John Calvin Commentary Ephesians 2:7

"that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus:" — Ephesians 2:7 (ASV)

That in the ages to come. The final and true cause — the glory of God — is again mentioned, so that the Ephesians, by making it the subject of earnest study, might be more fully assured of their salvation. He also adds that it was God’s design to honor as sacred, in all ages, the remembrance of such great goodness. This exhibits even more strongly the hateful character of those by whom the free calling of the Gentiles was attacked, for they were striving to immediately crush that plan which was destined to be remembered through all ages.

But we, too, are instructed by it that the mercy of God, who was pleased to admit our ancestors into the number of his own people, deserves to be remembered forever. The calling of the Gentiles is an astonishing work of divine goodness, which should be passed down from parents to children, and to their children’s children, so that it may never be forgotten or go unacknowledged by people.

The riches of his grace in his kindness. The love of God to us in Christ is here demonstrated, or declared again, to have originated in mercy. That he might shew, he says, the exceeding riches of his grace. How? In his kindness towards us, just as the tree is known by its fruit. Therefore, not only does he declare that the love of God was free, but also that God displayed in it the riches — the extraordinary, surpassing riches — of his grace. It should also be noted that the name of Christ is repeated, for we must expect no grace, no love, from God, except through his mediation.