ephesians-2:5-10,-ephesians-4:1-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:7

The design of the dispensation of mercy. The salvation of these Ephesians was to stand out as a remarkable monument of "the exceeding riches of God's grace ' to all succeeding generations. It was in this sense that the apostle regarded himself "as a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting" ( 1 Timothy 1:16 ). I. IT WAS TO ENCOURAGE THE GREATEST SINNERS TO HOPE IN GOD 'S MERCY THROUGH CHRIST . Sinners often, when pressed... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:8

For by grace have ye been saved, through faith. He repeats what he had said parenthetically ( Ephesians 2:5 ), in order to open the subject up more fully. On the part of God, salvation is by grace; on the part of man, it is through faith. It does not come to us by an involuntary act, as light falls on our eyes, sounds on our ears, or air enters our lungs. When we are so far enlightened as to understand about it, there must be a personal reception of salvation by us, and that is by faith.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:8

Grace and faith. These two, grace and faith, are the sheet anchors of the Pauline gospel. The former was preserved in the Augustinian theology, and the latter restored to the Church by the Reformation. In his earlier Epistles, St. Paul establishes their claims by argument. Now, he considers those claims to be settled, and appeals to the doctrines of faith and grace as axioms, quoting the phrase, "By grace have ye been saved," as a sort of proverb. It is plain that the apostle regarded the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:8-10

Salvation in its completeness: the place of faith and works. One thought runs through these two verses like a thread of gold. We are not saved by works, but unto works. I. THE PRIVILEGE OF BELIEVERS . "Ye are saved." 1. It is implied that the salvation is a present reality. It is not, "Ye shall be saved." They were already in an actual state of salvation; they had passed from death unto life; and the life was everlasting. 2. The salvation was more than a deliverance... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:8-10

Salvation, its root and its fruit. Paul now proceeds to put the gospel in a nutshell when he tells us that we are saved by grace, through faith, and unto good works. We have in these three terms the whole plan brought out. Let us look at them in their order. I. GRACE IS THE ROOT OR CAUSE OF SALVATION . ( Ephesians 2:8 .) By "grace" is meant the free, undeserved favor of God. It is etymologically the same as "gratis" and "gratuitous;" it occurs in the business phrase,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:9

Not of works, lest any man should boast. Exegetical of the last clause, "Not of yourselves; certainly not of your works." The suppression of boasting was a purpose of God in his scheme of salvation; not the chief or final purpose, any more than the manifestation of his grace in coming ages was his chief or final purpose in showing mercy to the Ephesians, but inseparable from the nature of his plan. The spirit of glorying is essentially unsuited to the relations between the creature and the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship. Another illustration and evidence of grace. We have to be fashioned anew by God before we can do anything aright (see 2 Corinthians 5:17 ). Anything right in us is not the cause of grace, but its fruit. There seems to be no special reason for the change from the second to the first person. Created in Christ Jesus for good works. So little inward capacity had we for such works, that we required to be created in Christ Jesus in order that we might do them. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:10

God's workmanship. I. AS CHRISTIANS , CREATED IN CHRIST , WE ARE GOD 'S WORKMANSHIP . It cannot be that our salvation comes by our works, because it is such a quickening from death to life as amounts to nothing short of a new creation, and because God is the only Creator. We only become new creatures through union with Christ, and by the grace of God that is in him. To know if this is our condition, we must see if we bear the traces of the great Worker upon our persons.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 2:5

Even when we were dead in sins - notes, Ephesians 2:1; compare Romans 5:8. The construction here is, “God, who is rich in mercy, on account of the great love which he bare unto us, even being dead in sin, hath quickened us,” etc. It does not mean that he quickened us when we were dead in sin, but that he loved us then, and made provision for our salvation. It was love to the children of wrath; love to those who had no love to return to him; love to the alienated and the lost. That is true love... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 2:6

And hath raised us up together - That is, we are raised from the death of sin to the life of religion, in connection with the resurrection of Jesus, and in virtue of that. So close is the connection between him and his people, that his resurrection made theirs certain; compare Colossians 2:12; notes, Romans 6:5.And made us sit together - Together with him. That is, we share his honors. So close is our connection with him, that we shall partake of his glory, and in some measure do now; compare... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:8-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:8-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:9

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:10

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:10

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 2:5

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 2:6

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