Ephesians 2

Verses:

1: As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins

Examining the word dead: Not only diseased, but dead; absolutely void of all spiritual life; and incapable of helping ourselves.

2: in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

“followed the ways of this world”- this means a long series of times, wherein one corrupt age follows another.

“ruler of the kingdom of the air” – Satan’s power is penetrating and is continually roving to and fro., and he works in all who do not believe and obey the gospel.

3: All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

“Flesh”-  denotes  our whole evil nature, so the body opposed to the soul. Thus, we incur the wrath of God, as Gentiles do.

4: But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy

Mercy removes misery: love confers salvation.

5: made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

In conformity to him, and by virtue of our union with him, we are made alive. The apostle speaks indifferently either in the first or second person; the Jews and gentiles being in the same circumstance, both by nature and by grace. This text lays the axe to the very root of spiritual pride, and all glorying in ourselves. This is repeated in Ephesians 2:8 , in the very same words- as a second reminder to us, who are naturally prideful.

6: And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Both Jews and gentiles- Believers are not yet possessed of their seats in heaven; but each of them has a place prepared for him.

7, 8: in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

By grace ye are saved through faith - Grace, without any respect to human worthiness, confers the glorious gift. Faith is the medium by which we receive this grace.

9: not by works, so that no one can boast.

Not by works - Neither this faith nor this salvation is owing to any works you ever did, will, or can do; we cannot earn it.

10: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Why do we do good works then, if we can never earn salvation?

It is because we are made to do good works, which God had before preprepared - so we must still ascribe the whole to God. We are given the power to do good works,  though we are not justified by them.

11: Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—

Remembrance strengthens faith, and increases gratitude. We are formerly gentiles in the flesh - Neither circumcised in body nor in spirit.

12: remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

“separate from Christ” - Having no faith in, or knowledge of, him.

“excluded from citizenship in Israel “ - Both as to their temporal privileges and spiritual blessings.

“foreigners to the covenants of the promise“- The great promise in both the Jewish and Christian covenant was the Messiah.

“without hope” - Because they had no promise whereon to ground their hope.

13: But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

We are now brought towards both God and his people.

near by the blood of Christ.

14: For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

For he is our peace - Not only as he purchased it, but as he is the very bond and centre of union. He who hath made both - Jews and gentiles, one church.

“dividing wall of hostility”- Alluding to that wall of old, which separated the court of Israel from the court of the gentiles. Such a wall was the ceremonial law, which Christ had now taken away.

15, 16: by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

By his suffering in the flesh the cause of enmity between the Jews and gentiles was abolished, And now a new mystical body is formed- the church.

17: He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

After his resurrection, He preached peace - By his ministers and his Spirit to you (Gentiles) who are far from God and to the Jews (those who were near)

18: For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Hence both - Jews and gentiles have access  through the Holy Spirit to God as our Father.

19: Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

We are received into the very family of God.

20: built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

As the foundation sustains the building, so the word of God, declared by the apostles and prophets, sustains the faith of all believers. God laid the foundation by them; but Christ himself is the chief cornerstone of the foundation.

21, 22: In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

The whole fabric of the universal church rises up like a great pile of living materials, dedicated to Christ, and inhabited by him, in which he displays his presence, and is worshipped and glorified.