
Text -- Ephesians 2:12 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Robertson: Eph 2:12 - -- Separate from Christ ( chōris Christou ).
Ablative case with adverbial preposition chōris , describing their former condition as heathen.
Separate from Christ (
Ablative case with adverbial preposition

Robertson: Eph 2:12 - -- Alienated from the commonwealth of Israel ( apēllotriōmenoi tēs politeias tou Israēl ).
Perfect passive participle of apallotrioō , for whi...
Alienated from the commonwealth of Israel (
Perfect passive participle of

Robertson: Eph 2:12 - -- Strangers from the covenants of the promise ( xenoi tōn diathēkōn tēs epaggelias ).
For xenos (Latin hospes ), as stranger see Mat 25:35,...

Robertson: Eph 2:12 - -- Having no hope ( elpida mē echontes ).
No hope of any kind. In Gal 4:8 ouk (strong negative) occurs with eidotes theon , but here mē gives a ...

Robertson: Eph 2:12 - -- Without God ( atheoi ).
Old Greek word, not in lxx, only here in N.T. Atheists in the original sense of being without God and also in the sense of ho...
Without God (
Old Greek word, not in lxx, only here in N.T. Atheists in the original sense of being without God and also in the sense of hostility to God from failure to worship him. See Paul’ s words in Rom 1:18-32. "In the world"(
Vincent: Eph 2:12 - -- Being aliens ( ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι )
Rev., better, giving the force of the verb, alienated . As they had once been otherwise. Pau...
Being aliens (
Rev., better, giving the force of the verb, alienated . As they had once been otherwise. Paul speaks ideally of a spiritual commonwealth in which Jew and Gentile were together at peace with God, and of which the commonwealth of Israel is a type.

Vincent: Eph 2:12 - -- Israel
Selecting the most honorable title to describe the Jew. See on Act 3:12. The reference is to the spiritual rather than to the national dis...
Israel
Selecting the most honorable title to describe the Jew. See on Act 3:12. The reference is to the spiritual rather than to the national distinction. In being separated from Christ, they were separated from that commonwealth in which, according to the promise, Christ would have been to them, as to the faithful Israelites, the object of their faith and the ground of their salvation.

Covenants
The several renewals of God's covenant with the patriarchs.

Vincent: Eph 2:12 - -- Of promise ( τῆς ἐπαγγελίας )
Better, the promise. The messianic promise, which was the basis of all the covenants.
Of promise (
Better, the promise. The messianic promise, which was the basis of all the covenants.

Vincent: Eph 2:12 - -- Without God ( ἄθεοι )
God-forsaken. It might also mean godless or impious . The gentile gods were no gods.
Without God (
God-forsaken. It might also mean godless or impious . The gentile gods were no gods.
Having no faith in, or knowledge of, him.

Both as to their temporal privileges and spiritual blessings.

The great promise in both the Jewish and Christian covenant was the Messiah.

Because they had no promise whereon to ground their hope.

Wesley: Eph 2:12 - -- Wholly ignorant of the true God, and so in effect atheists. Such in truth are, more or less, all men, in all ages, till they know God by the teaching ...
Wholly ignorant of the true God, and so in effect atheists. Such in truth are, more or less, all men, in all ages, till they know God by the teaching of his own Spirit.

The wide, vain world, wherein ye wandered up and down, unholy and unhappy.
JFB: Eph 2:12 - -- Greek, "separate from Christ"; having no part in Him; far from Him. A different Greek word (aneu) would be required to express, "Christ was not presen...
Greek, "separate from Christ"; having no part in Him; far from Him. A different Greek word (aneu) would be required to express, "Christ was not present with you" [TITTMANN].

JFB: Eph 2:12 - -- Greek, "alienated from," not merely "separated from." The Israelites were cut off from the commonwealth of God, but it was as being self-righteous, in...
Greek, "alienated from," not merely "separated from." The Israelites were cut off from the commonwealth of God, but it was as being self-righteous, indolent, and unworthy, not as aliens and strangers [CHRYSOSTOM]. The expression, "alienated from," takes it for granted that the Gentiles, before they had apostatized from the primitive truth, had been sharers in light and life (compare Eph 4:18, Eph 4:23). The hope of redemption through the Messiah, on their subsequent apostasy, was embodied into a definite "commonwealth" or polity, namely, that "of Israel," from which the Gentiles were alienated. Contrast Eph 2:13; Eph 3:6; Eph 4:4-5, with Psa 147:20.

