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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Ephesians 5 Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/commentaries/expositors/ephesians/5.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/5001com.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 4800px), only screen and (max-device-width: 4800px)" href="/4801.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1550px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1550px)" href="/1551.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1250px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1250px)" href="/1251.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1050px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1050px)" href="/1051.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 900px), only screen and (max-device-width: 900px)" href="/901.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 800px), only screen and (max-device-width: 800px)" href="/801.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 575px), only screen and (max-device-width: 575px)" href="/501.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-height: 450px), only screen and (max-device-height: 450px)" href="/h451.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/ephesians/5.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcom/ephesians/5-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/commentaries/">Commentary</a> > <a href="../">Ellicott</a> > <a href="../ephesians/">Ephesians</a></div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../ephesians/4.htm" title="Ephesians 4">◄</a> Ephesians 5 <a href="../ephesians/6.htm" title="Ephesians 6">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</div><div class="chap"> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-1.htm">Ephesians 5:1</a></div><div class="verse">Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;</div>V.</span><p>(1, 2) These verses are an expansion and enforcement of the last verse of Ephesians 4. There the forgiveness of “God in Christ” is set forth in one pregnant phrase. Here the two parts of this idea are divided; and there is put before us, first, the free universal love of God as our Father, and next, the self-sacrificing love of Christ, as the Son of God and man.<p>(1) <span class= "bld">Followers of God.</span>—The phrase is unique and very striking; literally, <span class= "ital">imitators of God</span>: and the word “therefore” implies that this imitation of God must be chiefly in His essential attribute of love. It is instructive to observe that our Lord’s startling command, “Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect” (<a href="/matthew/5-48.htm" title="Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.">Matthew 5:48</a>), is explained both by the context and the parallel passage in St. Luke (<a href="/luke/6-36.htm" title="Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.">Luke 6:36</a>) to mean, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father in heaven is merciful.” See in Hooker’s <span class= "ital">Ecc. Pol., </span>i. 5, a striking passage on the imitation of God as the law of all moral progress in man. In this idea, indeed, lies the essential and distinctive principle of a religious morality as such.<p><span class= "bld">As dear children.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">as children beloved</span> of Him. The knowledge of the love of God to us is the first source, as of our love to Him (<a href="/1_john/4-19.htm" title="We love him, because he first loved us.">1John 4:19</a>), so also of our love to men as brethren under His fatherhood (<a href="/1_john/4-11.htm" title="Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.">1John 4:11</a>). As being His “children,” and therefore partakers of the divine nature (<a href="/2_peter/1-4.htm" title="Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.">2Peter 1:4</a>), we can imitate Him; as His “beloved children” we imitate Him most naturally in love, and especially in that form of love which we call “mercy,” and which, as being ourselves sinners, we especially crave and receive from Him.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-2.htm">Ephesians 5:2</a></div><div class="verse">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.</div>(2) <span class= "bld">As Christ also hath loved us.</span>—To this idea of the “imitation of God,” essential to all true religion, St. Paul now adds an exhortation to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, in that especial exhibition of love by suffering and self-sacrifice, which is impossible to the Godhead in itself, but which belongs to the incarnate Son of God, and was the ultimate purpose of His incarnation. There is a similar connection of idea in <a href="/context/john/15-12.htm" title="This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.">John 15:12-13</a>, “This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” The imitation of God is in free and natural beneficence; the imitation of Christ is in that power of showing mercy, which is bought by suffering and sacrifice. He not only “loved us,” but “gave Himself for us.”