PRISONER] This looks back to Ephesians 3:1. 'He can no longer superintend them: they must walk alone. He lost his liberty in their service: they will do what he asks.' 2. To a Greek, meekness was a second-rate virtue, and lowliness no virtue at all. The gospel gives both qualities their true positi... [ Continue Reading ]
UNITY OF THE NEW LIFE. RULES FOR THE NEW LIFE The Apostle passes, as usual, from doctrinal statements to practical exhortations; but doctrine is here and there introduced to support exhortation. 1-6. 'Live in humility, in loving forbearance, and in unity, for we have one Body, one Head, and one He... [ Continue Reading ]
'One Body, animated by one Spirit, and cheered by one Hope.'... [ Continue Reading ]
'One Head, to which each member is united by one Faith and one Baptism.' 6. 'One God, the supreme Source and Sustainer.' IN YOU ALL] RV 'in all.' Throughout the v. the 'all' is vague and may be neuter: we must leave it vague. Note the Trinitarian background: Spirit, Lord, Father. 7-16. 'But the va... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAITH] There is no pronoun in the Greek, and the nominative may be 'it,' 'the Scripture,' viz. Psalms 68:18. The important parts of the quotation are 'He ascended' and 'gave gifts.' LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE] i.e. led many captives in His train. These He used as ministers. 9, 10. The meaning of this... [ Continue Reading ]
HE GAVE] 'He' is emphatic; 'He it is who gave.' SOME, APOSTLES] RV 'some to be apostles';'some as Apostles.' 'Some' is accusative, not dative. St. Paul is speaking of the Church as a whole, and does not mention bishops, presbyters, or deacons, which were local ministers: cp. 1 Corinthians 12:28; Rom... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR.. FOR.. FOR] There is a change of preposition, which should be marked in English—_for.. unto.. unto_ and there should be no comma after 'saints.' The saints are perfected with a view to their ministering, to their building up of the Church.... [ Continue Reading ]
COME IN THE UNITY] RV 'attain unto the unity.' A more mature and perfect unity than the Church had at first (Ephesians 2:15), an ideal to work for, resulting in a mature and perfect humanity, endowed with the fulness which Christ, in union with the Church (Ephesians 1:23), has. 14. 'In order to rea... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE] upholding truth without bitterness. 16. Language cannot express the full truth. Christ is the Head. He is also the whole organism. He is also the source of its unity, growth, and energy. Consistency of thought and language is lost in this divine physiology. 17-24. 'How... [ Continue Reading ]
WALK] He returns from the lofty panegyric of Christian unity to the lower but necessary topic of the Christian 'walk.' He began with 'do' (Ephesians 4:1); here it is nearly all 'do not.' 18. Pagans, 'being darkened in their understanding,' must be alienated from Him in whom is no darkness (1 John 1... [ Continue Reading ]
BEING PAST FEELING] they ceased to notice the pricks of conscience, and became reckless. In Romans 1:21; We have the same sequence: vanity, darkness, uncleanness.... [ Continue Reading ]
HEARD HIM] He is not thinking of the possibility that some of them had heard Christ teach: they 'heard Him' in listening to the gospel; heard what He taught on earth. IN JESUS] St. Paul rarely uses this name by itself; when he does, he is thinking of the earthly life, death, and rising again. To hi... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT OFF] Like filthy, worn-out clothes, the old self had to be put away. CONVERSATION has the old meaning of 'manner of life' (Shakespeare,' 2 Hen. IV,' Ephesians 4:5): cp. 1 Peter 3:2; 2 Peter 2:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NEW MAN WHICH AFTER GOD HATH BEEN CREATED is that fresh form of humanity, after the first divine patTERN, WHICH redemption has produced. IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS] RV 'in righteousness and holiness of truth.' 'Of truth' belongs to both substantives. 25-32. Illustrations of the old man:... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVE PLACE TO means' give him an opening.' 28. 'Instead of robbing others, earn something to share with others.'... [ Continue Reading ]
CORRUPT COMMUNICATION] bad language of any kind. TO THE USE OF EDIFYING] RV 'for edifying as the need may be,' i.e. for building up the social fabric as occasion may require, that it may benefit them that hear. 30. 'The Spirit, who sealed us as His own, is pained when our tongues rebel.' 32. 'The... [ Continue Reading ]