JFB: Eph 2:12 - -- Rather, ". . . of the promise," namely, "to thee and thy seed will I give this land" (Rom 9:4; Gal 3:16). The plural implies the several renewals of t...
Rather, ". . . of the promise," namely, "to thee and thy seed will I give this land" (Rom 9:4; Gal 3:16). The plural implies the several renewals of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and with the whole people at Sinai [ALFORD]. "The promise" is singular, to signify that the covenant, in reality, and substantially, is one and the same at all times, but only different in its accidents and external circumstances (compare Heb 1:1, "at sundry times and in divers manners").

JFB: Eph 2:12 - -- Beyond this life (1Co 15:19). The CONJECTURES of heathen philosophers as to a future life were at best vague and utterly unsatisfactory. They had no d...
Beyond this life (1Co 15:19). The CONJECTURES of heathen philosophers as to a future life were at best vague and utterly unsatisfactory. They had no divine "promise," and therefore no sure ground of "hope." Epicurus and Aristotle did not believe in it at all. The Platonists believed the soul passed through perpetual changes, now happy, and then again miserable; the Stoics, that it existed no longer than till the time of the general burning up of all things.

JFB: Eph 2:12 - -- Greek, "atheists," that is, they had not "God" in the sense we use the word, the Eternal Being who made and governs all things (compare Act 14:15, "Tu...
Greek, "atheists," that is, they had not "God" in the sense we use the word, the Eternal Being who made and governs all things (compare Act 14:15, "Turn from these vanities unto the living God who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things therein"), whereas the Jews had distinct ideas of God and immortality. Compare also Gal 4:8, "Ye knew not God . . . ye did service unto them which are no gods" (1Th 4:5). So also pantheists are atheists, for an impersonal God is NO GOD, and an ideal immortality no immortality [THOLUCK].

JFB: Eph 2:12 - -- In contrast to belonging to "the commonwealth of Israel." Having their portion and their all in this godless vain world (Psa 17:14), from which Christ...
Clarke: Eph 2:12 - -- That at that time ye were without Christ - Not only were not Christians, but had no knowledge of the Christ or Messiah, and no title to the blessing...
That at that time ye were without Christ - Not only were not Christians, but had no knowledge of the Christ or Messiah, and no title to the blessings which were to proceed from him

Clarke: Eph 2:12 - -- Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel - Ye were by your birth, idolatry, etc., alienated from the commonwealth of Israel - from the civil and relig...
Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel - Ye were by your birth, idolatry, etc., alienated from the commonwealth of Israel - from the civil and religious privileges of the Jewish people

Clarke: Eph 2:12 - -- Strangers from the covenants of promise - Having no part in the promise of the covenant made with Abraham, whether considered as relating to his nat...
Strangers from the covenants of promise - Having no part in the promise of the covenant made with Abraham, whether considered as relating to his natural or spiritual seed; and no part in that of the covenant made at Horeb with the Israelites, when a holy law was given them, and God condescended to dwell among them, and to lead them to the promised land

Clarke: Eph 2:12 - -- Having no hope - Either of the pardon of sin or of the resurrection of the body, nor indeed of the immortality of the soul. Of all these things the ...
Having no hope - Either of the pardon of sin or of the resurrection of the body, nor indeed of the immortality of the soul. Of all these things the Gentiles had no rational or well-grounded hope

