Thomas Aquinas

Having shown above that the Gentiles were admitted together with the Jews to spiritual benefits, here he shows that in those benefits the Gentiles are not of lesser dignity than the Jews themselves are, but were admitted equally fully to the benefits of Christ. Concerning this he does two things: first he sets forth what he intends; second he makes his proposal manifest through an example, at the words built upon, etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he excludes what belonged to the past state from the present state; second he concludes what befits the present state, at the words but you are fellow citizens, etc. Since, then, the Apostle in concluding introduces this, that he says now therefore, etc., it must be considered that the likeness follows from what has been said before: first indeed from this, that both, having been joined together, are reconciled to God; second, that both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Since, therefore, they are together conformed to the whole Trinity — to the Father, to whom they have access; to the Son, through whom; to the Holy Spirit, in whom they alike draw near — in nothing, therefore, do they fall short of participation in spiritual goods.

Now for the understanding of the letter it must be known that the assembly of the faithful is sometimes called, in the Scriptures, a house, according to that word of 1 Timothy 3: that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of God. And sometimes it is called a city, according to that word of Psalm 121: Jerusalem, which is built as a city. For a city has a political community, but a house has a domestic one; and between these a twofold difference is found. For those who belong to the community of a house share with one another in private acts, but those who belong to the community of a city share with one another in public acts. Likewise, those who are in the community of a house are ruled by one who is called the father of the family, but those who are in the community of a city are ruled by a king. For the father of a family is in a house just as a king is in a kingdom. So, then, the assembly of the faithful has something of the city, and something of the house. But if the ruler of the assembly is considered, he is a father — Matthew 6: Our Father, who art in heaven, etc.; Jeremiah 3: You shall call me Father, and shall not cease to walk after me; and thus the assembly is a house. But if you consider the subjects themselves, then it is a city, because they shared with one another in the chief acts, namely of faith, hope, and charity. And in this way, if the faithful are considered in themselves, it is the community of a city; but if the ruler of the community is attended to, it is the community of a house.

And therefore the Apostle here sets down two words, namely strangers and foreigners. For what strangers are with respect to a house, foreigners are with respect to a city. For a stranger is so called as one alien to a house. Ecclesiasticus 29: an evil life is to be a stranger, going from house to house. But a foreigner is one who comes as an alien to a city. It is as if the Apostle were saying: formerly you were aliens from the assembly of the faithful, as strangers are from a house, and foreigners from a city, just as also the proselytes were to the old law; but now it is not so, because you are no longer strangers, etc. Isaiah 54: behold, a sojourner shall come who was not with me, one who was once a foreigner to you shall be joined to you.

Accordingly, when he says but you are fellow citizens of the saints, etc., he concludes what befits the present state, saying but you are fellow citizens of the saints, etc., as if he were saying: since the assembly of the faithful is called a city in comparison to the subjects, and a house in comparison to the ruler, the assembly to which you have been called is the city of the saints and the house of God. Psalm 86: glorious things are said of you, city of God. Whence Augustine: two loves make two cities. For love of God even to the contempt of self — namely, of the man who loves — makes the heavenly city of Jerusalem, but love of self even to the contempt of God makes the city of Babylon. Anyone, therefore, either is a citizen of the saints, if he loves God even to the contempt of self — Proverbs, last chapter: all of his household are clothed with double garments — or, if he loves himself even to the contempt of God, he is a citizen of Babylon.

Accordingly, when he says built upon, etc., he makes his proposal manifest. It is customary in the Scriptures that, by the figure which is called metonymy, the container is put for the thing contained, as sometimes a house is put for those who are in the house. According to this manner, then, the Apostle speaks of those who are in the house of God, namely of the faithful, as of a single house, and compares them to a building. And concerning this he does two things: first he sets forth what he intends; second he shows that the Ephesians themselves were made participants of this building, at the words in whom you also are built together, etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the foundation of this building; second, its construction or completion, at the words in whom the whole building, being framed together, etc.

Now he sets down a twofold foundation: one secondary, and the other principal. The secondary foundation indeed is the apostles and the prophets. And as to this he says that they are no longer strangers, but fellow citizens, who now belong to the spiritual building, as ones built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, that is, of those who are apostles and prophets, that is, upon their teaching. Or otherwise: upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, that is, upon Christ, who is the foundation of the apostles and prophets; as if he were saying: you have been built upon the same foundation upon which the apostles and prophets themselves were built, who were from among the Jews. Now these two expositions differ only as to the words, but the first is more fitting, because if the other were more fitting, then it would add for nothing Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, since Jesus himself is the highest foundation. According to the first manner, then, it agrees better, yet in such a way that the chief stone and highest foundation is Christ. But as to the sense, they differ in nothing, because it is the same to say that Christ is the foundation and that the teaching of the apostles and prophets is, since they preached Christ alone, not themselves; whence to receive their teaching is to receive Christ crucified. 1 Corinthians 1: but we preach Christ crucified, that is, 1 Peter 1: to whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, etc. Likewise 1 Corinthians 2: but we have the mind of Christ.

