Ephesians 2:1

Ephesians 2:1. You also, or, ‘and you.' The latter simply joins this to what precedes; the former gives emphasis to ‘you.' There is, however, no contrast with other Christians, but an application of what precedes to their case, probably with a suggestion of the resemblance to the Resurrection of Christ (comp. Ephesians 2:5-6). On the construction, see above. ‘You' is logically resumed in the more extended word ‘us' of Ephesians 2:4. The objections to supplying ‘hath he quickened' are, that it takes but a part of the compound verb in Ephesians 2:5, that ‘he' must refer to God, whereas chap. Ephesians 1:23 is spoken of Christ. In any case ‘hath' is unnecessary.

Being dead. The connection shows that a continued state in the past is meant, ‘while you were dead.' ‘Who were dead' is inexact. Spiritual, not physical, death is referred to. Meyer's explanation, that they were exposed to eternal death, seems farfetched.

By (or, ‘on account of') your trespasses and sins. The best authorities insert ‘your,' which belongs to both nouns. The former word refers to special transgressions, viewed as mis deeds, faults, failures (and is usually rendered ‘trespass'); the latter, in the singular, is used of sin as a power or principle, or in an abstract sense, but, in the plural, as here, embraces all sins, in thought, word, or deed. There is no preposition in the original, and the case used may express instrumentality. In the parallel passage (Colossians 2:13) ‘in' occurs, emphasizing the state or sphere; here the cause of death is spoken of, the reference to the state or condition being found in Ephesians 2:2. ‘By,' or ‘on account of,' seem preferable to ‘through.' ‘We might render, were the expression good in serious writing, “dead of your trespasses,” as we say “he lies dead of cholera”' (Alford).