the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
we
ἔχομενechomen
G2192
to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active indicative, 1st person plural
both
ἀμφότεροιamphoteroi
G297
(in plural) both · adjective — nominative plural masculine
have
ἔχωéchō
G2192
to hold (used in very various applications
access
προσαγωγὴνprosagōgēn
G4318
admission · noun — accusative singular feminine
by
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
one
ἑνὶheni
G1520
one · adjective — dative singular neuter
Spirit
πνεύματιpneumati
G4151
a current of air · noun — dative singular neuter
unto
πρὸςpros
G4314
a preposition of direction · preposition
Father
πατέρα.¶patera
G3962
a "father" (literally or figuratively · noun — accusative singular masculine, a title
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to d…
Ephesians 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Hebrews 10:19-20 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Ephesians 2:14–end
We have now come to the last part of the chapter, which contains an account of the great and mighty privileges that converted Jews and Gentiles both receive from Christ. The apostle here shows that those who were in a state of enmity are reconciled. Between the Jews and the Gentiles there had been a great enmity; so there is between God and every unregenerate man. Now Jesus Christ is our peace, Eph 2:14. He made peace by the sacrifice of himself; and came to reconcile, 1. Jews and Gentiles to each other. He made both one, by reconciling these two divisions of men, who were wont to malign, to hate, and to reproach each other before. He broke down the middle wall of partition, the ceremonial l…
Translate, "For it is through Him (Joh 14:6; Heb 10:19) that we have our access (Eph 3:12; Rom 5:2), both of us, in (that is, united in, that is, "by," Co1 12:13, Greek) one Spirit to the Father," namely, as our common Father, reconciled to both alike; whence flows the removal of all separation between Jew and Gentile. The oneness of "the Spirit," through which we both have our access, is necessarily followed by oneness of the body, the Church (Eph 2:16). The distinctness of persons in the Divine Trinity appears in this verse. It is also fatal to the theory of sacerdotal priests in the Gospel through whom alone the people can approach God. All alike, people and ministers, can draw nigh to Go…
For through him - Christ Jesus, we both - Jews and Gentiles, have access by one Spirit - through the influence of the Holy Ghost, unto the Father - God Almighty. This text is a plain proof of the holy Trinity. Jews and Gentiles are to be presented unto God the Father; the Spirit of God works in their hearts, and prepares them for this presentation; and Jesus Christ himself introduces them. No soul can have access to God but by Jesus Christ, and he introduces none but such as receive his Holy Spirit. All who receive that Spirit are equally dear to him; and, whatever their names be among men, they are known in heaven as children of God, and heirs of eternal glory.
The Church Fathers
However, it should not be thought possible to achieve perfect and complete reconciliation in this world.… The making of the new person in Christ will be fully consummated when earthly and heavenly things have been reconciled, when we come to the Father in one Spirit and with one affection and understanding.
Both Jews and Gentiles "have access to the Father" through Christ himself. But how? "In one Spirit." For the Spirit, who is one with Christ, enters into us when we believe in Christ. We then feel God's presence, know God and worship God. Thus we come to the Father in that same Spirit through Christ. No one, whether Jew or Gentile, comes to the Father except through Christ.
"Peace," saith he, that "peace" which is towards God. He hath reconciled us. For the Lord Himself also saith, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you." And again, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." And again, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do." And again, "For the Father loveth you." These are so many evidences of peace. But how towards the Gentiles? "Because through Him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father," not ye less, and they more, but all by one and the same grace. The wrath He appeased by His death, and hath made us meet for the Father's love through the Spirit. Mark again, the "in" means "by" or "through." By Himself and the Spirit that is, He hath brought us unto the Father.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Church — Derived probably from the Greek kuriakon (i.e., “the Lord’s house”), which was used by ancient authors for the place of worship. In the New Testament it is the translation of the Greek word ecclesia,…
Holy Ghost — The third Person of the adorable Trinity. His personality is proved (1) from the fact that the attributes of personality, as intelligence and volition, are ascribed to him (John 14:17, 26; 15:26; 1…
Intercession of Christ — Christ’s priestly office consists of these two parts, (1) the offering up of himself as a sacrifice, and (2) making continual intercession for us. When on earth he made intercession for his people…
Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or…
Access To God · Is by the Holy Spirit — Is by the Holy Spirit
Christ, The Mediator · In virtue of his atonement — In virtue of his atonement
Prayer · To be offered: Through Christ — To be offered: Through Christ
Reconciliation · BETWEEN GOD AND MAN — BETWEEN GOD AND MAN
Reconciliation With God · Effects of: Access to God — Effects of: Access to God
John Gill on Ephesians 2:18
For through him we both have an access, That is, both Jews and Gentiles; the Arabic version reads, "we both factions": being made one, and reconciled unto God, and having the Gospel of peace preached to both, they have through Christ freedom of access and boldness in it:
by one Spirit unto the Father: they may come to God as the Father of spirits, and of mercies, who has made their souls or spirits, and bestowed his mercies on them in great abundance; and as the Father of Christ, and as their God and Father in Christ: and the rather they should consider him in this relation to them, in order to command in them a reverence and fear of him; to secure a freedom and liberty in their approach to…
Ephesians 2:17-22
17. And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
17. Et veniens evangelizavit pacem vobis, qui eratis procul, et pacem iis qui propinqui erant;
18. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
18. Quoniam per ipsum habemus accessum ambo in uno spiritu ad Patrem.
19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
19. Ergo non amplius estis hospites et inquilini; sed cives sanctorum et domestici Dei,
20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone;
20. Superaedificat…
Because of Christ’s sacrifice for sins, both Jewish and Gentile believers receive the Holy Spirit, which makes it possible for them to approach God openly (see 3:12; cp. Acts 10:34-37, 44-48; 1 Pet 3:18).
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
