Introductory remarks:
This chapter begins with a coordinating conjunction "and", and should be joined to the last chapter, namely verses 19 and 20, stating that from the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been given power through the Holy Spirit to live life from a positional truth position; this life we live, we live by the power of Christ in us, and we are not under obligation, but we have this wonderful privilege of living life because we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies. "Paul tells how they were dead in their sinful lives, but God loved them and made them live in Christ to demonstrate His grace. It was entirely God's work that saved us and shaped us to live righteously. Before, Gentiles had no hope of approaching God, but Christ removed all separation and brought everyone together to God. On the foundation of Christ and His apostles, they are being built into a temple to God" (A Survey of Ephesians - By Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: From death to life vv. 1-10: One in Christ vv. 11-22.
From Death to Life
Verse 1, "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:"
LGT "And you being dead in offenses and sins;"
The phrase hath He quickened, is not in the original; it may have been added by the translators to make the verse flowing; the phrase is not really introduce until verse 5. This verse simply states that all were spiritually dead, and verses 2-3 illustrates our fallen condition, then in verse 4-5 Paul gives us our remedy. Being dead is that the unbeliever is spiritually dead; the mind of the unbeliever is not without a will, but their life is lived in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Without Christ, man does not seek righteousness, only worldly pleasures.
Verse 2, "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience."
LGT "In which once ye walked according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that [is] now energizing in the sons of disobedience."
In which once ye walked: Paul tells the Ephesians that before they became believers they walked around in their sins. According to the age of this world: The Greek word for "course" is aeon, which means an age or period of time. "The word "age" is the manner and custom of a period of living; and therefore it denotes here the corrupt principles and morals, and particularly the idolatrous practices of the Heathen world, with which the Ephesians were as truly chargeable as the rest of mankind, before their conversion to the faith of Christ" (Chandler). "Paul intimates that the death which he had mentioned rages in the nature of man, and is a universal disease. He does not mean that course of the world which God has ordained, nor the elements, such as the heaven, and earth, and air, - but the depravity with which we are all infected; so that sin is not peculiar to a few, but pervades the whole world" (Calvin). According to the ruler of the authority of the air: "Satan is the ruler of the demons and all other agencies of evil", and Jesus called him the Prince of this world (John 16:11). Satan is the chief ruler of the fallen angels, after their revolt against God, and they are now subject to Satan, as are all unbelievers. The spirit that is now energizing in the sons of disobedience: all unbelievers are under the control of Satan, and he energizes them to do his will. It would take too long to name the ways in which Satan energizes the unbeliever, but enough said, is that he uses the three-fold basis of appeal to the sick fallen human nature; we see the results of sin in the heart of the unbeliever all around us. The unbeliever sins anomias, that is, lawlessly, as a way of life; while the believer sins, harmatia; he misses the mark of true righteousness.
Verse 3, "Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
LGT "Among whom we also all had our conduct once in the desires of our flesh, doing the things willed of the flesh and the thoughts, and children of wrath by nature, even as the rest:"
Among whom we also all: Paul uses the personal pronoun 'we" an inclusive "we" including himself, so that the Gentiles would not think they were inferior to the Jews, and the Jews would not think they were special. Paul says this of all unbelievers. Had our conduct once in the desires of the flesh: everything an unbeliever does is through the desires of the flesh. There is no desire on the part of the unbeliever to do good works, for they are incapable, until the Holy Spirit convicts them. In the case of the believer, the flesh is constantly at war with the Spirit, and this is why believer's sin: whenever a believer sins, it is because he or she has given in to the desires of the flesh. Doing the things willed of the flesh and thoughts: all sins originate in the mind, and then through the desires of the flesh, are willed into actions. The unbeliever has no remedy for his or her actions, because the sin as a way of life. Preachers, who are out there, trying to get men and women to stop sinning, are pounding sand; the only hope for the unbeliever is belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, and if we give then anything else to think about, we are a sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal. And children of wrath by nature: "Wrath (orges) is God's holy hatred of sin; His essential, necessary antagonism to everything evil, Rom. 1:18, by nature accords with children, implying what is innate. That man is born with a sinful nature, and that God and sin are essentially antagonistic, are conceded on all hands: but that unconscious human beings come into the world under the blaze of God's indignation, hardly consists with Christ's assertion that to little children belongs the kingdom of heaven. It is true that there is a birth-principle of evil, if suffered to develop, will bring upon itself the wrath of God. Whether Paul means more than this I do not know" (Vincent). All men are born into this world with a sin nature, and at the time of accountability, a decision must be made either for Christ or against Christ, that is, men must accept or reject what the Word of God says about Christ, or they remain dead for this life and into eternity. Even as the rest: all men are born children of wrath both Jew and Gentile alike.