<p><span class= "bld">An offering and a sacrifice to God,—</span>The same words, “sacrifice and offering,” are found in close connection in <a href="/hebrews/10-5.htm" title="Why when he comes into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering you would not, but a body have you prepared me:">Hebrews 10:5</a>, which is a quotation from <a href="/psalms/40-7.htm" title="Then said I, See, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,">Psalm 40:7</a>. Comparing these with the Hebrew words which they represent, and looking also to the etymology of the Greek words themselves, we see that the word “offering” signifies simply a gift offered to God, and is applied especially, though not exclusively, to unbloody sacrifices; while the word “sacrifice” distinctly implies the shedding of blood. Each word, when used alone, has constantly a more general sense. Thus “offering” is used in <a href="/hebrews/10-10.htm" title="By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.">Hebrews 10:10</a>; <a href="/hebrews/10-14.htm" title="For by one offering he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified.">Hebrews 10:14</a>; <a href="/hebrews/10-18.htm" title="Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.">Hebrews 10:18</a>, for the sacrifice on the cross; while “sacrifice,” in <a href="/acts/7-42.htm" title="Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O you house of Israel, have you offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?">Acts 7:42</a>, is made to translate the word commonly rendered as “offering.” But when placed in juxtaposition they must be held distinctive; and hence we may conclude that our Lord made Himself “an offering” in the perfect obedience of His great humility, “coming to do God’s will” (according to the prophetic anticipation of <a href="/context/psalms/40-7.htm" title="Then said I, See, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,">Psalm 40:7-8</a>), and gave Himself a “sacrifice,” when He completed that offering by shedding His blood on the cross. Both are said to be offered “for us,” <span class= "ital">i.e., </span>on our behalf. We have, therefore, here a complete summary—all the more striking and characteristic because incidental—of the doctrine of the Atonement.<p><span class= "bld">For a sweet-smelling savour.</span>—The sense of this phrase is explained in <a href="/philippians/4-18.htm" title="But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.">Philippians 4:18</a> by the addition of the words “a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.” It is the translation of an expression, frequent in the Old Testament (as in <a href="/genesis/8-21.htm" title="And the LORD smelled a sweet smell; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.">Genesis 8:21</a>; <a href="/exodus/29-18.htm" title="And you shall burn the whole ram on the altar: it is a burnt offering to the LORD: it is a sweet smell, an offering made by fire to the LORD.">Exodus 29:18</a>; <span class= "ital">et al.</span>)<span class= "ital">, </span>signifying “a smell of acquiescence” or “satisfaction.” It describes the atoning sacrifice as already accepted by God.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-3.htm">Ephesians 5:3</a></div><div class="verse">But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;</div>(3<span class= "ital">b</span>) <a href="/context/ephesians/5-3.htm" title="But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints;">Ephesians 5:3-14</a> warn, with even greater fulness and emphasis, against the sins of impurity and lust, as incompatible with membership of the kingdom of heaven, as works of darkness, impossible to those who are children of light.<p>(3) <span class= "bld">But fornication, and all uncleanness, or Christian light covetousness.</span>—“Fornication” is closely joined (as in <a href="/2_corinthians/12-21.htm" title="And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall mourn many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.">2Corinthians 12:21</a>; <a href="/galatians/5-19.htm" title="Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,">Galatians 5:19</a>; <a href="/colossians/3-5.htm" title=" Mortify therefore your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:">Colossians 3:5</a>) with “uncleanness,” of which general sin it is a flagrant species. It is distinguished (as also in <a href="/colossians/3-5.htm" title=" Mortify therefore your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:">Colossians 3:5</a>) from “covetousness,” or <span class= "ital">greediness.</span> “Uncleanness” is a sin against our own body and soul (see <a href="/1_corinthians/6-18.htm" title="Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body; but he that commits fornication sins against his own body.">1Corinthians 6:18</a>); “covetousness” (literally, <span class= "ital">the insatiable desire for more</span>) is a sin against our neighbour. At the same time, the constant connection of the two words suggests the truth which is conveyed by the union of the two kinds of “coveting” in the Tenth Commandment, viz., that the temper of selfish and unbridled concupiscence has a two-fold direction—to the covetousness of lust, and to the covetousness of avarice—the one perhaps especially a vice of youth, and the other of old age.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-4.htm">Ephesians 5:4</a></div><div class="verse">Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.</div>(4) <span class= "bld">Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting.</span>—The word “filthiness” (unlike the “filthy communication” of the parallel passage in <a href="/colossians/3-8.htm" title=" But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.">Colossians 3:8</a>) is in itself a general word. But the connection with the words following, and the distinction from those going before, appear to show that St. Paul here uses it for “filthy talking.” He is passing from impurity of the inward soul to impurity in outward expression. Of such foul speaking he appears to distinguish two forms. There is, first of all, “foolish talking,” or the talk of “the fool,” in the worst sense in which that word is used in Scripture (<a href="/matthew/5-22.htm" title="But I say to you, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.">Matthew 5:22</a>; <a href="/matthew/23-17.htm" title="You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?">Matthew 23:17</a>), as implying something worse than mere emptiness or blindness—describing the condition of the soul which has “lost its savour” (<a href="/matthew/5-13.htm" title="You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his flavor, with which shall it be salted? it is thereafter good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.">Matthew 5:13</a>), <span class= "ital">i.e., </span>has ceased to distinguish what is right or wrong, wise or foolish, noble or base. There is then “jesting,” <span class= "ital">i.e., </span>properly, the more polished “versatility,” which will find occasion for wit or levity in anything, however sacred, fearing nothing so much as to be dull, and mistaking all seriousness and reserve for dulness. It is notable that in classical Greek the word is sometimes used in a good sense, as a mean between “churlishness” and “obsequiousness,” but yet hovers on the border of that condemnation which Christian gravity here pronounces unhesitatingly. The former kind of foul talking is coarse and brutal; the latter refined and deadly. Of both kinds Greek and Roman literature furnish specimens only too many and too striking.<p><span class= "bld">Which are not convenient.</span>—That is, “which are out of character” in a Christian—a milder repetition (perhaps suggested by the ambiguous meaning of “jesting” noted above) of the indignant declaration in <a href="/ephesians/5-3.htm" title="But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints;">Ephesians 5:3</a>, that it “becomes not saints that these foul things should be even named among them.” They pollute the Christian mind and tongue even in condemning them.<p><span class= "bld">But rather giving of</span> <span class= "bld">thanks.</span>—The opposition is striking. “The foolish talking and jesting” aim at mirth and play of mind; St. Paul will not austerely condemn, such light-heartedness, but he finds a wholesome and spiritual vent for it in the habitual expression of thankfulness to God, which proceeds from a natural and childlike cheerfulness. Exactly in the same spirit below (<a href="/context/ephesians/5-18.htm" title="And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;">Ephesians 5:18-20</a>) he contrasts the excitement of drunkenness with the being “filled with the Spirit . . . giving thanks always for all things.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-5.htm">Ephesians 5:5</a></div><div class="verse">For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.</div>(5) <span class= "bld">For this ye know.</span>—The true reading of the original is curiously emphatic. It runs thus: <span class= "ital">For this ye know, knowing</span> . . . But, as it uses two different words, in the former clause properly “ye know” and the latter “learning to know,” the sense seems to be: “For this ye know, learning it afresh so as to know it better.” Whatever else is doubtful, this is certain; yet it admits of an ever growing certainty.<p><span class= "bld">Covetous man, who is an idolater.</span>—Comp. <a href="/colossians/3-5.htm" title=" Mortify therefore your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:">Colossians 3:5</a>, “Covetousness, which is idolatry.” Whatever becomes the chief object of our desire, so as to claim our chief fear and love, is, of course, an idol; for “ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Perhaps in this metaphorical idolatry, as in the literal, there are two distinct stages, passing, however, by invisible gradations into each other—first, the resting on some visible blessing of God, as the one thing in which and for which we serve Him, and so by degrees losing Him in His own gifts; next, the absolute forgetfulness of Him, and the setting up, as is inevitable, of some other object of worship to fill the vacant throne.<p><span class= "bld">Hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and </span>[of] <span class= "bld">God.</span>—The phrase “the kingdom of Christ and God,” though probably it does not in strict technicality declare the identity of “Christ” and “God,” yet implies that the “kingdom of the Christ” is, as a matter of course, “the kingdom of God,” for “the Christ” is by prophetic definition “Emmanuel,” <span class= "ital">i.e., </span>“God with us.” The unworthy Christian has indeed “an inheritance” in it, to his own awful responsibility; but in the true spiritual sense he is one “who hath not,” “from whom shall be taken that which he hath” (<a href="/matthew/13-12.htm" title="For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has.">Matthew 13:12</a>).<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-6.htm">Ephesians 5:6</a></div><div class="verse">Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.</div>(6) <span class= "bld">Let no man deceive you with vain words.