rwp - Ephesians:2:1-3

rwp@Ephesians:2:1 @{And you did he quicken} (\kai hums\). The verb for {did he quicken} does not occur till verse 5| and then with \hms\ (us) instead of \hums\ (you). There is a like ellipsis or anacoluthon in strkjv@Colossians:1:21,22|, only there is no change from \hums\ to \hms\. {When ye were dead} (\ontas nekrous\). Present active participle referring to their former state. Spiritually dead. {Trespasses and sins} (\paraptmasin kai hamartiais\). Both words (locative case) though only one in verse 5|.

rwp@Ephesians:2:2 @{According to the course of this world} (\kata ton aina tou kosmou toutou\). Curious combinations of \ain\ (a period of time), \kosmos\ (the world in that period). See strkjv@1Corinthians:1:20| for "this age" and strkjv@1Corinthians:3:9| for "this world." {The prince of the power of the air} (\ton archonta ts exousias tou aeros\). \Ar\ was used by the ancients for the lower and denser atmosphere and \aithr\ for the higher and rarer. Satan is here pictured as ruler of the demons and other agencies of evil. Jesus called him "the prince of this world" (\ho archn tou kosmou toutou\, strkjv@John:16:11|). {That now worketh} (\tou nun energountos\). Those who deny the existence of a personal devil cannot successfully deny the vicious tendencies, the crime waves, in modern men. The power of the devil in the lives of men does explain the evil at work "in the sons of disobedience" (\en tois huiois ts apethias\). In strkjv@5:6| also. A Hebrew idiom found in the papyri like "sons of light" (1Thessalonians:5:5|).

rwp@Ephesians:2:3 @{We also all} (\kai hmeis pantes\). We Jews. {Once lived} (\anestraphmen pote\). Second aorist passive indicative of \anastreph\, old verb, to turn back and forth, to live (2Corinthians:1:12|). Cf. \pote periepatsate\, of the Gentiles in verse 2|. {The desires} (\ta thelmata\). Late and rare word except in LXX and N.T., from \thel\, to will, to wish. Plural here "the wishes," "the wills" of the flesh like \tais epithumiais ts sarkos\ just before. Gentiles had no monopoly of such sinful impulses. {Of the mind} (\tn dianoin\). Plural again, "of the thoughts or purposes." {Were by nature children of wrath} (\metha tekna phusei orgs\). This is the proper order of these words which have been the occasion of much controversy. There is no article with \tekna\. Paul is insisting that Jews as well as Gentiles ("even as the rest") are the objects of God's wrath (\orgs\) because of their lives of sin. See strkjv@Romans:2:1-3:20| for the full discussion of this to Jews unpalatable truth. The use of \phusei\ (associative instrumental case of manner) is but the application of Paul's use of "all" (\pantes\) as shown also in strkjv@Romans:3:20; strkjv@5:12|. See \phusei\ of Gentiles in strkjv@Romans:2:14|. The implication of original sin is here, but not in the form that God's wrath rests upon little children before they have committed acts of sin. The salvation of children dying before the age of responsibility is clearly involved in strkjv@Romans:5:13f|.