Verse 4, "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,"
LGT "But God, being rich in mercy, on account of His great love wherewith He loved us,"
But God: Paul resumes his thought from verse 1. Being rich in mercy: this is a change in direction from verses 2 and 3, as the apostle resumes his thought from verse 1; now he says that for the sake of His great love for us, he lavished His mercy upon us. People are always crying they want justice; I don't want justice, I want mercy. If I were to receive justice, I would be in hell right now. Thank God for the sake of His love for me, He not only was merciful to me in my salvation, He is merciful to me every day, mopping up the messes I make. In verse 1 Paul says that we were quickened (made alive) that were dead in trespasses and sins; we were spiritually dead, and by God's grace He saved me and He saved you. On account of His great love: "In order to satisfy His love" (Vincent). Wherewith He loved us: 'while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.' God has such infinite love for us that He sent His only Begotten Son to die for us, in order that we might live; what wonderful love God has lavished upon us, and what a wonderful Savior, who sacrifice Himself being separated from His Father, in order that we might be restored to His wonderful family.
Verse 5, "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)."
LGT "And we being dead in offences, quickened us together with the Christ, - by grace ye have been saved."
Here in this verse we notice how Paul teaches us that the moment we believed in Christ we were made alive spiritually together as joint heirs with Him. Paul adds this last phrase by grace ye have been saved, because God's grace is so potent in his mind, and then he picks up the subject again in verse 8.
Verse 6, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
LGT "And raised [us] up together, and seated [us] together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,"
And raised us up together: the moment we believed we were spiritually raised up with Christ; this is positional truth; this is not something that is yet future; this is our position now! And seated us together in the heavenlies: we share in the glory that is Christ's, because God has seated us together with Him; in some way we share that glory even now. In Christ Jesus: we are in Christ, and Christ is in us; we are joint heirs, joined forever to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 7, "That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
LGT "In order that He might show in the ages those that are coming on, the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
In order that He might show in the ages that are coming on: The verb "that He might show" is in the middle voice, which means, that He might show for Himself. The Ephesian believers, as well as all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ might show in all ages to come the wonderful grace of God. We are trophies of His wonderful grace forever more. "The sense is, we are raised up with Christ, and are made partakers of His honor and glory in order that others may forever be impressed with a sense of the divine goodness and mercy to us" (Barnes). The surpassing riches of His kindness toward us: This is one of Paul's favorite expressions, for the grace of God surpasses anything we might ask or think; and the most wonderful though in all this, is that it is directed toward us. "O, He is so kind in giving grace, and such grace, to so many men, and of such spiritual demerit and degradation; so kind as not only to forgive sin, but even to forget it (Heb. 8:12); so kind, in short, as not only by His grace to quicken us, but in the riches of His grace to raise us up, and in its exceeding riches to enthrone us in the heavenly places in Christ!" (Eadie). In Christ Jesus: the riches of God's grace was demonstrated in the first century, and is demonstrated now, and will be demonstrated for all eternity. "It deserves notice, also, that the name of Christ is repeated, for no grace, no love, must be expected by us from God, except through His mediation" (Calvin).