</span>—It seems likely that St. Paul has in view, not mere worldly condonation of evil or low heathen morality, but some anticipation of that Antinomian form of Gnosticism which held that the things done in the body, being evil only by the irresistible, inevitable gravitation of matter to evil, could not touch the soul. We know that in the Colossian Church there was an anticipation of the more ascetic Gnosticism (<a href="/colossians/2-21.htm" title=" (Touch not; taste not; handle not;">Colossians 2:21</a>; comp. also <a href="/context/1_timothy/4-1.htm" title="Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;">1Timothy 4:1-5</a>). As the earlier Judaistic rigour had assumed this later form, so the earlier Antinomianism (of <a href="/romans/6-1.htm" title="What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?">Romans 6:1</a>) may probably have passed into the more systematic and speculative Antinomianism of the Gnostic type. (Comp. <a href="/context/philippians/3-18.htm" title="(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:">Philippians 3:18-19</a>.) In this same spirit St. John, himself familiar with the life of Ephesus, writes earnestly: “Let no man deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous” (<a href="/1_john/3-7.htm" title="Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.">1John 3:7</a>). Hero the Apostle warns them that it is for these sins that “the wrath of God is coming on the children of disobedience,” <span class= "ital">i.e.</span> (see <a href="/ephesians/2-2.htm" title="Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:">Ephesians 2:2</a>), on the heathen; and urges the Christians not to fall back, by being “partakers with them” both of their sin and their punishment, into the gross heathen darkness out of which they had been saved.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-8.htm">Ephesians 5:8</a></div><div class="verse">For ye were sometimes darkness, but now <i>are ye</i> light in the Lord: walk as children of light:</div>(8) <span class= "bld">Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.</span>—This expression is unique, and far more emphatic than the more common phrases of “being,” or “walking,” “in darkness” and “in light.” (See <a href="/romans/2-9.htm" title="Tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;">Romans 2:9</a>; <a href="/colossians/1-2.htm" title=" To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.">Colossians 1:2</a>; <a href="/1_thessalonians/5-4.htm" title="But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.">1Thessalonians 5:4</a>; <a href="/context/1_john/1-6.htm" title="If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:">1John 1:6-7</a>; <a href="/context/1_john/2-9.htm" title="He that said he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now.">1John 2:9-10</a>.) For here the outward element of light or darkness is said to pervade the inner nature of the soul. (1) Christ is the “true Light,” the “Sun of Righteousness” (<a href="/context/john/1-4.htm" title="In him was life; and the life was the light of men.">John 1:4-9</a>; <a href="/john/3-19.htm" title="And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.">John 3:19</a>; <a href="/john/8-12.htm" title="Then spoke Jesus again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.">John 8:12</a>; <a href="/john/9-5.htm" title="As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.">John 9:5</a>; <a href="/john/12-46.htm" title="I am come a light into the world, that whoever believes on me should not abide in darkness.">John 12:46</a>). His servants are sometimes mere secondary lights (or “candles”) (<a href="/context/luke/11-33.htm" title="No man, when he has lighted a candle, puts it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.">Luke 11:33-34</a>; <a href="/luke/11-36.htm" title="If your whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle does give you light.">Luke 11:36</a>; <a href="/john/5-35.htm" title="He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.">John 5:35</a>; <a href="/2_peter/1-19.htm" title="We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:">2Peter 1:19</a>), kindled from His rays; sometimes, like the moon or planets, they are said, as reflecting His light, or as having His light in them (<a href="/john/12-35.htm" title="Then Jesus said to them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come on you: for he that walks in darkness knows not where he goes.">John 12:35</a>), to be actually “the light of the world” (<a href="/matthew/5-14.htm" title="You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.">Matthew 5:14</a>), which, however, shines as a mere reflected light, so that “men glorify” not it, but “the Father which is in heaven” (<a href="/matthew/5-16.htm" title="Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.">Matthew 5:16</a>). They thus become light, but only “in the Lord:” that is, as being made one with Him. (2) So, on the other hand, they who walk in darkness are said to be themselves darkness—new sources, so to speak, of the darkness which hates and quenches light, both to themselves and to others. “The light” which is in them “becomes darkness;” “and how great is that darkness!” (<a href="/matthew/6-23.htm" title="But if your eye be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness!">Matthew 6:23</a>.) As there is a natural delight in giving light, so the reprobate state is distinguished by a horrible pleasure in spreading the cloud of delusion, sin, or unbelief, by which to hide God from man.