Clarke: Eph 2:12 - -- Without God in the world - They had gods many, and lords many; but in no Gentile nation was the true God known: nor indeed had they any correct noti...
Without God in the world - They had gods many, and lords many; but in no Gentile nation was the true God known: nor indeed had they any correct notion of the Divine nature. Their idols were by nature no gods - they could neither do evil nor good, and therefore they were properly without God, having no true object of worship, and no source of comfort. He who has neither God nor Christ is in a most deplorable state; he has neither a God to worship, nor a Christ to justify him. And this is the state of every man who is living without the grace and Spirit of Christ. All such, whatever they may profess, are no better than practical atheists.
Calvin -> Eph 2:12
Calvin: Eph 2:12 - -- 12.That at that time ye were without Christ He now declares that the Ephesians had been excluded, not only from the outward badge, but from everythin...
12.That at that time ye were without Christ He now declares that the Ephesians had been excluded, not only from the outward badge, but from everything necessary to the salvation and happiness of men. As Christ is the foundation of hope and of all the promises, he mentions, first of all, that they were without Christ. But for him that is without Christ, there remains nothing but destruction. On Him the commonwealth of Israel was founded; and in whom, but in Himself, could the people of God be collected into one holy society?
A similar observation might be made as to the tables of the promise On one great promise made to Abraham all the others hang, and without it they lose all their value:
“In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”
(Gen 22:18.)
Hence our apostle says elsewhere,
“All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen.”
(2Co 1:20.)
Take away the covenant of salvation, and there remains no hope. I have translated
And without God in the world But at no period were the Ephesians, or any other Gentiles, destitute of all religion. Why, then, are they styled (
From what has been said, the conclusion will be easily drawn, that out of Christ there are none but idols. Those who were formerly declared to be without Christ, are now declared to be without God; 125 as John says,
“Whosoever hath not the Son, hath not the Father,”
(1Jo 2:23;)
and again,
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.”
(2Jo 1:9.)
Let us know, therefore, that all who do not keep this way wander from the true God. We shall next be asked, Did God never reveal himself to any of the Gentiles? I answer, no manifestation of God without Christ was ever made among the Gentiles, any more than among the Jews. It is not to one age only, or to one nation, that the saying of our Lord applies,
“I am the way;” for he adds, “no man cometh
unto the Father but by me.” (Joh 14:6.)
Defender -> Eph 2:12
Defender: Eph 2:12 - -- "Without God" is the Greek atheos (equivalent to "atheist"). This is the only place in the New Testament where this word is used."
"Without God" is the Greek
TSK -> Eph 2:12
TSK: Eph 2:12 - -- without : Joh 10:16, Joh 15:5; Col 1:21
aliens : Eph 4:18; Ezr 4:3; Isa 61:5; Eze 13:9; Heb 11:34
the covenants : Gen 15:18, Gen 17:7-9; Exo 24:3-11; ...
without : Joh 10:16, Joh 15:5; Col 1:21
aliens : Eph 4:18; Ezr 4:3; Isa 61:5; Eze 13:9; Heb 11:34
the covenants : Gen 15:18, Gen 17:7-9; Exo 24:3-11; Num 18:19; Psa. 89:3-18; Jer 31:31-34; Jer 33:20-26; Eze 37:26; Luk 1:72; Act 3:25; Rom 9:4, Rom 9:5, Rom 9:8; Gal 3:16, Gal 3:17
having : Jer 14:8, Jer 17:13; Joh 4:22; Act 28:20; Col 1:5, Col 1:27; 1Th 4:13; 2Th 2:16; 1Ti 1:1; Heb 6:18; 1Pe 1:3, 1Pe 1:21, 1Pe 3:15; 1Jo 3:3
without : 2Ch 15:3; Isa 44:6, Isa 45:20; Hos 3:4; Act 14:15, Act 14:16; Rom 1:28-32; 1Co 8:4-6, 1Co 10:19, 1Co 10:20; Gal 4:8; 1Th 4:5

