PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians
Hodge, Charles, 1797–1878 · 114,389 words · 342 reading sections
64 EPHESIANS,
of God; it indicates those who belong to him; and it renders their salvation certain. This sealing is by the Holy Spirit of promise. That is, by the Spirit who was promised ; or who comes in virtue of the promise. This promise was given fre- quently through the ancient prophets, who predicted that when the Messiah cam…
289 wordsSECTION 62CHAP. I. VER. 14. 65
to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, 2 Cor. 1, 22. 5, 5; and in the passage before us. In the same sense the Scriptures speak of “the first fruits of the Spirit,” Rom. 8, 23. Those influences of the Spirit which be- lievers now enjoy are at once a prelibation or antepast of future blessedness, the same in kind thou…
282 wordsSECTION 6366 EPHESIANS,
to take a place at the second advent of Christ. Thus in Luke 21, 28, ‘They shall see the Son of man com- ing in a cloud with power and great glory;.... then lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Rom. 8, 23. Eph. 4, 30. There can be no doubt that it here refers to this final deliverance. The word rende…
351 wordsSECTION 64SECTION III.—Ys. 15-23.
15. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord 16. Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for 17. you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our. Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18…
210 wordsSECTION 6568 EPHESIANS,
become partakers, the apostle gives thanks to God for their conversion, and assures them of their interest in his prayers, vs. 15. 16. He prays that God would give them that wisdom and knowledge of himself of which the Spirit is the author, v. 17; that their eyes might be enlightened properly to apprehend the nature an…
180 wordsSECTION 66COMMENTARY.
V. 15. Wherefore. This word is to be referred either to the whole preceding paragraph, or specially to v. 13. ‘Because you Ephesians, you Gentile Chris- tians, have obtained a portion in this inheritance, and, after having believed, have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, &c.’— 7 also, i. e. as well as others…
73 wordsSECTION 67CHAP. I. VER. 15. 69
version. The apostle assures them he joins them in their perpetual thanksgiving over this glorious event. Having heard of your faith m the Lord Jesus. As Paul was the founder of the church in Ephesus, and had laboured long in that city, it has always ex- cited remark that he should speak of having heard of their faith,…
290 wordsSECTION 6870 EPHESIANS,
sages where it occurs to be justified, in order to get rid of it. In the Old Testament the phrases, the Lord said, the Lord did, our Lord, and the like, are of constant occurrence ; and are used only, in this general way, of the Supreme God. We never hear of the Lord, nor our Lord, when reference is had to Moses or an…
278 wordsSECTION 69CHAP. I. VER. 17. 71
and the verses following. The object of his prayer, or the person to whom it is addressed, is designated, first, as the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, i. 6. the God whose work Christ came to do, by whom he was sent, of whom he testified and to whom he has gone ;—and secondly, ὁ πατὴρ τῆς δόξης, the Lather of glory. This…
275 wordsSECTION 7072 EPHESIANS,
which consists in wisdom. It is true the word spirit is sometimes used in periphrases expressive of mental acts or states. As in 1 Cor. 4, 21, “spirit of meek- ness ;” and 2 Cor. 4, 13, “The same spirit of faith,” i. e. the same confidence. But in the present case the former interpretation is to be preferred. 1. Becaus…
293 wordsSECTION 71CHAP. I. VER. 17. 73
knowledge of future events, nor the prophetic gift, nor inspiration. It is something which all believers need and for which they should pray. It is that manifesta- tion of the nature or excellence of the things of God, which the Spirit makes to all who are spiritually en- lightened, and of which our Saviour spoke, when…
269 wordsSECTION 7214 EPHESIANS,
things of God, which insight into the things of the Spirit, is connected with that knowledge of God in which eternal life essentially consists. V.18. Zhe eyes of your understanding being en- lightened. Instead of διανοίας understanding, the great © majority of ancient manuscripts and versions read xap- dias head, wh…
553 wordsSECTION 7376 EPHESIANS,
ceptions. This inheritance is not only divine as having God for its author; but it is a glorious inheritance; and not simply glorious, but the glory of it is incon- ceivably great. In the saints, ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις. These words admit of different constructions, but the most natural is to reter them to the immediately prec…
562 wordsSECTION 7478 EPHESIANS,
been a remarkable coincidence of judgment among commentators. Chrysostom says: ‘“‘The conversion of souls is more wonderful than the resurrection of the dead.” Oecumenius remarks on this passage: “To raise us from spiritual death is an exercise of the same power that raised Christ from natural death.” Calvin says, “Som…
279 wordsSECTION 75CHAP. I. VER. 19. 19
surrection due to the exceeding greatness of the power of God. According to the working of his mighty power, κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τοῦ κράτους τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ. The original here offers a remarkable accumulation of words.—‘ According to the energy of the might of his power.’ ᾿Ισχύς, κράτος, ἐνέργεια ; Robur, Potentia, Ef…
