HORTATORY PART. CHAPTER S 4-6. THE WALK WORTHY OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE CHURCH IN CHRIST. As in most of his Epistles, the Apostle turns his didactic statements into practical exhortations. The latter are not appended, but grow out of the former (‘therefore,' chap. Ephesians 4:1). This Apostolic ‘t... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:1. I EXHORT YOU THEREFORE. The emphasis in the original rests on ‘exhort,' as indicated in the order given above. The word means first to call hither (corresponding with ‘calling' and ‘called'); then, to address, either for exhortation or comfort; it should not be rendered ‘beseech.' ‘Th... [ Continue Reading ]
I. WALK WORTHY OF THE CALLING IN HUMILITY AND UNITY. This brief section contains the practical theme, exhorting the readers to a walk worthy of their calling (Ephesians 4:1), naming three attendant virtues essential to this walk, defining further the mode of Christian forbearance (Ephesians 4:2), an... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:2. WITH ALL LOWLINESS AND MEEKNESS. These two attendants of the Christian walk are closely joined. The former is humility: ‘the esteeming ourselves small, inasmuch as we are so; the thinking truly, lowlily of ourselves' (French). How welt adapted Christian privilege is to produce this st... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:3. EARNESTLY STRIVING, giving diligence. This is parallel with ‘forbearing,' and describes the humble, longsuffering walk, with reference to the motive of the forbearance, a motive leading to continuous and earnest effort. The underlying thought of Christian unity is carried out in the n... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:4. THERE IS. This is properly supplied, since we have here, not an exhortation, but a motive. ‘For' is not inserted; the argumentative force of the passage is obvious without it ONE BODY, _i.e.,_ the mystical body of Christ, the invisible Church. The existence of this as a unity is a m... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:4-6. Meyer gives this analysis of these verses: ‘Objective relations of unity to which the non-observance of the precept in Ephesians 4:3 would be opposed. These are: (1.) _The Church itself constituted as a unity,_ one body, one Spirit, one blessed consummation (Ephesians 4:4). (2.) _Th... [ Continue Reading ]
II. MOTIVES FOR PRESERVING THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT. In this passage the leading thought is ‘ the unity of the Spirit; ' the duty of preserving it is not directly enjoined, but motives are presented: (1.) The basis of unity is found in certain existing unities, necessarily involved in the relations... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:5. ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM. Here we have the way and means of salvation, presented as facts on which unity among Christians rests. A misapprehension of the second and third terms has led to diversity rather than unity. ‘One Lord' is the Personal Christ. The whole Epistle shows t... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:6. ONE GOD. The deepest ground of unity is found the existence of one God, who has revealed Himself in the redemption of His people' AND FATHER OF ALL. This is not equivalent to Creator, but refers to the special paternal relation sustained to all believers by the Father. The context is... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:7. BUT. In contrast with ‘all,' there is a gift to each one of at; each has a part in the same salvation, and the gift, though adapted to individuals, has its unity. WAS THE GRACE GIVEN. The tense points to a particular time, namely, the exaltation of Christ, as Ephesians 4:8 shows. The... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:8. WHEREFORE HE SAITH. The citation (Psalms 68:19) is to prove that Christ gives (‘wherefore'). ‘He,' which refers to God, is properly supplied, rather than ‘it' = the Scripture. When Paul uses the latter, there is generally a reason for it. WHEN HE ASCENDED UP ON HIGH, etc. The origina... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:9. It is not necessary to regard Ephesians 4:9-10 as parenthetical. NOW introduces an explanatory statement, not a proof, of the correctness of the application of Ephesians 4:8. THAT HE ASCENDED, _i.e.,_ the fact that He ascended, not the word, since the form here differs from that i... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:10. HE IT IS ALSO; not, ‘is the same also' (E. V.). The two thoughts of descending and ascending are here joined in such a way as to give prominence to the Person of Christ. ABOVE ALL THE HEAVENS. It is immaterial whether Paul had in mind three heavens or seven heavens, according to th... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:11. AND HE GAVE. ‘He' is emphatic; He, and none other. ‘Gave' refers back to Ephesians 4:6; Ephesians 4:8, and is to be taken in its strict sense; Christ gives the _persons_ to fill the offices; comp. 1 Corinthians 12:28, where the idea is different. Here the historical fact is referred... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:11-16. For a summary of these verses, see above. The leading thought is: this exalted Lord gives official persons to the Church to promote its growth toward perfection and unity. This too is a motive for the precept of Ephesians 4:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:12. The relation of the clauses of this verse has been much discussed. All three cannot be parallel (as in E.V.), since the preposition in the first differs from that in the second and third. There are two leading views: (1.) The second depends on the first, and the third on the second,... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:13. TILL WE ALL COME. The verb means to arrive at a destination; ‘we all ‘refers to all the saints, the members of the body of Christ. The official service will be needed, until this goal is attained, and it is here implied that it will be reached. Notice that this end is more remote tha... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:14. IN ORDER THAT. While this verse is grammatically dependent on Ephesians 4:13, it points to a purpose to be fulfilled during the attainment of the goal set up in that verse, in other words, as in Ephesians 4:12, the most remote end is placed before the more immediate one. WE BE NO L... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:15. BUT introduces the positive side, in contrast with Ephesians 4:14 HOLDING THE TRUTH. Not simply ‘speaking the truth,' but ‘being true,' following truth, walking in truth. ‘Holding the truth ‘is correct, if ‘the truth ‘is not referred to true doctrine. IN LOVE. Some connect this w... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:16. FROM WHOM, as the Personal source and cause of unity and growth, ALL THE BODY (as in Colossians 2:19), including every member of it. ‘The whole body' suggests a slightly different idea. FITLY FRAMED TOGETHER AND COMPACTED. The participles point to a present continuous progress; the... [ Continue Reading ]
