to set forth the literary structure of Ephesians.  The present section,

Ephesians 2:8-10, we have called `The Almonry'.  This word comes to us through

the French aumonerie, which is derived from the Greek word eleemosune, meaning

`pity' or `mercy'.  This was a room in which alms were distributed, especially

in monastic buildings.  Eleos has already appeared in Ephesians 2:4 where we

read of God Who is rich in `mercy', and this is its translation in every one of

the twenty-eight occurrences of the word.

Eleeo means to have pity, have mercy, obtain mercy or have compassion and

it is so translated in the A.V.

Eleemosune is limited to Matthew, Luke and the Acts, where it is

translated alms and almsdeeds.  Those to whom alms are given, are generally

those who have little or nothing of themselves.  Where Luke 12:33 reads `sell

that ye have, and give alms', Matthew 19:21 reads `Go and sell that thou hast,

and give to the poor', where `give to the poor' is an evident synonym for `give

alms'.  We therefore have full justification for adopting the idea of an almonry

in this series, where the rooms in a great building are used to symbolize the

structural subdivisions of the epistle.

A

For by grace are ye saved through faith.

B  a  Not of yourselves.

b  The gift of God.

a  Not of works lest (hina) any should boast.

A

For we are His workmanship, created.

B  a  Unto good works.

b  Foreordained of God.

a  That (hina) we should walk in them.

Salvation is not out of works, but it is nevertheless unto works for the

same God that `predestinated' us (prohorizo) from before the foundation of the

world, as surely `foreordained' (proetoimazo) that there should be a gracious

practice corresponding to our high calling.  He Who elected us apart from any

personal merit on our part, has declared that this unmerited election is

demonstrated by our attitude to His Word and the gospel (1 Thess. 1:4,5), while

Peter speaks of those virtues which, when added to faith, make our calling and

election sure (2 Pet. 1:10).  The fact that the apostle introduces this

testimony regarding salvation by `for', shows that he related the

past outpouring of grace in `salvation' with the future outpouring of

`kindness', seeing in the one the root, and in the other the fruit of the all

embracing grace of God; `for by grace are ye saved through faith'.

The emphasis here is placed upon `grace'; it is the instrumental cause of

salvation; `faith', which is added, being the causa apprehendens, as Hooker has

said `the hand which putteth on Christ to justification'.  Grace is objective,

the cause.  As Romans 4:16 puts it `Therefore it is of faith, that it might be

by grace; to the end the promise might be sure'.  Faith is subjective, the

medium.  The section before us is the shortest in the whole epistle, not because

Paul held the gospel of salvation cheaply, but because he was writing to those

already saved, seeking to lead them on.  What he does say, however, is to the

point, but for a full outline of salvation by grace through faith, and which is