In whom all the building, being framed together, groweth up into an holy temple in the Lord.

“Mark, how he knits it all together, and represents Him at one time, as holding down the whole body from above, and welding it together; at another time, as supporting the building from below, and being, as it were, a root, or base. And whereas he had used the expression, "He created in Himself of the twain one new man;" by this he clearly shows us, that by Himself Christ knits together the two walls: and again, that in Him it was created. And "He is the first-born," saith he, "of all creation," that is, He Himself supports all things. Whether you speak of the roof, or of the walls, or of any other part whatsoever, He it is supports the whole. Thus he elsewhere calls Him a foundation. "For other foundations," saith he, "can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." "In whom each several building," he saith, "fitly framed together." Here he displays the perfectness of it, and indicates that one cannot otherwise have place in it, unless by living with great exactness.”

“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.”

“In whom all the building fitly framed together,.... This building is to be understood of all the saints, and people of God; of the whole universal church, which is God's building; and is a building of a spiritual nature, and will abide for ever: and this is fitly framed together; it consists of various parts, as a building does; some saints are comparable to beams, some to rafters, others to pillars, &c. and these are joined and united to one another, and are set in an exact symmetry and proportion, and in a proper subserviency to each other; and so as to make for the good, the strength, and beauty of the whole. And it all centres in Christ; he has a great concern in this building; he is the master builder, and the foundation and cornerstone; and it being knit together in him, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: it grows by an accession of new stones, or of souls called by grace, and added to it; for this building is not yet openly and visibly completed, as it will be; in order to which the ministry of the word, and administration of ordinances are continued; and this will be in the latter day, when the number of God's elect, among Jews and Gentiles, shall be gathered in: and this growth may be understood also of an increase of those, who are openly laid in the building; of their spiritual growth into their head, Christ; and of an, increase of grace in them; which the word and ordinances are means of, under a divine blessing: and this building grows unto an "holy temple", the Gospel church state, called a "temple", in allusion to the temple at Jerusalem; whose materials were stones made ready and hewn, before they were brought thither; and whose magnificence, beauty, and glory, were very great; and it was the place of public worship, and of the divine abode, and was a very significant emblem of the church of God; see Co2 6:16, which is an "holy" one, set apart for holy uses, and internally sanctified by the Spirit of God; and which is discovered by external holiness of life, and conversation in the members of it: and this is said to be "in the Lord"; which phrase may refer to the word "groweth", and denotes that growth and increase, both of persons and grace, the church has in, and from the Lord Jesus Christ; or to the word "holy", and intimates, that the holiness of the church, and every member of it, is also in and from the Lord; or to the word "temple", which is built for him to dwell in.”

“In whom - By which foundation corner stone, Christ Jesus, all the building, composed of converted Jews and Gentiles, fitly framed together, συναρμολογουμενη, properly jointed and connected together, groweth unto a holy temple - is continually increasing, as new converts from Judaism or heathenism flock into it. It is not a finished building, but will continue to increase, and be more and more perfect, till the day of judgment.”

“In whom--as holding together the whole. fitly framed--so as exactly to fit together. groweth--"is growing" continually. Here an additional thought is added to the image; the Church has the growth of a living organism, not the mere increase of a building. Compare Pe1 2:5; "lively stones . . . built up a spiritual house." Compare Eph 4:16; Zac 6:12, "The Branch shall build the temple of the Lord," where similarly the growth of a branch, and the building of a temple, are joined. holy--as being the "habitation of God" (Eph 2:22). So "in the Lord" (Christ) answers to "through the Spirit" (Eph 2:22; compare Eph 3:16-17). "Christ is the inclusive Head of all the building, the element in which it has its being and now its growth" [ALFORD].”