Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ephesians 2:6
And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
6. and hath raised us up together, &c.] Better, did raise, &c. The radical idea of new life is here put into more detail, as a resurrection and ascension; the special form of the Lord’s Revival. “ Together: ” the Gr. grammar allows this to refer to either (1) union with the Church, or (2) union with the Lord; (1) “as a united company,” or (2) “as united to Him.” And the words just below “ in Him,” not “ with Him,” may seem to favour the former. But the previous verse, and Col 2:12; Col 3:1; are strongly for the reference to Christ. His resurrection and ascension are the basis of the spiritual (as well as future bodily) resurrection and ascension of His Church.
made us sit together, &c.] Our great Representative is there, “ sitting at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). We, as “in Him,” vitally united to Him, are there also, in the sense of a supreme acceptance and welcome by the Eternal Father, and of the sure prospect of heavenly “glorification together [with Christ]” (Rom 8:17).
in heavenly places ] See on Eph 1:3.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And hath raised us up together – That is, we are raised from the death of sin to the life of religion, in connection with the resurrection of Jesus, and in virtue of that. So close is the connection between him and his people, that his resurrection made theirs certain; compare Col 2:12; notes, Rom 6:5.
And made us sit together – Together with him. That is, we share his honors. So close is our connection with him, that we shall partake of his glory, and in some measure do now; compare the Mat 19:28, note, and Rom 8:17, note.
In heavenly places – see the notes at Eph 1:3. The meaning is, that he has gone to the heavenly world as our Head and Representative. His entrance there is a pledge that we shall also enter there. Even here we have the anticipation of glory, and are admitted to exalted honors, as if we sat in heavenly places, in virtue of our connection with him.
In Christ Jesus – It is in connection with him that we are thus exalted, and thus filled with joy and peace. The meaning of the whole is, We are united to Christ. We die with him, and live with him. We share his sufferings, and we share his joys. We become dead to the world in virtue of his death; we become alive unto God in virtue of his resurrection. On earth we are exalted to honor, peace, and hope, in virtue of his resurrection; in heaven we shall share his, glory and partake of his triumphs.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. And hath raised us up together in Christ] Or rather, by Christ; his resurrection being the proof that he had made the full atonement, and that we might be justified by his blood. Believing, therefore, the record which God gave of his Son, we received this atonement, and were raised from a death of sin to a life of righteousness; and now we sit in heavenly places-we have a right to the kingdom of God, anticipate this glory, and are indescribably happy in the possession of this salvation, and in our fellowship with Christ Jesus.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And hath raised us up together; either this may be understood of a further degree of spiritual life in the progress of sanctification vouchsafed to believers in this world; or rather, of the resurrection of the body, which is said to be raised together with Christ, because it is to be raised by the same power that raised him up, and by virtue of his resurrection, in which we have fellowship with him, as being united to him.
And made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, as our Head, and representative. Our spiritual enlivening {Eph 2:5} we have not only fundamentally in Christ when restored to life, but actually begun in ourselves in our effectual calling; but the resurrection of our bodies, and our sitting in heaven, we have not as yet actually fulfilled in ourselves, yet have it in Christ our Head, who rose for us and we in him, and sits in heaven for us, and we in him may be said to sit there too, by reason of our union with him, and being members of him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. raised us up togetherwithChrist. The “raising up” presupposes previous quickening ofJesus in the tomb, and of us in the grave of our sins.
made us sit togetherwithChrist, namely, in His ascension. Believers are bodily in heaven inpoint of right, and virtually so in spirit, and have each their ownplace assigned there, which in due time they shall take possession of(Phi 3:20; Phi 3:21).He does not say, “on the right hand of God“; aprerogative reserved to Christ peculiarly; though they shall shareHis throne (Re 3:21).
