Bible Commentaries
Ephesians 2

Verse 1

Eph 2:1. Hath he quickened is in the Greek text in verse 5, and the King James translators have inserted the words in this verse to clarify the thought. To quicken means to make alive, whether used figuratively or literally. It is in the former sense here as the last part of the verse indicates, for the Ephesians had been dead in sins, which is a figurative phrase. When two things are separated they are dead to each other. Hence when men are living in sin they are separated from God, for sin cannot have any connection with Him. (See Isa 59:2.) This is the same kind of death and life that Jesus meant in Joh 5:25, which will be noticed further in verse 5.

Verse 2

Eph 2:2. Absolute sinless perfection does not exist in any man (1Jn 1:8), but to walk in sin which is referred to here means to lead a life whose general practice is one of sin. Such a walk was done by the Ephesians prior to their obedience to the Gospel. Such a life is according to the course of this world, which means that when a man lives daily in sin he is "running true to form" for those following the ways of the world. Prince . . . the air. Many of the words of human language have their origin in the opinions of the people using the language. Thayer says in connection with this place: "in the air, i. e., the devil, the prince of the demons that according to Jewish opinion fill the realm of the air." Paul recognizes this popular impression and uses it to describe the former manner of life that was practiced by the Ephe-sians. The spirit means the spirit of the evil prince, who is considered as the leader of all who are living in sin. Children of disobedience. The first word is from Hums and is used figuratively; it is explained by Thayer to mean, "one who is connected with or belongs to a thing by any kind of close relationship." Before the Ephesians became Christians, their life as a whole was one of disobedience against the law of righteousness. Such a life would produce a class of offspring (children) of like character, hence Paul calls them children of disobedience.

Verse 3

Eph 2:3. The pronoun whom refers to the children of disobelience who are mentioned in the preceding verse. Conversation is from ANASTREPHO, which Thayer defines, "to conduct one's self, behave one's self, live." So the term means the Ephesians formerly behaved themselves after the manner of disobedient children. The apostle specifies by saying it was the desires and lusts of the flesh that they were gratifying. By nature the children of wrath. By following the desires of their fleshly nature they did wrong, and that threatened them with the wrath of God.

Verse 4

Eph 2:4. Rich in mercy. Riches do not consist solely in the amount of one's possessions, but also in the character of them. The richness of God's mercy was indicated by the kind of love with which He regarded mankind while in the bondage of sin. This is the same thought that is the outstanding subject of the familiar but underestimated verse in Joh 3:16, where the word "so" has reference to the kind of love God had for the world.

Verse 5

Eph 2:5. The first part of this verse is explained at verse 1, and the reader is requested to see that place again. This verse adds the information that the quickening is done with Christ, which means that it is through Him that we are made free from sin (Rom 6:11). By grace are ye saved. This may be understood by the meaning of the second word. See the comments at 1Co 1:3.

Verse 6

Eph 2:6. Places is not in the original as a separate word; it is explained at chapter 1:3. The association of Christians with each other in the church of Christ is heavenly, because the entire arrangement originated in Heaven.

Verse 7

Eph 2:7. Ages often is used in the sense of eras or dispensations, but it is here more general and only means that "in the years to come," etc. Through the years, God was to show how rich is His grace in the form of kindness, and it was all to be accomplished through Christ Jesus.

Verse 8

Eph 2:8. The matter of being saved involves two parties; the one being saved, and the one doing the saving. God is the latter and is indicated by the word grace; man is the former and is represented by the word faith. Since grace is the unmerited favor of God (see comments at 1Co 1:3), it includes the entire plan of salvation as far as the Lord's part is concerned. Faith. is on the part of man, and it includes all of the things a man must do to prove his faith. Not of yourselves. Man could not have provided any plan whereby he could be saved. It is the gift of God. The subject under consideration is salvation, therefore it is the gift of God. A father might promise his son an automobile on condition that he work for him long enough to plant a crop. No boy can earn such an article in a few weeks, therefore the car would rightfully be considered a gift. Likewise, a lifetime of service to God could not merit eternal life, and therefore it will truly be the gift from God.

Verse 9

Eph 2:9. Not of works. See the illustration in the preceding paragraph drawn from a father and his son. The merits of our work for Christ would never have obtained salvation for us; had they done so, then man could have boasted that he had earned his salvation by what he had done.

Verse 10

Eph 2:10. Workmanship is from POIEMA, which Thayer defines, "that which has been made." When a man makes a piece of mechanism, he does so with the intention of getting certain things done with it, and he so forms it that it will be equipped to turn out such work. When it is accomplished, the mechanism would not be entitled to any credit for the work, for its maker has formed it for that particular production. Likewise the good works a Christian may perform are but the products that God had in mind when He created or formed him in the great Assembly Plant, the Lord Jesus Christ. The word ordain has such a great variety of meanings that I request the reader to see the complete definition of it at Joh 15:16, in the first volume of the New Testament Commentary. In our verse it is defined, "To prepare before, to make ready beforehand." It means that God in his wisdom foresaw what would be the best kind of works for His children to follow, and so prepared a plan in His Son whereby they would be furnished with all the necessary equipment for such work.

Verse 11

Eph 2:11. Gentiles in the flesh denotes that the Ephesians were in the class of mankind that was distinguished from the Jews, and that the distinction was a fleshly one. Called circumcision. This rite was the fleshly mark that designated the classification as to which nation a man belonged. Hence the terms circumcision and un-circumcision were used to identify Jews and Gentiles.

