Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

“"Foreordained." by Jesus--Greek, "through Jesus." to himself--the Father (Col 1:20). ALFORD explains, "adoption . . . into Himself," that is, so that we should be partakers of the divine nature (2Pe 1:4). LACHMANN reads, "unto Him." The context favors the …”

“In whom--"the Beloved" (Eph 1:6; Ro 3:24). we have--as a present possession. redemption--Greek, "our (literally, 'the') redemption"; THE redemption which is the grand subject of all revelation, and especially of the New Testament (Ro 3:24), namely, from t…”

“Paul attributes to the Gospel of God's grace "all" possible "wisdom and prudence," in opposition to the boasts of wisdom and prudence which the unbelieving Jews and heathen philosophers and false apostles arrogated for their teachings. Christ crucified, though…”

“God the Father, according to His own good pleasure and purpose, is the Dispenser both of the Gospel benefits and of their several fitting times (Ac 1:7). gather together in one--Greek, "sum up under one head"; "recapitulate." The "good pleasure which He purp…”

“(Eph 1:6, 14). who first trusted in Christ--rather (we Jewish Christians), "who have before hoped in the Christ": who before the Christ came, looked forward to His coming, waiting for the consolation of Israel.”

“The deliverance of the creature (the body, and the whole visible creation) from the bondage of corruption, and from the usurping prince of this world, into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Ro 8:21-23; 2Pe 3:13). of the purchased possession--God's…”

“So in the case of Philemon, his "beloved fellow laborer" (Phm 1), he uses the same words (Phm 4, 5). your faith--rather, as Greek, "the faith among you," that is, which many (not all) of you have. love unto all the saints--of whatever name, simply because…”

“(Col 1:9). of you--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. Then the translation may be as English Version still, or as ALFORD, "making mention of them" (your "faith and love").”

“The same superhuman power was needed and exerted to make us believe, as was needed and exerted to raise Christ from the dead (Eph 1:20). Compare Php 3:10, "the power of His resurrection" (Col 2:12; 1Pe 1:3-5). of his mighty power--Greek, "of the strength …”

“Paul shows that the truest wisdom is to know Christ as reigning above them all. every name--every being whatever. "Any other creature" (Ro 8:39). in this world--Greek, "age," that is, the present order of things.”

“"Sin." (Greek, "hamartia") implies innate corruption and ALIENATION from God (literally, erring of the mind from the rule of truth), exhibited in acts of sin (Greek, "hamartemata"). BENGEL, refers "trespasses" to the Jews who had the law, and yet revolted from…”

“The Greek order more emphatically marks this innate corruption: "Those who in their (very) nature are children of wrath"; Eph 2:5, "grace" is opposed to "nature" here; and salvation (implied in Eph 2:5, 8, "saved") to "wrath." Compare Article IX, Church of …”

“God, who is rich--Greek "(as) being rich in mercy." for--that is, "because of His great love." This was the special ground of God's saving us; as "rich in mercy" (compare Eph 2:7; 10:12) was the general ground. "Mercy takes away misery; love confers salvati…”

“What God wrought in Christ, He wrought (by the very fact) in all united to Christ, and one with Him. by grace ye are saved--Greek, "Ye are in a saved state." Not merely "ye are being saved," but ye "are passed from death unto life" (Joh 5:24). Salvation is t…”

“"Christ Jesus" is the phrase mostly used in this Epistle, in which the office of the Christ, the Anointed Prophet, Priest and King, is the prominent thought; when the Person is prominent, "Jesus Christ" is the phrase used.”

“Greek, "That He might show forth (middle reflexive voice; for His own glory, Eph 1:6, 12, 14) in the ages which are coming on," that is, the blessed ages of the Gospel which supersede "the age (Greek, for 'course') of this world" (Eph 2:2), and the past "a…”

“Php 3:10) whereby we are "raised together" with Him (Eph 2:6; Some of the oldest manuscripts read, "through your (literally, 'the') faith." The instrument or mean of salvation on the part of the person saved; Christ alone is the meritorious agent. and that-…”

“The Greek order in the oldest manuscripts is, "That in time past (literally, once) ye," &c. Such remembrance sharpens gratitude and strengthens faith (Eph 2:19) [BENGEL].”

“A different Greek word (aneu) would be required to express, "Christ was not present with you" [TITTMANN]. aliens--Greek, "alienated from," not merely "separated from." The Israelites were cut off from the commonwealth of God, but it was as being self-righteou…”

“Far off from God and from the people of God (Eph 2:17; Ac 2:39). are--Greek, "have been." by--Greek, "in." Thus "the blood of Christ" is made the seal of a covenant IN which their nearness to God consists. In Eph 1:7, where the blood is more directly spok…”

“Thus this twofold wall represented the Sinaitic law, which both severed all men, even the Jews, from access to God (through sin, which is the violation of the law), and also separated the Gentiles from the Jews. As the term "wall" implies the strength of the p…”

“Ro 8:3). the law of commandments contained in--Greek, "the law of the commandments (consisting) in ordinances." This law was "the partition" or "fence," which embodied the expression of the "enmity" (the "wrath" of God against our sin, and our enmity to Him, …”

“By His being slain, He slew it (compare Heb 2:14). thereby--Greek, "therein"; "in" or "by the cross," that is, His crucifixion (Col 2:15).”

“Translate, "For it is through Him (Joh 14:6; Heb 10:19) that we have our access (Eph 3:12; Ro 5:2), both of us, in (that is, united in, that is, "by," 1Co 12:13, Greek) one Spirit to the Father," namely, as our common Father, reconciled to both alike; wh…”

“The image of a building is appropriate also to the Jew-Christians; as the temple at Jerusalem was the stronghold of Judaism; as Diana's temple, of paganism. foundation of the apostles, &c.--that is, upon their ministry and living example (compare Mt 16:18). …”