Ephesians 4:25-32

The subject pursued: the revolution coming out in truthfulness, kindness, honesty, purity, patience, forgivingness

25. Wherefore From these deep principles come now the more detailed inferences of holy practice, and these fill most of the rest of the Epistle. Here and there (as in this verse, and in ch. Ephesians 5:23) the basisof the whole in the relations of the Church to Christ appears explicitly.

putting away lying Cp. Colossians 3:9-10, for a suggestive parallel. There, as here, truthfulness is connected with "new creation." He who is "in Christ" is, above all things, in a region of light and of right, whose first result will be the aim to do and speak truth; the truth of entire and unselfish sincerity. "Putting away" carries on the imagery of Ephesians 4:22. For the phrase, in reference to a definite break with sinful principle and practice, cp. Colossians 3:8; Hebrews 12:1; James 1:21; 1 Peter 2:1 (A.V., "lay aside," in the last three places). And see below, Ephesians 4:31. This "putting away" may be viewed either as a thing done, in principle, for the member of Christ has, in respect of that union, definitely "done with sin"; or as a thing to be done(Colossians 3:8, imperative), in each application of sinless principle. The Gr. is an aorist participle, and thus, grammatically, allows either view. We recommend the former, as most in harmony with the previous context.

speak … truth The application of the decisively accepted principle of truth. Observe the sober and humbling practicality of the Apostle's precepts; as necessary now as ever. And earnestly observe the uncompromising condemnation, by the Gospel, of all kinds and phases of dishonesty. Nothing untruthful can possibly be holy. A pious fraud is, in the light of true Christianity, a most grievous sin. The emphasis laid on truthfulness in Scripture is all the more significant of the character and origin of Scripture when we remember the proverbial Oriental laxity about truth. Lying is a vice deeply characteristic of heathenism. An Indian missionary said of his first convert, "he would often come to me with tears in his eyes, saying, -I told you a falsehood, but it seemed nature to me to say yeswhen I should say no, and nowhen I should say yes"." (Communicated by the Dean of Peterborough). Contrast Psalms 15:2-3.

his neighbour Primarily, the fellow-Christian is in view; see the next clause. But this first bearing of such a precept is pregnant with a universal reference. For to the believer his fellow-Christian isa fellow-member of Christ, his fellow-man may be. On the word "neighbour" it is obvious thus to compare the Lord's parable, Luke 10:29 &c.

for we are members one of another Each vitally and directly joined to the Head (see on Ephesians 4:16) and so, through Him, incorporated into one another. And thus comes a profound correction to that selfishness which inheres in falsehood. The interests of each member centre not in itself but in the Head, and the Head is equally related to and interested in each member. In Him, therefore, each is as important to each as each to itself. Cp. Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. On the universalapplication latent in this argument, see last note.