in Christ JesusOurunion with Him is the ground of our present spiritual, and futurebodily, resurrection and ascension. “Christ Jesus” is thephrase mostly used in this Epistle, in which the office of theChrist, the Anointed Prophet, Priest and King, is the prominentthought; when the Person is prominent, “Jesus Christ” isthe phrase used.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And hath raised us up together,…. Which refers either to a spiritual resurrection, to a resurrection from a death in sin, to a spiritual life; and which is the effect of almighty power, and of rich grace and mercy; and in which Christ is concerned: he is the efficient cause of it, he raises the dead in this sense, and quickens whom he will; and his resurrection is the virtual cause of it; and also the exemplar, between which there is a great likeness; both bear the same name; both are a declaration of sonship; and both the first step to glory in Christ and in his people; and both are instances of the exceeding greatness of God’s power: or it may refer to a corporeal resurrection, said to be already, because it is in faith and hope, and because of the certainty of it; and to be together with Christ, because of the conformity of it to his resurrection, and to the influence of which it is owing; and chiefly because that when Christ rose from the dead, all his people rose in him, and with him, as their head and representative, he being the firstfruits of them that slept; so called, in allusion to the firstfruits of the harvest under the law, which represented and sanctified the whole:
and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Christ is entered into heaven as the forerunner, to take possession of it for his people, in their name; and to prepare mansions of glory for them, and in these they sit; which imports honour, pleasure, rest from labour and weariness, and safety and security: and what adds to the happiness of this is, that it is together with all the saints, and with Christ himself; and in these they are made to sit already; which is so said, because of the certainty of it, for the same glory Christ has, they shall have; and because of their right to such a blessing; and chiefly because Christ their head is set down therein, who sustains their persons, bears their names on his heart, and represents them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In Christ Jesus ( ). All the preceding turns on this phrase. See Col 3:1 for the word .
Made to sit with him (). First aorist active indicative of , old causative verb, but in N.T. only here and Lu 22:55.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Raised us up. Compare Rom 6:5.
Made us sit together [] . Compare set Him, ch. 1 20.
Together is ambiguous. Render with Him, as Rev. “Even now we sit there in Him, and shall sit with Him in the end” (Andrews, cited by Ellicott). Compare Rom 8:30; Rev 3:21. Meyer renders hath given us joint seat.
In Christ Jesus. Connect with raised up, made us sit, and in heavenly places. Resurrection, enthronement, heaven, all are in Christ.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And hath raised us up together ‘ (kai sunegeiren) “And hath raised us in close association (with Christ).” The elevation of one from death in trespasses and sins is referred to as a resurrection or a new standing in intimate association with Jesus Christ through the new nature that guarantees the resurrection of the body, Col 3:1-3; Col 2:12-13; Rom 8:11.
2) “And made us sit together” (kai sunekathisen) “And set, put, placed, or enthroned us in close association with (Christ).” Believers now share with Christ a) divine nature, b) joint-heirship, and c) foretaste of the dignity and future dominion that awaits believers in general with special blessings to those who also become members of His church, Eph 3:21.
3) “In heavenly places” (en tois epouraniois) “In the heavenly things,” as head over all things to the church, Eph 1:20-22; which is His body, His assembly, His church or working and witnessing agency, Mat 16:18; Mat 28:18-20.
4) “In Christ Jesus” (en christo iesou) “Centered in Christ Jesus” or in the area of His fellowship and labors.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
6. And hath raised us up together. The resurrection and sitting in heaven, which are here mentioned, are not yet seen by mortal eyes. Yet, as if those blessings were presently in our possession, he states that we have received them; and illustrates the change which has taken place in our condition, when we were led from Adam to Christ. It is as if we had been brought from the deepest hell to heaven itself. And certainly, although, as respects ourselves, our salvation is still the object of hope, yet in Christ we already possess a blessed immortality and glory; and therefore, he adds, in Christ Jesus. Hitherto it does not appear in the members, but only in the head; yet, in consequence of the secret union, it belongs truly to the members. Some render it, through Christ; but, for the reason which has been mentioned, it is better to retain the usual rendering, in Christ. We are thus furnished with the richest consolation. Of everything which we now want, we have a sure pledge and foretaste in the person of Christ.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
6. Raised sit in heavenly places As Christ in Eph 1:20.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eph 2:6. And hath raised us up, &c. What the Apostle here says, does not merely signify our being raised to the hope of pardon and glory by the resurrection and ascension of Christ, but seems to refer to that union which there is between him and all true believers; byvirtue of which they may look onhis resurrection, ascension, and glory, as a pledge and security of something of a similar nature, to be accomplished in due time in and upon them, if faithful unto death. Thus we are taught to consider Christ as a public person, the elder brother of the family, and the guardian of the younger branches of it, who look up to him for succour.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eph 2:6 . After the making alive of Christ in the grave followed His resurrection , with which Paul regards that of believers as likewise accomplished. Hence: , which in like manner is not to be taken in the spiritual sense (“to make them enter upon the new life of grace,” Rckert); but see on Eph 2:5 . With strange inconsistency several expositors, such as Menochius, Zanchius, Boyd, Estius, Grotius, although taking . metaphorically, nevertheless have taken this (as well as the element that follows) in a literal sense , and mentally supplied nempe spe , or the like.