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Eph 2:12
Barnes: Eph 2:12 - -- Ye were without Christ - You were without the knowledge of the Messiah. You had not heard of him; of course you had not embraced him. You were ...
Ye were without Christ - You were without the knowledge of the Messiah. You had not heard of him; of course you had not embraced him. You were living without any of the hopes and consolations which you now have, from having embraced him. The object of the apostle is to remind them of the deplorable condition in which they were by nature; and nothing would better express it than to say they were "without Christ,"or that they had no knowledge of a Saviour. They knew of no atonement for sin. They had no assurance of pardon. They had no well-founded hope of eternal life. They were in a state of darkness and condemnation, from which nothing but a knowledge of Christ could deliver them. All Christians may in like manner be reminded of the fact that, before their conversion, they were "without Christ."Though they had heard of him, and were constantly under the instruction which reminded them of him, yet they were without any true knowledge of him, and without any of the hopes which result from having embraced him. Many were infidels. Many were scoffers. Many were profane, sensual, corrupt. Many rejected Christ with scorn; many, by simple neglect. All were without any true knowledge of him; all were destitute of the peace and hope which result from a saving acquaintance with him. We may add, that there is no more affecting description of the state of man by nature than to say, he is without a Saviour. Sad would be the condition of the world without a Redeemer - sad is the state of that portion of mankind who reject him. Reader, are you without Christ?
Being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel - This is the second characteristic of their state before their conversion to Christianity. This means more than that they were not Jews. It means that they were strangers to that "polity"-
And strangers - This word -
The covenants of promise - see the notes at Rom 9:4. The covenants of promise were those various arrangements which God made with his people, by which he promised them future blessings, and especially by which he promised that the Messiah should come. To be in possession of them was regarded as a high honor and privilege; and Paul refers to it here to show that, though the Ephesians had been by nature without these, yet they had now been brought to enjoy all the benefits of them. On the word covenant, see the notes on Gal 3:15. It may be remarked, that Walton (Polyglott) and Rosenmuller unite the word "promise"here with the word "hope"- "having no hope of the promise."But the more obvious and usual interpretation is that in our common version, meaning that they were not by nature favored with the covenants made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc., by which there was a promise of future blessings under the Messiah.
Having no hope - The apostle does not mean to affirm that they did not cherish any hope, for this is scarcely true of any man; but that they were without any proper ground of hope. It is true of perhaps nearly all people that they cherish some hope of future happiness. But the ground on which they do this is not well understood by themselves, nor do they in general regard it as a matter worth particular inquiry. Some rely on morality; some on forms of religion; some on the doctrine of universal salvation; all who are impenitent believe that they do not "deserve"eternal death, and expect to be saved by "justice."Such hopes, however, must be unfounded. No hope of life in a future world can be founded on a proper basis which does not rest on some promise of God, or some assurance that he will save us; and these hopes, therefore, which people take up they know not why, are delusive and vain.
And without God in the world - Greek
He lives, and feels, and acts, as if there were no God. He neither worships him in secret, nor in his family, nor in public. He acts with no reference to his will. He puts no confidence in his promises, and fears not when he threatens; and were it announced to him that there "is no God,"it would produce no change in his plan of life, or in his emotions. The announcement that the emperor of China, or the king of Siam, or the sultan of Constantinople, was dead, would produce some emotion, and might change some of his commercial arrangements; but the announcement that there is no God would interfere with none of his plans, and demand no change of life. And, if so, what is man in this beautiful world without a God? A traveler to eternity without a God! Standing over the grave without a God! An immortal being without a God! A man - fallen, sunk, ruined, with no God to praise, to love, to confide in; with no altar, no sacrifice, no worship, no hope; with no Father in trial, no counselor in perplexity, no support in death! Such is the state of man by nature. Such are the effects of sin.
Poole -> Eph 2:12
Poole: Eph 2:12 - -- That at that time ye were without Christ i.e. without knowledge of him, or interest in him. This is the foundation of all other miseries, as Christ i...
That at that time ye were without Christ i.e. without knowledge of him, or interest in him. This is the foundation of all other miseries, as Christ is the foundation of all saving good, and therefore the apostle begins with this.
Being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel the church of God, confined formerly to the Israelites: their church and state was the same body, and God the founder of and lawgiver to them in both respects.
And strangers from the covenants of promise those covenants in which the great promise of Christ and salvation by him was made. The covenants were several, as that with Abraham, and that by Moses, and differ in some accidents, but the promise in them was one and the same, which was the substance of each.
Having no hope viz. beyond this life; as they could not but be who were without Christ, and without the promises.
And without God not without some general knowledge of a God, but without any saving knowledge of him, as not knowing him in Christ: or they lived as without God, neglecting him, and being neglected by him, and suffered to walk in their own ways.
In the world which is the congregation of the wicked, and is here opposed to the church.
Haydock -> Eph 2:11-12
Haydock: Eph 2:11-12 - -- Be mindful that as for you, who are Gentiles, who were called an uncircumcised people by the circumcised Jews, that you were without Christ, with...
Be mindful that as for you, who are Gentiles, who were called an uncircumcised people by the circumcised Jews, that you were without Christ, without the hopes or expectation of the Messias, alienated from the conversation of those who were God's elect people, and from the promises particularly made to them, that the Messias should be of their race: without God in this world, i.e. without the knowledge and the worship of God. But now by Christ, by believing in him, you who seemed to be far off, are made near by his blood, (ver. 13) by him who died for all; for he hath brought peace to all men, breaking down by his incarnation and death that wall of partition, that enmity betwixt the Jews and Gentiles, making them but one; abolishing that former law, of so many ordinances, [1] precepts, and ceremonies, by decrees, (which may signify by his divine decrees; or rather, as St. Jerome expounds it by the Greek, abolishing the old law and its precepts by the precepts and doctrine of the new law) that he might reconcile to God both the Jews and Gentiles, that now they might be one mystical body, to wit, the Church of Christ, of which he is the head. Remember then that you are no longer strangers and foreigners, as you wer when the Jews were the only elect people of God: now, by faith and hope, you are fellow-citizens with the saints and with all the elect people of God: you are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, (ver. 20) who, by their prophecies concerning the Messias, and by their teaching and preaching of the gospel, are as it were subordinate foundation-stones under Christ, the chief founder and the chief corner-stone of his Church; in whom you also (Christians, at Ephesus, and all the faithful) are built up together, (ver. 22) as parts of a spiritual edifice or temple, where God inhabits. (Witham)
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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
Legem mandatorum decretis evacuans, Greek: ton nomon ton entolon dogmasi (dogmatibus) katargesas; i.e. says St. Jerome, (p. 344) præcepta legalia Evangelicis dogmatibus commutavit. See St. John Chrysostom, p. 879. Lat. edit. in Savil. p. 787.
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Gill -> Eph 2:12
Gill: Eph 2:12 - -- That at that time ye were without Christ,.... Or separate from him: they were chosen in him and were preserved in him, and were redeemed by him before...
That at that time ye were without Christ,.... Or separate from him: they were chosen in him and were preserved in him, and were redeemed by him before; but they were without any knowledge of him, faith in him, love to him, communion with him, or subjection to him, his Gospel, government, laws, and ordinances; and particularly they were without any promises of him, or prophecies concerning him, which were peculiar to the Jews; hence the Messiah is called
being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; both from their civil and church state; the Gentiles might not dwell among them, nor have any dealings with them in things civil, unless they conformed to certain laws; nor might the Jews go into any, nor eat or converse with any, that were uncircumcised; so great an alienation and distance were there between these two people; and much less might they eat the passover and join with them in religious worship; the word for "commonwealth" here used, Harpocratian says x, is commonly used by Greek writers for a "democracy" though the original constitution of the Israelites was properly a "theocracy":
strangers to the covenants of promise; to the covenant of circumcision given to Abraham; and to the covenant at Mount Sinai, made with Israel; and to the dispensation of the covenant of grace to that people, sometimes called the first covenant and the old covenant, and which peculiarly belonged to them, Rom 9:4 one copy reads, "strangers to the promises of the covenant"; which is natural enough; the Vulgate Latin version joins the word "promise" to the next clause, and reads,
having no hope of the promise of the promised Messiah: "having no hope"; of the Messiah and salvation by him, of the resurrection of the dead, of a future state, and of eternal life; none that is sure and steadfast, that is purifying, and makes not ashamed; or which is a good hope through grace, is the gift of God, the fruit of his love, and the effect of his power; and this is to be in a miserable condition: Philo, the Jew y, observes, that
"the Chaldeans call a man Enos, as if he only was truly a man that expects good things, and supports himself with good hopes; and adds, hence it is manifest that one without hope is not reckoned a man, but a beast in an human form; since he is destitute of hope, which is the property of the human soul;''
and without God in the world; without the knowledge of God in Christ; without the image of God, which was defaced by sin; without the grace and fear of God; and without communion with him, and the worship of him; and while they were so they were in the world, among the men of it, and were a part of it, not being yet called out of it: the word signifies "atheists": so some of the Gentiles were in "theory", as they all were in practice; and they were by the Jews reckoned no other than "atheists"; it is a common saying with them z that
"he that dwells without the land (of Israel) is like one

