Ephesians 2:1-5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 2:3

Among whom also we all had our conversation - We Jews, as well as you Gentiles, have lived in transgressions and sins; ανεστραφημεν , this was the course of our life; we lived in sin, walked in sin, it was woven through our whole constitution, it tinged every temper, polluted every faculty, and perverted every transaction of life. The lusts - the evil, irregular, and corrupt affections of the heart, showed themselves in the perversion of the mind as well as in our general conduct. The mind... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 2:4

But God, who is rich in mercy - As they were corrupt in their nature, and sinful in their practice, they could possess no merit, nor have any claim upon God; and it required much mercy to remove so much misery, and to pardon such transgressions. His great love - God's infinite love is the groundwork of our salvation; in reference to us that love assumes the form of mercy, and that mercy provides the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore the apostle adds, Ephesians 2:5 ; : By... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 2:5

Even when we were dead in sins - Dead in our souls; dead towards God; dead in law; and exposed to death eternal, Hath quickened us together with Christ - God has given us as complete a resurrection from the death of sin to a life of righteousness, as the body of Christ has had from the grave. And as this quickening, or making alive, was most gratuitous on God's part, the apostle, with great propriety, says; By grace ye are saved. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 2:1

Verse 1 1.And you who were dead. This is an ἐπεξεργασία of the former statements, that is, an exposition accompanied by an illustration. (118) To bring home more effectually to the Ephesians the general doctrine of Divine grace, he reminds them of their former condition. This application consists of two parts. “Ye were formerly lost; but now God, by his grace, has rescued you from destruction.” And here we must observe, that, in laboring to give an impressive view of both of these parts, the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 2:2

Verse 2 2.In which for some time ye walked. From the effects or fruits, he draws a proof that sin formerly reigned in them; for, until sin displays itself in outward acts, men are not sufficiently aware of its power. When he adds, according to the course of this world, (120) he intimates that the death which he had mentioned rages in the nature of man, and is a universal disease. He does not mean that course of the world which God has ordained, nor the elements, such as the heaven, and earth,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 2:3

Verse 3 3.Among whom also we all had our conversation. Lest it should be supposed that what he had now said was a slanderous reproach against the former character of the Ephesians, or that Jewish pride had led him to treat the Gentiles as an inferior race, he associates himself and his countrymen along with them in the general accusation. This is not done in hypocrisy, but in a sincere ascription of glory to God. It may excite wonder, indeed, that he should speak of himself as having walked “in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 2:4

Verse 4 4.But God, who is rich in mercy. (122) Now follows the second member of the sentence, the substance of which is, that God had delivered the Ephesians from the destruction to which they were formerly liable; but the words which he employs are different. God, who is rich in mercy, hath quickened you together with Christ. The meaning is, that, there is no other life than that which is breathed into us by Christ: so that we begin to live only when we are ingrafted into him, and enjoy the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 2:5

Verse 5 5.Even when we were dead in sin. These words have the same emphasis as similar expressions in another Epistle. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died, for the ungodly. — But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6.) Whether the words, by grace ye are saved, have been inserted by another hand, I know not; but, as they are perfectly agreeable to the context, I am quite willing to receive them as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1

You also, who were dead in your trespasses and your sins. The apostle returns from his digression, in which he had shown the marvelous working of the Divine power on Christ, to show the working of the same power on the Ephesian converts themselves. The ὑμἀς is not governed by any verb going before; it manifestly depends on the συνεζωοποίησεν of Ephesians 2:5 , but it is separated from it by a new digression ( Ephesians 2:2 , Ephesians 2:3 ), on which the apostle immediately... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1

Spiritual death. The apostle sets forth the greatness of Divine power in man's salvation by setting forth the greatness of his sin and misery, represented under the aspect of spiritual death. Let us understand the nature of this death. I. MARK THE EXPRESSIVENESS OF THE TERM . It is strange to find it applied to living men. But there are certain suggestive points of similarity between natural and spiritual death. 1. The dealt have all the organs of sense , but no... read more

Group of Brands