Verse 8, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
LGT "For by the grace you have been saved through faith; and that not out of yourselves, of God, it is the gift:"
For by the grace you have been saved: this is a very important statement, you have been saved. It does not say you will finally be saved; our salvation was completed the moment we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are saved for all eternity, without a possibility of ever loosing it. Grace has the article, 'the grace' of God. This is the richest of all grace. God saved us by His marvelous grace. While we yet sinners God saved us by His wonderful grace; we are raised to the heavenlies in Christ Jesus; we are seated with Him at the right hand of God; we will be on display throughout all eternity, as trophies of this marvelous grace. Through faith: "grace is God's part, faith is ours". McGee tells the story of a young boy down South about ten years old, who wanted to join the grace church. He was brought before the church board and they asked him to tell of his conversion. The boy said. "I done my part, and God done his part". The board thought the boy was taking some credit for his salvation, so they asked him to explain his statement. The boy said, "well, I done the sinning, and God done the saving." And this is true of all of us, we were all sinners and by the grace of God He saved us; all we had to do was believe, for it is through faith in Christ alone; there are no works involved. And that not out of yourselves: "that", is not referring to faith, but the salvation. We could never have done enough to be saved, it took the sacrifice of His only begotten Son to make us fit for salvation; it has always been, 'faith alone in Christ alone'. Of God, it is the gift: salvation is completely the act of God in His mercy and grace. Salvation is sourced out of God, for men have nothing to do with it.
Verse 9, "Not of works, lest any man should boast."
LGT "Not of works, in order that anyone might not boast."
God is the gift, that is, He is the "Author and Finisher of our faith, and to Him belongs all the glory. If man had something to do with his salvation, he would have just cause to boast, but because it is by the grace of God, through the work of the lord Jesus Christ on our behalf, all we had to do was place our faith in Him. This could never be a reason for our boasting to be in anything but the Lord.
Verse 10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
LGT "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand, in order that we should walk in them."
Here Paul tells us that we should walk worthy of being God's workmanship; and later on in this epistle he tells how we can walk worthy. For we are His workmanship: all the more reason that we should not boast, for we were saved by grace, and we are kept by grace, because we are God's spiritual re-creation by our salvation. In Christ Jesus: we are in Christ and Christ is in us, this is our union with Him. Unto good works: This union has made it possible for us to live holy lives (not that we always do, but maybe, sometimes). Which God prepared beforehand: this is what predestination is all about. It is not that we were chosen for salvation, but once saved, we were predestined to lead holy lives. We who are saved were elected to good works. In order that we should walk in them: good works are not the cause of salvation, they are the result of it. "The law says - 'Do this and live; but the gospel of grace says - 'Live and do this. And even such good works can have in them no saving merit, for we are His workmanship. The power and desire to perform good works are alike from God, for they are only fruits and manifestations of Divine grace in man; and as they are not self-produced, they cannot entitle us to reward (remember I have said that we are not rewarded for works, but only our motives to do them)" (Eadie).
One in Christ
Verse 11, "Wherefore remember, that ye, being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands."
LGT "Wherefore remember, that once ye [were] the Gentiles in the flesh, the ones called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in [the] flesh made by hand,"
Wherefore remember: this conjunction applies to the Gentiles. That once ye were Gentiles in the flesh: the uncircumcised were regarded as heathen. Here Paul simply points out the fact that the Ephesians as Gentiles after the flesh were subject to their fleshly appetites they were estranged from God, but now they have been called and have access to Him through Christ. The ones called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision: the so-called circumcision, the Jews, calling the Gentiles heathen. In the flesh made by hand: the Jews were circumcised in the flesh, but their hearts were not circumcised. The entire ritual of circumcision was a sign that the Jews were dedicated to God alone, and that it was a symbol that the useless part of the heart that wanted to follow after false gods was cut away. The symbol of circumcision was to be from the heart, but the Jews never lived up to what the ritual stood for.
Verse 12, "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. And strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world."
