And hath raised us up together
Which refers either to a spiritual resurrection, to a
resurrection from a death in sin, to a spiritual life; and which
is the effect of almighty power, and of rich grace and mercy; and
in which Christ is concerned: he is the efficient cause of it, he
raises the dead in this sense, and quickens whom he will; and his
resurrection is the virtual cause of it; and also the exemplar,
between which there is a great likeness; both bear the same name;
both are a declaration of sonship; and both the first step to
glory in Christ and in his people; and both are instances of the
exceeding greatness of God's power: or it may refer to a
corporeal resurrection, said to be already, because it is in
faith and hope, and because of the certainty of it; and to be
together with Christ, because of the conformity of it to his
resurrection, and to the influence of which it is owing; and
chiefly because that when Christ rose from the dead, all his
people rose in him, and with him, as their head and
representative, he being the firstfruits of them that slept; so
called, in allusion to the firstfruits of the harvest under the
law, which represented and sanctified the whole:
and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus:
Christ is entered into heaven as the forerunner, to take
possession of it for his people, in their name; and to prepare
mansions of glory for them, and in these they sit; which imports
honour, pleasure, rest from labour and weariness, and safety and
security: and what adds to the happiness of this is, that it is
together with all the saints, and with Christ himself; and in
these they are made to sit already; which is so said, because of
the certainty of it, for the same glory Christ has, they shall
have; and because of their right to such a blessing; and chiefly
because Christ their head is set down therein, who sustains their
persons, bears their names on his heart, and represents them.
