By comparing what we were by nature with what we are by grace, the Apostle declareth that we are made for good works; and, being brought near by Christ, should not live as Gentiles and foreigners in time past, but as citizens with the saints, and the family of God.
Anno Domini 62.
THE Apostle begins this chapter with observing, that even the Ephesians, though lying, bynature, under the sentence of death, on account of their trespasses and sins, Christ had filled with his gifts and graces, Ephesians 2:1 then describes the character and behaviour of the Ephesians in their heathen state, to make them sensible, that, notwithstanding the advantages which they pretended to have derived from the heathenmysteries,alltheGentiles,notexceptingtheinitiatedthemselves,weredeeply sunk in the grossest ignorance and wickedness, Ephesians 2:2.—Then, speaking in the name of the converted Jews, he acknowledged, that they likewise, before their conversion, had spent their life after the manner of the Gentiles, in fulfilling the lustsof their flesh, and their corrupt imaginations; so that they were naturally children of wrath, even as the Gentiles, Ephesians 2:3.—Consequently, they had not the least reason to expect any favour from God. Nevertheless, from the great love which he bare to the Jewish nation, God had made them, as well as the Gentiles, alive together by Christ, Ephesians 2:4-5.—and had set them down together in the heavenly places of the Christian church, wherein salvation is promised as a free gift to all, through faith, and had sealed that promise to them bythe gifts of the Spirit, Ephesians 2:6.—That future generations, knowing the exceeding greatness of God's grace, may be encouraged to expect pardon upon their repentance, Ephesians 2:7.—Then he told the Ephesians, that the admission, not of the Gentiles only, but even of the Jews, into the Christian church, and their having the promise of salvation, through faith, sealed to them, were owing entirely to the unmerited benevolence of God, and not to their own good works, so that no one could boast of having merited salvation, Ephesians 2:8-9.—At the same time he told them expressly, that these great favours were bestowed on them to fit them for good works, Ephesians 2:10.
The Apostle having thus described the character and state of both Jews and Gentiles before their conversion, he desired the Gentiles to remember, that, in their heathenstate, none of them, not even the initiated in the mysteries, had any knowledge of Christ the Saviour, or hope of the pardon of sin, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants, and without hope of pardon, nay, without the knowledge of the true God, Ephesians 2:11-12.—But now, by the pure favour of God, being seated in Christ's church, they enjoyed equal knowledge and hopes and privileges with the Jews, God's ancient people; for, though not circumcised, God had brought them nigh to himself, and to the Jews, by the blood of Christ, Ephesians 2:13.—who is the author of peace both to Jews and Gentiles, and hath made of both one church or fellowship, in which the true God is to be worshipped; having thrown down the Jewish peculiarity, which was the partition-wall that had hitherto separated theJews from the Gentiles, Ephesians 2:14.—and, by his death in the flesh, hath taken away the cause of the enmity which subsisted between them, even the Levitical ordinances; that he might create the two into one new man, body, or well agreeing society under himself, as head or governor, thus making peace between them, Ephesians 2:15.—also that he might reconcile both in one body, or visible church to God, having, through his cross, slain the cause of their enmity to God, even the wicked affections and passions of both, Ephesians 2:16.—and this peace with God, Christ preached by his Apostles to the Gentiles, and to the Jews, Ephesians 2:17.—And therefore, through him, both have access in the Christian church, to worship the Father of the universe with hope of acceptance and pardon; a privilege much greater than any which the initiated in the heathen mysteries could claim, Ephesians 2:18.—Withal, that such of the asiarchs, or priests of Diana, as were now become members of the fellowship of the mystery of God's will by faith, and all in the province of Asia, who formerly were employed about the temple of that idol, might have no cause to regret their having forsaken her worship, the Apostle assured them that they were no longer strangers to the covenants, and foreigners, as they had been, in the commonwealth of the true God; (see Ephesians 2:12.) but by the knowledge and belief of the mystery of God's will, they were become joint citizens in that commonwealth with the saints, and οικειοι, belonging to the house, or visible church of God, as constituent parts of that great fabric, which is constructed for the use, not of the inhabitants of Asia alone, but of believers of all nations, the true saints of God, Ephesians 2:19.—For they were built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, Ephesians 2:20.—by which the whole building, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, being fitly joined together, groweth into an holy temple forthe Lord Jesus, to officiate in as a high priest, Ephesians 2:21.—And in regard the apostles and prophets, the foundations of the temple of God, who raised the glorious edifice by the power of the Holy Ghost, were, of course, supernaturally fitted for their office, as is mentioned afterwards, (ch. Ephesians 4:7-13.) this great temple of the Christian visible church, both in the manner in which it was built, and in the materials of which it is composed, as well as in its dimensions, described chap. Ephesians 3:18-19 infinitelyexcelled the temples at Ephesus and at Jerusalem. Besides, being reared, not for the purpose of a ritual worship, and far less for celebrating the impure rites of an idol, like those performed in the temple of Diana, but for the holy spiritual worship of the true God, according to the Christian manner, this temple infinitely excelled the temples at Ephesus and at Jerusalem in the use for which it was built. To conclude, the Apostle informed the Ephesians and the Judaizers, that this great temple, the Christian church, in which the believing Jews also were built as constituent parts, is rendered glorious, not like the temple at Ephesus by the presence of a lifeless image of an idol, vainly pretended to have fallen down from Jupiter, nor even like the ancient temple at Jerusalem, by any outward visible symbol of the presence of the true God; but by his real, though invisible presence, fitting every part of the fabrick with the gifts and graces of his Spirit, Ephesians 2:22. See chap. Ephesians 1:23.
Bythis grand figure the Apostle has taught us, that, under the gospel dispensation, the presence of God is not any longer manifested in a material temple, as under the Mosaic dispensation; neither is his worship limited to particular places and seasons; nor does it consist in ritual services.But any society of believers, met for worshipping God in spirit and in truth, is a real temple of God, because, in that society, prayers and praises are publicly offered to God: nay, every individual believer is a temple, because God is revealed in him, and is always inwardly worshipped and praised by him. And with respect to the Ephesians in particular, since they were constituent parts of the great temple of God, the Christian church, their honour as the keepers of this temple, and as worshippers therein, was infinitely greater than their honour as priests and worshippers of Diana: nay, greater than it would have been had they become priests and worshippers in the temple at Jerusalem.