🛡️WEB · Ephesians 2:6
What does Ephesians 2:6 mean?
"and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"
— Ephesians 2:6 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
not of works, that no one would boast.
Explanation
Ephesians 2:6 states that God "raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." In plain language, Paul is telling believers that what happened to Jesus—his resurrection from death and his exaltation to a position of authority and honor—has already happened to them spiritually, because they are united with Christ. It's not simply that believers will one day be raised and seated with Christ; Paul uses the past tense, indicating this is a present spiritual reality that has already been accomplished.
This verse comes from a letter traditionally attributed to the apostle Paul, written to the church at Ephesus (and likely circulated among other churches in Asia Minor) while Paul was imprisoned, probably in Rome. The letter addresses both Jewish and Gentile believers, emphasizing their unity in Christ and the surpassing riches of God's grace toward them. Ephesians 2 begins by describing humanity's condition apart from Christ: dead in trespasses and sins, following the ways of the world. But verses 4-6 pivot dramatically with "But God," describing how, because of his great love and mercy, God made believers alive together with Christ, raised them up together, and seated them together with him in the heavenly places. The three verbs—made alive, raised up, seated—all echo what God did for Jesus himself in his death, resurrection, and ascension.
Theologically, this verse expresses the doctrine of union with Christ, a central theme in Paul's writings. Because believers are "in Christ Jesus," they participate in his victory
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