Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ephesians 2:9
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
9. lest any man should boast ] Lit., any one; there is no emphasis on “man.” For the thought, cp. Rom 3:27, (and see Eph 4:2); 1Co 1:29; 1Co 4:7; Gal 6:14; Php 3:3; in all which passages the Gr. word is the same. The Apostle is everywhere jealous for the sovereign claim of God to the whole praise of our salvation.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Not of works – see the notes at Rom 3:20, 27.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Not of works; any works whatever, and not only works of the ceremonial law: for if they only were excluded, the opposition between God and man, grace and works, were not right, which yet we find so often elsewhere; {see Rom 11:6} men might not be saved by works of the ceremonial law, and yet still be saved by works, and of themselves.
Lest any man should boast; glory in their own works or worth, as men are apt to do when they think they have any thing of their own which contributes to their salvation see Rom 3:27; 4:2.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. Not of worksThis clausestands in contrast to “by grace,” as is confirmed byRom 4:4; Rom 4:5;Rom 11:6.
lestrather, as Greek,“that no man should boast” (Rom 3:27;Rom 4:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Not of works,…. Of any kind, moral or ceremonial, before or after conversion, done without faith or in it, nor of these in any sense; works are neither the moving causes, nor the procuring causes, nor the helping causes, nor “causa sine qua non”, or conditions of salvation; the best works that are done by men, are not done of themselves, but by the grace of God, and therefore can never merit at his hand: and salvation is put upon such a foot,
lest any man should boast; of his works before God, and unto men; wherefore he has denied works any place in justification and salvation, in order to exclude all boasting in man; and has fixed it in a way of grace, and has chosen and called poor sinful worthless creatures to enjoy it, that whoever glories, may glory in the Lord.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That no man should glory ( ). Negative final clause ( ) with first aorist middle subjunctive of . It is all of God’s grace.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Not of works” (ouk eks ergon) “Not out of works.” Man’s salvation from death and hell does not have its source in moral, ceremonial, ethical, or religious deeds, or human energies, Rom 11:6.
2) “Lest any man should boast” (hina me tis kauchesetai) “in order that not anyone should (have occasion to) boast.” Boasting or occasion for self-glory in salvation is excluded by the law or principle of faith, which is itself the gift of God, Heb 11:6; 1Co 13:13; Joh 1:11-12; Rom 3:27; Gal 6:14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
9. Not of works. Instead of what he had said, that their salvation is of grace, he now affirms, that “it is the gift of God.” (124) Instead of what he had said, “ Not of yourselves, ” he now says, “ Not of works. ” Hence we see, that the apostle leaves nothing to men in procuring salvation. In these three phrases, — not of yourselves, — it is the gift of God, — not of works, — he embraces the substance of his long argument in the Epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians, that righteousness comes to us from the mercy of God alone, — is offered to us in Christ by the gospel, — and is received by faith alone, without the merit of works.
This passage affords an easy refutation of the idle cavil by which Papists attempt to evade the argument, that we are justified without works. Paul, they tell us, is speaking about ceremonies. But the present question is not confined to one class of works. Nothing can be more clear than this. The whole righteousness of man, which consists in works, — nay, the whole man, and everything that he can call his own, is set aside. We must attend to the contrast between God and man, — between grace and works. Why should God be contrasted with man, if the controversy related to nothing more than ceremonies?
Papists themselves are compelled to own that Paul ascribes to the grace of God the whole glory of our salvation, but endeavor to do away with this admission by another contrivance. This mode of expression, they tell us, is employed, because God bestows the first grace. It is really foolish to imagine that they can succeed in this way, since Paul excludes man and his utmost ability, — not only from the commencement, but throughout, — from the whole work of obtaining salvation.
But it is still more absurd to overlook the apostle’s inference, lest any man should boast. Some room must always remain for man’s boasting, so long as, independently of grace, merits are of any avail. Paul’s doctrine is overthrown, unless the whole praise is rendered to God alone and to his mercy. And here we must advert to a very common error in the interpretation of this passage. Many persons restrict the word gift to faith alone. But Paul is only repeating in other words the former sentiment. His meaning is, not that faith is the gift of God, but that salvation is given to us by God, or, that we obtain it by the gift of God.
