2 

2:1 And he hath quickened you - In the nineteenth and twentieth verses of the preceding chapter, St. Paul spoke of God's working in them by the same almighty power whereby he raised Christ from the dead. On the mention of this he, in the fulness of his heart, runs into a flow of thought concerning the glory of Christ's exaltation in the three following verses.He here resumes the thread of his discourse. Who were dead - Not only diseased, but dead; absolutely void of all spiritual life; and as incapable of quickening yourselves, as persons literally dead. In trespasses and sins - Sins seem to be spoken chiefly of the gentiles, who knew not God; trespasses, of the Jews, who had his law, and yet regarded it not, Eph 2:5. The latter herein obeyed the flesh; the former, the princeof the power of the air.

2:2 According to the course of this world - The word translated course properly means a long series of times, wherein one corrupt age follows another. According to the prince of the power of the air - The effect of which power all may perceive, though all do not understand the cause of it: a power unspeakably penetrating and widely diffused; but yet, as to its baneful influences, beneath the orb of believers. The evil spirits are united under one head, the seat of whose dominion is in the air. Here he sometimes raises storms, sometimes makes visionary representations, and is continually roving to and fro.The spirit that now worketh - With mighty power; and so he did, and doth in all ages. In the sons of disobedience - In all who do not believe and obey the gospel.

2:3 Among whom we - Jews. Also, formerly had our conversation: doing the will of the flesh - In gross, brutal sins. And of the mind - By spiritual, diabolical wickedness. In the former clause, flesh denotes the whole evil nature; in the latter, the body opposed to the soul.And were by nature - That is, in our natural state. Children of wrath - Having the wrath of God abiding on us, even as the gentiles. This expression, by nature, occurs also, Gal 4:8; Rom 2:14; and thrice in the eleventh chapter. Rom 11:24 Eph 2, but in none of these places does it signify, by custom, or practice, or customary practice, as a latewriter affirms. Nor can it mean so here For this would make the apostle guilty of gross tautology, their customary sinning having been expressed already, in the former part of the verse. But all these passages agree in expressing what belongs to the nature of the persons spoken of.

2:4 Mercy removes misery: love confers salvation.

2:5 He hath quickened us together with Christ - In conformity to him, and by virtue of our union with him. By grace ye are saved - Grace is both the beginning and end. 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.Therefore St. Paul, foreseeing the backwardness of mankind to receive it, yet knowing the absolute necessity of its being received, again asserts the very same truth, Eph 2:8, in the very same words.

2:6 And hath raised us up together - Both Jews and gentiles already in spirit; and ere long our bodies too will be raised. And made us all sit together in heavenly places - This is spoken by way of anticipation.Believers are not yet possessed of their seats in heaven; but each of them has a place prepared for him.

2:7 The ages to come - That is, all succeeding ages.

2:8 By grace ye are saved through faith - Grace, without any respect to human worthiness, confers the glorious gift. Faith, with an empty hand, and without any pretence to personal desert, receives the heavenly blessing.And this is not of yourselves - This refers to the whole preceding clause, That ye are saved through faith, is the gift of God.

2:9 Not by works - Neither this faith nor this salvation is owing to any works you ever did, will, or can do.

2:10 For we are his workmanship - Which proves both that salvation is by faith, and that faith is the gift of God.Created unto good works - That afterwards we might give ourselves to them.Which God had before preprepared - The occasions of them: so we must still ascribe the whole to God. That we might walk in them - Though not be justified by them.

12 

12:14 Who made me a judge? - In worldly things. His kingdom is not of this world.

12:15 He said to them - Perhaps to the two brothers, and through them to the people. A man's life - That is, the comfort or happiness of it.

12:17 What shall I do? - The very language of want! Do? Why, lay up treasure in heaven.

12:20 Thou fool - To think of satisfying thy soul with earthly goods!To depend on living many years! Yea, one day! They - The messengers of death, commissioned by God, require thy soul of thee!

12:21 Rich toward God - Namely, in faith, and love, and good works.