LGT "That ye were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, not having hope, and without God in the world."
McGee has a good outline of this verse:
"He says this is what it means to be lost:
Without Christ. That is the best definition of a lost man. It is the opposite of being in Christ.
Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel or alienated from the citizenship of Israel. That is the accurate definition of a Gentile. The Gentile had no God-given religion as had Israel. They had no right to go back in the Old Testament and take the promises, which God made to Israel, and then appropriate them for themselves. We don't have the right either. God didn't make those promises to us.
Strangers from the covenants of promise. God had made certain promises to the nation Israel. The covenants, which God made with Israel, are still valid, but no Gentile has any right to appropriate them. God has promised the children of Israel the land of Israel - all of it. They will get it someday, but it will be on God's terms, not their terms.
Having no hope. Look at the religions of the world. They have no hope. They cannot promise resurrection and are pretty hazy about what happens after death. The cults offer no hope at all. They put up a hurdle that no honest human being could get over. Having no hope was the tragic plight of the Gentiles. To the lost man the present life is all-important, and if he misses out on the fun here, then he is doubly hopeless. When Paul wrote this, my ancestors from one side of the family were walking through the forest of Germany, as heathen and pagan as could be. The others were over in Scotland, and I am told their paganism and heathenism were even worse, that was their condition.
And without God in the world. This does not mean that God has removed Himself from man, but rather that man has removed himself from God. A man is godless because of choice. He is in the darkness, wandering about with the rest of lost humanity. Frankly, if I were in the position of the lost man today, I would crawl up on a bar stool and try to drink and forget it all. What else would a person do? I would have no hope. The only hope I could have here in this world would be to squeeze this life like an orange and get all the juice out of it that I could. There would be nothing to look forward to over there. That is what it would be like to be without hope and without God."
Verse 13, "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."
LGT "But now in Christ Jesus, ye who once were afar off are become near in the blood of Christ."
"In the temple was the court of the Gentiles way off to the side. Gentiles were permitted to come, but they were away far off. But now - for the Gentiles who are in Christ - all has changed. They were without Christ; now they are in Christ. The distance and barriers, which separated them from God, have been removed. They have been made nigh, not by their efforts or merits, but in the blood of Christ" (McGee). Now that the Ephesians have believed in Christ, they are no longer alienated from God, and they are brought into union with Christ by His blood that was shed on Calvary. Now that Messiah has come, they have actual salvation. The Jews today are still waiting for Messiah, and they are the strangers, alienated from God and are afar off. Paul will now teach them that both Jew and Gentile alike are reconciled to God in the blood of Christ, and the only ones now who are afar off are those who willingly refuse to accept Christ's shed blood.
Verses 14, 15, "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace:"
LGT "For He is our peace, who made both one, and the middle wall of the fence broke down, having cancelled in His flesh the enmity in the law of commandments in decrees, in order that the two He might create in Himself one new man, making peace;"
For He is our peace: what a wonderful title given our Christ, peace. We, who were once opposing God, are now at peace, reconciled to God. The only way anyone may have peace in his or her soul, is by the mediation of Christ. Who made both one: the Jews, who were claiming to be the special people of the inheritance, are now one with Gentile believers. And the middle wall of the fence broke down: Christ is now all believers Peace, for He made peace with God by His shed blood, reconciling us to God, and the middle wall of petition that separated the Gentiles from the Jews has been forever removed. The Jews today, in opposing Christ, have erected their own fence, and it still separates then from God. Having cancelled in His flesh the enmity: Christ sacrificing Himself on the cross cancelled forever the enmity that existed between the two. In the law of commandments in decrees: having abolished the law in decrees, He broke down the fence. "This does not refer to the moral law, which was not the cause of the alienation, and which was not abolished by the death of Christ, but to the laws commanding sacrifices, festivals, fasts, &c., which constituted the peculiarity of the Jewish system. These were the occasion of the enmity between the Jews and the Gentiles, and these were abolished by the great sacrifice which the Redeemer made; and of course when that was made, the purpose for which the laws were instituted was accomplished, and they ceased to be of value and to be binding" (Barnes). However, the cross of Christ fulfilled the entire Mosaic system, and even the moral law cannot save. The Mosaic system has been replace with doctrines of grace. In order that the two: Jew and Gentile believers. He might create in Himself one new man: by His death, He might create out of the two, Jew and Gentile believers, united into a spiritual body, which He is the Head. Making peace: Christ is our peace, and He brought harmony between the Jew and Gentile.