<p><span class= "bld">Walk as children of light.</span>—So our Lord teaches, “While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may become children of light” (<a href="/john/12-36.htm" title="While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. These things spoke Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.">John 12:36</a>; comp. <a href="/1_thessalonians/5-5.htm" title="You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.">1Thessalonians 5:5</a>). “Children of light” are they who not only love the light, but also manifest the likeness of the one true Light, “the Father of Lights” (<a href="/james/1-17.htm" title="Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no ficklenss, neither shadow of turning.">James 1:17</a>), being His children in Jesus Christ.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-9.htm">Ephesians 5:9</a></div><div class="verse">(For the fruit of the Spirit <i>is</i> in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)</div>(9) <span class= "bld">For the fruit . . .</span>—The true reading is, <span class= "ital">of the Light, </span>for which the easier phrase, “the fruit of the Spirit,” has been substituted, to the great detriment of the force and coherency of the whole passage. Light has its fruits; darkness (see <a href="/ephesians/5-11.htm" title="And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.">Ephesians 5:11</a>) is “unfruitful.” The metaphor is striking, but literally correct, inasmuch as light is the necessary condition of that vegetative life which grows and yields fruit, while darkness is the destruction, if not of life, at any rate of fruit-bearing perfection.<p><span class= "bld">Goodness and righteousness and truth.</span>—These are practical exhibitions of the “being true in love,” described in <a href="/ephesians/4-15.htm" title="But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:">Ephesians 4:15</a> as the characteristic of the Christ-like soul. For “goodness” is love in practical benevolence, forming, in <a href="/galatians/5-22.htm" title="But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,">Galatians 5:22</a>, a climax to “longsuffering” and “kindness,” and, in <a href="/2_thessalonians/1-11.htm" title="Why also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:">2Thessalonians 1:11</a>, distinguished as practical from the “faith” which underlies practice. The other two qualities, “righteousness” and “truth”—that is, probably, truthfulness-are both parts of the great principle of “being true.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-10.htm">Ephesians 5:10</a></div><div class="verse">Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.</div>(10) <span class= "bld">Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.</span>—So in <a href="/romans/12-2.htm" title="And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.">Romans 12:2</a>, the “proving what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” is the fruit of transformation “in the renewing of the mind.” “To prove” is to try in each case, by the full light of God, what is accordant to His will; it is a work partly of thought, partly of practical experience; and it always implies a searching examination of heart and action by the touchstone of God’s word.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-11.htm">Ephesians 5:11</a></div><div class="verse">And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove <i>them</i>.</div>(11) <span class= "bld">Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.</span>—To “have no fellowship” with such works is not to refuse to take part in them (for this surely might be taken for granted), but to keep no terms with them, to have no sympathy or indulgence or excuse for them. So the word is used, in <a href="/philippians/4-14.htm" title="Notwithstanding you have well done, that you did communicate with my affliction.">Philippians 4:14</a>, of “communicating with my affliction;” and in <a href="/revelation/18-4.htm" title="And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.">Revelation 18:4</a>, of “being partakers with the sins” of Babylon. It is through such weak or cowardly indulgence, more than the actual love of evil, that sin is suffered to prevail. Hence St. Paul adds, “rather reprove them.” Our Lord Himself has declared in all such cases, “He that is not with Me is against Me.”<p><span class= "bld">The unfruitful works of darkness.</span>—St. Paul has a similar antithesis in the Epistle to the Romans (<a href="/context/romans/6-19.htm" title="I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity to iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness to holiness.">Romans 6:19-22</a>). They who are in sin “yield their members servants to iniquity unto iniquity.” Iniquity has no result but iniquity; and hence he goes on to ask, “What fruit had ye then in those things of which ye are now ashamed?” This weary fruitlessness is at once the sign and the penalty of sin, so that men have fancied it to be one chief element of the suffering of the lost. But they who are in Christ “yield their members servants to righteousness unto holiness.” “They have,” he says, “their fruit unto holiness” now, and “in the end the everlasting life,” which is everlasting holiness. Similarly, in <a href="/context/galatians/5-20.htm" title="Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, jealousies, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,">Galatians 5:20-22</a>, we have “the works of the flesh,” but “the fruit of the Spirit.” Rarely, indeed, does Scripture speak of “evil fruit” (<a href="/matthew/7-17.htm" title="Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.">Matthew 7:17</a>; <a href="/matthew/12-33.htm" title="Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.">Matthew 12:33</a>). Generally, “to be unfruitful” is an all-sufficient condemnation. “Every branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away” (<a href="/john/15-2.htm" title="Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit.">John 15:2</a>).