Matthew Poole and continuators on Ephesians 2:12

12 That at that time ye were without Christ , being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel , and strangers from the covenants of promise , having no hope , and without God in the world .

i. e. Without knowledge of him, or interest in him. This is the foundation of all other miseries, as Christ is the foundation of all saving good▪ and therefore the Apostle begins with this.

The Church of God confined formerly to the Israelites: their Church and State was the same Body, and God the founder of, and Law-giver to them in both respects.

Those Covenants in which the great promise of Christ and salvation by him was made. The Covenants were several, as that with Abraham, and that by Moses, and differs in some accidents, but the promise in them was one and the same, which was the substance of each.

Viz. Beyond this Life; as they could not but he who were without Christ, and without the promises.

Not without some general knowledge of a God, but without any saving knowledge of him, as not knowing him in Christ: or they lived as without God, neglecting him, and being neglected by him, and suffered to walk in their own ways.

Which is the Congregation of the wicked, and is here opposed to the Church.

Marginal references: Rom. 9.4.