16 Cease not to give thanksĮ for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at 17 That the God of our Lord his own right hand in the Jesus Christ, the Father of glo-heavenly places, ry, may give unto you the spirit 21 Far above all principality, of wisdom and revelation in the and power, and might, and doknowledge of him: minion, and every name that is 18 The eyes of your under-named, not only in this world, standing being enlightened; but also in that which is to that ye may know what is the come: hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. 19 And what is the exceed-church, ing greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, thankfulness, that you may continue in union with Christ; and that your minds may be enlightened more and more by contemplating the greatness of this dispensation, and the wonderful events, especially the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, whereby God hath united unto himself the whole race of mankind in one vast comprehensive scheme of salvation.". Gilpin. 17. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Father who "sent the Son" to communicate all these blessings, and thus to become "the Saviour of the world." 1 John iv. 14. T The Father of glory. The glorious Father. In the knowledge of him. Or, "for the acknowledgment" of him, as in the margin. 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. That is, by the wisdom and revelation of the Divine Spirit, ver. 17. The hope of his calling. "The meaning here is, that it would be an inestimable privilege to be made fully acquainted with the benefits of the Christian hope, and to be permitted to understand fully what Christians have a right to expect in the world of glory."- Barnes. Riches of the glory, &c. Or, glorious riches of the promised blessing. See note on Rom. ii. 4. 19. Exceeding greatness of his power, &c. As men are dependent on God for salvation from sin, the apostle desired that they should be conscious of his power to bestow the blessing. In like manner, and for a like purpose, our Lord declared that none is able to pluck us from our Father's hand. John x. 29. 20. When he raised him from the dead. Thus demonstrating him to be the Son of God. See note on Rom. i. 4. At his own right hand. See note on Acts ii. 34; vii. 55. 21. Far above all principality, &c. "The general sense of this verse is, that the Lord Jesus was exalted to the highest conceivable dignity and honor. Compare Phil. ii. 9; Col. ii. 10.". Barnes. 22. And hath put all things under his feet. See note on 1 Cor. xv. 27. Head over all things, &c. See note on 1 Cor. xi. 3. He is the spiritual head of the whole human family, which is to be gathered together in him, ver. 10, and to become one in him. John xvii. 21. 23. Which is his body, &c. See note on 1 Cor. xii. 27. 1. And you hath he quickened, &c. Made alive. "The wages of sin is death." See note on Rom. vi. 23. That this death is not endless in its nature, and that it does not necessarily extend beyond the present state of existence, is evident from the fact that believers, such as the apostle here addresses, are made alive, or pass from death unto life, while they yet dwell in the flesh. See note on John v. 24. The same God who raised his Son from the dead, ch. i. 20, had also raised the brethren at Ephesus from their spiritual death, and they might safely believe that the same power would be effectual to raise them to immortal life, after the dissolution of their earthly tabernacle. 2 Cor. v. i. "The words hath he quickened,' or made to live, are supplied, but not improperly, by our translators." Barnes. See ver. 5. 2. The course of this world. Either the customs of the age, as the world probably denotes, or the customs of mankind generally in the present state of existence. The idea is, that the Ephesians had formerly been sinners, like others. T Prince of the power of the air. Equivalent to "prince of this world," John xii. 31; and "the god of this world," Cor. iv. 4: see the notes. ¶ The spirit that now worketh, &c. This phrase is explanatory of the foregoing: "the prince of the power of the air" being that disobedient, sinful spirit to which all are past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved ;) 6 And hath raised us up to subject before they are quickened to new life. 3. Among whom also we all had our conversation, &c. Jews, as well as Gentiles, were dead in sin. This idea is amplified and illustrated in the first three chapters of the Epistle to the Romans. "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin." Gal. iii. 22. See also Rom. xi. 32. All are in like need of divine grace, and God hath promised to be gracious to all. T In the lusts of our flesh. "Fleshly lusts" are represented as warring against the soul, 1 Pet. ii. 11, and as furnishing the principal incitement to sin, James i. 13-15. See note on Rom. vi. 7. By nature the children of wrath, &c. Subject to punishment for sin. See note on John iii. 36. 