The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 95

he is not to bo regarded as rellectin;: on the distinction, or on the names founded on it. He is simply exercising a little caution. 'l'lio~e who called themselves Circumcision, as superior to those whom they called Unc.ircumcision, shoulu have answered to the name. But he will not say that circumcision in the tlesh was also circnmcbion in the spirit. .There is often this distinction to be drawn between what we are called and what we are. We are Christians in name; but are we also Christians in truta ? \\' e have many honourable names applied to us as Christians; but do we answer to them? ls there a broad line of distinction between us and men of the world in our characters? Ill. THEIR BEARING THE NAME OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION IMPLIED MUCH. l. Separate from Ghrist. " That ye were at that time separa.te from Christ." They were not, ind~ed, without some connection with Christ. For it is only on the ground of his suretyship and work that men have a lifetime on earth, brief at it is. There was, there- fore, i_ndebtedness to Christ, even on the part of the uncircumcised; but they were sepa.rate from him in that they did not have him as their Messiah. There were Greeh and Roman~ that had more qulture than Jews; where they came behind was in their having no Messianic privilege. There was no intimation to them of a Saviour who was to come into the world. 'l'hei;e ~as no presentation in type to them of the atonement that was to be made for sin. They were, therefore, excluded from such saving relation to Christ as was open to the Jews. The want of Christ is still the greatest want of tho heathen world. He is not made known to them for their salvation. The radical defect in an unconverted man's position is that he is out of Christ, and so has none to give him shelter and help, 2. Separatefrom the Church. "Alienated from the commonwealth of Israel." Israel was a commonwealth, as constitutcc!, not for the good of a section, but for the good of all alike. It was constituted, not for mere political purposes, but for rcligio11s purposes principally. It was the Church more than the state. And the grea.t privile;;c which every member of the commonwealth enjoyed was nearness to God. He was allowe,l to draw near to him and worship him in his temple. Now, when the Jews were thus constituted into a Divine commonwealth, the Gentiles were kept at a.n outside. The arrangement we know was for the ultimate benefit of the whole race; but none the less deplorable was their condition as aliens, or persons out of privilege. There is no arrangement now by which any are excluded from the Church of God, and yet it is with many as though such au a.1-rdngement existed. There are some, in Christian b.nds, who are alienated from the Christian Church, it may be, to a certain extent owing to the faults of its members; but can it be wholly put down to that, when there is in the gospel such a representation of goodness as ought to attract all who are not prejudiced against goodness? "Strangers from the covenants of the promise." Thero were promises to the Gentiles, but they did not pertain t.o them who lived before the coming of the Mes" '.ab. The Jews had the covenants of promise, viz. the coveuauts made to the patriarchs, founded, not on what hnd been effected for them, but on what was to be elfected for them in the future, and which was promised. These covenants were their charLer a.s a Clmrcb, what they could fall back upon as the reason for their existence. To these covenants the Gentiles were strangers; th!ly had no share in them; theirs was an nncovenanted posiLion. The covenant is not founded now on promise; it is founde<l on accomplished fa.et, it has been sealed with Christ's blood. None now occupy an uncovenanted position, such as the old heathen world diu; and yet it is with many as though no chango had taken place. 3. Miserable condition in the world. "Having no hope." Not having the" covenants" to go upon, they had no hope at all. Reason did not suffice to give them a hope beyond the grave. The hereafter was not a certainty, but only a vague conjecture. It was not lightened up as it was to Old Testament saints. We Christians have a rich hope. It is the hope of a glorious resurrection, and of a perfected and endless life with Christ as our risen Saviour. When such n. hope has been brought to the worl<l, how sad that there are so many in heathen lands who are looking forward into a dark and cheerless future I And sadder far it is that there are those in Christian lands who place no value on the life and immortality that have been brought to light by the gospel. "Without God in the world." Out of the Church, they were in the world. .And the great evil of their being in the self.seeking, God-forgetting world was that there they were unbefriended by God. Thev could not live in the sunshine of his love, for they did not know him to be the God of love. It was a loss for which nothi11g coul,i com- pensate. What a ~ain would it be to the heathen of our day to conceive of God H  92 THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. (olt. tt. 1-22.