Ephesians 4:24

that ye put on See note on "put off," Ephesians 4:22. Here again is an aorist infinitive in the Gr.; and we may correspondingly paraphrase, "(you were taught) with regard to the fact that the new man was put on."

On the meaning of the phrase here, see notes on Ephesians 4:22, where it is explained by contrast and implication. The "putting on the new man" is the inseparable converse to the "putting off the old man." There is no neutral border; to step out of the old position and connexion, out of Adam, is to step into the new, into Christ.

Meantime, what is in covenant and in principle a thing done, is to be in realization and application a thing doing, a thing repeated. So we have Romans 13:14; "put ye onthe Lord Jesus Christ," an exhortation to a new act of realization. And cp. Colossians 3:12. The other side, the side (as we believe) of this passage, appears Galatians 3:27; "ye did put onChrist."

the new man Practically, the new position and power (legal and moral, see note on Ephesians 4:22) of the regenerated self. In a deeper analysis, we trace (as above on Ephesians 4:22) a reference to the Second Man, the Second Adam, Christ. (See the quotation from St Ignatius, Introd., p. 28. See also, for another aspect of this phrase, Ephesians 2:15). By incorporation with Him His "members" become (in a sense needing reverent caution in the statement) repetitions of Him the glorious Archetype, as occupants of His position of Acceptance, and as "one spirit" with Him, and as enabled in Him to live a life whose principle is His separation from sin to God. To come to be "in Him" is thus to "put on the New Man" in the sense of part and lot in the standing and in the power of the Lord as Second Covenant Head. But, we repeat it, the practical reference of the verse is to the "newness" of the believer's standing and power, acquired in regeneration.

which Better, in modern English, who.

after God "Answering His great Idea," His plan and will.

is created Better, was created. This "creation" was accomplished, ideally, when the new Covenant Head of the regenerate Race was provided, in eternal purpose; historically, when He was "made Man," in time; actually, for individuals, when each believer "put on Christ," came to be "in Him." Cp. on the thought of spiritual "creation" ch. Ephesians 2:10; Eph 2:15; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; and especially Colossians 3:10, a close and suggestive parallel here.

righteousness Of which the essential idea is willing conformity to Law; "the keeping of His commandments."

true holiness Lit., sanctity of the truth. We use "sanctity" rather than "holiness," to mark the fact that the Gr. word (hosiotés) is not akin to that commonly rendered "holy." Its meaning is discussed by Abp Trench (N. T. Synonymsii. § xxxviii). He shews it to be the virtue which "reverences everlasting sanctities, and owns their obligation"; the intuitive conviction, e.g., of the sacredness of an oath, or of marriage, or, in the spiritual sphere, of God's absolute claims, wholly apart from a calculation of results. "Piety" would fairly, though not fully, represent the word. In two places (Revelation 15:4; Revelation 16:5) the cognate adjective is used of God Himself. It there suggests His own inviolable regard for His own truth, in mercy and judgment.

The word (noun, adjective, or adverb) occurs (as here) with "righteous" or "righteousness" Luke 1:75; 1 Thessalonians 2:10; Titus 1:8. It is the almost invariable rendering in the LXX. for the Heb. châsîd; e.g.Psalms 16:10, quoted Acts 2:27; Acts 13:35 (A.V. "thy Holy One"); and Isaiah 55:3, quoted Acts 13:34 (where lit. "the holy thingsof David," the inviolable promises given to him [38]).

[38] The lit. rendering of the Heb. of Isaiah 55:3 is "the mercies of David, the assured (mercies)." The LXX. represents, but does not translate, this. In Psalms 16:10 render lit., "Thy godly One," or perhaps, "Thy favoured, beloved, One." (Note by the Dean of Peterborough).

" Of the truth": so lit., and so, looking at St Paul's usage, we translate; not "of truth," as R.V. and marg. A.V. This "sanctity" or "piety" is "of" the truth of the Gospel, because the Gospel explains it, and it characterizes the Gospel; and this is equally so, whether the thought is of its manifestation in Christ or in Christians, in Head or in Members.