Vine’s Expository Dictionary

 Research John 3:16 with Vine’s Expository Dictionary: Use this tool to understand the theological nuances of words.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary provides a "magnifying glass" for Ephesians 2:8, shifting the focus from a general idea of kindness to a specific legal and relational transaction between God and humanity.

Here is the theological nuance of the key words in Ephesians 2:8 according to Vine’s:

1. "Grace"

• Greek Word: Charis

• Vine's Nuance: Vine defines this effectively as "favor on the part of the giver, thanks on the part of the receiver." In the specific context of this verse, he notes it is the objective cause of salvation. It is not merely a friendly attitude; it is the unmerited operation of God—a power that acts where there is no desert (merit) in the recipient.

• Theological Insight: Grace is the source or the "fountain-head." It stands in direct opposition to "debt" (what is owed). If salvation is by charis, it means God was under no obligation to act; His action was entirely self-generated and free.

2. "Saved"

• Greek Word: Sōzō

• Vine's Nuance: Vine highlights that this verb is in the perfect tense (sesōsmenoi) in this verse. The perfect tense in Greek describes an action that was completed in the past but has lasting results in the present. Vine defines sōzō here not just as "rescue" but as "spiritual and eternal deliverance granted immediately."

• Theological Insight: The tense is crucial. It means "you have been saved and remain in a state of salvation." It is not a process you are trying to complete, but a settled status you have entered. You are a "rescued one."

3. "Faith"

• Greek Word: Pistis

• Vine's Nuance: Vine defines this as "firm persuasion" and "a conviction based upon hearing." He is careful to distinguish it from a meritorious work. Faith is not the cause of salvation (Grace is the cause); Faith is the channel or instrument. Vine describes it as the trustful reliance on God's testimony.

• Theological Insight: Faith is the "empty hand" that receives the gift. It possesses no power in itself; its power lies entirely in its object (Christ). It is the tube through which the water of life flows, not the water itself.

4. "Gift"

• Greek Word: Dōron

• Vine's Nuance: Vine identifies the word here as dōron, which generally denotes a "present" or a "sacrificial offering." Vine contrasts this with "wages" or "reward."

• Theological Insight: There is a famous grammatical debate here which Vine often addresses in his notes. The word "that" ("and that not of yourselves") is neuter in Greek, while "faith" is feminine. This suggests that "the gift" is not just the faith alone, but the entirety of the salvation process—the grace, the saving, and the faith involved. The whole package is the dōron.

5. "Not of Yourselves"

• Concept: Ouk ex hymōn

• Vine's Nuance: The preposition ex (out of) denotes origin or source.

• Theological Insight: Salvation does not originate from within human potential. It is an alien intervention. We did not invent the plan, nor do we generate the power to believe it without God’s prior movement.

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Summary Paraphrase

Based on these nuances, a "Vine's Theological Expansion" of Ephesians 2:8 might read:

"For by the unmerited, free-moving favor of God [charis] you have been delivered completely in the past and remain secure in that state [sōzō] through the channel of firm persuasion and reliance [pistis]; and this entire rescue—faith included—did not originate from your own ability [ouk ex hymōn]: it is the sacrificial present [dōron] of God."

Next Step

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