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Eph 2:1-22
TSK Synopsis: Eph 2:1-22 - --1 By comparing what we were by nature, with what we are by grace,10 he declares that we are made for good works: and being brought near by Christ, sh...
Combined Bible -> Eph 2:12
Combined Bible: Eph 2:12 - --Because of their birth as Gentiles, (and this is true of every believer today) they had not inherited either the promises that God made to Israel, or ...
MHCC -> Eph 2:11-13
MHCC: Eph 2:11-13 - --Christ and his covenant are the foundation of all the Christian's hopes. A sad and terrible description is here; but who is able to remove himself out...
Matthew Henry -> Eph 2:11-13
Matthew Henry: Eph 2:11-13 - -- In these verses the apostle proceeds in his account of the miserable condition of these Ephesians by nature. Wherefore remember, etc., Eph 2:11. A...
Barclay -> Eph 2:11-12; Eph 2:11-12
Barclay: Eph 2:11-12 - --Paul speaks of the condition of the Gentiles before Christ came. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, but he never forgot the unique place of the J...

Barclay: Eph 2:11-12 - --(iii) The Gentiles were aliens from the society of Israel. What does that mean) The name for the people of Israel was ho hagios laos (2992), the hol...
Constable: Eph 1:3--4:1 - --II. THE CHRISTIAN'S CALLING 1:3--3:21
". . . the first three chapters are one long prayer, culminating in the gr...

Constable: Eph 2:11--3:20 - --B. Corporate calling 2:11-3:19
New spiritual life does not just mean that we have experienced regenerati...

Constable: Eph 2:11-22 - --1. Present ministry 2:11-22
The apostle first stated the reality of the union of all believers i...