(124) “ Καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν. It has been not a little debated, among both ancient and modern commentators, to what noun τοῦτο should be referred. Some say, to πίστωες; others, to χάριτι; though on the sense of πίστις they differ in their views. The reference seems, however, to be neither to the one nor to the other, but to the subject of the foregoing clause, salvation by grace, through faith in Christ and his gospel; a view, I find, adopted by Dr. Chandler, Dean Tucker, Dr. Macknight, and Dr. A. Clarke. And to show that this interpretation is not a mere novelty, I need only refer the reader to Theophylact, who thus explains: Οὐ τὴν πίστιν λέγει δῶρον Θεοῦ ἀλλὰ τὸ διὰ πίστεως σωθὴναι τοῦτο δῶρόν ἐστι Θεοῦ. ‘He does not say that faith is the gift of God; but to be saved by faith, this is the gift of God.’ Such also is the view adopted by Chrysostom and Theodoret.” — Bloomfield.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.In this verse we have the echo of the past Judaising controversy; it sums up briefly the whole argument of Rom. 3:27 to Rom. 4:25. There is a similar reminiscence, but more distinct and detached, in Php. 3:2-9.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Not of works Neither the works of the Jewish ritual, nor the works of the moral law by Gentiles. If either ritual Jew or moral Gentile were saved, it would not be because of the value of their doings, but for that deep spirit-seated faith, according to their dispensation. It is the heart inspiring the act, and not the act, that saves. And that spirit of faith in Jew or Gentile would, if Christ were truly presented and understood, heartily embrace him.
Boast A self-saviour needs no Christ-saviour. All Christ’s history in Eph 1:17-23, and all God’s mercy in 1-7, are to him null. He can boast, “I need no free pass; I pay my own way.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eph 2:9. Lest any man That no one.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ver. 9. Lest any man should boast ] As that fool did that said, Caelum gratis non accipiam, I will not have heaven but at a rate. (Vega.) Non sic Deos coluimus, aut sic vivimus, ut ille nos vinceret, said the emperor Antoninus Philosophus. We have not so lived and deserved of God that the enemy should vanquish us.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eph 2:9 . , : not of works, that no one should glory . The OT protest against glorying in any but the Lord and the prophet’s jealousy for the honour of God (Jer 9:23-24 ; Isa 42:8 ; Isa 42:14 , etc.) burn with a yet intenser flame in Paul, most of all when he touches the great theme of man’s salvation. That the glory of that salvation belongs wholly to God and in no degree to man, and that it has been so planned and so effected as to take from us all ground for boasting, is enforced on Paul’s hearers again and again, in different connections, with anxious concern and utmost plainness of expression ( cf. Rom 3:17 ; 1Co 1:29 ; 1Co 4:7 ; Gal 6:14 ; Phi 3:3 , etc.).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
lest any man = in order that (Greek. hina) no (Greek. me.) one (Greek. tis. App-123.)
boast. See Rom 2:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eph 2:9
Eph 2:9
not of works,-Not of the works of the Jewish law, or by any works of mans invention or device.
that no man should glory.-The works that do not save are such as allow glorying. The works of mans device allow glorying, but salvation does not come through such works. The term works is used in two senses. It is used to denote the inventions of men or devices of men and to denote the appointments of God. God appoints certain things to be done. Man must do them, but they are Gods works. When he does the things appointed by God, he does not do his own works, but Gods. Man is saved by walking in the way appointed by God, by doing the things commanded of God. He is saved in doing the works of God. He is not saved because of the merits of the works, but because he proves his faith by doing the things commanded by God. The works of the Jewish law, after that law was fulfilled and taken out of the way, ceased to be the works and appointments of God, and became mans works. This does not teach that man cannot be saved by walking in the works of God.
Then the whole drift of Pauls argument is to cut man off from all works and inventions devised by man, that allow glorying, and that produce only human righteousness, and tie him down as a lost and ruined sinner, dependent upon the works of God provided in the gospel and sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ for salvation. To these he must come by faith in Jesus Christ. He is not dissuading or discouraging men from doing in faith all that God through Christ has provided and commanded and sealed with his blood. He cuts him off from everything save these, and leaves him to walk in the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus as his only hope. In this walk he comes to the blood-sealed appointments of God, and is washed and cleansed by the blood of the Son of God. He did not discourage them from walking in that law. By so walking he does the works of God. He does the works without which faith is dead and by which James says (Jas 2:14-20) it is made perfect and by which we may be justified before God. The works of God, the works of faith, are included in the law of faith that makes faith perfect, excludes all glorying, and justifies man. Paul and James, so far from disagreeing, agree perfectly. Paul cuts man off from everything except the works contained in the law of faith, and James warns that no faith can justify that is not made perfect by works, included in the law of faith, and to which faith leads.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Rom 3:20, Rom 3:27, Rom 3:28, Rom 4:2, Rom 9:11, Rom 9:16, Rom 11:6, 1Co 1:29-31, 2Ti 1:9, Tit 3:3-5
Reciprocal: Num 23:4 – I have prepared Jdg 7:2 – Israel Luk 18:12 – fast Joh 6:65 – that no 2Co 4:7 – that Tit 3:5 – by works
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
(Eph 2:9.) -Not of works-the explanation of . The apostle uses with the article before in the previous verse, but here without the article before -the former referring to the subjective instrument, or causa apprehendens; the latter to the source, and excluding works of every kind and character. again refers to source or cause. Schweighaser, Lex. Herodot. p. 192. Salvation is by grace, and therefore not of us; it is through faith, and therefore not of works; it is God’s gift, and therefore not of man’s origination. Such works belong not to fallen and condemned humanity. It has not, and by no possibility can it have any of them, for it has failed to render prescribed obedience; and though it should now or from this time be perfect in action, such conformity could only suffice for present acceptance. How, then, shall it atone for former delinquencies? The first duty of a sinner is faith, and what merit can there be where there is no confidence in God? Without faith it is impossible to please Him. The theory that represents God as having for Christ’s sake lowered the terms of His law so as to accept of sincere endeavours for perfect obedience, is surely inconsistent in its commixture of merit and grace. For if God dispense with the claims of His law now, why not for ever-if to one point, why not altogether-if to one class of creatures, why not to all? On such a theory, the moral bonds of the universe would be dissolved. The distinction made by Thomas Aquinas between meritum ex congruo and meritum ex condigno, was too subtle to be popularly apprehended, and it did not arrest the Pelagian tendencies of the mediaeval church.
