PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians
Hodge, Charles, 1797–1878 · 114,389 words · 342 reading sections
CHAP. II. VER. 12. 127
λοτριωμένοι. They stood as ἄλλοι, as others, distin- guished as a separate class from the people of God. The word πολιτεία means—1. Citizenship. 2. The order or constitution of the state. 38. The community or state itself. The last signification best suits the con- nection. ᾿Ισραήλ means the theocratical people; and πο…
262 wordsSECTION 122128 EPHESIANS,
cause shut out of the covenant of promise. The pro- mise of God is the only foundation of hope, and therefore those to whom there is no promise, have no hope. And having no hope of redemption, the great blessing pro- mised, they were, in the widest sense of the word, hope- less. They were moreover without God, ἄθεοι. T…
575 wordsSECTION 123130 EPHESIANS,
the typical and ritual economy of the Old Testament the people were brought externally nigh to God, by the blood of calves and goats, through which temporal redemption was effected and the theocratical covenant was ratified; so we are brought spiritually nigh to God by the blood of Christ, who has obtained eternal rede…
582 wordsSECTION 124132 _ EPHESIANS,
then in apposition with μεσότοιχον, but not with νόμον ; and καταργήσας τὸν νόμον, instead of being a mere re- petition of λύσας τὸ μεσότουχον, is an independent clause explaining the manner in which the reconcilia- tion of the Jews and Gentiles had been effected. The passage then means, ‘ He is our peace because he ha…
565 wordsSECTION 125134 EPHESIANS,
ciliation to God is effected. The “abolishing,” there- fore, of which the apostle speaks, does not consist in setting the law aside, or suspending it by a sovereign, executive act. It is a causing it to cease; or rendering it no longer binding by satisfying its demands, so that we are judicially free from it; free not …
581 wordsSECTION 126136 EPHESIANS,
this, however, it is answered—1. That the connecting article is frequently omitted in cases where the qualify- ing word is intimately connected with the word to be qualified, so as to form one idea with it. See Eph. 2, 11. 2 Cor. 7,7. Col. 1,4. 2. That καταργήσας has its qualifying clause in the words ἐν τῇ σαρκί. It w…
584 wordsSECTION 127138 EPHESIANS,
body into which Jews and Gentiles are merged (so that the one is σύσσωμα with the other, Eph. 3, 6); the means of this reconciliation is the cross, because the crucifixion of our Lord removes the enmity which pre- vented the reconciliation here spoken of. To reconcile is to effect peace and union between parties previ…
274 wordsSECTION 128CHAP. II. VER. 16. 139
Gentiles united in one body, i. e. the church—rods ἀμφοτέρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι. His death had not reference to one class to the exclusion of the other. It was de- signed to bring unto God, the whole number of the redeemed, whether Jews or Gentiles, as one living body, filled with his Spirit as well as washed in his blood.…
273 wordsSECTION 129140 EPHESIANS,
crucifixion has destroyed the enmity between the Jews and Gentiles and then reconciled them thus united in one body to God.’ It is urged in favour of this inter- pretation that it is unnatural to make the word enmity in this verse and in verse 15 refer to different things. The great doctrine in the whole context is the…
577 wordsSECTION 130142 EPHESIANS,
ward man. God is reconciled. Being justified by faith we have peace with God. Christ having redeemed us from the curse of the law; having reconciled us to God by his death, came and preached peace. To what preaching does the apostle refer? Some say to Christ’s personal preaching while here on earth. Hav- my come, i. 6.…
278 wordsSECTION 131CHAP. II. VER. 18. 143
object to which the preaching was directed. It indicates those for whose benefit this peace has been procured. Christ announced that peace with God had, by the cross, been secured for those afar off, viz. the Gentiles, as well as for the Jews, or those who were nigh. Υ. 18. The proof that peace has thus been obtained …
299 wordsSECTION 132144 EPHESIANS,
into a state of grace, Rom. 5, 3, is not identical with the peace procured by Christ, but the effect or se- quence of it. Having made propitiation, or secured peace, he introduces us as our mediator and advocate into the divine presence. As to this access we are taught that it is—1. To the Father. 2. It is through Chr…
298 wordsSECTION 133CHAP. I. VER. 18. 145
him. This representation will be recognized as per- vading the Scripture. It is the Father as representing the Godhead, to whom we are said to be reconciled, to be brought near, into whose family we are adopted, and of whose glory we are heirs. Secondly, this access is through Christ. This means, 1st, as explained in …
302 wordsSECTION 134146 EPHESIANS,
spirit, are not to be understood as expressing the in- ward concord or fellowship of the Jews and Gentiles in drawing near to God, nor simply that we are influenced by a common spirit of life, but the words are to be understood of the Holy Ghost.—1. Because the ward πνεῦμα, Without as well as with the article so genera…
579 wordsSECTION 135148 EPHESIANS,
