Chapter II.
(Vers. 1, 2.)
(Vers. 1, 2.) And you, when you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world. He calls them dead because they follow the errors of the world; for whatever departs from the profession of the one true God is considered dead; because it does not remain in the root from which it derives its origin. According to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience. The prince of power, that is, the devil, signifies that he has corrupted the understanding of the world; so that they would depart from the one God, embracing the opinion of many gods, in order to make them partners of his conspiracy, since they are found in the same impiety, denying one God. Therefore, this error of air calls itself a prince, in order to show that it has usurped this part for exercising domination. For air is one thing, and a prince is another: but because it rules in the world or in the air, it is called the spirit of the air.
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) In these things also we were once conversant, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. It signifies unfaithfulness, when it mentions the desires of the flesh. For the will of the flesh is to indulge in visible pleasures, so as to call the elements which God has appointed to be the rulers of the world, gods; when this name is due to the one God, from whom are all things; so that as He has no partaker in power, so He should have no sharer in His name. However, Christ is not denied this name, because just as their nature is common, so will be the name. However, there is a difference between the Father and the Son, because the Father did not receive this name from anyone: but the Son received everything of the Father through generation, so that in power, substance, and name, the Son does not differ from the Father. Therefore, he says: Everything that the Father has is mine; and mine is the Father's (John 16:15). Therefore, it is neither unworthy nor contrary for Christ to be called God, but it is about God the Father, so that the authority of one God is preserved. For if anyone thinks it means something else when the desires of the flesh demand it, let them know that the Apostle lived a clean life because he followed the righteousness of the Law without complaint. But because he persecuted the faith of Christ, therefore he says that we have turned to the desires of our flesh. For every sin is called flesh, especially perfidy, which is the mother of all wickedness. No amount of good works and chastity will benefit anyone if they are faithless; for this perfidy stains all these things. Hence it is, that he added: And we were by nature children of wrath, as others also. For when a bad will is assumed in nature, it becomes a nature of wrath, that is, one that is to be subjected to vengeance, not by a change in substance, but by a bad will. For this is attributed to nature, that which follows; wherefore it is said in Isaiah: A wicked seed (Isaiah 1:4). And in order to show that it is a wicked seed, he added: For you have forsaken the Lord, he says, and have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger; so that nature which forsakes God may be called a wicked seed. For to deviate is to degenerate from the author: and when it presents a bad example to others, it is a bad seed; for it produces very bad fruits. But if it returns to the Author, its nature will be good, according to the Apostle, who, when changed, is called a vessel of election, as he acknowledges his Creator (Acts 9:15).
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) But God, who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us. These are the true riches of mercy, that it is bestowed even on those who do not seek it, as Isaiah says: 'I am sought by those who did not ask for Me' (Isaiah 65:1); for it is an abundance of mercy to be given even to those who do not ask. This is the love of God towards us, that because He created us, He does not want us to perish; for He loves His work. For he did it because he loved what he did; for no one hates his own work.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) And when we were dead in our sins, he made us alive in Christ. We were alienated from God and dead, but by his grace he called us back, that is, he made us alive in Christ. For it is through him that he created us, and it is through him that he has transformed us in him, that is, to be his members. He is indeed our head; we have him as the author of our life, as the apostle Peter says: 'You killed the Author of life' (Acts 3:15).
(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) By whose grace you have been saved. To this gift, he also adds the Gentiles, signifying that we are saved by the grace of Christ.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) And raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This is saying that, as I mentioned before, there will also be holy people from the Gentiles, where Christ is their head.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8) In order to show in the coming ages the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. This signifies that in the future age, the immortal gift of God will appear as a reward for the faithful; which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him (I Cor. II, 9). These are the surpassing riches, so that believers are given as much as the mind cannot comprehend.
(Vers. 9, 10.)
(Verse 9, 10.) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. It is true that every act of thanksgiving for our salvation must be referred to God, who gives us his mercy, to call back those who wander and do not seek the true path. Therefore, there is no reason for us to boast in ourselves; but in God, who has regenerated us through the heavenly birth by the faith of Christ, so that, being exercise in good works, we may merit to receive the promises which God has already destined for us, the newly born.
(Vers. 11, 12.)
