Chapter II. Verses 1-3
And you did He quicken, when you were dead through your trespasses and sins, wherein aforetime ye walked, according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience; among whom we also all once lived, in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh, and of the mind; and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest.
There is, we know, a corporal, and there is also a spiritual, dying. Of the first it is no crime to partake, nor is there any peril in it, inasmuch as there is no blame attached to it, for it is a matter of nature, not of deliberate choice. It had its origin in the transgression of the first-created man, and thenceforward in its issue it passed into a nature, and, at all events, will quickly be brought to a termination; whereas this spiritual dying, being a matter of deliberate choice, has criminality, and has no termination. Observe then how Paul, having already shown how exceedingly great a thing it is, in so much that to heal a deadened soul is a far greater thing than to raise the dead, so now again lays it down in all its real greatness.
And you,
says he when you were dead through your trespasses and sins, wherein aforetime ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience.
You observe the gentleness of Paul, and how on all occasions he encourages the hearer, not bearing too hard upon him. For whereas he had said, You have arrived at the very last degree of wickedness, (for such is the meaning of becoming dead,) that he may not excessively distress them, (because men are put to shame when their former misdeeds are brought forward, cancelled though they be, and no longer attended with danger,) he gives them, as it were, an accomplice, that it may not be supposed that the work is all their own, and that accomplice a powerful one. And who then is this? The Devil. He does much the same also in the Epistle to the Corinthians, where, after saying, Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters,
1 Corinthians 6:9 and after enumerating all the other vices, and adding in conclusion, shall inherit the kingdom of God;
he then adds, and such were some of you;
he does not say absolutely, you were,
but some of you were,
that is, thus in some sort were ye. Here the heretics attack us. They tell us that these expressions (prince of all the power of the air,
etc.) are used with reference to God, and letting loose their unbridled tongue, they fit these things to God, which belong to the Devil alone. How then are we to put them to silence? By the very words they themselves use; for, if He is righteous, as they themselves allow, and yet has done these things, this is no longer the act of a righteous being, but rather of a being most unrighteous and corrupted; and corrupted God cannot possibly be.
Further, why does he call the Devil the prince
of the world? Because nearly the whole human race has surrendered itself to him and all are willingly and of deliberate choice his slaves. And to Christ, though He promises unnumbered blessings, not any one so much as gives any heed; while to the Devil, though promising nothing of the sort, but sending them on to hell, all yield themselves. His kingdom then is in this world, and he has, with few exceptions, more subjects and more obedient subjects than God, in consequence of our indolence.
According to the power,
says he, of the air, of the spirit.
Here again he means, that Satan occupies the space under Heaven, and that the incorporeal powers are spirits of the air, under his operation. For that his kingdom is of this age, i.e., will cease with the present age, hear what he says at the end of the Epistle; Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the world rulers of this darkness;
Ephesians 6:12 where, lest when you hear of world rulers you should therefore say that the Devil is uncreated, he elsewhere Galatians 1:4 calls a perverse time, an evil world,
not of the creatures. For he seems to me, having had dominion beneath the sky, not to have fallen from his dominion, even after his transgression.
That now works,
he says, in the sons of disobedience.
You observe that it is not by force, nor by compulsion, but by persuasion, he wins us over; disobedience
or untractableness
is his word, as though one were to say, by guile and persuasion he draws all his votaries to himself. And not only does he give them a word of encouragement by telling them they have an associate, but also by ranking himself with them, for he says,
Among whom we also all once lived.
All,
because he cannot say that any one is excepted.
In the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
That is, having no spiritual affections. Yet, lest he should slander the flesh, or lest it should be supposed that the transgression was not great, observe how he guards the matter,
Doing,
he says, the desires of the flesh and of the mind.
That is, the pleasurable passions. We provoked God to anger, he says, we provoked Him to wrath, we were wrath, and nothing else. For as he who is a child of man is by nature man, so also were we children of wrath even as others; i.e., no one was free, but we all did things worthy of wrath.
Ver. 4. But God, being rich in mercy.
Not merely merciful, but rich in mercy; as it is said also in another place; In the multitude of your mercies.
Psalm 69:17 And again, Have mercy upon me, according to the multitude of your tender mercies.
Psalm 51:1
Ver. 4. For His great love, wherewith He loved us.
Why did He love us? For these things are not deserving of love, but of the sorest wrath, and punishment. And thus it was of great mercy.
Ver. 5. Even when we were dead through our trespasses He quickened us together with Christ.
Again is Christ introduced, and it is a matter well worthy of our belief, because if the Firstfruits live, so do we also. He has quickened both Him, and us. Do you see that all this is said of Christ incarnate? Beholdest thou the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe?