1. _Exhortations based on the Contrast between the Old and New Man._ The exhortation of Ephesians 4:1-3 is resumed, but with all the added force derived from the motives presented in Ephesians 4:4-16. Because of all these, their walk is no longer like that of the Gentiles (Ephesians 4:17-19), but, i... [ Continue Reading ]
III. GENERAL CHRISTIAN DUTIES. This part of the Epistle is difficult to analyze. The ethical precepts are not arranged in any discoverable logical order. For convenience a division into two sections is adopted: (1) Chap. Ephesians 4:17-32, in which the duties are based upon the contrast between the... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:17. THIS THEREFORE I SAY. ‘This' points to what follows; ‘therefore' may refer to what immediately precedes; it is better, however, to find here a resumption of the exhortations begun in Ephesians 4:1-3, but with the force added by the intervening discussion. TESTIFY IN THE LORD. He be... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:18. This verse is made up of four clauses, which may be thus arranged: Being darkened in their understanding, Being alienated from the life of God, Because of the ignorance that is in them, Because of the hardness of their heart. Some find a correspondence between the first and thir... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:19. WHO, men of the kind that. BEING PAST FEELING. One word in Greek, meaning to be unsusceptible of pain, and in this connection, referring to moral pain, not feeling the punishment of conscience GAVE THEMSELVES UP. The same verb is used in Romans 1:24 of the other side of the matte... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:20. BUT YE, over against the ‘Gentiles' (Ephesians 4:17), whose walk has been described (Ephesians 4:18-19). DID NOT THUS LEARN CHRIST. The tense is historical, at the time of conversion. ‘Not thus ‘is put rhetorically for ‘in an entirely different way.' That different way is detailed i... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:21. IF INDEED; comp. chap. Ephesians 3:2; their experience is to be recalled to test the matter; not doubt, but certainty is implied. YE HEARD HIM; when they became disciples. Even if they heard through the instrumentality of others, they did not truly hear, unless they heard _Him,_ fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:22. THAT YE PUT OFF. The emphasis is on the verb, which is used of throwing oft garments. No more special reference (as preparation for a race, for baptism) is necessary. The tense points to a single, sudden act. AS REGARDS YOUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE. ‘Conversation' is misleading; comp. G... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:22-24. These verses depend on the en-tire preceding thought. The substance of what you learned, of what you heard and were taught properly, ‘as is truth in Jesus,' was ‘that ye put off,' etc. In the connection, this is equivalent to ‘that ye must put off.' Some find in ‘ye ‘a contrast wi... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:23. AND BECOME RENEWED. ‘Be renewed' is more literal, but the present tense refers to a continued process, as ‘become' suggests. In Colossians 3:10, the word ‘renewed ‘is slightly different; here the root is the word meaning ‘young,' which there occurs in the phrase ‘new man;' comp. Ephe... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:24. AND THAT YE PUT ON; once for all. THE NEW MAN. ‘ NEW,' not ‘young,' as in Colossians 3:10. Comp. Romans 13:14: ‘Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ' WHICH AFTER GOD HATH BEEN CREATED. The allusion to Genesis 1:26-27 is unmistakable (comp. also Colossians 3:10: ‘after the image of Him... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:25. WHEREFORE. In view of the previous exhortation, especially Ephesians 4:22-24. HAVING PUT OFF FALSEHOOD; comp. Ephesians 4:22. The negative side comes first. The participle points to a single act, hence ‘having put off;' this precedes the habit which is commanded. ‘Falsehood' is the... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:26. BE ANGRY AND SIN NOT PSALMS 4:5 is here cited. Both verbs are imperative, not the first conditional. Wrath, for this is the proper force, is not only allowable, but in certain cases commanded, yet in no case should sin be joined with it. This throws the emphasis on the second member... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:27. NOR YET. A slight change in the form of the negative, sustained by the best authorities, shows that this is another prohibition; hence ‘neither' is inexact. The reference is, however, still to anger. GIVE PLACE (comp. Romans 12:19), give free play, room in the heart, TO THE DEVIL,... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:28. LET HIM WHO STEALETH, not, ‘stole,' as if a single act were meant. One who acts thus, not quite so strong as ‘thief,' But were there any such among the Ephesian Christians? Possibly there were, comp. 1 Corinthians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 12:21; but more probably the term should be underst... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:29. LET NO CORRUPT COMMUNICATION, etc. ‘Corrupt' is used of what is decayed and loathsome, but the idea of worthlessness is included. It is implied that such things naturally rise to the lips, but they should never be spoken. BUT WHATEVER; the form is conditional, as if to suggest how... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:30. AND GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, lit, ‘the Spirit, the Holy (Spirit) of God.' This emphatic form shows the importance of the command. The verb means to disturb, render sorrowful, while ‘and' shows that corrupt words do thus ‘grieve' the Spirit, which dwells in us and in others,... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:31. This verse warns against several manifestations of evil passion, virtually grouping them under the common term (or principle) of ‘malice.' The whole presents a sharp contrast to the exhortation of Ephesians 4:31. The prohibition pictures the disposition of ‘the old man' (Ephesians 4:... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 4:32. BUT BECOME YE. ‘But' marks the contrast with Ephesians 4:31; ‘become' points to a process, indicating that the preceding warning was needed. KIND TO ONE ANOTHER; benignant, of a sweet disposition, the practical manifestation is implied; comp. Galatians 5:22. TENDERHEARTED; having... [ Continue Reading ]