Chapter Two

Continuation of the speech about the greatness of the dispensation of our salvation in Christ Jesus: the religious-moral state of Jews and gentiles before Christ and their rebirth in Christ (1-10). Comparison of the state of gentiles with the state of Jews. Reconciliation of all with God in Christ and the consequences of this reconciliation (11-22)

Eph 2:1-10. So far, in the first chapter, the Apostle depicted the greatness of Christianity in general, but now, in particular, he speaks of what Christianity did for the readers of the epistle. Previously they were people spiritually dead because of their sins, but now in Christ they have been made alive by God and can live, doing good works.

Ephesians 2:1. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, Ephesians 2:2. in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the will of the prince who has power in the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience, First of all the Apostle speaks of the state of the gentiles, because most of the Ephesian Christians, apparently, were formerly gentiles. These gentiles were “dead” - of course in a moral sense. Although many pagan peoples, and especially the Greeks, prided themselves on their achievements in culture, rejoiced that they lived happily, nevertheless their life was not at all true life, not that which alone deserves the name “life.” They all were sinners and committed all kinds of sins (“transgression” and “sin” are synonyms). - “According to the course of this world.” “This world” - this world is imperfect, wicked (Gal 1:4), with which the Apostle does not advise Christians to be friends (Rom 12:2). - “According to the prince of the power of the air.” Here, undoubtedly, Satan is understood (cf. 1 Cor 11:9-21; 2 Cor 4:4). He is called “the prince of the power of the air” (the Russian translation is here inaccurate) because the powers that fall under his authority are different spirits, which here are called in a collective sense “powers” (cf. Col 1:13). These powers are called “air” in the sense that they are invisible, not perceived by sense, consequently bodiless (Prof. Bogdashevsky), although one must say that the Apostle, calling them air, apparently meant to indicate that their influence, their harmful breath, one might say, was saturated in all the air which the gentiles breathed. Thus the latter breathed poisoned air and this explains their persistence in sins. - “Spirit.” Probably here singular number instead of plural: spirits. The devil is more precisely defined as the prince of spirits, which even now still act in stubborn, people not yielding to the influence of gospel preaching (“sons of disobedience” - a Hebraism, designating people who by their nature oppose God (cf. the expression “son of perdition” in 2 Thess 2:3)).

Ephesians 2:3. among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. “Among whom,” that is, in the number of these sons of disobedience. - “We all also” - that is, we Jews. - “In the lusts of our flesh.” The Apostle here understands both bodily desires and desires of the soul, which go against the higher demands of the spirit (cf. Gal 5:17). From this one can conclude that Jews did not stand under the action of alien, demonic force, as the gentiles, and therefore, perhaps, their fault is greater than the fault of the gentiles, who in no way could free themselves from the influence of this alien force. With their own lusts Jews could struggle. - “Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” Jews allowed their reason (thoughts - properly: spiritual disposition) and the desires of lust or, simply, the flesh itself to form an alliance between themselves, instead of making their reason a tool for struggle against the encroachments of the flesh. As a result the flesh began with great boldness to present to man its demands. - “And were by nature children of wrath, just as the others,” that is, remained, like the gentiles, under the action of the wrath of God, fully deserved by us already by our very nature, corrupted by the hereditary sin of Adam. This expression points to the inner basis of the fact designated in the preceding expression: “fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” - “Wrath of God,” which here is spoken of, is the zeal of holy love of God to men against their absorption in impiety.

Ephesians 2:4. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, Ephesians 2:5. even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), With the coming of Christ, for those Jews and gentiles who believed in Him, a new state came. Instead of the former deadness they began to live true life together with Christ. God made us alive with Christ, did this exclusively out of love, which is based on “mercy” or compassion for all who suffer. - “And us,” that is, even us, who were completely spiritually dead. - “By grace you have been saved,” that is, completely without any merit on our part. This remark was useful for those especially to hear who were Jews and were accustomed to base their salvation on their own good works.

Ephesians 2:6. and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, “And raised us up together.” In Christ we have already risen to new life (Rom 6:4), although bodily resurrection is still only the object of our hope. At the same time the perfect tense used here and in the following expression (“made us sit”) indicates that Christians are unshakably convinced that both their resurrection and glorification will certainly be accomplished.

Ephesians 2:7. that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Everything that has been done for us by God up to now has been done so that in time, “in the ages to come” or, otherwise, in the future life, we should receive still more - “the exceeding riches of His grace,” which has its foundation in the fact that God became merciful to us (“in His kindness”), thanks to the great work of redemption accomplished by Christ. The present blessings which Christians enjoy are only a foretaste of that bliss which they will enjoy in the future life.