Ephesians 1:19 Them that were dead, them that were children of wrath, them has he quickened. Beholdest thou the hope of his calling?
Ver. 6. He raised us up with Him and made us sit with Him.
Beholdest thou the glory of His inheritance? That He has raised us up together,
is plain. But that He has made us sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
how does this hold? It holds as truly, as that He has raised us together. For as yet no one is actually raised, excepting that inasmuch as as the Head has risen, we also are raised, just as in the history, when Jacob did obeisance, his wife also did obeisance to Joseph. Genesis 37:9-10 And so in the same way has He also made us to sit with Him.
For since the Head sits, the body sits also with it, and therefore he adds in Christ Jesus.
Or again, if it means, not this, it means that by the laver of Baptism He has raised us up with Him.
How then in that case has He made us to sit with Him?
Because, says he, if we suffer we shall also reign with Him,
2 Timothy 2:12 if we be dead with Him we shall also live with Him. Truly there is need of the Spirit and of revelation, in order to understand the depth of these mysteries. And then that you may have no distrust about the matter, observe what he adds further.
Ver. 7. That in the ages to come, He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in kindness towards us, in Christ Jesus.
Whereas he had been speaking of the things which concerned Christ, and these might be nothing to us, (for what, it might be said, is it to us, that He rose) therefore he shows that they do moreover extend to us, inasmuch as He is made one with us. Only that our concern in the matter he states separately. Us,
says he, who were dead through our trespasses He raised up with Him, and made us sit with Him.
Wherefore, as I was saying, be not unbelieving, take the demonstration he adduces both from former things, and from His Headship, and also from His desire to show forth His goodness. For how will He show it, unless this come to pass? And He will show it in the ages to come. What? That the blessings are both great, and more certain than any other. For now the things which are said may to the unbelievers seem to be foolishness; but then all shall know them. Would you understand too, how He has made us sit together with Him? Hear what Christ Himself says to the disciples, You also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matthew 19:28 And again, But to sit on My right hand and on My left hand is not Mine to give, but it is for them for whom it has been prepared of My Father.
Matthew 20:23 So that it has been prepared. And well says he, in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus,
for to sit on His right hand is honor above all honor, it is that beyond which there is none other. This then he says, that even we shall sit there. Truly this is surpassing riches, truly surpassing is the greatness of His power, to make us sit down with Christ, Yea, had you ten thousand souls, would you not lose them for His sake? Yea, had you to enter the flames, ought you not readily to endure it? And He Himself too says again, Where I am, there shall also My servant be.
John 12:26 Why surely had ye to be cut to pieces every day, ought ye not, for the sake of these promises cheerfully to embrace it? Think, where He sits? Above all principality and power. And with whom it is that you sit? With Him. And who you are? One dead, by nature a child of wrath. And what good have you done? None. Truly now it is high time to exclaim, Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
Romans 11:33
Ver. 8. For by grace,
says he have you been saved.
In order then that the greatness of the benefits bestowed may not raise you too high, observe how he brings you down: by grace you have been saved,
says he,
Through faith;
Then, that, on the other hand, our free-will be not impaired, he adds also our part in the work, and yet again cancels it, and adds,
And that not of ourselves.
Neither is faith, he means, of ourselves.
Because had He not come, had He not called us, how had we been able to believe? For how,
says he, shall they believe, unless they hear?
Romans 10:14 So that the work of faith itself is not our own.
It is the gift,
said he, of God,
it is not of works.
Was faith then, you will say, enough to save us? No; but God, says he, has required this, lest He should save us, barren and without work at all. His expression is, that faith saves, but it is because God so wills, that faith saves. Since, how, tell me, does faith save, without works? This itself is the gift of God.
Ver. 9. That no man should glory.
That he may excite in us proper feeling touching this gift of grace. What then?
says a man, Hath He Himself hindered our being justified by works?
By no means. But no one, he says, is justified by works, in order that the grace and loving-kindness of God may be shown. He did not reject us as having works, but as abandoned of works He has saved us by grace; so that no man henceforth may have whereof to boast. And then, lest when you hear that the whole work is accomplished not of works but by faith, you should become idle, observe how he continues,
Ver. 10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.
Observe the words he uses. He here alludes to the regeneration, which is in reality a second creation. We have been brought from non-existence into being. As to what we were before, that is, the old man, we are dead. What we are now become, before, we were not. Truly then is this work a creation, yea, and more noble than the first; for from that one, we have our being; but from this last, we have, over and above, our well being.
For good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.
