| Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible And came and preached peace to you which were afar off,.... Which is to be understood not of Christ's coming in the flesh; for when he came in the flesh, he came only to the Jews that were nigh, and preached the Gospel in his own personal ministry to them, and not to the Gentiles, who are the persons afar off; Ephesians 2:12 but of his coming by his Spirit in the ministry of his apostles, to whom he gave a commission after he had made peace and reconciliation by the blood of his cross, to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the Gentiles in the furthest parts of the earth; and on whom he bestowed gifts, qualifying them for such service, and succeeded them in it by his power and grace: and the subject of their ministry was peace, Christ who is our peace, and peace made by his blood, and the Gospel of peace, which declares both these; and it is the means of making persons of peaceable dispositions; its doctrines and promises, when powerfully applied, give peace to distressed minds, and quiet to doubting saints; and it shows the way to eternal peace: continued...
Vincent's Word StudiesYou which were afar off Gentiles. Them that were nigh continued...
Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd came and preached peace - That is, the system of religion which he proclaimed, was adapted to produce peace with God. This he preached personally to those who "were nigh," that is, the Jews; to those who were "afar off " - the Gentiles - he preached it by his apostles. He was the author of the system which proclaimed salvation to both. continued...
Clarke's Commentary on the BibleAnd came and preached peace - Proclaimed the readiness of God to forgive and save both Jews and Gentiles. See the note on Ephesians 2:13.
Geneva Study Bible{13} And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (13) The preaching of the Gospel is an effectual instrument of this grace, common to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles.
People's New Testament 2:17 Preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. The Gentiles were afar off; the Jews, nigh. To both Christ preached with each other and with God.
Wesley's Notes 2:17 And he came - After his resurrection. And preached peace - By his ministers and his Spirit. To you - Gentiles. That were afar off - At the utmost distance from God. And to them that were nigh - To the Jews, who were comparatively nigh, being his visible church.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary17. Translate, "He came and announced glad tidings of peace." "He came" of His own free love, and "announced peace" with His own mouth to the apostles (Lu 24:36; Joh 20:19, 21, 26); and by them to others, through His Spirit present in His Church (Joh 14:18). Ac 26:23 is strictly parallel; after His resurrection "He showed light to the people ('them that were nigh') and to the Gentiles ('you that were afar off')," by His Spirit in His ministers (compare 1Pe 3:19). and to them-The oldest manuscripts insert "peace" again: "And peace to them." The repetition implies the joy with which both alike would dwell again and again upon the welcome word "peace." So Isa 57:19.
Ephesians 2:17 Parallel Commentaries
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