Visual Theology – Ephesians

The Visual Theology charts are designed to help you see the structure and movement of Scripture. They highlight patterns, contrasts, and developments that are often difficult to hold together when reading line by line.

These charts show the structure of the argument. The accompanying articles develop each part in full.

This approach follows a long tradition of visual teaching in the Church. The well-known charts of Clarence Larkin helped many grasp the broad outline of Scripture. In the same spirit, these charts aim to make visible what the Word of God is revealing.

Charts and teaching notes for the book of Ephesians. Select a chart below to view the image and article.

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From the teaching in: EPHESIANS: THE VISION OF BETHEL FOR THE ISRAEL OF GOD (Vol 1: The Foundation of the House)

Ephesians 2:19-22

Progression of God's Building

Ephesians 2:19-22 -- God's Habitation in the Spirit

This chart shows the structure. What follows explains each part.

Ephesians 2:19-22
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The Central Vision: God's Building

The central vision of the Bible is God's building—a spiritual dwelling of living stones, culminating in the New Jerusalem. This unfolds from Genesis to Revelation. Ephesians 2:19-22 reveals the Church as the habitation of God in the Spirit, built on the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone.

The Pattern Begins in Eden

The pattern is first seen in Eden. Genesis 2:9-12 describes the river, the tree of life, and precious materials like gold and pearl. These elements reappear in Revelation 22:1-2 and 21:18-21, showing God's intention from the beginning was to have a building for Himself among humanity.

Revealed Through God's People

This intention is revealed through God's people. Abraham sought a city "whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10). Moses received the blueprint for the tabernacle, a picture of Christ. David yearned for a habitation for God (Psalm 132:4-5), and Solomon built the temple as an enlargement of the tabernacle. These structures were shadows pointing to Christ and His Church.

The Reality in Christ

With Christ, the reality is manifested. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14); Christ was the true tabernacle. In His resurrection, He became the cornerstone of the Church. Ephesians 2:19-22 declares believers are built together as a holy temple, "an habitation of God through the Spirit."

A Spiritual Building

This building is a spiritual reality. The Church is composed of living stones, believers built up together in Christ. The New Testament ministry is one of building—supplying Christ so saints are perfected "unto the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12). The materials are gold, silver, and precious stones (1 Corinthians 3:12), signifying the eternal nature of God's work.

The Ultimate Goal: The New Jerusalem

All these stages lead to God's ultimate goal: the New Jerusalem. This city is the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9), composed of precious stones and gold, with the river of life and tree of life at its center. Here, God and redeemed humanity dwell eternally. The New Jerusalem is the consummation of God's salvation and His final habitation.

Embracing the Vision

This vision has governed God's people, separating them from the world and giving meaning to their journey. To have this vision is to see that our inheritance and calling are bound up with His building work. As Ephesians opens, Christ is set at the center of the Father's heart and God's building. In embracing this, we find our place in God's eternal purpose.

Orientation

We often view our spiritual journey as a private, individual endeavor rather than recognizing that God is constructing a singular, corporate dwelling for Himself.

God's primary work throughout history is the building of a spiritual habitation.
Your life is not an isolated project but a living stone being fit into a larger temple.
The pattern of this building was established in Eden and concludes in the New Jerusalem.

In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
— Ephesians 2:22

Clarification

Biblical building is not about physical architecture or human effort, but about the supply of Christ as the eternal material for a spiritual house.

The shadows of the Tabernacle and Temple point to the spiritual reality found only in Christ.
The 'gold, silver, and precious stones' represent the nature of God Himself, not our moral achievements.
This building is a corporate Person—the Body of Christ—not a tiered hierarchy of merit.

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
— 1 Corinthians 3:12

Structure

God utilizes a consistent blueprint of precious materials and living structures to move from the shadows of the Old Testament to the reality of the Church.

Eden introduced the river, the tree of life, and the gold that define God's dwelling.
Christ's resurrection made Him the cornerstone, the foundation upon which every believer is now set.
The New Jerusalem is the final consummation where God and redeemed humanity dwell together eternally.

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
— Ephesians 2:20

Weight-Bearing Prose

The central theme of the Holy Scriptures is God’s intent to build a habitation for Himself. This spiritual architecture begins with the raw materials in Eden—gold, pearl, and precious stones—and find their ultimate expression in the New Jerusalem. Between these two points, God uses the Tabernacle and the Temple as shadows to prefigure the true Tabernacle, Jesus Christ. In His incarnation, the Word was made flesh and ‘tabernacled’ among us, providing the perfect pattern for God’s dwelling.

Following the resurrection, the nature of this building shifts from a physical structure to a spiritual body. Believers are not merely saved individuals but are ‘living stones’ being fitly framed together. This construction is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Himself as the cornerstone that gives the building its shape and stability. The New Testament ministry is defined by the supply of Christ to the saints, ensuring that the materials used are eternal and divine rather than the ‘wood, hay, and stubble’ of human effort or legalism.

Integration

Your place in God’s building is secured by your union with Christ, the cornerstone. There is no pressure to ‘build yourself’ into His favor; rather, you are already being builded together by the Spirit into a holy temple. This vision of the building is meant to stabilize you, showing that your life has an eternal context and a certain destination.

Rest in the assurance that God is both the builder and the maker of this city. As you remain in Christ, you are part of His eternal habitation. The work is His, the materials are His, and the glory of the finished city belongs to Him alone. You are a citizen of the household of God, fully accepted and perfectly placed in His dwelling.

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These charts are based on the following books:

EPHESIANS: THE VISION OF BETHEL FOR THE ISRAEL OF GOD (Vol 1: The Foundation of the House)

Are you ready to move beyond a surface-level reading of Ephesians into the very heart of God's eternal plan. In The Foundation of the House, author David Benjamin unveils the book of Ephesians not as a mere list of bl...

View Related Book

Ephesians: The Bethel of the Israel of God - Vol 2: Building with Sword in Hand

Volume 2 of the Ephesians commentary: from Ephesians 4:1 onward—the worthy walk as attentiveness, not performance. For the beaten sheep outside the institutional church.