Not merely that we should begin, but that we should walk in them, for we need a virtue which shall last throughout, and be extended on to our dying day. If we had to travel a road leading to a royal city, and then when we had passed over the greater part of it, were to flag and sit down near the very close, it were of no use to us. This is the hope of our calling; for for good works
he says. Otherwise it would profit us nothing.
Moral. Thus here he rejoices not that we should work one work, but all; for, as we have five senses, and ought to make use of all in their proper season, so ought we also the several virtues. Now were a man to be temperate and yet unmerciful, or were he to be merciful and yet grasping, or were he to abstain indeed from other people's goods, and yet not bestow his own, it would be all in vain. For a single virtue alone is not enough to present us with boldness before the judgment-seat of Christ; no, we require it to be great, and various, and universal, and entire. Hear what Christ says to the disciples, Go, you and make disciples of all the nations—teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you.
Matthew 28:19 And again, Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, shall be called least in the kingdom of Heaven,
Matthew 5:19 that is, in the resurrection; nay, he shall not enter into the kingdom; for He is wont to call the time also of the resurrection, the kingdom. If he break one,
says He, he shall be called least,
so that we have need of all. And observe how it is not possible to enter without works of mercy; but if even this alone be wanting, we shall depart into the fire. For, says He, Depart, you cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels.
Why and wherefore? For I was an hungered, and you gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink.
Matthew 25:42 Beholdest thou, how without any other charge laid against them, for this one alone they perished. And for this reason alone too were the virgins also excluded from the bride-chamber, though sobriety surely they did possess. As the Apostle says and the sanctification, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14 Consider then, that without sobriety, it is impossible to see the Lord; yet it does not necessarily follow that with sobriety it is possible to see Him, because often-times something else stands in the way. Again, if we do all things ever so rightly, and yet do our neighbor no service, neither in that case shall we enter into the kingdom. Whence is this evident? From the parable of the servants entrusted with the talents. For, in that instance, the man's virtue was in every point unimpaired, and there had been nothing lacking, but forasmuch as he was slothful in his business, he was rightly cast out. Nay, it is possible, even by railing only, to fall into Hell. For whosoever
says Christ, shall say to his brother, You fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.
Matthew 5:22 And if a man be ever so right in all things, and yet be injurious, he shall not enter.
And let no one impute cruelty to God, in that he excludes those who fail in this matter, from the kingdom of Heaven. For even with men, if any one do any thing whatsoever contrary to the law, he is banished from the king's presence. And if he transgresses so much as one of the established laws, if he lays a false accusation against another, he forfeits his office. And if he commits adultery, and is detected, he is disgraced, and even though he have done ten thousand right acts, he is undone; and if he commits murder, and is convicted, this again is enough to destroy him. Now if the laws of men are so carefully guarded, how much more should those of God be. But He is good,
a man says. How long are we to be uttering this foolish talk? Foolish, I say, not because He is not good, but in that we keep thinking that His goodness will be available to us for these purposes, though I have again and again used ten thousand arguments on this subject. Listen to the Scripture, which says, Say not, His mercy is great, He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins.
Sirach 5:6 He does not forbid us to say, His mercy is great.
This is not what He enjoins; rather he would have us constantly say it, and with this object Paul raises all sorts of arguments, but his object is what follows. Do not, he means, admire the loving-kindness of God with this view, with a view to sinning, and saying, His mercy will be pacified for the multitude of my sins.
For it is with this object that I too discourse so much concerning His goodness, not that we may presume upon it, and do any thing we choose, because in that way this goodness will be to the prejudice of our salvation; but that we may not despair in our sins, but may repent. For the goodness of God leads you to repentance,
Romans 2:4 not to greater wickedness. And if you become depraved, because of His goodness, you are rather belying Him before men. I see many persons thus impugning the long-suffering of God; so that if you use it not aright, you shall pay the penalty. Is God a God of loving-kindness? Yes, but He is also a righteous Judge. Is He one who makes allowance for sins? True, yet renders He to every man according to his works. Does He pass by iniquity and blot out transgressions? True, yet makes He inquisition also. How then is it, that these things are not contradictions? Contradictions they are not, if we distinguish them by their times. He does away iniquity here, both by the laver of Baptism, and by penitence. There He makes inquisition of what we have done by fire and torment. If then,
some man may say, I am cast out, and forfeit the kingdom, whether I have wrought ten thousand evil deeds or only one, wherefore may I not do all sorts of evil deeds?
This is the argument of an ungrateful servant; still nevertheless, we will proceed to solve even this. Never do that which is evil in order to do yourself good; for we shall, all alike fall short of the kingdom, yet in Hell we shall not all undergo the same punishment, but one a severer, another a milder one. For now, if you and another have despised God's goodness,
Romans 2:4 the one in many instances, and the other in a few, you will alike forfeit the kingdom. But if you have not alike despised Him, but the one in a greater, the other in a less degree, in Hell you shall feel the difference.
