Albert Barnes Commentary Ephesians 2:10

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them." — Ephesians 2:10 (ASV)

For we are his workmanship. We are his making—poihma. That is, we are created or formed by him, not only in the general sense in which all things are made by him, but in that peculiar sense which is denoted by the new creation (see Barnes on 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Whatever peace, hope, or purity we have has been produced by his agency on the soul. One cannot conceive of a stronger expression to denote God's agency in the conversion of men, or the fact that salvation is wholly of grace.

Created in Christ Jesus. On the word created, see Barnes on 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Unto good works. This means with reference to a holy life, or that the design for which we have been created in Christ is that we should lead a holy life. The primary object was not to bring us to heaven; it was that we should be holy. Paul held, perhaps more firmly than any other man, the position that men are saved by the mere grace of God and by a divine agency on the soul; but it is certain that no man ever held more firmly that men must lead holy lives, or they could have no evidence that they were the children of God.

Which God hath before ordained. The marginal reading is prepared. The word used here means to prepare beforehand, then to predestinate, or appoint before. The proper meaning of this passage is, "to which (oiv) good works God has predestinated us, or appointed us beforehand, that we should walk in them." The word used here—proetoimazw—occurs in the New Testament nowhere else except in Romans 9:23, where it is rendered, had afore prepared.

This involves the idea of a previous determination, or an arrangement beforehand for securing a certain result. The previous preparation referred to here was the divine intention; and the meaning is that God had predetermined that we should lead holy lives. It accords, therefore, with the declaration in Ephesians 1:4, that he had chosen his people before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy (see Barnes on Ephesians 1:4).

That we should walk in them. This means that we should live holy lives. The word walk is often used in the Scriptures to denote the course of life (see Barnes on Romans 6:4).