1; Strabo 16, 2, 35; Herm. Wr. 10, 9; EpArist 231; 272; Philo, Congr. Erud. Gr. 38; Did., Gen. 161, 2) 1 Cl 35:1; w. ἐπαγγελίαι Hv 3, 2, 1; καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δ. and you have not done this of your own strength; it is a gift of God Eph 2:8. Of sacrificial gifts and offerings (Pla., Euthphr. 15a; SIG 1141; 1154 Διὶ δ.; OGI 407, 4; Just., D. 28, 4) Hb 11:4; 1 Cl 4:2 (Gen 4:4); GJs 7:1. εἰς τὰ δ. βάλλειν cast into the gifts (i.e. those already in the offering receptacle) Lk 21:4; cp. vs. 1. προσφέρειν τὸ δ. bring one’s offering (Lev. 1:2, 14; 2:1, 4 and oft.; TestIss 5:3) Mt 5:23f; 8:4; Hb 5:1; 8:3f; 9:9 (w. θυσίαι as Lev 21:6; cp. EpArist 234); GJs 1:1f; 5:1; cp. 1 Cl 44:4. ἀφιέναι τὸ δ. leave one’s offering Mt 5:24; δ. as transl. of קָרְבָּן (Jos., Ant. 4, 73, C. Ap. 1, 167) Mk 7:11; cp. Mt 15:5; ἁγιάζειν τὸ δ. sanctify the offering 23:19; cp. vs. 18. Of a child consecrated for temple service προσάξω (αὐτὸ) δῶρον Κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ μου GJs 4:1 (cp. 1 Km 1:11).—V.l. for λόγον Qua (1).—DELG s.v. δίδωμι B. M-M. TW. (Arndt, William ; Danker, Frederick W. ; Bauer, Walter: A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2000, S. 267)

Contextually, it tells us that we can't save ourselves from sin kaya bumaba si Jesus Christ to atone for our sins (v. 1-7). The context tells us about salvation from sin and through the atonement of Jesus Christ, repentance became possible. The main purpose kung bakit pinadala ni Heavenly Father so Jesus Christ sa atin is to give grace para malinisan tayo Mula sa ating sins and this unselfish sacrifice made by Jesus Christ made repentance possible (Acts 5:31; 13:38; Eph. 1:7; 2:1-10; Col. 1:4; Heb. 9:22-28). Kahit na anomang kabutihan na gagawin mo, without the atonement, Hindi mo kanyang i-undo Ang mga maling ginawa mo (repentance). Ang salvation by grace na ito made us possible to do the good works na kailangan for eternal salvation at exaltation (v. 10; cf Heb. 5:8-9). Cross referencing to Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul did not tell us na ang ng grace is not God looking away from ones sin because of imputed alien righteousness (Sola fide) but instead, he wrote to Titus :

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.” (Titus 2:11-15) NKJV

The passage doesn't have anything to do about Sola Fide and Sola Gratia.