15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the meas-norance that is in them, because ure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. are to be docile, gentle, mild, and free from ambition, pride, and haughti ness. But children have other characteristics besides simplicity and docility. They are often changeable, Matt. xi. 17; they are credulous, and are influenced easily by others and led astray. In these respects, Paul exhorts the Ephesians to be no longer children, but urges them to put on the characteristics of manhood; and especially to put on the firmness in religious opinion which became maturity of life." Barnes. T Carried about with every wind of doctrine. Like the weather-vane, which obeys the ightest influence of the wind, pointnow in one direction, and anon in another, constant in nothing long. T Sleight of men, &c. Our Lord cautioned his disciples that many deceivers were in the world, who, "if it were possible," would "deceive the very elect." Matt. xxiv. 24. It has been so in all ages, and it is so now. By "cunning craftiness," all possible inducements are offered to cause the weak-minded to turn from the divine testimony to human fables. Against the wiles of such adversaries we cannot guard too closely. 15. Speaking the truth in love. Or, being sincere, as in the margin; the opposite of that "cunning craftiness whereby others lie in wait to deceive," ver. 14. May grow up into him, &c. Into Christ. See notes on Rom. xii. 4,5. 16. From whom the whole body, &c. "The apostle's meaning is, that as the human body is formed by the union of all the members to each other under the head, and by the fitness of each 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ig of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over un member for its own office and place in the body, so the church is formed by the union of its members under Christ the head. Further, as the human body increases till it arrives at maturity, by the energy of every part in performing its proper function, and by the sympathy of every part with the whole; so the body or church of Christ grows to maturity, by the proper exercise of the gifts and graces of individuals for the benefit of the whole." Macknight. 17. Walk not as other Gentiles walk. Conduct not like other Gentiles. The Ephesian church probably consisted chiefly of Gentiles; and the apostle exhorts his brethren to abandon their former habits of life, and to conduct according to the spirit and precepts of Christ. In the vanity of their mind. What the apostle means by such vanity is specified in the succeeding verses. 18. Having the understanding darkened, &c. "That long course of sin having blinded their understandings, so that they see not that which by the light of nature they are enabled to see, and by that gross ignorance and obduration of heart, run into all impiety, are far removed from that life which God and nature require of them." Hammond. The moral condition of the Gentiles, while in darkness and alienation, is vividly described in Romans, chap. i. 19. Past feeling. Dead in sin. Ch. ii. 1. "Insensible of the vileness of their actions." Whitby. T Have given themselves over, &c. See Rom. i 24-32. to lasciviousness, to work all 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are 22 That ye put off concern-members one of another. ing the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 20. But ye have not so learned Christ. Ye have learned a different lesson from Christ. 21. If so be, &c. If you have listened attentively, and understandingly to him, or to his authorized messengers, and have laid hold by faith upon the truth taught by him. 22. The former conversation. Former conduct. See note on 2 Cor. i. 12. T The old man. See note on Rom. vi. 6. T Deceitful lusts. The word lusts is here applied to sinful passions generally. See note Rom. vii. 7. on 23. And be renewed, &c. See note on Rom. xii. 2. 24. And that ye put on the new man. Equivalent to being renewed, ver. 23; or becoming a "new creature." See note on 2 Cor. v. 17. T Which after God is created, &c. "Which is created God-like." Haweis. "Which after 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. the head. See note on Rom. xii. 5. The harmony of the body is disturbed by falsehood. 26. Be ye angry and sin not. Anger is not necessarily sinful, see note on Mark iii. 5; but it becomes so when cherished and accompanied by a desire to injure others. "Anger is excited when a horse kicks us; when a serpent hisses; when wo dash our foot against a stone; and so when a man raises his hand to strike us. The object or final cause of implanting this passion in the mind of man is to rouse him to an immediate defence of himself when suddenly attacked, and before his reason would have time to suggest the proper means of defence. It prompts at once to self-protection; and when that is done, its proper office ceases; if persevered in, it becomes sinful malignity, or revenge, always wrong." Barnes. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. A prover a godly wise is shapen."-Tyndale.bial phrase, vividly expressing the "Created after God's likeness.". Conybeare. 25. Wherefore putting away lying, &c. Some have understood this to imply that the Ephesians were still addicted to lying, notwithstanding their conversion to Christianity. This, however, seems unnecessary. The phrase may be fairly interpreted as an exhortation to avoid lying, to refrain from lying; or, as in ver. 28, to mean, "let him who lied lie no more, but let him speak truth to his neighbor." For we are members one of another. We are one body, of which Christ is duty of curbing and restraining our angry passions. We are not to "nurse our wrath, to keep it warm;" we should rather strive to overcome it, and to regain our composure of mind, and goodwill to others. 27. Neither give place to the devil. "Give no place unto the backbiter." Tyndale. “Διάβολος signifies any false accuser. Thus 1 Tim. iii. 11. In this sense the Syriac translator took the word in the verse under consideration, so likewise did Erasmus. According to their translation, the apostle's meaning is, give no occasion 31 Let all bitterness, and 28 Let him that stole steal no | more: but rather let him la- wrath, and anger, and clamour, bour, working with his hands and evil speaking, be put away the thing which is good, that he | from you, with all malice : may have to give to him that needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. CHAPTER V. E ye therefore followers of sealed unto the day of redemp-B God, as dear children; tion. 29. Let no corrupt communication, &c. "Loose discourse.". Haweis. "Filthy words." - Conybeare. "Corrupt, worthless speech.". Ellicott. "It appears to mean any word or thing obscene, anything that injures virtue, countenances vice, or scoffs at religion. In the parallel place, Col. iv. 6, the apostle exhorts that our speech may be seasoned with salt, to preserve it from putrefaction." Clarke. T Use of edifying. Or, "to edify profitably," as in the margin. See note on Rom. xiv. 19. 