<p><span class= "bld">Rather reprove them.</span>—In the word “reprove,” whether in its application to the witness of the Holy Ghost (<a href="/john/16-8.htm" title="And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:">John 16:8</a>), or to the witness of men (as in <a href="/1_corinthians/14-24.htm" title="But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believes not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:">1Corinthians 14:24</a>; <a href="/1_timothy/5-20.htm" title="Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.">1Timothy 5:20</a>; <a href="/context/titus/1-9.htm" title="Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the disputers.">Titus 1:9-13</a>, <span class= "ital">et al.</span>), there is described a double function—to “convince,” if it may be, the sinner in himself; to “convict” him, if the other function fails, before men and angels. Both these functions St. Paul urges here. It is not enough to “have no fellowship with them.” To this tacit reproof open reproof in word and deed is to be added; only in such reproof it should be remembered that it would be disgraceful “even to speak” in detail of the actual “things done in secret.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-12.htm">Ephesians 5:12</a></div><div class="verse">For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.</div>(12) <span class= "bld">It is a shame even to speak . . .</span>—Comp. <a href="/ephesians/5-3.htm" title="But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints;">Ephesians 5:3</a>. Sin may be plainly indicated, and perhaps most effectually branded, without polluting the tongue by describing its actual developments. The need of St. Paul’s caution is only too obvious when we read some satires and denunciations against sin, or some manuals of self-examination.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-13.htm">Ephesians 5:13</a></div><div class="verse">But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.</div>(13) <span class= "bld">But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light.</span>—This should properly be rendered, <span class= "ital">But all things, when reproved, are illuminated by the light.</span> The translation “are made manifest” is indeed fully in accordance with the common usage of the word. But the whole context shows that St. Paul is here using it in what is indeed its more proper etymological sense, for “are illumined.” For the mere “being made manifest” is implied in the “being reproved;” whereas he is certainly passing on here to a fresh idea, and, moreover, to one which will bear the inference of the last clause of the verse. To “reprove” after the Christian manner is to bring into the full light of Christ’s truth; and the effect of this is not merely to reprove, but to illumine by the inherent power of the light. Exactly with the same distinction of sense St. John uses both words (<a href="/context/john/3-20.htm" title="For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.">John 3:20-21</a>).<p><span class= "bld">For whatsoever doth make manifest is light.</span>—That this translation (suggested, perhaps, by the difficulty of the passage when rightly rendered) is nevertheless certainly wrong, is shown both by the usage of the original word and by the genius of the whole context. It should be, <span class= "ital">for everything which is illuminated is light.</span> St. Paul here explains still more clearly what he means by illumination. It implies the catching the light and reflecting it, so as to become a new source of light. It must be noted that the subject of the sentence is not “the works of darkness,” but “all things” in general. Hence the whole process is described, with almost scientific accuracy, as three-fold. First, the things, or persons, are dragged out of darkness into light; then they are illuminated; lastly, they become light in themselves and to others. There are, no doubt, exceptions to this, the right and normal process, in the case of the utterly reprobate, who have lost all power of reflecting light, and are therefore dark still in the blaze of noon; but the next verse shows that St. Paul is not contemplating these; and even these may be beacons of warning to others. The whole metaphor is more and more striking to us as modern science enlarges our knowledge of the manifold effects of light, not only to illuminate, but to change and to vivify.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-14.htm">Ephesians 5:14</a></div><div class="verse">Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.</div>(14) <span class= "bld">Wherefore he</span> (or, <span class= "ital">it</span>) <span class= "bld">saith.