4. His great love wherewith he loved us, &c. God does not love his children because he has quickened them from their deadness in sin, but he quickens and raises them because he loves thei abundantly. See John iii. 16; 1John iv. 9, 10, 19. 5. Even when we were dead in sins. Even the sinfulness of men has not separated them from the love of God. Rom. viii. 38, 39. He is so far from hating them, and requiring to be pacified by the blood of his Son, as many have erroneously believed, that the gift of his Son was the fruit of his love which had never been cooled or diminished. See note on Rom. v. 8. ¶ By grace ye are saved. See ver. 8. 6. Hath raised us up together. "That gether, and made us sit togeth-yourselves; it is the gift of er in heavenly places in Christ God: Jesus: 9 Not of works, lest any man 10 For we are his workman 7 That in the ages to come should boast. he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kind-ship, created in Christ Jesus ness toward us, through Christ unto good works, which God Jesus. hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of is, we are raised from the death of sin to the life of religion, in connection with the resurrection of Jesus, and in virtue of that. So close is the connection between him and his people, that his resurrection made theirs certain. Compare Col. ii. 12."- Barnes. And made us sit together in heavenly places, &c. Here, as in ch. i. 3, 20, and ch. iii. 10, the word places is supplied by the translators. Some suppose the phrase to indicate heaven; but the better opinion is, that by sitting together in heavenly places, the apostle means simply enjoying spiritual blessings. 7. Exceeding riches of his grace, &c, See ver. 4. 8. For by grace are ye saved, &c. "By mere favor. It is not by your own merit; it is not because you have any claim. This is a favorite doctrine with Paul, as it is with all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity."- Barnes. This idea is fully elaborated in the first three chapters of the Epistle to the Romans. The Gentiles, without written law, and the Jews, having "the oracles of God," had equally failed of attaining righteousness, and were equally dependent on the grace of God to grant them justification through faith. See note on Rom. i, 17. And that not of yourselves, &c. Some commentators understand the apostle to refer to faith, as the gift of God. The fact that faith is one of the gracious gifts of God is doubtless true; but Paul seems here to refer to salvation, rather than faith, as "not of yourselves," but as a divine gift. 'By the mere favor of God ye Jews and Gentiles are saved through faith; and this salvation 66 11 Wherefore remember, that is no work of yours; it is the free gift of God."- Macknight. 9. Not of works, &c. "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." The only hope for the least sinful man is, that he may be "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. iii. 20-24. See also note on Rom. xi. 6. It has been supposed, by some, that the apostle speaks here only of that partial salvation from sin, which believers enjoy, through faith, in the present life, and which is indicated in ver. 1, by the quickening of those who had been dead in trespasses and sins. Be it so. it must be remembered that if the less important blessing be the gift of God, to the utter exclusion of works, much more the greater. If men cannot merit partial deliverance from sinfulness by their works, they are surely unable to purchase final and absolute salvation. "Consider it, therefore, always as the gift of God's goodness. Claim nothing on your own merits; but all from the grace of God in Christ." Gilpin, - Yet 10. We are his workmanship, &c. Created by him, and renewed by him in the spirit of our minds, ch. iv. 23, being quickened into life by him from our deadness in sin, ver. 1. Created in Christ Jesus unto good works, &c. Although good works are not the meritorious cause of salvation, ver. 9, yet they 66 accompany salvation," Heb. vi. 9, and are the legitimate fruit of that grace which "bringeth salvation." Titus ii. 11, 12. 11. Wherefore remember, &c. To excite their gratitude for the blessing ye being in time past Gentiles in | hath made both one, and hath the flesh, who are called Un- broken down the middle wall circumcision by that which is of partition between us; called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby : 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. the Gentiles" from the space appropriated for the Jews; but the special reference is to the ceremonial law, as is manifest from the language in ver. 15. 