fore, to the participation of the privileges of the old, external, visible theocracy, nor simply to the pale of the visible Christian church, that the apostle here welcomes his Gentile brethren, but to the spiritual Israel, the communion of saints; to citizenship in that kingdom of which Christ is king, and membership …
280 wordsSECTION 136CHAP. II. VER. 20. 149
and second, prophets,’ it is obvious that these are the classes of teachers here referred to. 2. The statement here made that the apostles and prophets are, or have laid, the foundation of that house of which the Gentiles are a part, is more obviously true of the New, than of the Old Testament prophets. 38. The passage…
277 wordsSECTION 137150 EPHESIANS,
10, speaks of himself as having laid the foundation, and not as being part of it; and that it is derogatory to Christ to associate him with the apostles on terms of such apparent equality, he being one part and they another of the foundation. On the other hand, how- ever, it may be said, that there is a true and obviou…
277 wordsSECTION 138CHAP. I. VER. 21. 151
Jehovah as saying: “ Behold I lay in Zion for a foun- dation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.” Isaiah 28, 16. Ps. 118, 22. Matt. 21, 49. Acts 4,11. 1 Cor. 3,11. 1 Pet. 2, 6-8. V. 21. Christ being the corner stone, every thing depends on union …
275 wordsSECTION 139152 EPHESIANS,
the several parts one with another, so as to constitute a well compacted whole. This union, as appears from the nature of the building, is not external and visible, as a worldly kingdom under one visible head, but spiritual. “Groweth unto a holy temple,” αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον, i. e. increases so as to become a holy tem…
548 wordsSECTION 140154 EPHESIANS,
with other passages in which the church is called the temple of God because he dwells therein by the Spirit. The Spirit being a divine person, his presence is the presence of God. Finally, the words may be connected with the verb, and the preposition have an instrumental force. ‘Ye are builded by the Spirit into an hab…
103 wordsSECTION 141CHAPTER III.
THE NATURE AND DESIGN OF PAUL'S COMMISSION, vs. 1-13—HIS PRAYER Ἰῷ 2. . God which is given me to you-ward: how that by revelation 10. FOR THE EPHESIANS, Vs. 14-21.…
30 wordsSECTION 142SECTION I.—Vs. 1-13.
For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of he made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few . words ; whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowl- . edge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known u…
200 wordsSECTION 143156 EPHESIANS,
11. known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our 12. Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence 18. by the faith of him. WhereforeI desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.…
54 wordsSECTION 144ANALYSIS.
The office which Paul had received was that of an apostle to the Gentiles, vs. 1-2. For this office he was qualified by direct revelation from Jesus Christ, con- cerning the purpose of redemption, of his knowledge of which the preceding portions of his epistle, were sufficient evidence, vs. 3,4. The special truth, now …
224 wordsSECTION 145COMMENTARY.
V.1. For this cause, i. e. because you Gentiles are fellow-citizens of the saints, and specially because you Ephesians are included in the temple of God. As there is no verb of which the words, ἐγὼ Παῦλος, I Paul, are the nominative, there is great diversity of opinion as to the proper construction of the passage. The…
268 wordsSECTION 146158 EPHESIANS,
the communion of saints, I am a prisoner of Jesus Christ.’ The expression, ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, the prisoner of Christ, does not mean prisoner on account of Christ. Those for whom he suffered bonds are immediately afterwards said to be the Gentiles. It means Christ’s prisoner. As he was Christ’s servant, apostle, an…
282 wordsSECTION 147CHAP. III. VER. 2. 159
preserved silence on his apostleship. He speaks of himself as a prisoner for their sake, inasmuch as they had heard he was the apostle to the Gentiles. The expression, dispensation of the grace gwen unto mé, is the designation of his office. It was an οἰκονο- pia, a stewardship. A stewardship of the grace given, Ths χ…
290 wordsSECTION 148160 EPHESIANS,
an οἰκονομία anda χάρις. The apostleship was not a mere office like that of a prelate or prince, conferring certain rights and powers; it was an inward grace, including plenary and infallible knowledge. You could no more appoint a man an apostle, than you could appoint him a saint. Neither inspiration nor holiness come…
553 wordsSECTION 149162 EPHESIANS,
or revelation concerning Christ ; or of which he is the author (i. e. of the secret purpose of redemption), or which is Christ. Christ himself is the great mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh. He is the revelation of the μυστήριον or secret purpose of God, which had been hid for ages. Thus the apostle in wr…
297 wordsSECTION 150CHAP. II. VER. 5. 163
their declarations on this point to prove that what he taught was in accordance with the Old Testament; see Rom. 9, 25-33. The emphasis must, therefore, be laid on the word as. This doctrine was not formerly re- vealed as, i. e. not so fully or so clearly as under the Gospel. The common text reads ἐν ἑτέραις γενεαῖς, …
