Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

“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 the power, guilt, and penal consequences of sin…”

that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

“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.”

as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.

“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."”

who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.

“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).”

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

“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.”

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

“(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").”

and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength,

“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).”

far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

“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.”

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

“"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").”

All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts.

“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."”

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

“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 salvation" [BENGEL].”

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

“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."”

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

“"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.”

in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

“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…”

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,

“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.”

Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)—

“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].”

remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in…

“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."”

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

“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.”

For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility

“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.”

by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace

“Ro 8:3). the law of commandments contained in--Greek, "the law of the commandments (consisting) in ordinances."”

and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He extinguished their hostility.

“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).”

For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

“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…”

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

“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).”

In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

“So "in the Lord" (Christ) answers to "through the Spirit" (Eph 2:22; compare Eph 3:16, 17). "Christ is the inclusive Head of all the building, the element in which it has its being and now its growth" [ALFORD].”

Surely you have heard about the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you,

“If--The Greek does not imply doubt: "Assuming (what I know to be the fact, namely) that ye have heard," &c. "If, as I presume," The indicative in the Greek shows that no doubt is implied: "Seeing that doubtless," &c.”