262 wordsSECTION 7680 EPHESIANS,
which they had experienced was to be considered so great, viz., because their faith was due to the same en- ergy that raised Christ from the dead. In either case the doctrinal import of the passage is the same. The considerations in favour of the latter mode of construc- tion are: 1. The position of the clauses. Accord…
288 wordsSECTION 77CHAP. I. VER. 20. 81
they might be elevated above the world. And in pray- ing that they might know the exceeding greatness of the power exercised in their conversion, he prayed that they might be at once humble and confident; humble, in view of the death of sin from which they had been raised; and confident, in view of the omnipotence of t…
284 wordsSECTION 7882 EPHESIANS,
with themselves in dominion. No creature can be thus associated in honour and authority with God, and there- fore to none of the angels hath he ever said: Sit thou at my right hand. Heb. 1,13. That divine honour and authority are expressed by sitting at the right hand of God, is further evident from those passages whic…
285 wordsSECTION 79CHAP. I. VER. 21. 83
being invested with this peculiar dominion. Thus in the second Psalm, it is said, “Thou art my Son; ask of me, I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, ἄς. That is, because thou art my son, ask and I will give thee this dominion. And in the first chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, it is said, The Son, be…
288 wordsSECTION 8084 EPHESIANS,
to angels cannot be historically traced. The names themselves suggest the reason of their use. Angels are called principalities, powers and dominions, either be- cause of their exalted nature; or because through them God exercises his power and dominion; or because of their relation to each other. It is possible indeed…
280 wordsSECTION 81CHAP. I. VER. 22. 85
against the Holy Ghost can never be forgiven; so here they are intended to add universality to the preceding negation. There is no name here or hereafter, in this world or in the next, over which Christ is not highly exalted. V. 22. And hath put all things under his feet. Christ is not only exalted above all creatures…
297 wordsSECTION 8286 EPHESIANS,
satisfies all the exigencies both of the original Psalm and of the passages where it is quoted in the New Testament. And gave him to be head over all things to the church, καὶ αὐτὸν ἔδωκε κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ πάντα TH ἐκκλη- σίᾳ. This may mean either, he gave him ¢o the church as her head; or, he constituted him head for the …
282 wordsSECTION 83CHAP. I. VER. 23. 87
the head of all principality and power, in the sense of supreme ruler; and as here in the immediately pre- ceding context he is said to be exalted over all princi- pality and power, and in the following cohtext he is said to be the head of the church, which is his body, the two ideas may be here combined. ‘ Him he gave…
298 wordsSECTION 8488 EPHESIANS,
professors of the true religion; but in true believers, who therefore constitute that church which is the body of Christ, and to which its attributes and prerogatives belong. The main question which this verse presents for consideration is: In what sense is the church the ful- ness of Christ? There are, however, two o…
273 wordsSECTION 85CHAP. I. VER. 23. 89
belonging to him who fills all in all” But this is a signification which the word never has in itself, but only in virtue of the word with which it is at times connected. The expression πλήρωμα τῆς πόλεως May be freely rendered, the multitude af the city, because that which fills a city is a multitude. But this does no…
295 wordsSECTION 8690 EPHESIANS,
Testament, it is used actively—that which does fill. Matt. 9, 16, The piece put into an old garment is called its fulness, i. e. ‘that which is put in to fill it up.’ Mark 6, 48, The fragments which filled the bas- kets, are called their fulness. John 1, 16, ‘ Of his ful- ness,’ means the plenitude of grace and truth t…
312 wordsSECTION 87CHAP. I. VER. 23. 91
loquendi of the New Testament is not an insuperable objection. That filleth all in all, τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσι, πλη- ρουμένου. This clause, as before remarked, refers to Christ, as the construction obviously demands. The participle πληρουμένου is by almost all commentators assumed to have in this case an active signific…
283 wordsSECTION 8892 EPHESIANS,
There is no place where he is not. There is no crea- ture from which he is absent. By him all things con- sist; they are upheld by his presence in them and with them. The union, therefore, which the church sustains, and which is the source of its life and blessed- ness, is not with a mere creature, but with Christ, God…
90 wordsSECTION 89THE APOSTLE CONTRASTS THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF THE EPHESIANS BEFORE
i THEIR CONVERSION, WITH THAT INTO WHICH THEY HAD BEEN INTRO- DUCED BY THE GRACE OF GOD, vs. 1-10.—HE CONTRASTS THEIR PRE- VIOUS CONDITION AS ALIENS, WITH THAT OF FELLOW-CITIZENS OF THE SAINTS AND MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY OF GOD, vs. 11-22,…
43 wordsSECTION 90SECTION I.—Vs. 1-10.
