Ephesians 2:12

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Without Christ, [ chooris (G5565), implying separation of the subject from the object] - 'separate from Christ:' having no part in Him: far from Him. A different word [ aneu (G427), implying absence of the object from the subject] would express, 'Christ was not present with you' (Tittmarsh).

Aliens - Greek, 'alienated from.' Not merely 'separated from.' The Israelites were cut off from the commonwealth of God, but it was as being self-righteous and unworthy, not as aliens and strangers. The 'alienated from' takes it for granted that the Gentiles, before they apostatized from the primitive truth, were sharers in light and life (cf. Ephesians 4:18; Ephesians 4:23). The hope of redemption through Messiah, on their subsequent apostasy, was embodied into a definite spiritual "commonwealth" or polity-namely, that "of Israel," from which the Gentiles were alienated. Contrast Ephesians 2:13; Ephesians 3:6; Ephesians 4:4, with Psalms 147:20. 'They parted only to unite again (Acts 4:27) in one act of uttermost rebellion; yet, through redeeming love, to be thereby (Ephesians 2:15) united in Christ forever' Ellicott).

Covenants of promise - rather, 'of the promise;' namely, "to thee and thy seed will I give this land" (Romans 9:4; Galatians 3:16). The plural implies the several renewals of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Romans 15:8). 'The promise' is singular, to signify that the covenant substantially is the same at all times, only different in its external circumstances (cf. Hebrews 1:1, "at sundry times and in divers manners").

Having no [ Mee (G3361) echontes (G2192): subjective negation: not having, as you would yourselves admit]

Hope beyond this life (1 Corinthians 15:19) The CONJECTURES of pagan philosophers as to a future life were at Hope - beyond this life (1 Corinthians 15:19). The CONJECTURES of pagan philosophers as to a future life were at best vague, and utterly unsatisfactory. They had no divine "promise," therefore no sure ground of "hope." Epicurus and Aristotle did not believe in it at all. The Platonists believed the soul passed through perpetual changes-now happy, then again miserable; the Stoics, that it existed no longer than until the general burning up of all things.

Without God, [ atheoi (G112): objective negation] - 'atheists;' i:e., they had not "God" in our sense, the Eternal Being who made and governs all things (cf. Acts 14:15); whereas the Jews knew God (cf. also Galatians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:5). So also pantheists are atheists; for an impersonal God is NO GOD-an ideal immortality, no immortality.

In the world - in contrast to belonging to "the commonwealth of Israel:" having their portion and their all in this godless, secular, ethnic world (Psalms 17:14), from which Christ delivers His people (John 15:19; John 17:14; Galatians 1:4).