Now then, why, it may be said, does He threaten them who have not done works of mercy, that they shall depart into the fire, and not simply into the fire, but into that which is prepared for the devil and his angels?
Matthew 25:41 Why and wherefore is this? Because nothing so provokes God to wrath. He puts this before all terrible things; for if it is our duty to love our enemies, of what punishment shall not he be worthy, who turns away even from them that love him, and is in this respect worse than the heathen? So that in this case the greatness of the sin will make such an one go away with the devil. Woe to him, it is said, who does not alms; and if this was the case under the Old Covenant, much more is it under the New. If, where the getting of wealth was allowed, and the enjoyment of it, and the care of it, there was such provision made for the succoring the poor, how much more in that Dispensation, where we are commanded to surrender all we have? For what did not they of old do? They gave tithes, and tithes again upon tithes for orphans, widows, and strangers; whereas some one was saying to me in astonishment at another, Why, such an one gives tithes.
What a load of disgrace does this expression imply, since what was not a matter of wonder with the Jews has come to be so in the case of the Christians? If there was danger then in omitting tithes, think how great it must be now.
Again, drunkenness shall not inherit the kingdom. Yet what is the language of most people? Well, if both I and he are in the same case, that is no little comfort.
What then? First of all, that you and he shall not reap the same punishment; but were it otherwise, neither is that any comfort. Fellowship in sufferings has comfort in it, when the miseries have any proportion in them; but when they exceed all proportion, and carry us beyond ourselves, no longer do they allow of our receiving any comfort at all. For tell the man that is being tortured, and has entered into the flames, that such an one is undergoing the same, still he will not feel the comfort. Did not all the Israelites perish together? What manner of comfort did that afford them? Rather, did not this very thing distress them? And this was why they kept saying, We are lost, we are perished, we are wasted away. What manner of comfort then is there here? In vain do we comfort ourselves with such hopes as these. There is but one only comfort, to avoid falling into that unquenchable fire; but it is not possible for one who has fallen into it to find comfort, where there is the gnashing of teeth, where there is the weeping, where is the worm that dies not, and the fire that is not quenched. For shall you conceive any comfort at all, tell me, when you are in so great tribulation and distress? Will you then be any longer yourself? Let us not, I pray and entreat you, let us not vainly deceive ourselves and comfort ourselves with arguments like these; no, let us practise those virtues, which shall avail to save us. The object before us is to sit together with Christ, and are you trifling about such matters as these? Why, were there no other sin at all, how great punishment ought we not to suffer for these very speeches themselves, because we are so insensate, so wretched, and so indolent, as, even with so vast a privilege before us, to talk thus? Oh! How much shall you have to lament, when you shall then consider them that have done good! When you shall behold slaves and base-born who have labored but a little here, there made partakers of the royal throne, will not these things be worse to you than torment? For if even now, when you see any in high reputation, though you are suffering no evil, you regard this as worse than any punishment, and by this alone art consumed, and bemoanest yourself, and weepest, and judgest it to be as bad as ten thousand deaths; what shall you suffer then? Why, even were there no hell at all, the very thought of the kingdom, were it not enough to destroy and consume you? And that such will be the case, we have enough in our own experience of things to teach us. Let us not then vainly flatter our own souls with speeches like these; no, let us take heed, let us have a regard for our own salvation, let us make virtue our care, let us rouse ourselves to the practice of good works, that we may be counted worthy to attain to this exceeding glory, in Jesus Christ our Lord with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit be glory, might, honor, now and ever, and for ages of ages. Amen.
Chapter II. Verses 11, 12
Wherefore remember, that aforetime ye the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.
There are many things to show the loving-kindness of God. First, the fact, that by Himself He has saved us, and by Himself through such a method as this. Secondly, that He has saved us, as being what we were. Thirdly, that He has exalted us to the place where we are. For all these things both contain in themselves the greatest demonstration of His loving-kindness, and they are the very subjects which Paul is now agitating in his Epistle. He had been saying, that when we were dead through our trespasses, and children of wrath, He saved us; He is now telling us further, to whom He has made us equal. Wherefore,
says he, remember;
because it is usual with us, one and all, when we are raised from a state of great meanness to corresponding, or perhaps a greater, dignity, not so much as even to retain any recollection of our former condition, being nourished in this our new glory. On this account it is that he says, Wherefore remember.
— Wherefore.
Why, wherefore?