It should be noted that the apostles are called foundations. Psalm 86: his foundations are in the holy mountains. Isaiah 54: I will found you in sapphires, that is, in heavenly men. But they are expressly called foundations in Revelation 21: the wall of the city having twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles. And they are called foundations to this extent, insofar as their teaching announces Christ. Matthew 16: upon this rock I will build my Church. Now he says of the apostles and prophets, in order to signify that each teaching is necessary for salvation. Matthew 13: a scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a man, a father of a family, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old. Likewise, in order to show the concord between the one and the other, of each with the other, since the foundation of both is the same. For what the prophets foretold as future, the apostles preached as accomplished. Romans 1: Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart unto the gospel of God, which he had promised before through his prophets.

But the principal foundation alone is Christ Jesus, and as to this he says himself being the chief, etc. Where he says three things of him, namely that he is a stone, that he is a cornerstone, and that he is the highest. He is indeed a stone on account of the firmness of the foundation. Whence it is said in Matthew 7, that the house which was founded upon the rock was built firmly, to such an extent that neither rain, nor floods, nor winds were able to destroy it. But it is not so of the house founded upon sand. Daniel 2: a stone cut out of the mountain without hands. Now he is called a cornerstone on account of the joining together of both; for as in a corner two walls are united, so in Christ the people of the Jews and of the Gentiles are united. Psalm: the stone which the builders rejected, this has been made the head of the corner. Acts 4: this is the stone which was rejected by you the builders, which has been made the head of the corner, and there is no salvation in any other. And this same thing he brings forward of himself in Matthew 21: have you never read in the Scriptures: the stone which the builders rejected, this has been made the head of the corner, etc. Now he is called highest on account of the loftiness of his dignity. Isaiah 28: behold, I will lay in the foundations of Zion a cornerstone, tried, precious, founded in the foundation.

But it is not the same with the foundation in a spiritual building as in a material building. For a material building has its foundation in the earth, and therefore it is fitting that the more principal foundation be the lower. But a spiritual building has its foundation in heaven, and therefore it is fitting that the foundation, the more principal it is, the more sublime it be — so that we should imagine, as it were, a certain city descending from heaven, whose foundation, existing in heaven, and whose building, let down to us, would seem to be lower; according to that word of Revelation 21: I saw the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, etc.

Accordingly, when he says in whom the whole building, etc., he treats of the construction of the building. Now in any construction of a building four things are required: first, the founding of the building; second, its construction; third, its increase; fourth, its completion — which indeed he touches upon briefly. The first, when he says in whom, namely in the foundation, which is Christ principally, and the teaching of the apostles and prophets secondarily, because, as is said in 1 Corinthians 3: no other foundation can any man lay besides that, etc. Second, he touches upon the second, when he says the whole building, being framed together. And if this be understood allegorically, it signifies the Church itself, which is then constructed when men are converted to the faith. But if it be understood morally, it signifies the holy soul, and then a building of this kind is constructed when good works are built upon Christ. Proverbs 14: a wise woman builds her house. 1 Corinthians 3: let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. In this foundation, then, namely Christ, every spiritual building, of Jews or of Gentiles, is constructed by God through his authority. Psalm 126: unless the Lord build the house, etc. Hebrews 3: for every house is built by someone, but he who created all things is God. But instrumentally the building is constructed either by the man who builds himself, or by the prelates.

He touches upon the third when he says grows into a holy temple, etc.; which indeed happens when those who are saved are multiplied. Acts 6: the word of the Lord grew, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem was multiplied greatly. It also grows when a man grows in good works, and grows in grace — and as to this it becomes a holy temple. For a temple is inhabited by God, and therefore it must be holy. Psalm 45: the Most High has sanctified his tabernacle. And because we ought to be inhabited by God, so that God may dwell in us, we ought to prepare ourselves for this, that we may be holy. 1 Corinthians 3: do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Revelation 21: behold, the tabernacle of God with men, and he shall dwell with them. But is it the case that, immediately from the beginning, when we have charity, we are the temple of God? I answer. It must be said that it is so. And the more we advance, the more God dwells in us. And therefore for this building, fourthly, perfection and completion are required, which he shows when he says in the Lord.

Accordingly, when he says in whom you also, etc., he shows how the Gentiles were made participants of this building, saying in whom, namely in the building, not only are the Jews built up together, but you Ephesians also are built together, that is, you are built in the likeness of the others. 1 Peter 2: to whom coming, as unto a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and honored by God, you also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house. And therefore he adds for a habitation of God, that is, that God may dwell in you through faith. Below, chapter 3: that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts. Now this cannot come about without charity, because he who abides in charity abides in God, etc., 1 John 4. But charity is given to us through the Holy Spirit. Romans 5: the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who is given to us. Therefore he adds in the Holy Spirit.