Ephesians 2:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

So then, you ask, did the Apostle himself forbid seeking justification by works? Not at all. He says only that works will justify no one, and he says this to show the grace and love for mankind of God. God does not reject from Himself those who have works. But those who would have perished even with works, He saves by grace, so that after this absolutely no one has the right to boast.

Grace is not given for works, because if it were given for works, it would not be grace but a reward. “If it is of works, it is no longer grace” (Rom 11:6). Faith does not come from works, because no one can believe unless God enlightens and teaches him. “No one,” said the Lord, “can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (Jn 6:44).

Neither faith, nor grace, nor salvation is given for works. If we received them for our works, we would have cause to boast. Not considering that our works, though great and wondrous, are not worthy of the Kingdom of God, we would boast as though we had received God’s benefits as a reward for our good works (Rom 5:18), and not as a gift proceeding from God’s mercy and love for mankind.

The following apostolic words teach that such thinking is unrighteous and senseless.

Thus St. John Chrysostom says: "Lest the greatness of the benefactions puff you up, see how he humbles you, saying, 'By grace you have been saved.' Yet lest he destroy your own participation. He adds what is required from us: 'through faith.' Then again he almost cancels this free participation of ours when he says, 'and this is not of yourselves.' Faith too, he teaches, is not of yourselves. If Jesus Christ had not come, if He had not called us, how could we have believed? As it is said, 'How shall they believe, if they have not heard?' (Rom 10:14). Thus, according to the Apostle's teaching, faith is not our possession, but the gift of God. Faith is insufficient for salvation. Yet, so as not to save us without any participation of ours, God requires it from us. Faith saves, but not by itself. It saves through God. God wills, and faith saves."

"The Apostle does not call faith the gift of God. Rather, to be saved by faith, this is the gift of God" (Blessed Theophylact).

"But lest, on hearing that our salvation is accomplished not by works but by faith, you become careless, see what the Apostle says next: 'For we are His workmanship, created for good works.' Mark this well: the same Apostle preaches this. Here he hints at our re-creation. Indeed, our salvation is a second creation. By the former creation we were called to life. By this one we were created capable of a good life. From us now is required constant virtue, until the last hour of life. We must keep all the commandments" (John Chrysostom).

The Ephesians presented nothing of themselves for such mercy except obedience to the faith, which, however, was completed by grace. And not only the Ephesians, but no other people and no individual person is brought into the rank of those being saved because of any works, but by the grace of God alone.

What did we Russians do to deserve being in the saving Church of God? Each of us is born within the enclosure of faith, and immediately after birth becomes a member of the body of the Church. Behold the great grace of God! What works do we present? None.

Works are required afterward. When someone has been called and has received grace, then what remains for him is to act. Thus the ordering of salvation and the calling to it are one thing. Life after calling and the reception of grace is another.

In the first, works do not participate. In the second, works alone are required. Faith has already done its work; now act, and you will be holy and blameless. For in this lies the essence of Christianity.

The Apostle’s words, “not of works, lest anyone should boast,” refer to the first moment. The following words, that we are created for good works, “that we should walk in them” (v. 10), refer to the second.

St. John of Damascus writes: “Even where there are works, salvation is not from them. Participation in salvation has been given to believers without them.” Oecumenius says: “God arranged salvation for us by faith not because He did not want people to be saved by works, but because no one could be saved by works, only by faith.”

“So then,” cries St. Chrysostom, “did the Apostle himself forbid seeking justification by works? Not at all. He says only that works will justify no one, and he says this to show the grace and love for mankind of God. God does not reject from Himself those who have works. But those who would have perished even with works, He saves by grace, so that after this absolutely no one has the right to boast.”