Because we have been created unto good works, and this were sufficient to induce us to cultivate virtue; remember,
— for that remembrance is sufficient to make us grateful to our Benefactor,— that you were aforetime Gentiles.
Observe how he lowers the superior advantages of the Jews and admires the disadvantages of the Gentiles; disadvantage indeed it was not, but he is arguing with each respectively from their character and manner of life.
Who are called Uncircumcision.
The honor then of the Jews is in names, their perogative is in the flesh. For uncircumcision is nothing, and circumcision is nothing.
By that which is called,
says he, Circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.
You, says he, who were thus called by the Jews. But why when he is about to show that the benefit bestowed upon them consisted in this, in having fellowship with Israel, does he disparage the Israelitish prerogative? He does not disparage it. In essential points he enhances it, but only in these points, in which they had no fellowship, he disparages it. For further on he says, You are fellow citizens of the saints and of the household of God.
Mark, how far he is from disparaging it. These points, says he, are indifferent. Never think, says he, that because ye happen not to be circumcised, and are now in uncircumcision, that there is any difference in this. No, the real trouble was this, the being without Christ,
the being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel.
Whereas this circumcision is not the commonwealth.
Again, the being strangers from the covenants of promise, the having no hope to come, the being without God in this world, all these were parts of their condition. He was speaking of heavenly things; he speaks also of those which are upon earth; since the Jews had a great opinion of these. Thus also Christ in comforting His disciples, after saying, Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,
adds the lesser point of consolation, for so,
says He, persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Matthew 5:10-12 For this, compared with the greatness of the other, is far less, yet in regard to the being near, and believing, it is great and sufficient, and has much force. This then was the sharing in the commonwealth. His word is not, separated,
but alienated from the commonwealth.
His word is not, ye took no interest in,
but, ye had not so much as any part in, and were strangers.
The expressions are most emphatic, and indicate the separation to be very wide. Because the Israelites themselves were without this commonwealth, not however as aliens, but as indifferent to it, and they fell from the covenants, not however as strangers, but as unworthy.
But what were the covenants of the promise?
To you and to your seed,
says He, will I give this land,
Genesis 17:8 and whatever else He promised.
Having no hope,
he adds, and without God.
Though gods indeed they worshipped, but they were no gods: for an idol is not any thing.
1 Corinthians 10:19
Ver. 13-15. But now, in Christ Jesus, you that once were far off, are made near in the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in His flesh the enmity.
Is this then the great privilege, it may be said, that we are admitted into the commonwealth of the Jews? What are you saying? He has summed up all things that are in heaven, and that are in earth,
and now do you tell us about Israelites? Yes, he would say. Those higher privileges we must apprehend by faith; these, by the things themselves. But now,
says he, in Christ Jesus, you that once were far off, are made near,
in reference to the commonwealth. For the far off,
and the near,
are matters of will and choice only.
For He is our peace, Who made both one.
What is this, both one?
He does not mean this, that He has raised us to that high descent of theirs, but that he has raised both us and them to a yet higher. Only that the blessing to us is greater, because to these it had been promised, and they were nearer than we; to us it had not been promised, and we were farther off than they. Therefore it is that he says, And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.
Romans 15:9 The promise indeed He gave to the Israelites, but they were unworthy; to us He gave no promise, nay, we were even strangers, we had nothing in common with them; yet has He made us one, not by knitting us to them, but by knitting both them and us together into one. I will give you an illustration. Let us suppose there to be two statues, the one of silver, the other of lead, and then that both shall be melted down, and that the two shall come out gold. Behold, thus has He made the two one. Or put the case again in another way. Let the two be, one a slave, the other an adopted son: and let both offend Him, the one as a disinherited child, the other as a fugitive, and one who never knew a father. Then let both be made heirs, both trueborn sons. Behold, they are exalted to one and the same dignity, the two have become one, the one coming from a longer, the other from a nearer distance, and the slave becoming more noble than he was before he offended.
And broke down,
he proceeds, the middle wall of partition.
What the middle wall of partition is, he interprets by saying, the enmity having abolished in His flesh, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances.
Some indeed affirm that he means the wall of the Jews against the Greeks, because it did not allow the Jews to hold intercourse with the Greeks. To me, however, this does not seem to be the meaning, but rather that he calls the enmity in the flesh,
a middle wall, in that it is a common barrier, cutting us off alike from God. As the Prophet says, Your iniquities separate between you and Me;
Isaiah 59:2 for that enmity which He had both against Jews and Gentiles was, as it were, a middle wall. And this, while the law existed, was not only not abolished, but rather was strengthened; for the law,
says the Apostle, works wrath.
