The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 91

Vers. l-10.-.Association with <Jhrist. The concluding thought of t.he first chapter was the resurrection and exaltation of Christ. In order now to bring out bow they were benefiterl thereby, he ca!ls up to them their original condition. He suows 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 bis description. I. GENTILE CHRISTI.ANS. 1. They were dead. "And you did be quicken, when ye were dead." It is e. comprehensive word for the evil of their condition. There is a natuml condition for plants, which they lose in their decay. There is a natural condition for animals, which t.hey lose in their death. So there is II natural condition for mtional beings, which they lose in what we call spiritual death. And, as there is nothing higher in kind than spiritual life, so there is nothing more dreadful than spiritu1Ll death. lt is not extinction, but it is a condition against nature, on the ground of an immortal existence. It is not loving God with our whole soul and strength and mind, but living nt enmity with him; and how we1Lrin~ out to contend with our Maker 1 It is not loving our neighbour as ourseives, but seeking our own selfish ends; and how nar- rowing is this to our souls I 2. Their deadness was caused b1J themselues. "Through your trespasses :md sins." If there is anydilforcnce between these two words, it is that the former refers more to overt transgressions, while the latter is inclusive of evil thoughts that have only been entertained in the heart. When Adam nnd Eve overtly transgressed in eating of the fruit, death at once passed upon them in tho loss of confi- dence in God, of unconsciousness, of ingenuousness, of devotedness to each other. And the net was not long in bearing bitter fruit in tho bate which led Cain to take a brother's life. Overt transgression m1Lkcs matters worse, in the evil that is wrought on others, iu the entanglements to wbich it leads. At the same time, it i~ truo that evil  88 THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [ oJt. 11. 1-22.