</span>—This phrase is used (as also in <a href="/james/4-6.htm" title="But he gives more grace. Why he said, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.">James 4:6</a>) in <a href="/ephesians/4-8.htm" title="Why he said, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.">Ephesians 4:8</a> to introduce a scriptural quotation; and the most natural completion of the elliptical expression is by the supply of the nominative, “God,” or “the scripture,” from the ordinary phrase of quotation or citation. But no scriptural passage can be adduced which, with the fullest allowance for the apostolic freedom of quotation, comes near enough to be a satisfactory original of this passage. The nearest is <a href="/isaiah/60-1.htm" title="Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen on you.">Isaiah 60:1</a>, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee;” and this is certainly very far off indeed. Nor is the case much helped by blending other passages (as, for example, <a href="/isaiah/26-19.htm" title="Your dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in dust: for your dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.">Isaiah 26:19</a>) with this. Some additional verbal coincidences may be gained, but at the expense of still greater diversity from the spirit of the passage as a whole. Hence we are driven to conclude that the quotation is not from Holy Scripture. Yet the very form shows that it is from something well known. An apocryphal quotation is imagined by some, but with no knowledge of any quotation at all resembling it. Others have supposed it a traditional saying of our Lord (like <a href="/acts/20-35.htm" title="I have showed you all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.">Acts 20:35</a>); but the form seems decisive against this. On the whole, it seems most likely that it is from some well-known Christian hymn. In the original a rhythmical character, rough, but by no means indistinct, strikes us at once. The growth of defined and formal expressions—mostly, it is true, of embryo creeds of Christian faith, as in <a href="/context/1_corinthians/15-3.htm" title="For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;">1Corinthians 15:3-4</a>; <a href="/context/hebrews/6-1.htm" title="Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,">Hebrews 6:1-2</a>; <a href="/1_timothy/3-16.htm" title="And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.">1Timothy 3:16</a>, in the last of which the acknowledged difficulty of etymological construction in the true reading may perhaps be best explained by the supposition of quotation—is notable in the later Epistles, and especially in the “faithful sayings” of the Pastoral Epistles. The use of some liturgical forms is traced with high probability to a very early date. The embodiment of popular faith in hymns, always natural, was peculiarly natural as adapted to the imperfect education of many early converts, and to the practice of trusting so much to memory, and so comparatively little to writing. Some such usage certainly appears to be referred to in the celebrated letter of Pliny to Trajan, the first heathen description of Christian worship.<p><span class= "bld">Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.</span>—The word “awake” is used in our version to render two different words: one which properly means “to wake,” or “be awake,” or “watch,” as in <a href="/1_corinthians/15-34.htm" title="Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.">1Corinthians 15:34</a>; <a href="/1_thessalonians/5-6.htm" title="Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.">1Thessalonians 5:6</a>; <a href="/1_thessalonians/5-8.htm" title="But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.">1Thessalonians 5:8</a>; <a href="/2_timothy/4-5.htm" title="But watch you in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry.">2Timothy 4:5</a>; <a href="/1_peter/1-12.htm" title="To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they did minister the things, which are now reported to you by them that have preached the gospel to you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.">1Peter 1:12</a>; <a href="/1_peter/4-7.htm" title="But the end of all things is at hand: be you therefore sober, and watch to prayer.">1Peter 4:7</a>; <a href="/1_peter/5-8.htm" title="Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:">1Peter 5:8</a>); the other, as here, which properly means “Up!” “Rouse thyself!” preparatory to “arising” and coming forth. The exhortation in both forms is common enough (see especially the famous passage in <a href="/context/romans/13-11.htm" title="And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.">Romans 13:11-14</a>); but the following words, “Arise from the dead,” are a bold and unique exhortation. Generally we are said to be raised up from the death of sin by God, as in <a href="/romans/8-11.htm" title="But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you.">Romans 8:11</a>, “He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies;” or <a href="/romans/6-11.htm" title="Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.">Romans 6:11</a>, “Reckon yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God;” or <a href="/colossians/3-1.htm" title=" If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.">Colossians 3:1</a>, “If ye are risen in Christ.” Here the soul is described as hearing the Saviour’s call, “Come forth,” and as itself rising at that call from the grave. If distinction between the two clauses is to be drawn, we may be rightly said to “awake” out of lethargy and carelessness, and to “arise” out of the deadness of sin.