Verse 12

Eph 2:12. At that time means the time before the Gospel Dispensation was brought into the world. Without Christ because the Patriarchal Dispensation did not specifically show any connection with Him, even though the spiritual benefits which God bestowed upon the faithful members of that dispensation, were done in view of the part that Christ was to play in the salvation of any man in any age. The Gentiles were aliens or foreigners from the commonwealth, nation or government, of Israel or the Jews. Strangers is from XENOS which Thayer defines, "without knowledge of, without a share in." Although the promises made to Abraham applied to the Gentiles (since Christ was to bless all nations), yet it was not known to them, hence in that sense they were strangers to the promise of Christ. Having no hope as far as the commonwealth or government of Israel was concerned. Without God is from ATHEOS; it is the origin of our English word "atheist." The Gentiles were without God as far as the provisions of the law of Moses were concerned, in the same sense that they were without Christ as explained earlier in this paragraph.

Verse 13

Eph 2:13. The ones far off were the Ephesians and all other Gentiles; they were far off as far as the Jewish Dispensation was concerned. Made nigh by the blood of Christ. This Is said in contrast with the animal sacrifices that were offered under the Mosiac system, which were done for the benefit of the Jews only. It also is in contrast with the sacrifices that were offered upon the family altars under the Patriarchal Dispensation. It is to be understood that those sacrifices which were made under both the former dispensations, gave to the members thereof the favor of God, including the forgiveness of sins. But that was because God knew that the blood of Christ was to flow at the cross as a ransom, to make good the pledge of forgiveness that He had made to every Jew or Patriarch when he had performed his duty at the proper place of sacrifice. This is clearly shown in Heb 9:15, which the reader should see in connection with the present verse.

Verse 14

Eph 2:14. He is our peace. The first word is a pronoun that stands for Christ, and the third is one that means the Jews and Gentiles. These two groups had been separated religiously by the partition wall of the Mosaic law which was given for the Jews only. This wall was removed by cancelling the religious function of the Jewish system, and giving a new one through Christ, adapted to the needs of Jews and Gentiles.

Verse 15

Eph 2:15. In his flesh refers to the crucifixion of Christ, whereby He nailed the old law to the cross and opened the way for the new law of the Gospel. Paul explains enmity to mean the "ceremonial" ordinances and commandments, which kept the Jews and Gentiles separated religiously. Twain means the two nations just mentioned, and one new man is a figurative name for the church, in which all men of every nation may be united in Christ.

Verse 16

Eph 2:16. The original word for reconcile is defined by Thayer, "to reconcile completely," and he explains it to mean, "to bring back to a former state of harmony." A significant word is "back," which indicates that a state of harmony had existed before. That is true, for man was at peace with God until Satan persuaded him to sin. That separated him from God and made it necessary for something to be done before he could be received into the divine favor again. The one body is the church (chapter 1:22,23), and the death on the cross made it possible for both Jews and Gentiles to serve God in one religious system. Slain the enmity. (Enmity is explained at verse 15.)

Verse 17

Eph 2:17. Jesus did this preaching through the apostles first, and then by other devoted evangelists. The peace applies to the relationship of mankind in general to God, and the Jews and Gentiles to each other, who had been separated by the Mosaic law. Far off were Gentiles and nigh were the Jews; explained at verse 13.

Verse 18

Eph 2:18. Him means Christ and both denotes Jews and Gentiles. Access means the privilege of approaching the Father to receive the divine favors. By one Spirit. The Holy Spirit gave the apostles their instruction for setting up the church, and also to fill that body (the church) as a divine Guest (the original form for Ghost). The same apostles were also enabled to furnish the members of the church the necessary information for their service to God, including their access or approach to Him for his favors.

Verse 19

Eph 2:19. Strangers and foreigners means the same as "aliens" and "strangers" as explained in verse 12. Fellowcitizens means they are all citizens of the same government. This government is composed of saints which means those who have been made righteous by obedience to the Gospel, and it is called a household because the group called the church is regarded as a great family of God and Christ.

Verse 20

Eph 2:20. Foundation of the apostles and prophets. It has been thought by some that these prophets were those of the Old Testament, who prophesied the coming of the church. It is true they did make such predictions, and in that figurative manner could be referred to in connection with the church when thinking of the basis of truth upon which the divine institution was founded. However, Paul declares these prophets were a part of the foundation itself, hence they were the spiritually-gifted prophets that the church contained in the first century. This is specifically stated in Act 13:1 and 1Co 12:28. That these prophets in the church were among those who received spiritual gifts is declared in Eph 4:8-11. Chief corner stone is from the one Greek word AKROGO-NIAIOS which Thayer defines, "placed at the extreme corner." He also gives the historical information, "For as the corner-stone holds together two walls, so Christ joins together as Christians, into one body dedicated to God, those who were formerly Jews and Gentiles."

Verse 21

Eph 2:21. Most of the buildings in old times were built of stones, and Paul is using such as an illustration of the church. Fitly framed together. We generally think of wooden buildings only as being "framed," whereas the church is here likened to a stene structure. The three words in italics are from one Greek word which Thayer defines, "to join closely together." The statement means that all of the building, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is fitted into the structure of which Christ is the binding stone at the corner. Such a building becomes a holy temple in (or on behalf of) the Lord.

Verse 22

Eph 2:22. Every building is erected for some special purpose. This divine structure is no exception, and the present verse tells us the purpose. It is the dwelling place of God on the earth. Not that He is dwelling in it personally, for in that sense God dwells only in Heaven (Act 7:48-49); but He dwells in the church through the Spirit, or in a spiritual sense. (See 1Pe 2:5.)