(Verse 11, 12.) Remembering that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13.) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. He continues to commend the gift and grace of God, desiring to always give thanks for it as if we are indebted to him. For this reason, he reminds us that through the blood of Christ, we have been made close to God, in order to show how much affection God has for us, who allowed his Son to die for us. And so, we should endure all hardships for his sake, knowing that he deserves more from us than anything our enemies can inflict upon us. For he is the Lord and is in need of nothing, yet he offered himself for us so that he may benefit us, not himself. For even if it did not benefit us, we might perhaps be compelled to die for our master: how much more, when not only does his death, but also our own, bring about an effect for us!
(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14.) For he himself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity in his flesh. He has made peace between circumcision and uncircumcision through the suffering of our Savior. The enmity, which was like a middle wall and separated circumcision from uncircumcision, and uncircumcision from circumcision, this Savior has broken, giving the law that neither a Jew presuming of circumcision should reject a Gentile, nor a faithful Gentile should despise a Jew, that is, reject his paganism: but that both, having been renewed, should follow the faith of one God in Christ. For everything that the Savior taught, he confirmed when he rose from the dead. However, the wall that was in the middle, dividing between the law of deeds and gentleness, signified a wall or fence, that is, not a stable or robust wall; because neither gentleness was a strong thing, as if invented by man, nor circumcision, and new moon, and food, and sacrifices or sabbaths a stable and fixed observance; for they were given so that they would cease when Christ came. Although God has given these things, it is only for a time; however, the preaching of faith remains firm without a successor.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) Abolishing the law of commandments in decrees, in order to create in himself one new man, making peace. This is what I mentioned briefly above; that he abolished the law that was given to the Jews in circumcision, and in the new moons, and in food, and in sacrifices, and in the Sabbath, that is, he commanded them to cease; because they were burdensome, and so he made peace. Hence, the apostle Peter says in the Acts of the Apostles: Why do you impose a yoke upon the necks of the brothers, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? (Acts 15:10)
(Vers. 16.)
(Ver. 16.) In order to present and reconcile both in one body to God through the cross. By removing the enmity, Christ reconciled the peoples to one another first, and then made them peaceful to God the Father; so that men, who were made different through error, could become members of one new body of the same nature, of which Christ is the head.
(Vers. 17, 18.)
(Verses 17, 18.) He killed the enmity within himself, and came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. This is the meaning: he killed the enmity within himself by dying for both Jews and Gentiles. The death of the Savior benefits everyone; for by rising from the dead, having conquered death which held everyone captive, he showed what hope believers have in him. From here, he commanded the preaching by which all were summoned to God the Father in the unity of the Spirit, with discord being broken, so that whether they were Jews (who are so called because the promise was made to their fathers) or Gentiles (who are so called because they did not receive the law given through Moses), with the previous custom being removed, they might accept the faith of Christ, through which they would become one.
(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19.) Therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are citizens of the saints and members of God's household. He reminds them to remember God's blessings, because when they were far from the knowledge and fear of God, they were included in His mercy so that they could become partakers of those who were near to God, becoming fellow citizens and members of God's family. Just as any nation of the Romans desired peace and accepted gifts, they became Roman citizens, just like the people of Tarsus and Cilicia, from where the Apostle claims to be a Roman citizen (Acts 22:26). In the same way, anyone who joins themselves to the Christian faith becomes a citizen of the saints and a member of God's household.
(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20) Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the chief cornerstone being Christ Jesus himself. This is the fulfillment of both the new and old Testaments. For what the apostles preached, the prophets foretold. Although it is said to the Corinthians, 'God has appointed first apostles, second prophets' (1 Corinthians 12:28). But these are other prophets; in that place, he discusses the ordination of the Church, but here, he discusses the foundation of the Church. For the prophets arranged it; for the apostles laid the foundations. Where the Lord says to Peter: Upon this rock I will build my Church (Matt. XVI, 18), that is, in this confession of the Catholic faith I will establish faithful believers for life; for even David prepared the house of God, and marked the place where it would be built: but Solomon actually founded it.
(Vers. 21, 22.)
(Verse 21, 22.) In which every structure, compacted, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in which you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. This is the meaning, from which the Lord said: upon this rock I will build my Church. For the Savior has received two peoples in himself, and has made them one in the Lord, just as the cornerstone holds together two walls, firmly established in the unity of the house; for the faithful are the surface of the temple of God, living in the Spirit, so that they may become heirs of the heavenly dwelling.