_And you_, &c. In the nineteenth and twentieth verses of the preceding chapter, the apostle had spoken of God's working in the believers at Ephesus, in order to their conversion, and resurrection from spiritual death to spiritual life, by the same almighty power whereby he raised Christ from the dea... [ Continue Reading ]
_Among whom also we_ Jews, as well as you Gentiles; _had our conversation_ That is, our course of life; _in times past_ At least in some degree, whatever our education or religious profession might have been. Here the apostle speaks in the name of the generality of the converted Jews, as his changin... [ Continue Reading ]
_But God, who is rich in mercy_ That is, in compassion for us, amidst our sins and miseries, and in his free, gratuitous goodness and readiness to pardon the guilty, and save the lost: _for his great love_ Of benevolence and bounty; _wherewith he loved us_ When there was nothing in us but sin and mi... [ Continue Reading ]
_That in the ages to come_ As if he had said, His great design in doing all this for us is, that in all succeeding ages, under the dispensation of the gospel, _he might show_ Might demonstrate and display, (as the word ενδειξηται implies,) for the instruction and encouragement of others; _the exceed... [ Continue Reading ]
_For we are his workmanship_ As if he had said, And it appears that it is not by any works or ability of our own that we are saved, or possess the faith whereby salvation is received, because all the ability we have in spiritual things is from God, and is the consequence of his creating us anew; for... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore_ To increase your sense of God's goodness in saving you, and of the obligation he hath thereby laid on you to do good works; _remember that ye being in time past Gentiles_ Ignorant, vicious, and idolatrous, neither circumcised in body nor in spirit; _who were_ accordingly _called Uncircum... [ Continue Reading ]
_But now in Christ Jesus_ In consequence of your union with him, and your interest in him by faith, _ye, who_ formerly _were far off_ From God and his people, (as in Ephesians 2:12,) _are made nigh_ to both, _by the blood of Christ_ Whereby he hath atoned for your sins, and opened a free and honoura... [ Continue Reading ]
_Having abolished in his flesh_ By the sufferings and death endured therein; _the_ cause of _enmity_ between the Jews and Gentiles, _even the law_ of ceremonial _commandments, contained in ordinances_ Consisting in many institutions and appointments concerning the outward worship of God; such as tho... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now, therefore_ Being thus reconciled; _ye_ Believing Gentiles; _are no more strangers and foreigners_ If it be necessary to make any distinction as to the signification of these two words, in the former, (ζενοι,) the apostle may refer to persons of a different country; and in the latter, (παροικοι... [ Continue Reading ]