Romans 4:15 Just in the same way then as when he says in that passage, the law works wrath,
he does not ascribe the whole of this effect to the law itself, but it is to be understood, that it is because we have transgressed it; so also in this place he calls it a middle wall, because through being disobeyed it wrought enmity. The law was a hedge, but this it was made for the sake of security, and for this reason was called a hedge,
to the intent that it might form an inclosure. For listen again to the Prophet, where he says, I made a trench about it.
Isaiah 5:2 And again, You have broken down her fences, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her.
Psalm 80:12 Here therefore it means security and so again, I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be trodden down.
Isaiah 5:5 And again, He gave them the law for a defence.
Isaiah 8:20 And again, The Lord executes righteous acts and made known His ways unto Israel.
Psalm 103:6-7 It became, however, a middle wall, no longer establishing them in security, but cutting them off from God. Such then is the middle wall of partition formed out of the hedge. And to explain what this is, he subjoins, the enmity in His flesh having abolished, the law of commandments.
How so? In that He was slain and dissolved the enmity therein. And not in this way only but also by keeping it. But what then, if we are released from the former transgression, and yet are again compelled to keep it? Then were the case the same over again, whereas He has destroyed the very law itself. For he says, Having abolished the law of commandments contained in ordinances.
Oh! amazing loving-kindness! He gave us a law that we should keep it, and when we kept it not, and ought to have been punished, He even abrogated the law itself. As if a man, who, having committed a child to a schoolmaster, if he should turn out disobedient, should set him at liberty even from the schoolmaster, and take him away. How great loving-kindness were this! What is meant by,
Having abolished by ordinances?
For he makes a wide distinction between commandments
and ordinances.
He either then means faith,
calling that an ordinance,
(for by faith alone He saved us,) or he means precept,
such as Christ gave, when He said, But I say unto you, that you are not to be angry at all.
Matthew 5:22 That is to say, If you shall believe that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
Romans 10:6-9 And again, The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart. Say not, Who shall ascend into heaven, or who shall descend into the abyss?
or, who has brought Him again from the dead?
Instead of a certain manner of life, He brought in faith. For that He might not save us to no purpose, He both Himself underwent the penalty, and also required of men the faith that is by doctrines.
That he might create in Himself of the two, one new man.
Observe thou, that it is not that the Gentile has become a Jew, but that both the one and the other are entered into another condition. It was not with a view of merely making this last other than he was, but rather, in order to create the two anew. And well does he on all occasions employ the word create,
and does not say change,
in order to point out the power of what was done, and that even though the creation be invisible, yet it is no less a creation than that is, and that we ought not henceforward start away from this, as from natural things.
That He might in Himself of the two.
That is, by Himself. He gave not this charge to another, but Himself, by Himself, melted both the one and the other, and produced a glorious one, and one greater than the first creation; and that one, first, was Himself. For this is the meaning of in Himself.
He Himself first gave the type and example. Laying hold on the one hand of the Jew, and on the other of the Gentile, and Himself being in the midst, He blended them together, made all the estrangement which existed between them to disappear, and fashioned them anew from above by fire and by water; no longer with water and earth, but with water and fire. He became a Jew by circumcision, He became accursed, He became a Gentile without the law, and was over both Gentiles and Jews.
One new man,
says he, so making peace.
Peace for them both towards God, and towards each other. For so long as they continued still Jews and Gentiles, they could not have been reconciled. And had they not been delivered each from his own peculiar condition, they would not have arrived at another and a higher one. For the Jew is then united to the Gentile when he becomes a believer. It is like persons being in a house, with two chambers below, and one large and grand one above: they would not be able to see each other, till they had got above.
Making peace,
more especially towards God; for this the context shows, for what says he?
Ver. 16. And might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the Cross.
He says, not merely might reconcile,
(καταλλάξῃ) but might reconcile thoroughly
(ἀ ποκαταλλάξῃ ) indicating that heretofore human nature had been easily reconciled, as, e.g., in the case of the saints and before the time of the Law.
In one body,
says he, and that His own, unto God.
How is this effected? By Himself, he means, suffering the due penalty.
Through the cross having slain the enmity thereby.
Nothing can be more decisive, nothing more expressive than these words. His death, says the Apostle, has slain
the enmity. He has wounded
and killed
it, not by giving charge to another, nor by what He wrought only, but also by what He suffered. He does not say having dissolved,
he does say having cancelled,
but what is stronger than all, having slain,
so that it never should rise again. How then is it that it does rise again? From our exceeding depravity. For as long as we abide in the body of Christ, as long as we are united, it rises not again, but lies dead; or rather that former enmity never rises again at all. But if we breed another, it is no longer because of Him, who has destroyed and put to death the former one. It is thou, forsooth, that travailest with a fresh one. For the mind of the flesh,
says he, is enmity against God;
Romans 8:6 if we are in nothing carnally-minded, there will be no fresh enmity produced, but that peace
shall remain.