280 wordsSECTION 151164 EPHESIANS,
recipients of direct revelations. They are here called holy in the sense of sacred, consecrated. They were men set apart for the peculiar service of God. In the same sense the prophets of the old economy are called holy. Luke 1, 70. 2 Peter 1,21. The pronoun és in connection with apostles may refer to God as the author…
282 wordsSECTION 152CHAP. III. VER. 6. 165
peculiarities. It seems never to have entered into any human mind until the day of Pentecost, that the theo- cracy itself was to be abolished, and a new form of religion was to be introduced, designed and adapted equally for all mankind, under which the distinction between Jew and Gentile was to be done away. It was th…
271 wordsSECTION 153166 EPHESIANS,
is expressed literally, when it is added, they are par- takers of his (God’s) promise. The promise is the pro- mise of redemption; the promise made to our first parents, repeated to Abraham, and which forms the burden of all the Old Testament predictions. Gal. 3, 14.19. 22, 29. The only essential and indispensable con…
573 wordsSECTION 154168 EPHESIANS,
preach among the Gentiles, the unscarchable riches of Christ. By the word saints is to be understood not the apostles, but the people of God, who are “called to be saints,” 1 Cor. 1,7. Rom.1, 7. Less than the least, ἐλαχιστοτέρος, a comparative formed from a superla- tive. It was not merely the sense of his sinfulness…
266 wordsSECTION 155CHAP. III. VER. 9. 169
thing in short, which renders him the satisfying por- tion of the soul. V.9. It was Paul’s first duty to preach the un- searchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles, for he was especially the “ apostle of the Gentiles.” But his duty was not confined to them. He was commissioned both to preach to the Gentiles, and to…
272 wordsSECTION 156170 EPHESIANS,
From the beginning of the world hath been hid in God. The common text in this clause reads κοινωνία, fellow- ship, but all the corrected editions of the New Testa- ment, on the authority of the ancient MSS., read οἰκο- νομία, plan, or, economy. The mystery or secret, is not the simple purpose to call the Gentiles into …
553 wordsSECTION 157172 EPHESIANS,
manifold wisdom. This is the supralapsarian view of the order of the divine purposes, and as it is the only passage in Scripture which is adduced as directly asserting that theory, its proper interpretation is of special interest. It is objected to the construction just mentioned—1. That the passage would then teach a …
286 wordsSECTION 158CHAP. I. VER. 10. 173
had been so long hid might now be made known. It was the design of preaching the Gospel, and not the design of creation of which the apostle had occasion to speak. The natural connection of ἵνα, therefore, is with the verbs εὐαγγελίσασθαι and φωτίσαι, which express the main idea in the context. ‘ Paul,” says Olshausen,…
264 wordsSECTION 159174 EPHESIANS,
display of the divine perfections. It is ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις that this exhibi- tion of the manifold wisdom of God is to be made διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας. This gives us our highest conception of the dignity of the church. The works of God mani- fest his glory by being what they are. It is because…
285 wordsSECTION 160CHAP. III. VER. 12. 175
Christ, the incarnate Son of God. The purpose of God to make provision for the redemption of men has been fulfilled in the incarnation and death of his Son. V.12. Hence, as the consequence of this accom- plished work, we have, in him, τὴν παῤῥησίαν καὶ τὴν προςαγωγὴν ἐν πεποιθήσει, boldness and access with confidence,…
270 wordsSECTION 161176 EPHESIANS,
faith in Christ. This is explanatory of the first clause of the verse, ἐν ᾧ---διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ, in whom, i. e. by faith of Him ; faith of which he is the object. Comp. 2,18. It is the discovery of the dignity of his person, confidence in the efficacy of his blood, and assurance of his love, all of which are includ…
291 wordsSECTION 162CHAP. III. VER. 13. 177
it is hard to decide; as it would be alike appropriate and agreeable to usage to say, ‘I pray God,’ or, ‘I pray you,’ 1. 6. I beseech you not to be discouraged. The latter is on the whole to be preferred, as there is nothing in the context to suggest God as the object of address, and as the verb αἰτεῖν, though properly…
299 wordsSECTION 163SECTION I.—Vs. 14-21.
14. ‘For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord 15. Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth 16. is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in 17. the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith: 18. …
156 wordsSECTION 164ANALYSIS.
The prayer of the apostle is addressed to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is also in him our Fa- ther. He offers but one petition, viz. that his readers might be strengthened by the Holy Ghost in the inner man; or that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith. The consequence of this would be, that they wou…
115 wordsSECTION 165COMMENTARY.
