Observe here, 1. The deplorable condition which the Ephesians were in by nature, and all persons with them before their conversion from sin to God. It is. state of spiritual death; the natural and unregenerate man is. dead man, spiritually dead in sin. Our apostle doth not say they were in. dying, b... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having in the former verse described the Ephesians by their natural state and inward condition, as dead in trespasses and sins, doth in this verse set forth their misery in respect of their outward conversation; they walked in and made. constant trade of sin. WHEREIN IN TIME PAST YE WALK... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle in these words is supposed to set forth the condition of the Jews by nature, as he had done before of the Gentiles; and that he declares, that even they had their conversation amongst the number of disobedient persons, and were no less obstinately rebellious against God than the disobedi... [ Continue Reading ]
St. Paul having set forth that miserable state, which both Jews and Gentiles were in by nature, namely, DEAD IN SINS, and CHILDREN OF WRATH; he doth next set forth their deliverance from that woeful estate, by the rich mercy and free grace of God: GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, &C. Here observe, 1. The... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle here instances in two branches more of that salvation which he had in the foregoing verse affirmed to be of grace, namely, that of our resurrection and glorification; both which are yet to come, and yet they are spoken of as already past: when the Father raised and glorified Christ, all... [ Continue Reading ]
These words are expressive of the final cause, or special end, of that salvation which God propounded in his gracious workings upon the hearts of these Ephesians; namely, that in all present and succeeding ages, to the end of the world, he might give. convincing proof and example of THE EXCEEDING RI... [ Continue Reading ]
In these words our apostle informs the Ephesians, and in them all succeeding Christians, that their complete salvation, from the first to the last, from the lowest to the highest step, depends upon God's free favour and grace in Christ, and not upon any merit or desert in ourselves; works having no... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having in the foregoing verses asserted the whole of our salvation to be of grace, and not of works, lest by magnifying of grace he should seem wholly to set aside good works, and the necessity of. holy life; he declares in this verse, that christians are ordained to them, created and pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle doth two things in these two verses, namely, 1. He calls upon the Ephesians to remember their former miserable condition before conversion, when they were in their heathen and unregenerate state, when they were Gentiles and reproached by the Jews for being uncircumcised, and looked upon... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle having set before the Ephesians the black and dark part of their lives, before their conversion to Christianity, in the foregoing verse; comes here in this to acquaint them with the blessed change which was made in their state, and by whom. Now, says he, in or by Christ Jesus, YE, WHO WE... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS OUR PEACE: that is, 1. He is the Mediator of our peace, the great peace-maker betwixt God and men. 2. HE IS OUR PEACE: that is, the purchaser of our peace. 3. HE IS OUR PEACE; that is, the establisher of our peace. All which is to be understood, not only of peace betwixt God and man, but al... [ Continue Reading ]
1. Our apostle had declared in the foregoing verses, that one end of Christ's death was, to make peace between Jew and Gentile; here he assures us,. second end was to make peace between God and man, that he might reconcile both Jew and Gentile, thus united, to an offended God. This he did by the sac... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle began this chapter with setting before the Ephesians the horror and dread of the heathenish state before converted to Christianity: here he closes the chapter with an account of that glorious and blessed state, which the Christian religion, embraced by them, had translated them into: NOW... [ Continue Reading ]