-lest any one should boast. According to the just view of Rckert, Harless, Meyer, and Stier, the conjunction marks design, or is telic; according to others, such as Koppe, Flatt, Holzhausen, Macknight, Chandler, and Bloomfield, it indicates result-so as that no one may boast. So also Theophylact-, , , , ; that is, the is not causal, but eventual in its meaning. Koppe suggests as an alternative to give the words an imperative sense-Not of works: beware then of boasting. Stier proposes that the be viewed from a human standpoint, and as indicative of the writer’s own purpose; as if the apostle had said-Not of works, I repeat it, lest any one should boast. This exegesis is certainly original, as its author has indeed mentioned; but it is as certainly unnatural and far-fetched. Macknight has argued that cannot have its telic force, for it would represent God as appointing our salvation to be by faith, merely to prevent men’s boasting, which certainly is an end unworthy of God in so great an affair; but this is not a full view of the matter, for the apostle does not characterize the prevention of boasting as God’s only end, but as one of His purposes. For what would boasting imply? Would it not imply fancied merit, independence of God, and that self-deification which is the very essence of sin? A pure and perfect creature has nothing to boast of; for what has he that he has not received? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? When God purposes to preclude boasting, or even the possibility of it, He resolves to effect His design in this one way, by filling the mind with such emotions as shall infallibly banish it. He furnishes the re deemed spirit with humility and gratitude-such humility as ever induces man to confess his emptiness, and such gratitude as ever impels him to ascribe every blessing to the one source of Divine generosity. We see no reason, therefore, to withhold from its natural and primary sense, especially as in the mind and theology of the apostle, event is so often viewed in unison with its source, and result is traced to its original design, in the Divine idea and motive. And truly boasting is effectually stopped. For if man be guilty, and being unable to win a pardon, simply receive it; if, being dead, he get life only as a Divine endowment; if favour, and nothing but favour, have originated his safety, and the only possible act on his part be that of reception; if what he has be but a gift to him in his weak and meritless state-then surely nothing can be further from him than boasting, for he will glorify God for all, 1Co 1:29-31. Ambrosiaster truly remarks-haec superbia omni peccato nocentior omni genere est elationis insanior. And further, salvation cannot be of ourselves or of works-
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Eph 2:9. Not of works. See the illustration in the preceding paragraph drawn from a father and his son. The merits of our work for Christ would never have obtained salvation for us; had they done so, then man could have boasted that he had earned his salvation by what he had done.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eph 2:9. Not of works. This resumes the negative side, asserting that salvation does not proceed from works, as a meritorious ground. Comp. on Rom 3:20; Gal 2:16, etc. It is obvious that we cannot supply faith here, and this is a strong argument for the view taken of the latter part of Eph 2:8.
That no man should boast, or, glory; comp. on Rom 2:17. The purpose of this method of grace is that God alone should have the glory, the negative side of which is that no man should boast On this familiar thought of the Apostle, see marginal references.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
2:9 {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast.
(9) He specifically and completely takes away from our works the praise of justification, seeing that the good works themselves are the effects of grace in us.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Salvation is not by works since its basis is grace and its means of reception faith. No one will be able to boast that he or she has done something that earned him or her salvation. All the glory will go to God for accomplishing salvation.
"Since we have not been saved by our good works, we cannot be lost by our bad works." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:19.]