Verse 16, "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:"
LGT "And [He] might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity by it."
And He might reconcile: this is the result of redemption, we are reconciled to God, that is, that through the blood of Christ we are now in favor with God. Both in one body to God: the Jew and Gentile believers are united into one body, unifying all into the body of Christ. "Without this reconciliation, neither the Law, nor ceremonies, nor their descent from Abraham, nor all their dazzling privileges, would be of any avail. We are all sinners; and forgiveness of sins cannot be obtained but through the grace of Christ. He adds, in one body, to inform the Jews, that to cultivate union with the Gentiles will be well-pleasing in the sight of God" (Calvin). To God through the cross: sin is the enmity that alienated man from God, and Christ's sacrifice for all sin with His own blood, reconciled man back to God. All sin has been paid for, past, present, and future; man does not go to hell because they have sinned; they go to hell for rejecting the sin-payment, Jesus Christ our Savior. Having slain the enmity by it: the cross of Christ has victoriously slain the effects of sin before God. The cross has reconciled man to God, and has united the Jew and Gentile into one body in Christ.
"The fact of an atonement seems to prove its own necessity. God has shown infinite love to the sinner, and infinite hatred to his sin, in the sufferings of the cross, so that we tremble at His severity, while we are in the arms of His mercy, and grace" (Eadie).
Verse 17, "And came and preached peace to you which are afar off, and to them that were nigh."
LGT "And having come, He announced the Glad Tidings - peace to the ones who [were] afar off, and peace to the ones near:"
And having come, He announced the Glad Tidings: Christ came into the world and preached the Glad Tidings of peace. Peace to the ones who were afar off: the Gentiles who were far off from the Jews and there temple. And peace to the ones near: the Jews who were God's people of promise. Jesus preached the Glad Tidings of grace to the chosen people, the Jews, ant the apostle preached it to the Gentiles.
McGee notes on this verse:
"The Old Testament temple which succeeded the Mosaic tabernacle was marked by partitions. There were three entrances into the three departments: the outer court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. Then there were sections partitioned off for priests, Israel, women, and Gentiles. Christ, by His death, took out the veil, and became the Way (the outer court), the Truth (the Holy Place), and the Life (the Holy of Holies). Now we come through Christ directly into the presence of God the Father. Those who come to Him are removed from their little departments and placed in Christ, the New Temple where there are no departments. The Cross dissolves the fences, and the Gospel id preached to the Gentiles, those who were afar off, and to the Jews, those who were near. What a picture we have here!"
Verse 18, "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."
LGT "For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."
In this verse we have the Trinity in action. For through Him: God the Son, by the Cross reconciled us to God. We both have access in one Spirit: God the Holy Spirit gives both Jew and Gentile alike free access to the Father, without having to go through the high priest. When Christ died on the Cross, the veil of the Temple was rent from top to bottom, and now in the Holy Spirit we all have free access to God. The Holy Spirit indwells all believers, and by His indwelling presence we have this access. To the Father: God the Father is now open to all who believe. We are now Royal Family members, with Jesus as our big Brother, the Holy Spirit as our guide, and God as our dear Father, welcoming us with open arms. "Christians do not approach some dark and spectral phantom, nor a grim and terrible avenger. It is not Jehovah in the awful attitude of Judge and governor, but Jehovah as Father - who has a father's heart to compassionate and a father's hand to bestow. And His paternity is no abstraction. He is Christ's Father and our Father. He belongs to both believing Jew and Gentile alike" (Eadie).