V.14. This verse resumes the connection inter- rupted in verse Ist. The prayer which the apostle there commenced, he here begins anew. Sor this cause, τούτου χάριν, repeated from v. 1, and therefore the connection is the same here as there, i. e. because you Ephesians are made partakers of the redemption purchased by C…
255 wordsSECTION 166180 ' EPHESIANS,
of David, and in Acts 3, 25, of all the families of the earth. The most important question here is, whether πᾶσα πατριά is to be rendered every family, or, the whole family. In favour of the latter are the consid- erations that the omission of the article, which usage doubtless demands, is not unfrequent where either t…
540 wordsSECTION 167182 EPHESIANS,
integrity since the fall, but in themselves are too weak to gain the victory over the animal or lower principles of our nature, designated as the flesh, or outward man. There is a perpetual struggle, even before regeneration, between the good and evil principles in man, between the reason, or πνεῦμα, and the flesh, or …
283 wordsSECTION 168CHAP. I. VER. 17. 183
opposed to the sensual principle, but the Spirit of God as dwelling in the renewed soul and giving it its own character, and therefore also its own name. It is the soul as the subject of divine influence, or as the dwell- ing place of the Holy Ghost, that is called Spirit. By the “inner man,” therefore, in this passage…
295 wordsSECTION 169184 EPHESIANS,
them. The omnipresent and infinite God is said to dwell wherever he specially and permanently mani- fests his presence. Thus he is said to dwell in heaven, Ps. 123, 1; to dwell among the children of Israel, Numb. 35, 34; in Zion, Ps. 9, 115; with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit, Is. 57,11; and in his peopl…
603 wordsSECTION 170186 EPHESIANS,
made aware of its nearness, he could have no delight in its beauty. Christ dwells in us by faith, because it is by faith we perceive his presence, his excellence, and his glory, and because it is by faith we appropriate and reciprocate the manifestations of his love. Faith is to this spiritual communion, what esteem an…
569 wordsSECTION 171188 EPHESIANS,
readers may be thus strengthened, im order that, with all saints, they may be able to comprehend the truth of which he speaks. The knowledge in question is peculiar to the holy, i. 6. the saints. It is a spiritual knowledge, both because of its origin and of its nature. It is derived from the Spirit, and it consists in…
286 wordsSECTION 172CHAP. II. VER. 19. 189
length and breadth, the depth and height of the love of Christ which passes knowledge.’ Just as we would say, ‘That ye may know and feel.’ In knowing, ac- cording to Scriptural usage, the idea of experimental knowledge, or knowledge united with appropriate feel- ing, may well be included. This is the simpler expla- nat…
296 wordsSECTION 173190 EPHESIANS,
it surpasses the power of our understanding to compre- hend, is still a subject of experimental knowledge. We may know how excellent, how wonderful, how free, how disinterested, how long-suffering, how manifold and constant, it is, and that it is infinite. And this is the highest and most sanctifying of all knowledge. …
572 wordsSECTION 174192 EPHESIANS,
tation, no paraphrase being necessary to bring out the sense. We are to grow to the stature of Christ; to be perfect as our Father is perfect; to be filled unto the measure of the fulness of God. When we are thus filled the distance between us and God will still be infinite. This is the culminating point of the apostle…
572 wordsSECTION 175194 EPHESIANS,
In the church by Christ Jesus.* The original is, ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ, which Luther ren- ders, in the church which is in Christ, i. e. the Chris- tian church. This interpretation is adopted by several modern commentators. But in that case the article τῇ before ἐν Χριστῷ ought not to be omitted. Besides, as t…
390 wordsSECTION 176SECTION I.—Vs. 1-16.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye . walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one . another in love ; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit . in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even . as …
337 wordsSECTION 177ANALYSIS.
The apostle exhorts his readers to walk worthy of their vocation. Such a walk should be characterized by humility, meekness, long-suffering, and zeal to pro- mote spiritual unity and peace, vs. 1-3. The church is one because it is one body, has one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Fat…
160 wordsSECTION 178198 EPHESIANS,
v.11. The design of the ministry is the edification of the church, and to bring all its members to unity of faith and knowledge, and to the full stature of Christ; that they should no longer have the instability of chil- dren, but be a firm, compact, and growing body in living union with Christ its head, vs. 12-16.…
60 wordsSECTION 179COMMENTARY.
V.1. Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν Κυρίῳ. The exhortation is a general one; it flows from the preceding doctrines, and is enforced by the authority, and the sufferings of him who gave it. As you are partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, “ Z therefore beseech you.” I the prisoner, not of, but i the Lord,…
462 wordsSECTION 180200 EPHESIANS,
ness, gentleness, which when united with strength, is one of the loveliest attributes of our nature. The blessed Saviour says of himself, “I am meek (πρᾶος) and lowly in heart,” Matt. 11, 29; and the apostle speaks of “the gentleness of Christ,” 2 Cor. 10, 1. Meekness is that unresisting, uncomplaining disposition of m…
269 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.