.] and has given to us joint-seat in the heavenly regions (comp. Eph 1:20 ), so that we have part (see on 1Co 6:2 ) in the dominion of the Exalted One (2Ti 2:12 ); which Paul likewise sees as already accomplished [143] with the installing of Christ at the right hand of God; hence, there was no need at all for supplying the thought jure et virtute spirituali (Bengel), or for a transference of the matter to the praescientia Dei (Jerome), and other such expedients.
] belongs to and . , so that what was expressed in the case of . by ( ) , is here expressed, in yet more exact conception of the relation, by ( ) (jointly in Christ ). Inasmuch, namely, as God raised and exalted Christ ( ), He has raised and exalted us with Him. accordingly is by no means intended to denote the as figurative (Olshausen).
On . (see on Eph 1:3 ) Bengel, we may add (comp. already Estius), aptly remarks: “non dicit in dextra ; Christo sua manet excellentia.” The transitive is not elsewhere preserved.
[143] Explanations in the spiritual sense. Calixtus: “Ea nobis dedit dona, quae civibus coelorum propria sunt.” Rosenmller: “Summa felicitate nos ornavit, quasi jam in coelo essemus recepti.” Rckert and Bleek remind us of the of Christians, which is in heaven (Phi 3:20 ; comp. Col 3:1 ff.). Meier: “Exaltation into a celestially enlightened, pure and holy, state of life.” Matthies: “The spiritual kingdom of heaven or of God.” Olshausen: “The awakening of the heavenly consciousness.” Koppe remarks superficially and with hesitation: “Nobis quidem in omnibus his , , . nihil inesse videtur nisi summae et universae felicitatis, qua Christiani vel jam fruuntur, vel olim magis etiam fruituri sunt, descriptio.” According to Baumgarten-Crusius, there is expressed “exaltation into a purely spiritual heaven-like state.” De Wette takes . of the deliverance out of the misery of sin, of regeneration and, at the same time , of the resurrection of the body guaranteed in the spiritual life, and . . . of the hope of the eternal . Schenkel interprets it of the presentiment of the future glory.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Ver. 6. And made us sit together ] We have taken up our rooms beforehand in heaven, whereunto we have just right upon earth by virtue of the union, the ground of communion,1Jn 5:121Jn 5:12 . He that hath the Son hath life; he hath possession of it, as by turf and twig.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eph 2:6 . : and raised us with Him . That is, to life now, in a present spiritual renewal. The expresses the definite idea of resurrection , and primarily that of the physical resurrection. The introduction of this term and the following makes it not improbable that both ideas, that of the present moral resurrection and that of the future bodily resurrection, were in Paul’s mind, and that he did not sharply distinguish between them, but thought of them as one great gift of life. : and seated us (or, enthroned us) with Him in the heavenlies . Made us sharers with Him in dignity and dominion, so that even now, and in foretaste of our future exaltation, our life and thought are raised to the heavenlies where He reigns. But as Bengel notices, Paul pauses here and does not add the which is said of Christ in Eph 1:20 : in Christ Jesus . Not the only, but the whole statement is qualified by this. This quickening, this resurrection, this seating of us with Him take effect in so far as we are in Him as our Representative, having our life and our completeness in our Head.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
hath raised, &c. = raised . . . together (with Him). Greek. sunegeiro. Only here. Co Eph 1:2, Eph 1:12; Eph 3:1.
made us, &c. = made us to sit down together. Greek. sunkathizo. Only here and Luk 22:55.
heavenly places. As in Eph 1:3.
Christ Jesus. See Eph 1:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eph 2:6. , made us sit together) Believers are already spiritually raised; they will be raised in the body; and to each of the two resurrections the sitting in heavenly places corresponds. They are not, indeed, present in heaven in the body, but they are so in point of right, and virtually in the spirit, and they have individually a seat expressly assigned to them, which is to be taken possession of at the proper time. They are for a while hidden in God; Col 3:3.- , in the heavenlies) He does not say, on the right hand. To Christ this is left as His own peculiar pre-eminence [prerogative].- , in Christ Jesus) In this sublime discourse, especially, Paul calls Him Christ Jesus; oftener on other occasions, Jesus Christ.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Eph 2:6
Eph 2:6
and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him-He united all believing Jews and Gentiles in one body in Christ Jesus.