Verse 19, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and the household of God;"
LGT "So then, are ye no longer strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens of the saints and of the household of God,"
So then, are ye no longer strangers and sojourners: Paul addresses the Galatians directly. They are no longer without rights of citizenship. But ye are fellow-citizens: the opposite of strangers and sojourners. Of the saints and of the household of God: they are now members of God's Holy Family, with all the rights and privileges with all the saints. Every believer is a saint, with no levels of priesthood. Every believer is a child of God. We must keep in mind that our citizenship is in heaven, and we look for Christ's return that we may join the rest of the family who have gone on before. We are actually strangers and sojourners here in this world, for we are now citizens of heaven, where someday we will be able to call it home.
I love that song my three brothers and I used to sing:
This world is not my home, I'm just passing through,
My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue,
The angels beckon me, from heavens open door,
And I can't feel at home, in this world anymore.
Verse 20, "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."
LGT "Being built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone."
Being built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets: These prophets were not the Old Testament prophets but the office in the Apostolic Church. The apostles organized the assemblies of believers, and then appointed prophets to take the leadership role, as they moved on to another location to organize new assemblies. This all took place during the Holy Spirit gifted ministry, before the Bible was completed and given out in written form. These prophets would orally transmit the Word of God, as the Holy Spirit would give it to them to teach. When the Word was completed and made available to all, these apostles and prophets were no longer needed. Besides the fact that the gift of apostleship ended with the Apostle John, the gift of prophets also ended. The foundation they built upon was doctrines about the Lord Jesus Christ and His wonderful grace. "These passages prove that the office of prophet was next in order and dignity to the apostolate. The prophets spoke from immediate revelation - 'with demonstration of the Spirit and with power;' - and prior to the completion of the cannon [the New Testament] they stood to those early churches in such a relation as the written oracles stand to us. In this laying of the foundation, apostles and prophets were alike employed, when they preached Jesus and organized into communities such as received their message" (Eadie). Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone: Jesus Christ and Christ crucified was the basis for all the building. No assembly is worth its salt that preaches a humanist gospel. If the teaching from the Word of God does not teach God's grace, that teaching is false, and the Word they teach is false. If Christ is not the central theme in all Bible study, move to a group that teaches Christ and His wonderful grace. Grace is not about who and what we are, but about who and what Christ is, and what He accomplished Himself on our behalf. God is the active Agent in the universe, and we are recipients of His actions.
Verse 21, "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the lord."
LGT "In whom [the whole] building fitted together increases into a holy temple in the Lord."
The simile here is that individual believers make up this Holy Temple, which Christ is the chief corner stone. I'm sure Paul has in mind the Old Testament Temple, but only as a figure of speech, for this temple is none other than the body of Christ, and by no means is Paul making reference to a corporate body, but a body made up of individual Christians. "Individual believers are at other times called 'temples of the Holy Ghost,' (1 Cor. 6:12; 2 Cor. 6:16,) but here all are said to constitute one temple. In both cases the metaphor is just and appropriate. When God dwells in each of us, it is His will that we should embrace all in holy unity, and that thus He should form one temple out of many. Each person, when viewed separately, is a temple, but, when joined to others, becomes a stone of a temple; and this view is given for the sake of recommending the unity of the church" (Calvin).
Verse 22, "In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
LGT "In whom also ye are being built into a habitation of God in [the] Spirit."
In whom: in Christ. Ye are being built together: each individual believer, not groups of believers. A habitation of God in the Spirit: in fellowship with God made possible by the indwelling Holy Spirit. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" Formerly God dwelt in the temple in the holy of holies, now He dwells in the believer. "It is called 'an holy temple' or holy sanctuary. It is holy because the Holy Spirit indwells it. By baptism of the Holy Spirit the saved sinner is placed 'in the Lord.' The Holy Spirit indwells each believer. 'But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Rom. 8:9).
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