This chapter Ephesians 5 is a continuation of the practical exhortations commenced in Ephesians 4. It comprises the following points, or subjects: * The exhortation to be followers of God, and to walk in love; Ephesians 5:1. * The duty of avoiding the impure practices of the surrounding pagan, a... [ Continue Reading ]
BE YE THEREFORE FOLLOWERS OF GOD - Greek, “Be imitators - μιμηταὶ mimētai - of God.” The idea is not that they were to be the friends of God, or numbered among his followers, but that they were to imitate him in the particular thing under consideration. The word “therefore” - οὖν oun - connects... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WALK IN LOVE - That is, let your lives be characterized by love; let that be evinced in all your deportment and conversation; see notes on John 13:34. AS CHRIST ALSO HATH LOVED US - We are to evince the same love for one another which he has done for us. He showed his love by giving himself to... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT FORNICATION - A “common” vice among the pagan then as it is now, and one into which they were in special danger of falling; see Romans 1:29 note; 1 Corinthians 6:18 note. AND ALL UNCLEANNESS - Impurity of life; see the notes on Romans 1:24; compare Romans 6:19; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19; Co... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER FILTHINESS - That is, obscene, or indecent conversation. Literally, that which is shameful, or deformed - αἰσχρότης aischrotēs. The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. NOR FOOLISH TALKING - This word - μωρολογία mōrologia - does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS YE KNOW - Be assured of this. The object here is to deter from indulgence in those vices by the solemn assurance that no one who committed them could possibly be saved. NOR UNCLEAN PERSON - No one of corrupt and licentious life can be saved; see Revelation 22:15. NOR COVETOUS MAN, WHO IS A... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU - Let no one by artful pleas persuade you that; there will be no danger from practicing these vices, We may suppose that they would be under strong temptations to mingle in the “happy” and festive scenes where these vices were not frowned on, or where they were practiced; or t... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT YE THEREFORE PARTAKERS WITH THEM - Since these things displease God and expose to his wrath, avoid them.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YE WERE SOMETIMES DARKNESS - see the Ephesians 2:11 notes; 1 Corinthians 6:11 note. The meaning here is, that they were themselves formerly sunk in the same ignorance, and practiced the same abominations. BUT NOW ARE YE LIGHT IN THE LORD - Light is the emblem of happiness, knowledge, holiness.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - That is, since the Holy Spirit through the gospel produces goodness, righteousness, and truth, see that you exhibit these in your lives, and thus show that you are the children of light. On the fruits of the Spirit, see the notes on Galatians 5:22. IS IN ALL GOODNESS -... [ Continue Reading ]
PROVING WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE UNTO THE LORD - That is,” Walk as children of light Ephesians 5:8, thus showing what is acceptable to the Lord.” Rosenmuller supposes that the participle is used here instead of the imperative. The meaning is, that by so living you will make a fair trial of what is accepta... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP - See the sentiment here expressed fully explained in the notes on 2 Corinthians 6:14. THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS - The deeds of darkness that produce no “benefit” to the body or the soul. The word “unfruitful” is used here in contrast with the “fruit of the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT IS A SHAME EVEN TO SPEAK ... - ; compare notes, Romans 1:24. It is still a shame to speak of the practices of the pagan. Missionaries tell us that they “cannot” describe the images on the car of Juggernaut, or tell us what is done in the idol temples. All over the world the same thing is true... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ALL THINGS THAT ARE REPROVED - Margin, discovered. The word used here properly means proved, demonstrated, reproved, or convicted (see the notes on John 16:8); but it seems here to be used in the sense of disclosed, or discovered. The sense is, that “its true nature is demonstrated;” that is, it... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE HE SAITH - Margin, or “it.” Διὸ λέγει Dio legei. The meaning may be, either that the Lord says, or the Scripture. Much difficulty has been experienced in endeavoring to ascertain “where” this is said. It is agreed on all hands that it is not found, in so many words, in the Old Testament.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE THEN THAT YE WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY - carefully, anxiously, solicitous lest you fall into sin. The word rendered “circumspectly” - ἀκριβῶς akribōs - means “diligently,” and the idea here is, that they were to take special pains to guard against the temptations around them, and to live as they oug... [ Continue Reading ]
REDEEMING THE TIME - The word rendered here as “redeeming,” means “to purchase; to buy up” from the possession or power of anyone; and then to redeem, to set free - as from service or bondage; notes, Galatians 3:13. Here it means, to rescue or recover our time from waste; to improve it for great and... [ Continue Reading ]