in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus:-He calls the church, its principles, services, promises, all of which are enjoyed in Christ, heavenly places. The church of God is the reign of heaven on earth. The truth, services, and hopes are all heavenly. The temper to be cultivated is heavenly.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
hath: Eph 1:19, Eph 1:20, Rom 6:4, Rom 6:5, Col 1:18, Col 2:12, Col 2:13, Col 3:1-3
sit: Mat 26:29, Luk 12:37, Luk 22:29, Luk 22:30, Joh 12:26, Joh 14:3, Joh 17:21-26, Rev 3:20, Rev 3:21
in: Eph 1:3
Reciprocal: Son 1:4 – the king Isa 41:20 – General Rom 8:30 – he justified Eph 2:1 – you Phi 3:20 – our Heb 6:19 – entereth 1Pe 1:3 – by Rev 11:12 – And they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
(Eph 2:6.) -And raised us up with. The meaning of – is of course the same as in the preceding . Believers are not only quickened, but they are also raised up; they not only receive life, but they experience a resurrection. The dead, on being quickened, do not lie in their graves; they come forth, cast from them the cerements of mortality, and re-enter the haunts of living humanity. Jesus rose on being vivified, and left His sepulchre with the grave-clothes in it. His people enjoy the activities as well as the elements of vitality, for they are raised out of the spiritual death-world, and are not found the living among the dead. It is a violation of the harmony of sense to understand the first verb of spiritual life, and the second of physical resurrection, or the hope of it, as do Menochius, Bodius, Estius, and Grotius. Still more-
-and seated us together with. This verb is to be understood in a spiritual sense as well as the two preceding ones. It is the spirit which is quickened, raised, and co-enthroned with Christ. And the place of honour and dignity is-
-in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This idiom has been already considered both under Eph 2:3 and Eph 2:20 of the 1st chapter. It does not denote heaven proper, but is the ideal locality of the church on the earth, as the kingdom of heaven-above the world in its sphere of occupation and enjoyment. The addition of occurs also Eph 1:3; and in both places the epithet points out the exalted position of the church. Union to Christ brings us into them. His glory is their bright canopy, and His presence diffuses joy and hope. The before has perplexed commentators, for – is also in composition with the verb, and would have been supposed to govern these nouns, had not been expressed. But again, as frequently in the previous portion of the epistle, defines the sphere, and refers to the three aorists-so anxious is the apostle to show that union to Christ is the one source of spiritual honour and enjoyment. This spiritual enthronement with Jesus is not more difficult to comprehend than our royal priesthood. The loose interpretations of it by Koppe and Rosenmller rob it of its point and beauty. Nor is the mere arousing of the heavenly consciousness all that is meant, as Olshausen supposes. Indeed, Rckert, Meier, Matthies, and Conybeare are nearer the truth. Our view is simply as follows-Our life, resurrection, and enthronement follow one another, as in the actual history of the great Prototype. But this sitting with Jesus is as spiritual as the life, and it indicates the calmness and dignity of the new existence. The quickened soul is not merely made aware that in Christ, as containing it and all similar souls, it is enlivened, and raised up, and elevated, but along with th is it enjoys individually a conscious life, resurrection, and session with Jesus. It feels these blessings in itself, and through its union with Him. It lives, and it is conscious of this life; it has been raised, and it is aware of its change of spiritual position. It is more than Augustine allows-Nondum in nobis, sed jam in Illo-for it feels itself in the meantime sitting with Jesus, not solely because of its relation to Him in His representative character, but because of its own joyous and personal possession of royal elevation, purity, and honour. He hath made us kings. Rev 1:6. What is more peculiar to the spirit in this series of present and beatific gifts, shall at length be shared in by the entire humanity. The body shall be quickened, raised, and glorified, and the redeemed man shall, in the fulness of his nature, enjoy the happiness of heaven. The divine purpose is-
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Eph 2:6. Places is not in the original as a separate word; it is explained at chapter 1:3. The association of Christians with each other in the church of Christ is heavenly, because the entire arrangement originated in Heaven.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eph 2:6. And raised us up together, etc. The thought of Eph 2:5 is carried out in detail: Together is = with Him, Christ, whose Resurrection and exaltation have already been set forth as the exhibition of Divine energy in accordance with which Gods power is exerted to usward who believe (chap. Eph 1:19-21). The reference, as in Eph 2:5, is physical and future, but at the same time spiritual and present
In the heavenly places. This is to be explained as in chap. Eph 1:3; Eph 1:20. Bengel notices that at His right hand (chap. Eph 1:20) can be applied to Christ alone, but this phrase to all Christians.
