THE OLD DARKNESS AND NEW LIGHT. RULES FOR THE MARRIED 1, 2. In close connexion with what precedes. 'It is the mark of beloved children to become imitators of a loving Father; practise the self-sacrifice of Christ, which shows how He loved us and the Father.' 3-14. Special exhortation against covet... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT] The five sins mentioned in Ephesians 4:25 are to be put away; these two are not even to be mentioned: 'saints' are set apart from such subjects, being consecrated to God. 4. 'Do not get near these topics for the sake of being amusing.' 'Thanksgiving' is not an obvious contrast to 'jesting,' bu... [ Continue Reading ]
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT] This comes from Galatians 5:22; 'fruit of the light' is right here (RV). 10. 'Those who walk as children of light find out by experience what God's will is: light is always a test.'... [ Continue Reading ]
Light has 'fruit' (Ephesians 5:9), but darkness has only 'fruitless works': cp. Galatians 5:19; Galatians 5:22. Rather reprove _them_] 'rather even expose them,' as light is sure to do. 'Reprove them' is hardly consistent with the context. In John 3:20; 'reproved' should be 'exposed': cp. 1 Corinthi... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAITH] rather,' it saith' = 'it is said.' The quotation is probably from a Christian hymn, based on Isaiah 60:1 : cp. 1 Timothy 3:16. 15-21. 'Be most careful then in conduct. Beware of folly; in particular of drunkenness. Prefer spiritual exaltation and an orderly life, each in his own place.'... [ Continue Reading ]
Then or 'therefore' marks the return to exhortation, and walk refers back to Ephesians 5:2; Ephesians 5:8. RV is everywhere better: 'Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise.'... [ Continue Reading ]
REDEEMING] 'buying up for yourselves the opportunity.'... [ Continue Reading ]
'Wherefore do not show yourselves fools, but understand.'... [ Continue Reading ]
EXCESS] RV 'riot'(as Titus 1:6; 1 Peter 4:4), and 'riotous living' (Luke 15:13). WITH THE SPIRIT] RM 'in spirit'; 'not your bodies, but your souls should be full.'... [ Continue Reading ]
The primitive Church was emphatically a Church of enthusiasm and spiritual emotion (Acts 2:43; Acts 8:8; Acts 16:25 : cp. Colossians 3:16).... [ Continue Reading ]
But everything is to 'be done decently and in order': enthusiasm is not to lead to anarchy. St. Paul ceaselessly preaches 'submission' or 'subjection' to authority (Romans 13:1; 1 Corinthians 14:32; 1 Corinthians 14:34; 1 Corinthians 16:16; Titus 3:1). 22-33. First illustration of orderly subordina... [ Continue Reading ]
AS UNTO THE LORD] with 'the fear of Christ' (Ephesians 5:21) as their motive.... [ Continue Reading ]
Once more (Ephesians 3:15) a mystical connexion between heavenly and earthly relationships is traced. The forethought of the head preserves the body: control implies obligation to protect.... [ Continue Reading ]
Accepting protection implies submission. 25-33. The love of husbands to their wives corresponds to Christ's love to His Church, for which He sacrificed Himself, to hallow it, to present it to Himself, and to _keep_ it holy. Christ and the Church are one in body; husband and wife are one in body; he... [ Continue Reading ]
Government must be unselfish-for the good of the governed: cp. Ephesians 5:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
WASHING OF WATER] Christian baptism, with perhaps a reference to the bride's bath before marriage. BY THE WORD] RV 'with the word,' to be taken with 'the washing of water' and meaning the baptismal formula.... [ Continue Reading ]
'That He might Himself to Himself present the Church all-glorious': cp. 2 Corinthians 11:2, of St. Paul's presenting the Corinthian Church to Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
RV 'Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as [being] their own bodies.' Not 'as much as,' or 'as if they were': their wives _are_ their own bodies.... [ Continue Reading ]
The change from 'body' to 'flesh' prepares for what is coming.... [ Continue Reading ]
'Christ cherishes the Church, because its members are His.' The words 'of His flesh and of His bones' are an interpolation from Genesis 2:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS A GREAT MYSTERY] RV 'This mystery is great.' 'It has a deep, wide-reaching meaning; but I am employing it of Christ and the Church.'... [ Continue Reading ]
REVERENCE] RV 'fear.' He returns to the motive stated at the outset, 'the fear of Christ' (Ephesians 5:21). Reverential fear, as that of the Church to her Lord, is meant. Subjection without reverence would be servile.... [ Continue Reading ]