Bible Commentaries
Ephesians 2

Verse 1

Quickened ; made alive.

Dead in trespasses and sins ; it is a living death which the apostle describes. They were dead to God and holiness, and alive to this world and fleshly lust. They lived in trespasses and sins, and this is spiritual death.

Verse 2

In time past ; in their unconverted state.

The prince of the power of the air ; Satan, the ruler of the power of the air, that is, of the empire of evil spirits, whose abode is the air. Satan does much to lead men to disobey God, and when they violate divine laws they take part with Satan against Jehovah.

Verse 3

Among whom ; namely, among which children of disobedience.

We all ; Jews and Gentiles.

Had our conversation ; lived.

Desires of the flesh ; bodily appetites and passions.

Of the mind ; such as pride, envy, covetousness, and ambition.

By nature ; naturally children of wrath, because children of disobedience. All men naturally are more pleased in gratifying their bodily appetites, and the selfish inclinations of their own hearts, than in learning and doing the will of God; thus showing that they are opposed to holiness, in love with sin, and heirs of divine wrath.

Verse 5

Together with Christ ; as God raised Christ from the dead in behalf of his people and as their surety, so they, by virtue of their union with him, had been raised from spiritual death, which is the pledge of their future union with Christ in the resurrection of the body also to a glorious immortality.

Verse 6

Raised us up together-made us sit together ; that is, together with Christ, as in the preceding verse.

In heavenly places ; see note to chap Ephesians 1:3 .

In Christ Jesus ; all this takes place in and through our union with Christ.

Verse 8

And that ; your being saved by grace through faith.

The gift of God ; all that is good in man, and all the good which he enjoys, are the gracious gift of God.

Verse 10

His workmanship ; of our spiritual life, God is the author.

Before ordained ; it was ever the purpose and will of God, that those to whom he gives spiritual life should be holy and abound in good works. The deliverance of men from a state of sin and death, by making them alive to holiness, is of God. It springs from his love, is the fruit of his Spirit, and is given not merely to save men from perdition, but to manifest in all ages and worlds the riches of his grace, in kindness to believers, through Jesus Christ.

Verse 11

Remember ; the apostle affectionately reminds the gentile converts of the unspeakable gift they have received in being introduced, through Christ, into his church.

Gentiles in the flesh ; in contrast with "the circumcision in the flesh"; meaning, men who bore in their flesh, as uncircumcised, the marks of their being Gentiles.

Uncircumcision ; uncircumcised Gentiles.

Circumcision in the flesh ; Jews, who had the outward sign of circumcision, but not the thing signified by it.

Verse 12

Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel ; not belonging, even outwardly, to the people who were in covenant with God, had his knowledge, and maintained his worship.

Covenants of promise ; those made with Abraham and his seed.

No hope ; no hope in God, to whom ye were strangers.

Without God ; without the knowledge of God and an interest in his salvation.

Verse 13

In Christ Jesus ; by your union with him through faith.

Are made nigh ; brought near to God’s spiritual commonwealth and admitted into it.

By the blood of Christ ; making atonement for your sins.

Verse 14

Our peace ; the author and ground of our peace-peace in the widest sense: first, between man and God, verses Ephesians 2:16-18 ; and then, as a consequence of this, between Jews and Gentiles, verses Ephesians 2:14-15 .

Both one ; Jews and Gentiles, one body.

The middle wall ; the ceremonial law, which, till the death of Christ, separated Jews and Gentiles.

Verse 15

Abolished in his flesh ; by his death he abolished the ceremonial law, that cause of enmity and separation between Jews and Gentiles.

Contained in ordinances ; thus he characterizes the Mosaic economy as a system of outward ordinances.

Of twain ; of the two parties, Jews and Gentiles.

One new man ; one new body, of which he should be the head.

Verse 16

Both ; both Jews and Gentiles.

In one body ; in one spiritual body, namely, the Christian church.

By the cross ; by his bloody death on the cross as an expiation for sin.

Having slain the enmity ; by annulling the Jewish ceremonial law, which was the ground of the enmity between Jews and Gentiles.

Thereby ; literally, in it; that is, by dying upon it.

Verse 17

To you ; you Gentiles, which were afar off ; from God. See verse Ephesians 2:12 .

To them that were nigh ; to the Jews, who, in their outward relation, were nigh to God. To both he preached peace with God, and thus with one another.

Verse 18

Peace with God, peace with conscience, and peace with one another, are the fruit of faith in Christ. By his Spirit he produces in those who believe on him a filial temper, gives them access to God as their Father, and leads them, as his children, from love to him to love one another.

Verse 20

Are built ; into a spiritual temple.

The foundation of the apostles and prophets ; the foundation laid by them; in other words, the doctrine preached by them, the corner-stone of which is Jesus Christ. The fact, that in describing the foundation of the church, Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, says nothing of Peter, but teaches that it is built on Christ, as preached by apostles and prophets, is conclusive evidence that the belief of its being built on Peter, or any mere creature, is an error.

Verse 21

In whom ; not in Peter or Paul, but in Christ; in whom all true Christians believe, and on whom they rely for salvation.

Groweth ; as a living temple made of living stones, 1 Peter 2:5 .

Verse 22

Ye also ; ye Gentiles, as well as the Jews.

For a habitation of God through the Spirit ; God dwells in the hearts of his people who are united to him through faith and love, and thus each believer is his temple. Isaiah 57:15 ; John 14:23 ; John 17:21 ; John 17:23 ; John 17:26 . In like manner he dwells in his church, which is made up of believers united to him and to each other, and thus the church is, as here, his temple. Compare 1 Corinthians 3:16 ; 1 Peter 2:5 . The church of God is not composed merely of ministers of the gospel, but of all who are united by faith to Jesus Christ, and in whom he dwells by his Spirit.