John Calvin Commentary Ephesians 2:8

"for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God;" — Ephesians 2:8 (ASV)

For by grace are you saved. This is an inference from the previous statements. Having discussed election and effectual calling, he arrives at this general conclusion: that they had obtained salvation by faith alone. First, he asserts that the salvation of the Ephesians was entirely the work, the gracious work of God. But then they had obtained this grace by faith.

On one side, we must look at God; and, on the other, at man. God declares that he owes us nothing, so that salvation is not a reward or recompense, but unmixed grace. The next question is, how do men receive that salvation which is offered to them by the hand of God? The answer is, by faith; and therefore he concludes that nothing connected with it is our own. If, on God’s part, it is grace alone, and if we bring nothing but faith, which strips us of all commendation, it follows that salvation does not come from us.

Should we not then be silent about free will, good intentions, fancied preparations, merits, and satisfactions? Each of these claims a share of praise in the salvation of men, so that the praise of grace would not, as Paul shows, remain undiminished. When, on man’s part, the act of receiving salvation consists of faith alone, all other means, on which men are accustomed to rely, are discarded. Faith, then, brings a man empty to God, that he may be filled with the blessings of Christ. And so he adds, not of yourselves; so that, claiming nothing for themselves, they may acknowledge God alone as the author of their salvation.