Ephesians 2:8. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, Ephesians 2:9. not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Introductory thought. The Apostle here wishes to impress upon his readers, especially the Jews among them, that they have no right to ascribe to themselves any merit in the establishment of their salvation. They owe everything to the love of God. On their part only faith could be presented (cf. Rom 3:22), although even faith itself is in some sense a gift of God, since God helps us to establish it in ourselves. - “We are His workmanship,” that is, we have been remade by Him in Christ, have become a new creature (Gal 6:15). “Created in Christ Jesus for good works...” God, in remaking us in Christ, thereby predestined us to live a virtuous life, the latter is thus absolutely necessary, inevitable for a Christian. However, the expression: “that we should walk in them” shows that something is yet to be done by us ourselves in our new state, that not only God’s grace will lead us to higher glorification, but also we ourselves are obliged to care for our moral development. Eph 2:11-22. To make Christians from among the gentiles understand how great is the work accomplished for them by God (Eph 2:10), the Apostle reminds them that before accepting Christianity they were in an extremely grievous state in regard to religion and morality. Their position was incomparably worse than the position of Jews. But now they have been reconciled with God in Christ and, together with those Jews converted to Christ, constitute the one Church of Christ. At the same time the Apostle briefly depicts the character of the Church.

Ephesians 2:11. Therefore remember that you, once gentiles in the flesh—who are called “Uncircumcision” by what is called “Circumcision” made in the flesh by hands— Ephesians 2:12. that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. “Gentiles in the flesh” - that is, gentiles had even an external distinguishing mark, namely they were not circumcised. - “So called.” The Apostle by this expression does not nullify the significance of the circumcision ceremony, which was a sign of the covenant with God. He only wishes to say that the Hebrews had no right to boast excessively over the gentiles because they were not circumcised with true circumcision of the spirit (Rom 2:29). - “Without Christ,” that is, they did not have definite predictions about the coming into the world of the Savior-Messiah. - “Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,” that is, they did not enjoy the advantages of the theocratic, well-ordered life which the Hebrews enjoyed. - “Covenants of promise.” God made several covenants with the patriarchs of the Hebrew people, giving them various promises. - “Having no hope” - in general hope for a better future, and in particular for salvation from sins. - “Without God in the world.” The gentiles, although they had many gods, did not know the true God and therefore are rightly called by the Apostle “atheists” (cf. Gal 4:8). - “In the world” - that is, in their sinful world, constituting a direct opposite to the well-ordered society of Israel.

Ephesians 2:13. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. The gentiles, who before Christ were far from God, are now brought near to Him. The reason for this change is the great sacrifice offered by Christ for all men (“by the blood of Christ” cf. Rom 3:25).

Ephesians 2:14. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, The Apostle explains how the reconciliation of the gentiles with God was accomplished. Christ is “our peace” of all of us - Christians - who by origin belong either to the Jews or to the gentiles. Christ not only externally brought us to peace, but is Himself in His person peace: thanks to Him, peace has been restored at once (cf. Isa 9:6; Mic 5:5). - “Who has made both one.” According to the interpretation of John Chrysostom, God did not attach the gentiles to Judaism to reconcile them, but rather, as it were having before him two statues - one of silver, another of tin, melted down both of them and formed from this mixture one statue, but now a golden one. Thus Jews and gentiles, turning to Christ, constitute one Church. - “Wall of separation.” Such a wall between Jews and gentiles was the Law of Moses, which Jews considered the only path to salvation, with which the gentiles did not wish to agree. Christ abolished the Law of Moses by the fact that He fulfilled Himself all its obligations, which it placed on men.