15. In his flesh. A figurative expression, similar to "the blood of Christ" in ver. 13. T Enmity. The cause of alienation or enmity between the Jews and Gentiles. T The law of commandments, &c. Namely, the ritual law of Moses, which occasioned the enmity before mentioned. ¶ One 12. Without Christ, &c. While they were yet unconverted Gentiles, ver. 11, destitute of the divine oracles, and ignorant of the "covenants of promise," they were of course destitute of faith in Christ and faith in the true God, and of the joy which such faith affords. But though they were in this sense "without Christ," and "with-new man, &c. To unite Jews and out God in the world," God was never- Gentiles into one harmonious body, theless their loving Father, and had one Christian church. sent his Son Jesus Christ to save them from their sins and to bring them to a knowledge of the truth. John iii. 16, 17; Rom. v. 8; 1 Tim. ii. 4. 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God, &c. See notes on 2 Cor. v. 18-20. Thus should the two races not only be at peace with each other, but also at peace with God. By the cross. Equivalent to "blood of Christ," ver. 13, and "his flesh," ver. 15. T Having slain the enmity thereby. Between Jews and Gentiles, by removing the cause, ver. 15; and between both Jews and Gentiles and their gracious Father. See note on Rom. v. 10. 17. Preached peace, "That is, &c. the system of religion which he proclaimed was adapted to produce peace with God. This he preached personally to those who "were nigh," that is, the Jews; to those who were "afar off," the Gentiles, he preached it by his apostles."- Barnes. 18 For through him we both | fitly framed together groweth have access by one Spirit unto unto a holy temple in the Lord: the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building 18. For through him, &c. "For through him, thus reconciling us to God, we both (Jew and Gentile) have access by one spirit of adoption conferred upon us by the Father, and are enabled to come unto him as our Father. Rom. viii. 15." Whitby. 19. Strangers and foreigners. "Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel," ver. 12. ¶ Fellow-citizens with the saints, &c. Though Gentiles by birth, ye are united with the believing Jews into one church, one common brotherhood. But 20. And are built, &c. Some suppose this architectural figure was introduced to gratify the Ephesians, who were proud of their splendid edifices, especially the Temple of Diana; others, that Paul had in his mind the temple at Jerusalem, as the fittest emblem of the Christian church. this figure is often used by him, when addressing other churches. See note on 1 Cor. iii. 9. ¶Apostles and prophets. The general idea is, that faith in divine revelation lies at the foundation of the Christian church. TChief corner stone. The most important of all. Jesus alone, of all the divine messengers, was "the brightness" of the Father's "glory, and the express image of his person.' Heb. i. 3. 21. In whom all the building, &c. See note on ver. 20. 22. Habitation of God, &c. See note on 2 Cor. vi. 16. Ver. 19-22 have been briefly paraphrased thus: "You are therefore no longer foreigners, but members of the church of Christ, that universal church, founded 22 In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. CHAPTER III. OR this cause I Paul, the FOR this cause I Paul, the you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dis upon prophets and apostles, in which Jesus Christ himself is the chief corner stone, and in which God, by his Holy Spirit, now dwells, as he once inhabited the temple of the Jews."- Gilpin. CHAPTER III. 1. For this cause I Paul, &c. Because his brethren had been quickened from death in sin, by the grace of God, and admitted to the full privileges of the gospel, as described in the previous chapter, the apostle here commences an earnest exhortation that they should walk worthy of their vocation. But he suddenly breaks off, and what follows to ch. iv. 1, is a parenthesis. Some have attempted to avoid such an abrupt transition by a different translation, thus: "For this cause I Paul, the servant of Jesus, am in bonds."- Tyndale. "For this cause am I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ." Haweis. But the parenthesis is characteristic of Paul, and is probably the true construction. Besides, he would scarcely say that God's goodness to the Gentiles was the cause of his imprisonment, as represented by the versions of Tyndale and Haweis. The prisoner. Paul is supposed to have been imprisoned at Rome when he wrote this epistle. 2. If ye have heard, &c. The particle rendered if "is not here designed to express a doubt whether they had heard of it or not, for he takes it for granted that they had."— Barnes. "Seeing ye have heard," &c.- Macknight. "Since I well know you have heard," |