Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Ver. 18. Having the understanding darkened] By the devil's black hand held before their eyes, 2 Corinthians 4:4. See Trapp on " 2Co 4:4 "
Alienated from the life of God] That is, from a godly life, which none can live but those that partake of the divine nature,2 Peter 1:4 .
Because of the blindness] Gr. πωρωσιν, callum obductum. Hardness, brawniness, a hoof upon their hearts, corneas fibras, brawny breasts, horny heart-strings. The Greek word imports a metaphor from the hard hand of hardest labourers. They say in philosophy, that the foundation of natural life is feeling; no feeling, no life: and that the more quick and nimble the sense of feeling is in a man, the better is his constitution. Think the same we may of life spiritual.