Ephesians 4:29

σαπρὸς. It is worth notice that in Matthew 12:33 ff. the reference to δένδρον σαπρὸν and καρπὸν σαπρὸν is connected directly with a reference to the character of words proceeding out of the mouth, cf. Luke 6:45 (which has points of contact with Matthew 12:34 f. no less than with Matthew 7:17 f.). σαπρὸς is not worthless merely but foul, loathsome to a healthy taste, and spreading corruption. This would include ill-natured gossip no less than language of the kind with which St Paul deals more at length in Ephesians 5:4.

μὴ ἐκπορευέσθω. Cf. the Homeric ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων. We cannot prevent the thought occurring to our minds. We can refuse to give it utterance.

πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς χρείας, ‘to supply what is wanted on each occasion.’ Cf. the praise of ‘the word in season’ Proverbs 15:23; Sir 20:6 f., esp. Sir 20:19 ἄνθρωπος ἄχαρις μῦθος ἄκαιρος.

δῷ χάριν. To a Greek, as the comments of Chrysostom and Theodoret show, the phrase here suggested inevitably the thought of ‘giving pleasure to,’ ‘gratifying the sense of fitness in the hearers,’ men it is presumed of spiritual perception. It cannot here (any more than in James 4:6 (cf. 1 Peter 5:5), see Hort in loc.) have primarily the meaning of ‘Grace’ in the technical theological sense. But no doubt the fitting word would bring spiritual blessing with it. The parallel exhortation in Colossians 4:6 expresses the thought more fully from the positive side.