Moral. Think then, how vast an evil is it, when God has employed so many methods to reconcile us, and has effected it, that we should again fall back into enmity! This enmity no fresh Baptism, but hell itself awaits; no fresh remission, but searching trial. The mind of the flesh is luxury and indolence, the mind of the flesh
is covetousness and all kinds of sin. Why is it said the mind of the flesh? While yet the flesh could do nothing without the soul. He does not say this to the disparagement of the flesh, any more than when he says the natural man,
1 Corinthians 2:14 he uses that expression to the disparagement of the soul, for neither body nor soul in itself, if it receive not the impulse which is far above, is able to achieve any thing great or noble. Hence he calls those acts which the soul performs of herself, natural; ψυχικά
and those which the body performs of itself carnal.
Not because these are natural, but because, inasmuch as they receive not that direction from heaven, they perish. So the eyes are good, but without light, will commit innumerable errors; this, however, is the fault of their weakness, not of nature. Were the errors natural, then should we never be able to use them aright at all. For nothing that is natural is evil. Why then does he call carnal affections sins? Because whenever the flesh exalts herself, and gets the mastery over her charioteer, she produces ten thousand mischiefs. The virtue of the flesh is, her subjection to the soul. It is her vice to govern the soul. As the horse then may be good and nimble, and yet this is not shown without a rider; so also the flesh will then show her goodness, when we cut off her prancings. But neither again is the rider shown, if he have not skill. Nay he himself will do mischief yet more fearful than that before named. So that on all hands we must have the Spirit at hand. This being at hand will impart new strength to the rider; this will give beauty both to body and soul. For just as the soul, while dwelling in the body, makes it beautiful, but when she leaves it destitute of her own native energy and departs, like a painter confounding his colors together, the greatest loathsomeness ensues, every one of the several parts hastening to corruption, and dissolution:— so is it also when the Spirit forsakes the body and the soul, the loathsomeness which ensues is worse and greater. Do not then, because the body is inferior to the soul, revile it, for neither do I endure to revile the soul because it has no strength without the Spirit. If one need say anything at all, the soul is deserving of the greater censure than the body; for the body indeed can do no grevious harm without the soul, whereas the soul can do much without the body. Because, we know, when the one is even wasting away, and has no wantonness, the soul is busily employed. Even as those sorcerers, magicians, envious persons, enchanters, especially cause the body to waste away. But besides this, not even luxury is the effect of the necessity of the body, but rather of the inattentiveness of the soul; for food, not feasting, is the object of the necessity of the body. For if I have a mind to put on a strong curb, I stop the horse; but the body is unable to check the soul in her evil courses. Wherefore then does he call it the carnal mind? Because it comes to be wholly of the flesh, for when she has the mastery, then she goes wrong, as soon as ever she has deprived herself of reason, and of the supremacy of the soul. The virtue therefore of the body consists in this, in its submission to the soul, since of itself the flesh is neither good nor evil. For what could the body ever do of itself? It is then by its connection that the body is good, good because of its subjection, but of itself neither good nor evil, with capacity, however, both for one and for the other, and having an equal tendency either way. The body has a natural desire, not however of fornication, nor of adultery, but of pleasure; the body has a desire not of feasting, but of food; not of drunkenness, but of drink. For in proof that it is not drunkenness that is the natural desire of the body, mark how, whenever you exceed the measure, when you go beyond the boundary-lines, it cannot hold out a moment longer. Up to this point it is of the body, but all the rest of the excesses, as e.g., when she is hurried away into sensualities, when she becomes stupefied, these are of the soul. For though the body be good, still it is vastly inferior to the soul, as lead is less of value than gold, and yet gold needs lead to solder it, and just so has the soul need also of the body. Or in the same way as a noble child requires a conductor, so again does the soul stand in need of the body. For, as we speak of childish things, not to the disparagement of childhood, but only of those acts which are done during childhood; so also are we now speaking of the body.
Yet it is in our power, if we will, no longer to be in the flesh, no, nor upon the earth, but in heaven, and in the Spirit. For our being here or there, is not determined so much by our position, as by our disposition. Of many people, at least, who are in some place, we say they are not there, when we say, You were not here. And again You are not here.
