Immediately after the salutation at the beginning of the first chapter, he addresses God's free choice. To the praise of the glory of his grace, where he made us accepted in the beloved.
In whom we have redemption. The apostle is still illustrating the material cause, the manner in which we are reconciled to God through
The angels have never been separated from God and cannot be said to have been scattered. Who then can deny that both angels and men have been reduced to a fixed order by the grace of Christ?
Through whom also we have obtained an inheritance. Hitherto he has spoken generally of all the elect; he now begins to take notice of separate
This is undoubtedly true; but what prevents us from saying that the angels have also come together. As if he had said: “The condition of all divine persons is the same as yours; for we who were first called of God owe our acceptance to his eternal election.” Thus he shows that all, from beginning to end, have obtained salvation by free grace, because they have been freely adopted according to eternal election.
That we should be to the praise of his glory. Here again he mentions the final cause of salvation; for we must eventually become illustrations of the
Such is the meaning of the word salvation in the passage now quoted from the Epistle to the Romans, and in the saying of our Lord. The eyes of your heart is the Vulgate translation supported by some Greek.
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. The eyes of your heart is the rendering of the Vulgate, which is supported by some Greek
Indeed, there is nothing to prevent us from looking upon it as the universal government of the world;. What will they find pure or holy under the tyranny of the devil.
Among whom also we all had our conversation. Lest it should be
To fulfill these desires means living according to the direction of our natural inclination and our mind. This is a wonderful passage, contrary to the views of the Pelagians and all who deny original sin.
Even when we were dead in sin. These words have the same emphasis as similar expressions in another Epistle
That in the ages to come. The final and true cause — the glory of God
God's love for us in Christ is here proved, or again declared, to have its origin in mercy. Therefore, not only does he declare that the love of God was free, but also that God displayed in the riches, the extraordinary riches of his grace.
For by grace are ye saved. This is an inference from the former
His meaning is not that faith is God's gift, but that salvation is given to us by God, or that we obtain it by God's gift. Now what is left of free will, if all the good works which proceed from us are acknowledged to have been the gifts of God's Spirit.
For he is our Peace. He now includes Jews in the privilege of
The Jews were separated from the Gentiles for a time, by the appointment of God; and ceremonial celebrations were the overt and outspoken symbols of that separation. While passing through the Gentiles, God had chosen the Jews to be a special people to Him.
And that he might reconcile both. The reconciliation between ourselves which has now been described is not the only advantage which we derive
And came and preached peace to you who were far away, and to those who were near. In whom you also were built together for a dwelling place of God through the Spirit.
And came and preached peace. All that Christ had done towards effecting a reconciliation would have been of no service, if it had not been
So now you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and with the household of God. And are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
And are built. The third comparison illustrates the manner in which the Ephesians, and all other Christians are admitted to the honor of being
The Holy Spirit everywhere proclaims that he spoke through our mouths. That the Gentiles might be joint-heirs and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ according to the gospel.
That he would give to you. Paul wishes that the Ephesians should be strengthened; and yet he had already bestowed on their piety no mean
He endeavors to discover some mysterious allusion to the figure of the cross, and makes the breadth love, — the height, hope, — the length, patience, and the depth, humility. As if he had said, "Whichever way men look, they will find nothing in the doctrine of salvation that has not some connection with this subject." The love of Christ contains in itself all wisdom, so that the words can run like this: that you can be capable of it.
Now to him. He now breaks out into thanksgiving, which serves the additional purpose of exhorting the Ephesians to maintain “good hope
Mutual agreement is the first topic, in the course of which a discussion is introduced about respecting the government of the church, as determined by our Lord for the purpose of preserving unity among Christians. With good reason he recommends here self-restraint, as a tendency to promote the unity of the Spirit.
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit. With good reason does he recommend forbearance, as tending to promote the unity of the Spirit
No member of the body of Christ is endowed with such perfection as to be able, without the. The survival of the Church is represented by David as a manifestation of the Divine glory.
That we may be no more children. Having spoken of that perfect manhood, towards which we are proceeding throughout the whole course
Then he wonders what kind of fruits the gospel teaching should bear in life. And even in the worship of God it leads to great errors, especially in the first tablet of the law.
Who being past feeling. The account which had been given of natural depravity is followed by a description of the worst of all evils, brought
We must consider the reason here assigned; for, as the knowledge of God is the true life of the soul, so, on the contrary, ignorance is its death. The account which was given of natural depravity is followed by a description of the worst of all evils, introduced.
But ye have not so learned Christ; Vos autem non ita didicistis Christum;
But ye have not. He now draws a contrast of a Christian life, so as to make it evident how utterly inconsistent it is with the character of a godly
The second part of the rule for a godly and holy life is to live not in our own minds, but in the Spirit of Christ. As for the passage of the Psalm, the idea of trembling will be very appropriate.