BE YE NOT UNWISE - Be not fools in the employment of your time, and in your manner of life. Show true wisdom by endeavoring to understand what the will of the Lord is, and then doing it.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BE NOT DRUNK WITH WINE - A danger to which they were exposed and a vice to which those around them were much addicted. Compare notes on Luke 21:34. It is not improbable that in this verse there is an allusion to the orgies of Bacchus, or to the festivals celebrated in honor of that pagan god. He... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAKING TO YOURSELVES - Speaking among yourselves, that is, endeavoring to edify one another, and to promote purity of heart, by songs of praise. This has the force of a command, and it is a matter of obligation on Christians. From the beginning, praise was an important part of public worship, and... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVING THANKS ALWAYS - This is probably designed to be connected with the preceding verse, and to denote that the proper subject of psalms and hymns is thanksgiving and praise. This is indeed always the main design, and should be so regarded; and this part of worship should be so conducted as to kee... [ Continue Reading ]
SUBMITTING YOURSELVES ONE TO ANOTHER - Maintaining due subordination in the various relations of life. This general principle of religion, the apostle proceeds now to illustrate in reference to wives Ephesians 5:22; to children Ephesians 6:1; and to servants, Ephesians 6:5. At the same time that he... [ Continue Reading ]
WIVES, SUBMIT YOURSELVES UNTO YOUR OWN HUSBANDS - On this passage, compare notes on 1 Corinthians 11:3. The duty of the submission of the wife to her husband is everywhere enjoined in the Scriptures; see 1 Peter 3:1; Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:5. While Christianity designed to elevate the character of... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE HUSBAND IS THE HEAD OF THE WIFE - see the notes on 1 Corinthians 11:3. AS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH - As Christ rules over the church, and has a right to direct and control it. AND HE IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE BODY - That is, of the church, represented as “his body;” see notes, Ephesians... [ Continue Reading ]
IN EVERYTHING - In everything which is not contrary to the will of God; see the notes on Ephesians 5:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES - The duty of the wife is to obey; the right of the husband is to command. But the apostle would guard against the abuse of that right by enjoining the manifestation of such a spirit on the husband as would secure obedience on the part of the wife. He proceeds, therefore, t... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HE MIGHT SANCTIFY - The great object of the Redeemer was to purify and save the church. The meaning here is, that a husband is to manifest similar love toward his wife, and a similar desire that she should be prepared to “walk before him in white”. AND CLEANSE IT WITH THE WASHING OF WATER - In... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HE MAY PRESENT IT TO HIMSELF - In the last day, when he shall receive the church as his spouse to heaven; Revelation 21:9. Perhaps the word “prepare” would better express the sense here than “present” - that he may prepare it for himself as a holy church. Tyndale renders it, “to make it unto hi... [ Continue Reading ]
SO OUGHT MEN TO LOVE THEIR WIVES AS THEIR OWN BODIES - Because they are one flesh; Ephesians 5:31. This is the subject on which Paul had been speaking, and from which he had been diverted by the allusion to the glorified church. The doctrine here is, that a husband should have the same care for the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR NO MAN EVER YET HATED HIS OWN FLESH - This is urged as an argument why a man should love his wife and show kindness to her. As no man disregards the happiness of his own body, or himself, so he should show equal care to promote the happiness of his wife. A sentiment similar to this is found in t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE ARE MEMBERS OF HIS BODY - Of the body of Christ; see 1 Corinthians 11:3, note; 1 Corinthians 12:27, note; John 15:1, notes, and Ephesians 1:23, note. The idea here is, that there is a close and intimate union between the Christian and the Saviour - a union so intimate that they may be spoken... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS CAUSE - Ἀντὶ τόυτου Anti toutou. This verse is a quotation from Genesis 2:24, and contains the account of the institution of marriage. The meaning of the phrase rendered “for this cause” is, “answerably to this;” or corresponding to this - that is, to what Paul had just said of the union... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS A GREAT MYSTERY - The Latin Vulgate translates this, “sacramentum hoc magnum est” - “this is a great sacrament” - and this is the proof, I suppose, and the only proof adduced by the papists that marriage is a “sacrament.” But the original here conveys no such idea. The word “mystery” - μυστη... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS - The apostle here resumes the subject which he had been discussing in Ephesians 5:21, and says that it was the duty of every man to love his wife as he did himself. This was the main topic, from which he had been diverted by the discussion respecting the love which the Redeemer had sho... [ Continue Reading ]