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses . and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of dis- . Obedience : among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the…
185 wordsSECTION 9194 EPHESIANS,
10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.…
24 wordsSECTION 92ANALYSIS.
There are three principal topics treated of in this Section. First, the spiritual state of the Ephesians before their conversion. Second, the change which God had wrought in them. Third, the design for which that change had been effected. I. The state of the Ephesians before their conver- sion, and the natural state o…
236 wordsSECTION 93COMMENTARY.
V.1. And you hath he quickened, who were dead mn trespasses and sins. There is an intimate connection between this clause and the preceding paragraph. In v.19 of the first chapter the apostle prays that the Ephesians might duly appreciate the greatness of that power which had been exercised in their conversion. It was …
260 wordsSECTION 9496 EPHESIANS,
seven verses of this chapter form one sentence, which is so long and complicated that the apostle is forced, before getting to the end of it, slightly to vary the con- struction ; a thing of very frequent occurrence in his writings. He dwells so long in vs. 2, 3, 4, on the natural state of the Ephesians, that he is obl…
559 wordsSECTION 9598 EPHESIANS,
plained. The most common interpretation assumes that the word αἰών is here used in its classical, rather than its Jewish sense. It is referred to the old verb do, to breathe, and hence means, breath, vital principle, life, life-time, and then duration indefinitely. According to the life of this world, therefore, means …
593 wordsSECTION 96100 EPHESIANS,
planation is the common meaning of the word, and the undoubted fact that both among the Greeks and Jews it was the current opinion of that age that our atmosphere was the special abode of spirits. In favour of the lat- ter, it may be urged that the Scriptures nowhere else recognize or sanction the doctrine that the air…
569 wordsSECTION 97102 EPHESIANS,
latter interpretation it may be objected that the sense thus obtained is feeble and obscure, if the word spirit ) is made to mean ‘disposition of men ;᾽ which, to say the least, is a very vague and indefinite expression, and furnishes no proper parallelism to the preceding clause “ powers of the air.” But by spzrtt m…
562 wordsSECTION 98104 EPHESIANS,
as to the main point, as this apostle elsewhere teaches, no difference ; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is also no essential difference as to the way in which different communities or indi- viduals manifest the depravity common to them all. There is very great difference as to the degree …
277 wordsSECTION 99CHAP. II. VER. 3. 105
sire, whether good or bad. In Scripture most com- monly it is taken in a bad sense, and means inordinate desire of any kind. The ‘lusts of the flesh’ are those irregular desires which have their origin in the flesh. By the flesh, however, is not to be understood merely our sensuous nature, but our whole nature consider…
295 wordsSECTION 100106 EPHESIANS,
behests, commands. The things done were those which the flesh and the mind willed to be done. They were the governing principles to whose will obedience was rendered. Avavoia, mind, is used here for the whole thinking and sentient principle, so far as distinguished from the animal principle. Frequently it means the int…
273 wordsSECTION 101CHAP. II. VER. 3. 107
thing in the character or condition, it always expresses what is natural or innate, as opposed to what is made, taught, superinduced, or in any way incidental or ac- quired. This general idea is of course variously modi- fied by the nature of the thing spoken of. Thus when the apostle says, Gal. 2,15, ἡμεῖς φύσει ᾿Ιουδ…
297 wordsSECTION 102108 EPHESIANS,
were by nature the children of wrath, can only mean, ‘We were born in that condition.’ It was something natural. We did not become the children of wrath, but were already such as we were born.* The sim- ple fact is asserted, not the reason of it. It is by nature, not on account of nature that we are here de- clared to …
351 wordsSECTION 103CHAP. II. VER. 3. 109
but it does violence to the force of the word φύσις, which means simply nature, and not either holy or corrupt nature. The idea of moral character may be implied in the context, but is not expressed by the word. When we say, ‘a man is by nature kind,’ it is indeed implied that his nature is benevolent, but na- ture doe…
276 wordsSECTION 104110 EPHESIANS,
context for the signification of the word. When Paul says, the heathen deities are not by nature gods, he does indeed say they are not really gods; but this does not prove that by natwre means truly. Another exposition of this passage i8, that the apostle here refers to the incidental cause of our being the children o…
279 wordsSECTION 105CHAP. II. VER. 4. 111
and therefore are born in a state of condemnation. They need redemption from the moment of their birth ; and therefore the seal of redemption is applied to them in baptism, which otherwise would be a senseless ceremony. V. 4. The apostle having thus described the natural state of men, in this and the following verses,…