Let him that stole steal no more. This includes not merely the grosser thefts which are punished by human laws, but those of a more concealed
No condition, no matter how difficult or unpleasant, can give anyone the right to cause harm to another or even to refrain from contributing to the needs of his brothers. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for teaching, that it may bring grace to the hearers.
No filthy speech. He first forbids believers to use any filthy language, including under this name all those expressions which are wont to be
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by which you are sealed for the day of redemption. When the Holy Spirit dwells in us, every part of our soul and our body should be attributed to Him.
Be ye therefore followers. The same principle is followed out and
And live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us as an offering and sacrifice to God as a sweet aroma. For you know this, that no fornicator, no fornicator, no glutton, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
But fornication. This chapter, and the third of the Epistle to the
Nor filthiness, nor foolish talk, nor jests that are not useful; but rather thanksgiving. If his readers were at all fascinated by the allurements of the vices enumerated, this would be the consequence.
For this ye know. If his readers were at all captivated by the allurements of those vices which have been enumerated, the consequence would be that
When people have repented and thus give evidence that they have been reconciled to God, they are no longer the same persons as they once were. If we remember that the present tense is used here, in accordance with the Hebrew idiom, for the. future, these words are a threat of the final judgment.
For ye were once darkness. The precepts which immediately follow derive greater weight from the motives with which they are mingled
As “the children of light” dwell in the midst of darkness, or, in other words, in the midst of “a perverse and crooked darkness, or, in other words, in the midst of “a perverse and crooked generation” (<053205 > Deuteronomy 32:5,) – there is good reason to warn them to keep themselves apart from evil deeds. Because the participle (fanerou>menon), which is translated, that which manifests, is in the middle voice, that which is translated, that which manifests, is in the middle voice, it admits a passive or active form. meaning.
Wherefore he saith. Interpreters are at great pains to discover the passage of Scripture which Paul appears to quote, and which is nowhere to
If the passive sense, which is followed by the ancient translator, were to be preferred, the word light would denote, as before, that which gives light, and the meaning would be that evil deeds, which had been hidden, would come before the public. point of view, when they are made manifest by the word of God: If participation is taken actively, there will still be two ways of explaining it: 1. Interpreters are at great pains to discover the passage of Scripture which Paul seems to he quotes and that is nowhere.
See then. If believers must not neglect to drive away the darkness of others by their own brightness, how much less ought they to be blind as to
By speaking to yourself in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Give thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Wherefore be ye not unwise. He whose
To withdraw from the endless variety of temptations that would easily lead us astray; to rid ourselves of the cares and pleasures of the world; and, in a word, to abandon every obstacle. He means that it is a pleasure that should never lose its taste; that this is an exercise we should never do.
Giving thanks always. He means that this is a pleasure which ought never to lose its relish; that this is an exercise of which we ought never to
Christ has, no doubt, this particular claim, that he is the Savior of the Church: yet let the women know that theirs. Others again assume that too much importance is attached to the sign, saying that baptism is the washing of the soul.
Even as Christ the church. He proceeds to enforce the obligations of marriage by representing to us Christ and his Church; for a more powerful
Between a man and his wife there is a much closer relationship; for they were not only united by an agreement of nature, but became one man by the bond of marriage. He continues to enforce the obligations of marriage by representing Christ and his Church to us; for a more powerful.
For this cause. This is an exact quotation from the writings of Moses
Everything depends on this, that the wife was formed from the flesh and bones of her husband. Because the Vulgate has adopted the word sacrament (sacramentum) as a translation of the word mystery used by the apostle.
Which is the first commandment with promise. The promises annexed to the commandments are intended to excite our hopes, and to impart a
That it may be well with thee. The promise is a long life; from which we are led to understand that the present life is not to be overlooked among
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the wiles of the devil. By faith we ward off all the attacks of the devil, and by the word of God the enemy himself is killed.
END OF THE COMMENTARIES ON THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS
CALVIN’S VERSION
EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the effectiveness of the power of his strength;. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given, according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
FOOTNOTES
Ft46 “In our view, the verse is a summary of the argument – the culmination of the appeal. Ft54 “The different spellings of the verb and the change from f to y are the result of inattention.
TRANSLATION FOOTNOTES
Risk, we have mentioned Socrates wrestling with Melitus, with bonds and poison; next, the philosopher Plato struggling with a tyrant's fury, a rough sea and the greatest dangers; then, Xenophon wrestles with the prejudices of. Guy, Accomplist, guy, replist le tout, ascavoir, toute l’Eglise de ses dons et graces.” "Or, that He may complete or fulfill the whole, that is to say the whole church, with his gifts and graces."