Ephesians 4:22

that ye put off The Gr. verb is the infinitive aorist. The tense tends to denote singleness of crisis and action. Some would render "that you have" (or "did) put off." But the better explanation, or paraphrase, is, "with regard to your (definite) putting-off." The "instruction in Christ" had informed them aboutsuch a "putting-off"; its principles, secret, effects, as well as its fact. But the view of the "putting-off" as a definite crisis remains; and the only question is, does this crisis appear here as a past or future one? The answer will be best given under the words "the old man," just below. For the present we refer to Colossians 3:9 as strongly favouring the reference here to a crisis past; so that we may paraphrase, "you were taught in Christ with regard to the fact that your old man was laid aside."

concerning the former conversation On "conversation" see on Ephesians 2:3 above. The word (noun and verb) happens to be almost always used by St Paul in reference to the unregenerate life-course. The clause means that the "putting-off" concerned, had to do with, a former life-course; it affected it, by being the close of it. As concerning your former manner of life (R.V.).

the old man This important phrase occurs elsewhere Romans 6:6; Colossians 3:9. In Rom. it appears as a thing which "was crucified with Christ"; in Col. as a thing which "was once stripped off" by the saints. (Cp. the remarkable parallel words Colossians 2:11, as in the best supported reading, "in the stripping off of the body of the flesh.") On the whole, we may explain the phrase by "the old state." And under this lie combined the ideas of past personal legal position and moral position; all that I was as an unregenerate son of Adam, liable to eternal doom, and the slave of sin. To "put off the old man" is to quit those positions, which, at the root, are one. It is to step into the position of personal acceptance and of personal spiritual power and victory; and that position is "in Christ." The believer, lodged there, enters definitely and at once upon both acceptance and spiritual capacity for victory and growth. "The old man" is thus not identical with "the flesh," which is an abiding element (Galatians 5:16-17) in even the regenerate and spiritual, though it need no longer even for an hour be the ruling element; it may be continuously overcome, in a practical and profound manner, in the strength of "the new man." The phrases "old Man" and "new Man" have a probable inner reference to the doctrine of the First and Second Adam (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21-58). The "putting off" and "putting on" may be expressed by saying, "ye broke connexion (in certain great aspects of connexion) with the First Adam, and formed connexion with the Second," connexion both of acceptance and of life-power [37].

[37] On this aspect of Christian doctrine much excellent matter will be found in an old book, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, by Walter Marshall, Fellow of New College, Oxford (about 1670).

corrupt Lit., corrupting, growing corrupt; morally decaying, on the way to final ruin. Such, from the Divine point of view, is the condition of ideal Man unregenerate, Man as represented by and summed up in Adam fallen. And such accordingly is the actual condition, from the same point of view, of unregenerate men, in whom the ideal is individualized.

according to the deceitful lusts Lit., the desires of deceit; desires after the forbidden, full of deceitfulpromises of joy and gain. See Genesis 3 for the great typical case, which perhaps is in view throughout this verse. "According to" :by natural result. Moral decay mustfollow in their path. Cp. 2 Peter 2:19.