30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, &c. For the meaning of "Holy Spirit of God," see notes on John xiv. 26; Rom. viii. 14, 16. "We are not to suppose that the Holy Spirit literally endures grief, or pain, at the conduct of men. The language is such as is fitted to describe what men endure, and is applied to him to denote that kind of conduct which is fitted to cause grief; and the meaning here is, do not pursue such a course as is fitted, in its own nature, to pain the benevolent heart of a holy being.". Barnes. T Redemption. Seo note on Rom. viii. 23. 31. Let all bitterness, &c. Put away or banish from your hearts every passion inconsistent with that love which you are bound to cherish towards all men. See notes on Matt. v. 43-48. "Be 32. And be ye kind, &c. courteous and obliging to each other in your daily deportment, and tenderly compassionate towards those that are in any affliction and distress; freely forgiving one another whatever imagined or real injury may be in question, even as God in Christ, and for his sake, hath freely forgiven you such inexcusable and heinous injuries and affronts as are infinitely greater than any which it is possible for you to receive from your fellow-creatures." Doddridge. T Forgiving one other, &c. See notes on Matt. vi. 12, 14, 15. CHAPTER V. an 1. Be ye therefore followers, &c. Imitate God, by cherishing love and doing good to your brethren. See Matt. v. 43-48. The division between chapters here is wholly arbitrary. The reference is to the previous exhortations to a spirit of kindness 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks. son, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean per-light; and forgiveness, as is indicated by the word therefore. 2. Hath given himself for us, &c. See notes on Matt. xxvi. 28; John xv. 13; Rom. v. 8. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave the most convincing proof of his love, by laboring and enduring persecution through life, and by sealing his ministry with his own blood. He freely offered his life as a sacrifice in the cause of divine benevolence. In such devotion manifested by the Son, the Father was well pleased, as with a "sweet-smelling savor." For some general remarks on the cause and the effects of Christ's ministry and death, see notes on Rom. iii. 24. rather be understood to mean filthy conversation and obscene jests, analogous to the vices mentioned in ver. 3 and 5. "There is, no doubt, an innocent and inoffensive jesting, which we cannot suppose the apostle does here forbid. Some understand him of such scurrilous and abusive reflections as tend to expose others, and to make them ridiculous. This is bad enough; but the context seems to restrain it to such pleasantry of discourse as is filthy and obscene."- Henry. Not convenient. Not fit and proper. This use of the word has become obsolete. 5. For this ye know, &c. None of the class here described could inherit the heavenly kingdom, until cleansed from such moral defilement. See notes on a similar declaration, 1 Cor. vi. 9-11. 3. But fornication, &c. See note on 1 Cor. vi. 18. The vices here mentioned are so utterly inconsistent with the Christian spirit and character, that Paul would have them utterly ban- 6. Let no man deceive you, &c. The ished. "This cannot mean that it is heathen philosophers taught a differwrong to mention these vices, for the ent doctrine; and many of the relig purpose of rebuking them, or caution-ious rites and ceremonies encouraged ing those in danger of committing the practice of the vices here conthem, for Paul himself in this manner demned. The apostle warns his brethmentions them here, and frequently ren to beware of such false teachers. elsewhere; but that they should not T Cometh the wrath of God, &c. See exist among them.". Barnes. note on Rom. i. 18. 4. Foolish talking and jesting. From the connection in which these words are found, it is evident that the apostle does not refer to that free and easy conversation in which men indulge as a relaxation from graver thought and speech, or to that play of wit which excites harmless mirth. He must 7. Partakers with them. In their guilt and in their consequent misery. 8. For ye were sometime darkness. Ye were formerly immersed in the darkness before described, estranged from God, and defiled by moral impurity. Let the time past suffice to have walked in lasciviousness and 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is | speak of those things which are in all goodness and righteous-done of them in secret. ness and truth ;) 13 But all things that are re 10 Proving what is accepta-proved are made manifest by ble unto the Lord. the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. abominable idolatries, 1 Pet. iv. 3, cret by the Gentiles, is more plainly 13. But all things that are reproved, &c. Or, discovered, as in the margin. "All these things when exposed.". Conybeare. "But Christianity is a means to discover and display these abominable cheats and villanies, as light is the direct means to discover what darkness hath hid, and to make them renounce and forsake it, when they see it is seen and abhorred by en." 14. Wherefore he saith, &c. Many commentators suppose the apostle to refer to Isa. lx. 1; but others express a different opinion. "There is no verse exactly corresponding with this in the Old Testament. But Isa. Ix. 1 is perhaps referred to. We must remember, however, that there is no proof that St. Paul intends (either here or 1 Cor. ii. 9), to quote the Old Testament. Some have supposed that he is quoting a Christian hymn; others, a saying of our Lord, as at Acts xx. 35."- Conybeare. "The apostle doth not here quote any saying recorded in the Jewish Scriptures; but, by a rhetorical figure, he introduces the gospel as addressing an exhortation to the Gentiles, to awake out of the lethargy of sin."- Macknight. "I see no evidence that Paul meant to make a quotation at all. Why may we not suppose that he speaks as an inspired man, and that he means to say, simply, that God now gives this command, or that God now speaks in this way? The sense would then be, Be separate from sinners. Come out froin among the heathen. Do not mingle with their abominations; do |