Ephesians 2:11-2

Regeneration of the Ephesians, an instance of the equal welcome of Gentiles to the Covenant Church, the true Temple

11. Wherefore remember Here first the Apostle deals with the special fact of the previous Gentilism of his converts. Hitherto he has spoken of their regeneration, and incorporation into Christ, with regard to the state of fallen humanityin general; "when wewere dead … He quickened us," &c. The further element in the phenomenon now appears, that the recipients of the Epistle had been "outsiders" as regarded any explicit covenant of redemption. In itself, spiritual regeneration was equally gracious and sovereign for Jew and for Gentile. But as to any previous intimations, it must needs come with a greater surprise to the Gentile.

It is perhaps impossible in the nineteenth century of Christendom to realize fully what was the marvel in the first century of the full revelation of an equal welcome for all nationsto the Messiah's covenant. But the fact that it was then a marvel remains a matter of permanent Divine instruction. Cp. in general on the subject Acts 10; Romans 2:3; Romans 2:9; Galatians 2-4.

in time passed Lit., once.

Gentiles Lit., the Nations; Heb., haggôyîm;the races outside Israel. Rabbinic Judaism regarded them with feelings akin to those with which an old-fashioned high-caste Hindoo regards a European. Some precepts of the Talmud (though much later, in their collected form, than St Paul's day,) are fair illustrations: "It is forbidden to give good advice to a Gentile;" "it is forbidden to cure idolaters, even for pay; except on account of fear;" "he that steals from a Gentile is only to pay the principal; for it is said, He shall pay double unto his neighbour" (McCaul's Old Paths, p. 17, &c.).

Meanwhile, these gross distortions had behind them the spiritual fact here given by St Paul, that "the Gentiles," before the Gospel, were on a really different level from Israel as to covenant with God in Christ. Pharisaism took a totally wrong line, but started from a point of truth.

in the flesh Does this mean, "physically," or (Romans 8:8; and often) "in the unregenerate state"? Surely the former, for the same phrase immediately below clearly refers to a physical thing, literal circumcision. Here probably the special reference is to the absenceof the bodily mark of covenant. They were uncircumcised Gentiles, at a time when no way was yet revealed, other than that of circumcision, by which to enter into explicit covenant with God.

called Uncircumcision Or, regarding English usage of the article, the Uncircumcision; this was their sobriquetwith the Pharisee; often used, no doubt, by the Pharisee Saul. The lack of the bodily mark was the condemning, and characteristic, thing, supplying a short expression for a state of entire difference and alienation.

called the Circumcision The race of the circumcised, the Jews. The point of this clause is best given by paraphrase: "So you were called by the bearers of the mark of the Abrahamic covenant, a mark divinely ordained, but spiritually valueless where there is no spiritual contact with God, and therefore, when vaunted as a title (- calledthe Circumcision") by the unspiritual Pharisee, no better than a mere bodily operation, (-circumcision in the flesh, wrought by hand")." The best illustration is the close of Romans 2, where the theme is the uselessness, for spiritual purposes, of the sacramental mark in unspiritual persons. This short clause is, as it were, a condensed statement of the truths fully stated in Romans 2. But it is quite passing here; the main point here being, not the harsh estimate of Gentiles by Pharisees, but the real difference in covenant-position which that estimate exaggerated.

made by hands Better, wrought by hand. Cp. Colossians 2:11 for the antithesis, "the circumcision wrought without hands;" a thing spiritual, invisible, the covenant mark from the Divinepoint of view regeneration of nature. The Pharisees "called" themselves "The Circumcision;" St Paul vitiates the word of privilege, or rather their use of it, by the added words, "hand-wrought, in the flesh."