In Christ Jesus. This does not qualify in the heavenly places, but should be joined with the verbs. It brings out more fully than together, the fact that all these saving acts are in virtue of our mystical union with Christ. Comp. the close of the next verse.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
The apostle here instances in two branches more of that salvation which he had in the foregoing verse affirmed to be of grace, namely, that of our resurrection and glorification; both which are yet to come, and yet they are spoken of as already past: when the Father raised and glorified Christ, all believers were raised and glorified in him; for in his resurrection and glorification he did sustain the quality of a public person, representing his whole church as their head and husband; and, accordingly, believers are and may be said to be raised already, and glorified already, not in their own persons, but in Christ their head. The apostle says, God has raised us up, and has made us sit together; not, he shall raise us, and will make us sit; to denote the dependency which our resurrection and glorification has upon Christ’s, as the effects depend upon the cause, and also the undoubted certainty that they shall come to pass, Christ’s resurrection and glorification being a pledge of ours.
Learn hence, 1. That Christ rose from the dead, and ascended up into heaven, not as a private person, but as the common head and parent, root and representative of his church and people; so that what he has done, they may be said to have done: they rose in him, and are set down in heaven in him; and blessed be God for the well-grounded hopes, that as we now sit together in Christ, so ere long we shall for ever sit together with Christ.
Learn, 2. That Jesus Christ is the cause of our resurrection and glorification, he is the efficient cause, the meritorious cause, and exemplary cause, of our resurrection and glorification.
Learn 3. From the phrase here used of sitting, and of sitting together in Christ, that believers shall certainly partake of the same kingly state and dignity, of the same honour and glory, of the same delight and pleasure, of the same rest and tranquillity, of the same state and security, with Christ in heaven. He hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 6
In heavenly places; in the spiritual kingdom of Christ.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
Now, this verse has some interesting implications. Notice the past tense of “raised” and “made” us – both are actually aorist tense which is a statement of something that occurred at a point in time. Sometime past of when Paul stated it, they were all “raised up together, and made to sit together” in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This pictures our standing in the overall plan of God. I would suggest that we were all raised in Christ at the point of His resurrection. We have this standing and it is ours never to be changed no matter what we might try to thwart it. Again, that eternal security stuff.
Apply that to the way you live. We have a standing of sitting with Christ and the Father in heaven, but what is our state, our lifestyle, like? We ought to live as if we were with Him in the heavenlies. That rather discounts being short with people, being a liar, being troublesome, being lazy, being slothful etc. Years ago there was a book by Francis Schaeffer entitled HOW THEN SHOULD WE LIVE? According to this passage we should live as if we were sitting beside God in the heavenlies.
“Hath raised us up together” is actually only one word in the original, which means raised together. This indicates all of us at once were raised. I would suggest that this is also true of all Old Testament saints. They were in Sheol awaiting action on their final salvation. I personally believe that the Old Testament saint was not regenerated as we. They were unable to be allowed into heaven because of this deficiency. They awaited the work of Christ to have their faith rewarded.
This was the reason for Sheol; it was a pleasant place to be until the resurrection of Christ when they could be released into God’s presence. My book on regeneration explains all this in much more detail if you are interested.
The term translated “made us sit together” is rendered quite accurately, as it means to be made to sit together. Again, the thought of eternal security comes to mind. Some suggest that we can walk away from salvation, but this passage seems like God puts us in a seat – are you going to get up and walk away from that situation? I rather doubt it.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
2:6 And hath raised [us] up {g} together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
(g) That is, as he adds afterwards, in Christ, for as yet this is not fulfilled in us, but only in our head by whose Spirit we have begun to die to sin, and live to God, until that work is fully brought to an end. And yet the hope is certain, for we are as sure of that which we look for, as we are of that which we have already received.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
God has, second, raised up believers with Christ. This describes our spiritual, not physical experience. He will yet raise us physically, but spiritually He has already raised us to a new type of life (cf. Col 3:1-2). Like our Lord’s resurrection life, ours is also powerful and eternal.
Third, God has seated us in the heavenly realms with Christ (cf. Eph 1:20). That is where our heavenly citizenship lies (Php 3:20) and where our final home is. What Christ did physically (i.e., died, arose, and took His seat in heaven) God has already done for the believer spiritually. The fact that God enabled Christ to do these things physically should help us believe that He has done these things for us spiritually.