Ephesians 2:11-22

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ephesians 2:11-13

In these verses the apostle proceeds in his account of the miserable condition of these Ephesians by nature. Wherefore remember, etc., Eph. 2:11. As if he had said, ?You should remember what you have been, and compare it with what you now are, in order to humble yourselves and to excite your love and thankfulness to God.? Note, Converted sinners ought frequently to reflect upon the sinfulness and misery of the state they were in by nature. Gentiles in the flesh, that is, living in the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ephesians 2:14-22

We have now come to the last part of the chapter, which contains an account of the great and mighty privileges that converted Jews and Gentiles both receive from Christ. The apostle here shows that those who were in a state of enmity are reconciled. Between the Jews and the Gentiles there had been a great enmity; so there is between God and every unregenerate man. Now Jesus Christ is our peace, Eph. 2:14. He made peace by the sacrifice of himself; and came to reconcile, 1. Jews and Gentiles to... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Ephesians 2:11-22

2:11-22 So then remember, that once, as far as human descent goes, you were Gentiles; you were called the uncircumcision by those who laid claim to that circumcision which is a physical thing, and a thing produced by men's hands. Remember that at that time you had no hope of a Messiah; you were aliens from the society of Israel, and strangers from the covenants on which the promises were based; you had no hope; you were in the world without God. But, as things now are. because of what Christ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 2:11

Wherefore remember, that ye be in time past Gentiles in the flesh ,.... This, with what follows in the next verse, the apostle puts the converted Ephesians in mind of, in order to magnify the grace of God in their conversion; and to humble them in a view of their former state and condition; and to teach them that they could never be saved by any works of theirs: particularly he would have them call to mind, that they were in "time past Gentiles"; which does not so much regard the nation and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 2:12

That at that time ye were without Christ ,.... Or separate from him: they were chosen in him and were preserved in him, and were redeemed by him before; but they were without any knowledge of him, faith in him, love to him, communion with him, or subjection to him, his Gospel, government, laws, and ordinances; and particularly they were without any promises of him, or prophecies concerning him, which were peculiar to the Jews; hence the Messiah is called משיחא דישראל , "the Christ of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus ,.... Being openly and visibly in Christ, created in him, and become believers in him; as they were before secretly in him, as chosen and blessed in him before the foundation of the world: ye who sometimes were far off ; who in their state of unregeneracy were afar off from God, and from his law, and from any spiritual knowledge of him and fellowship with him; and from Jesus Christ, and from the knowledge of his righteousness, and the way of salvation by him; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 2:14

For he is our peace ,.... The author of peace between Jew and Gentile: there was a great enmity of the Jew against the Gentile, and of the Gentile against the Jew; and chiefly on account of circumcision, the one being without it, and the other insisting on it, and branding one another with nicknames on account of it; but Christ has made peace between them by abrogating the ceremonial law, which was the occasion of the difference, and by sending the Gospel of peace to them both, by converting... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 2:15

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity ,.... The ceremonial law, as appears by what follows, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances ; which consisted of many precepts, and carnal ordinances; and is so called because it was an indication of God's hatred of sin, by requiring sacrifice for it; and because it was an occasion of stirring up the enmity of the natural man, it being a burden and a weariness to the flesh, by reason of its many and troublesome rites; and because it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 2:16

And that he might reconcile both unto God ,.... This is another end of the abrogation of the ceremonial law: the Jews had run up a long score against the ceremonial law, as well as against the moral law; and Christ by fulfilling it for them, and thereby abrogating it, reconciled them; and the Gentiles could not be reconciled together with them, without the abrogation of it: and this reconciliation of them is made to God, who was the person offended; and who yet first set on foot a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 2:17

And came and preached peace to you which were afar off ,.... Which is to be understood not of Christ's coming in the flesh; for when he came in the flesh, he came only to the Jews that were nigh, and preached the Gospel in his own personal ministry to them, and not to the Gentiles, who are the persons afar off; Ephesians 2:12 but of his coming by his Spirit in the ministry of his apostles, to whom he gave a commission after he had made peace and reconciliation by the blood of his cross, to... read more

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