Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1-10

SPIRITUAL HISTORY OF THE EPHESIANS . This passage corresponds to Genesis 1:1-31 . It is a history of creation, and we note the same great stages. 1. Chaos ( Genesis 1:1-3 ). 2. The dawn—the Spirit of God moving on the face of the waters ( Genesis 1:4 ). 3. The work of creation—in successive stages ( Genesis 1:4-10 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1-10

Spiritual history of Ephesians. I. THE CHAOS , or original state. 1. It is a state of death , implying previous life, but present insensibility and helplessness. The element of death is "trespasses and sins "—their killing power. 2. Yet a state of unholy activity , 3. A state of unholy indulgence ; seeking the fulfillment 4. A state of condemnation ; "by nature," by our very constitution, we are children of wrath. And this true of all. II. THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1-10

Association with Christ. The concluding thought of the first chapter was the resurrection and exaltation of Christ. In order now to bring out how they were benefited thereby, he calls up to them their original condition . He shows them the pit out of which they have been dug, the rock out of which they have been hewn. In the first and second verses he has special reference to Gentile Christians, in the third verse he includes Jewish Christians in his description. I. GENTILE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1-10

Gospel reformation great and gracious. "And you hath he quickened," etc. This passage, though its language is somewhat obscure, sets forth most manifestly the greatness and graciousness of gospel reformation . The gospel is a reformative system; it is revolutionary in its spirit and its aim. It uproots the noxious in life, and plants the wholesome. It pulls down the corrupt and builds up the holy. It burns up man's old moral heavens and creates new ones, "wherein dwelleth... 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

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 2:1-10

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

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