And why do I say this? We often say, You are not at (ἐ ν) yourself, I am not at (ἐ ν) myself,
and yet what can be more material (a stronger instance of corporeal locality) than this, that a man is near to himself? And yet, notwithstanding, we say that he is not at himself. Let us then be in ourselves, in heaven, in the Spirit. Let us abide in the peace and in the grace of God, that we may be set at liberty from all the things of the flesh, and may be able to attain to those good things which are promised in Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, and might, and honor, now and henceforth, and for ever and ever. Amen.
Chapter II. Verses 17-22
And He came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were near, for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father. So then you are no more strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner-stone. In whom each several building, fitly framed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
He sent not, says the Apostle, by the hand of another, nor did He announce these tidings to us by means of any other, but Himself did it in His own person. He sent not Angel nor Archangel on the mission, because to repair so many and vast mischiefs and to declare what had been wrought was in the power of none other, but required His own coming. The Lord then took upon Himself the rank of a servant, nay, almost of a minister, and came, and preached peace to you,
says he, that were far off, and to them that were near.
To the Jews, he means, who as compared with ourselves were near. For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father.
Peace,
says he, that peace
which is towards God. He has reconciled us. For the Lord Himself also says, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you.
John 14:27 And again, Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 And again, Whatsoever you shall ask in my name that will I do.
John 14:14 And again, For the Father loves you.
John 16:27 These are so many evidences of peace. But how towards the Gentiles? Because through Him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father,
not ye less, and they more, but all by one and the same grace. The wrath He appeased by His death, and has made us meet for the Father's love through the Spirit. Mark again, the in
means by
or through.
By Himself and the Spirit that is, He has brought us unto the Father. So then you are no more strangers and sojourners, but fellow citizens with the saints.
Perceive ye that it is not with the Jews simply, no, but with those saintly and great men, such as Abraham, and Moses, and Elias? It is for the self-same city with these we are enrolled, for that we declare ourselves. For they that say such things,
says he, make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own.
Hebrews 11:14 No longer are we strangers from the saints, nor foreigners. For they who shall not attain to heavenly blessings, are foreigners. For the Son,
says Christ, abides for ever.
John 8:35
And of the household,
he continues, of God.
The very thing which they at the first had, by means of so many toils and troubles, has been for you accomplished by the grace of God. Behold the hope of your calling.
Being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets.
Observe how he blends all together, the Gentiles, the Jews, the Apostles, the Prophets, and Christ, and illustrates the union sometimes from the body, and sometimes from the building: built,
says he, upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets;
that is, the Apostles and Prophets are a foundation, and he places the Apostles first, though they are in order of time last, doubtless to represent and express this, that both the one and the other are alike a foundation, and that the whole is one building, and that there is one root. Consider, that the Gentiles have the Patriarchs as a foundation. He here speaks more strongly of that point than he does when he speaks of a grafting in.
There he rather attaches them on. Then he adds, that He who binds the whole together in Christ. For the chief corner-stone binds together both the walls, and the foundations.
In whom each several building.
Mark, how he knits it all together, and represents Him at one time, as holding down the whole body from above, and welding it together; at another time, as supporting the building from below, and being, as it were, a root, or base. And whereas he had used the expression, He created in Himself of the two one new man;
Ephesians 2:15 by this he clearly shows us, that by Himself Christ knits together the two walls: and again, that in Him it was created. And He is the first-born,
says he, of all creation,
that is, He Himself supports all things.
In whom each several building, fitly framed together.
Whether you speak of the roof, or of the walls, or of any other part whatsoever, He it is supports the whole. Thus he elsewhere calls Him a foundation. For other foundations,
says he, can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 In whom each several building,
he says, fitly framed together.
Here he displays the perfectness of it, and indicates that one cannot otherwise have place in it, unless by living with great exactness. It grows says he into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also,
he adds, are built together.
He is speaking continuously: Into a holy temple, for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
What then is the object of this building? It is that God may dwell in this temple. For each of you severally is a temple, and all of you together are a temple. And He dwells in you as in the body of Christ, and as in a Spiritual temple. He does not use the word which means our coming to God, (πρόσοδος) but which implies God's bringing us to Himself, (προσαγωγή) for we came not out of ourselves, but we were brought near by Him. No one,
says Christ, comes unto the Father but by Me.
And again, I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
John 14:6
He joins them with the Saints and again returns to his former image, nowhere suffering them to be disunited from Christ. Doubtless then, this is a building that shall go on until His coming. Doubtless it was for this reason that Paul said, As a wise master builder, I laid a foundation.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11 And again that Christ is the foundation. What then means all this? You observe that the comparisons have all referred to the subject-matters, and that we must not expound them to the very letter. The Apostle speaks from analogy as Christ does, where He calls the Father an husbandman, John 15:1 and Himself a root. Revelation 22:16