269 wordsSECTION 106112 EPHESIANS,
V.5. Kai ovtas ἡμᾶς. The conjunction καί does not serve merely to resume the connection; nor is it to be referred to ἡμᾶς, us also, us as well as others ; but it belongs to the participle——‘ And being,’ i. 6. even when we were dead in trespasses. Notwithstand- ing our low, and apparently helpless condition, God interfe…
259 wordsSECTION 107CHAP. I. VER. 5. 118
We are said to be ‘ quickened together with Christ.’ This does not mean merely that we are quickened as he was, that there is an analogy between his resurrec- tion from the grave, and our spiritual resurrection ; but the truth here taught is that which is presented in Rom..6, 6.8. Gal. 2,192.20. .2 Cor. 5, 14...1,Cor 1…
289 wordsSECTION 108114 EPHESIANS,
deeply into the very nature of the Gospel, that Paul brings it forward on every fit occasion. And if the mode in which he speaks of our deliverance, does not of itself show it to be gratuitous, he introduces the de- claration parenthetically, lest it should be for a moment forgotten. Υ. 6. And hath raised us wp and ca…
282 wordsSECTION 109CHAP. II. VER. 6. 115
duced. The opposite state is called “the kingdom of Satan ;” and hence men are said to be translated from “the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.” It is in this sense of the word that we are said, Phil. 3, 20, to be the citizens of heaven. We, if Christians, belong not to the earth, but heaven; we …
300 wordsSECTION 110116 | EPHESIANS,
cause the continuance and consummation of these blessings are rendered certain by the nature of the union between Christ and his people. In him they are already raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God. V. 7. Why has God done all this? Why from eternity has he chosen us to be holy before him in love? W…
550 wordsSECTION 111118 EPHESIANS,
tion is entirely of grace. Ye are saved by grace; ye are saved by faith and not by works; and even faith is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. We have then here a manifold assertion, affirmative and negative, of the gratuitous nature of salvation. It is not only said in general, ‘ye are saved by grace,’ but furt…
595 wordsSECTION 112120 EPHESIANS,
boast.’ The middle clause of the verse is therefore parenthetical, and refers not to the main idea ye are saved, but to the subordinate one through faith, and is designed to show how entirely salvation is of grace, since even faith by which we apprehend the offered mercy, is the gift of God. 4. The analogy of Scrip- tu…
305 wordsSECTION 113CHAP. II. VER. 10. 121
is the end of redemption, for Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. Titus 2,14. Those therefore who live in sin are not the subjects of this redemption. Οἷς προητοίμασε, is variously interpreted. The verb signifies properl…
285 wordsSECTION 114122. EPHESIANS,
believers are delivered by the grace of God in Christ Jesus ; and the design of this deliverance is the mani- festation, through all coming ages, of the exceeding riches of his grace. lk 12.…
34 wordsSECTION 115SECTION II.—Vs. 11-22.
Wheretore remember, that ye deing in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having . no hope,…
250 wordsSECTION 116ANALYSIS.
In the preceding paragraph the apostle had set forth—1l. The moral and spiritual condition of the CHAP. II. vs. 11-22. 123 Ephesians by nature. 2. The spiritual renovation and exaltation which they had experienced. 3. The design of God in this dispensation. In this paragraph he exhibits the corresponding change in t…
284 wordsSECTION 117124 . EPHESIANS,
To be alien from the church, therefore, is to be an alien from God. It is to be without Christ and without hope. The church of which this is said is not the nominal, external, visible church as such, but the true people of God. As, however, the Scriptures always speak of men according to their profession, calling those…
169 wordsSECTION 118COMMENTARY.
V.11. Wherefore remember, 1. 6. since God has done such great things for you, call to mind your former condition, as a motive both for humility and gratitude. That ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, ἔθνη ἐν σαρκί, i. 6. uncircumcised heathen. This gives in a word the description of their former state. All tha…
89 wordsSECTION 119CHAP. II. VER. 11. 125
external condition, which would imply that spiritually, or as to their internal state, they were not heathen. The context shows that it refers to cireumcision, which being a sign in the flesh, is designated with suf- ficient clearness by the expression in the text. As circumcision was a rite of divine appointment, and …
282 wordsSECTION 120126 EPHESIANS,
3,3. The Jews were a striking illustration of the effect of ascribing to external rites objective power, and regarding them as conveying grace and securing the favour of God, irrespective of the subjective state of the recipient. This doctrine rendered them proud, self-righteous, malignant, and contemptuous, and led th…
272 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1856). Text from OCR of an original Internet Archive scan; OCR may contain recognition errors.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.