Ephesians 2:15. having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, “Having abolished...enmity...by His flesh.” It is more correct to refer the word “abolished” to the following expression: “the law of commandments.” Then the expression: “enmity” will be an apposition to the preceding expression: “wall of separation.” The Apostle more precisely defines this wall as “enmity” - first, of course, as enmity between Jews and gentiles, and then as the enmity of Jews against God, because the law in reality produced only wrath in God toward those Jews who did not fulfill this law (Rom 4:15). - “The law of commandments expressed in ordinances.” Since Christ abolished the law not by the teaching of the Gospel, but by the fact that He offered Himself in sacrifice for men, accepting upon Himself the curse assigned to it (Gal 3:13), it is evident that the Russian translation is here incorrect. Besides, the Greek word ordinances, translated in Russian as “teaching” is never used in the New Testament to designate doctrine or opinion (P. Ewald). Therefore it is more correct to translate the place under consideration as: “having abolished by His flesh the law of commandments expressed in the form of precise inviolable ordinances.” Christ precisely abolished, put an end to the Law of Moses (cf. Rom 10:4), consisting of minute precepts (“commandments”), which with all strictness, as ordinances of the highest state power (cf. Luke 2:1), defined every step of a Hebrew (cf. Col 2:14). - “By His flesh.” Christ destroyed the enmity between Jews and gentiles by the fact that He gave up to death His “flesh,” that is, His bodily life. “While Christ lived according to the flesh - says P. Ewald - He was the Son of David (Rom 1:3), sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (cf. Matt 10:5 and ff. Matt 15:24). From the moment He left His bodily life, He entered into the state of the Son of God in power (Rom 1:4), began to be proclaimed to Jews and gentiles as such, in Whom ‘righteousness without law’ is given to all without distinction.” - “That He might create...” Here is indicated the purpose of the destruction of the “wall.” Christ in Himself, as the founder of new humanity, created a new man, establishing at the same time peaceful relations between Jews and gentiles and also peace of man with God.

Ephesians 2:16. and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death the enmity. Christ not only created a new man in Himself, but also reconciled the gentiles and Jews, constituting such a single man, in His body with God. The body of Christ is here called “one” because the Apostle wished to express the thought that Jews and gentiles, formerly divided and fighting, are equally reconciled by the great Golgotha sacrifice (Prof. Bogdashevsky). - “Through the cross,” that is, by raising His body to the cross (1 Pet 2:24). - “Thus putting to death the enmity on it,” that is, on the cross. According to the opinion of P. Ewald, the word “on it” should be replaced by the expression “in Him” or “in Himself.” Christ, having offered Himself as a sacrifice on the cross, destroyed also the enmity of men with God.

Ephesians 2:17. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. So far the Apostle has spoken of what Christ did for men, but now he mentions what Christ, beginning from the very first appearance in public service, taught men: He began His preaching with the gospel of peace, which was destined for both those far and those near to God, that is, for gentiles and Jews. However, the Apostle mentions the gentiles first (“far off”) because they constituted the main contingent of the Ephesian church.

Ephesians 2:18. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Here the Apostle confirms the thought that Christ proclaimed the gospel of reconciliation of men with God, namely in that at the present time such reconciliation is already an accomplished fact. One and the same Holy Spirit brings through Christ all of us to the Father.

Ephesians 2:19. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, Ephesians 2:20. having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, From the fact that all men are reconciled with God, it follows that gentiles now are not “strangers,” that is, do not appear in the Church as some sort of foreigners, and not “temporary dwellers,” that is, are not deprived of the rights of citizenship. They became “fellow citizens with the saints,” that is, with the chosen Hebrew people, and “of the household,” that is, close to God (domestic), as the members of one family are close to the father of this family. - “Having been built...” Here the Apostle depicts the Church under the image of a building under construction, in which all believers are presented as stones. These stones are laid on a foundation, which is represented by the Apostles and prophets (the prophets, apparently New Testament, because they are mentioned after the Apostles) 7. However, the Apostles and prophets themselves, like all Christians, are established on the chief cornerstone - Christ, Who supports the whole building of the Church (cf. Matt 21:42; 1 Pet 2:7).

Ephesians 2:21. in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, Ephesians 2:22. in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Thanks to the fact that the Church has such a reliable foundation as the chief cornerstone - Christ, “all the building” or, more correctly, all the structure goes completely successfully: in Christ everything fits together completely harmoniously, everything is given its proper place. In the end the Church, constantly growing, must become a true temple which “in the Lord,” that is in Christ, becomes “holy” (at the present time there are still sinners in the Church). By the growth of the Church one can understand both an increase in the number of members of the Church and their spiritual perfection. - “On which” - that is, on the chief cornerstone. - “You also are being built together” - more precisely: are being built together (are being jointly constructed), that is, together with many other churches the Ephesian Christians become the dwelling place of God, thanks to the action in them of the Holy Spirit. * * * Remarks Prof. Bogdashevsky, finding it more correct to see the Old Testament prophets here, refers as proof of this opinion to the fact that “the essence is not in the chronological sequence, but in the internal genetic connection of facts.” The placing of Old Testament prophets after the Apostles more strongly emphasizes the thought of the unity of God’s dwelling place, into which gentiles are called... everything has one foundation (p. 173). But we think that the Apostle was accustomed to represent Old Testament prophets earlier than the Apostles and to put them in the natural order before the latter, so that it is difficult to suppose that here he departed from this natural chronological order.