<p><span class= "bld">Christ shall give thee light.</span>—Properly, <span class= "ital">Christ shall dawn upon thee.</span> The word is virtually the same which is used for the literal dawn in <a href="/matthew/28-1.htm" title="In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.">Matthew 28:1</a>, <a href="/luke/23-54.htm" title="And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.">Luke 23:54</a>. The same idea is strikingly enunciated in <a href="/2_peter/1-19.htm" title="We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:">2Peter 1:19</a>, where prophecy, looking forward to Christ, is compared to “a light shining in a dark place,” “till the day dawn, and the Day-star arise in your hearts”—He, that is, who is “the bright and morning star” (<a href="/revelation/22-16.htm" title="I Jesus have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.">Revelation 22:16</a>). Christ, as the “Day-star,” or as the “Sun of Righteousness,” is already risen. The soul needs only to come out of the darkness of the grave, and the new rays shine down upon it, till (see <a href="/ephesians/5-7.htm" title="Be not you therefore partakers with them.">Ephesians 5:7</a>) they pervade it and transfigure it into light.<p>(3 <span class= "ital">c.</span>) In <a href="/context/ephesians/5-15.htm" title="See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,">Ephesians 5:15-21</a> the Apostle passes from lust and impurity to the cognate spirit of reckless levity, and the love of excitement, of which drunkenness is the commonest expression. He opposes to this the united forces of soberness and sacred enthusiasm, each tempering and yet strengthening the other.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-15.htm">Ephesians 5:15</a></div><div class="verse">See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,</div>(15) <span class= "bld">See then that ye walk</span> (properly, <span class= "ital">how ye walk</span>) <span class= "bld">circumspectly.</span>—The word rendered “circumspectly” is properly <span class= "ital">strictly, </span>or <span class= "ital">accurately</span>—generally used of intellectual accuracy or thoroughness (as in <a href="/matthew/2-8.htm" title="And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.">Matthew 2:8</a>; <a href="/luke/1-3.htm" title="It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus,">Luke 1:3</a>; <a href="/acts/18-25.htm" title="This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.">Acts 18:25</a>; <a href="/acts/18-28.htm" title="For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.">Acts 18:28</a>; <a href="/1_thessalonians/5-2.htm" title="For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.">1Thessalonians 5:2</a>); only here and in <a href="/acts/26-5.htm" title="Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most strait sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.">Acts 26:5</a> (“the straitest sect of our religion”) of moral strictness. The idea, therefore, is not of looking round watchfully against dangers, but of “seeing,” that is, being careful, “how we walk strictly;” of finding out the clear line of right, and then keeping to it strictly, so as not “to run uncertainly.” In the corresponding passage in the Colossian Epistle (<a href="/colossians/4-5.htm" title=" Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.">Colossians 4:5</a>) a similar admonition has especial reference “to those without,” and bids us have a resolute unity of aim, a distinct religious profession, amidst all the bewildering temptations of the world. Here it is more general; it bids men not to trust wholly to general rightness of heart, in which “the spirit is willing,” but to be watchful over themselves, and to be a law to themselves, “because the flesh is weak.”<p><span class= "bld">Not as</span> <span class= "bld">fools, but as wise.</span>—This still further explains the “strictness,” for “wisdom” is the practical knowledge of the true end and purpose of life. (See above, <a href="/ephesians/1-8.htm" title="Wherein he has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;">Ephesians 1:8</a>.) He who has it not, whatever his intellectual and spiritual gifts, is “unwise.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-16.htm">Ephesians 5:16</a></div><div class="verse">Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.</div>(16) <span class= "bld">Redeeming the time.</span>—Or rather, <span class= "ital">the opportunity, </span>whenever it arises. The meaning of this phrase (used also in <a href="/colossians/4-5.htm" title=" Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.">Colossians 4:5</a>) is clearly illustrated by its use (although in a bad sense) in <a href="/daniel/2-8.htm" title="The king answered and said, I know of certainty that you would gain the time, because you see the thing is gone from me.">Daniel 2:8</a>, “I know that you would gain the time”—<span class= "ital">i.e., </span>catch the opportunity to escape from difficulty. To “redeem” is “to buy up for oneself”—not having essentially the idea of ransom or redemption, which attaches to the use of the word in <a href="/galatians/3-13.htm" title="Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:">Galatians 3:13</a>; <a href="/galatians/4-5.htm" title="To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.">Galatians 4:5</a>, only from the nature of the context. As applied to opportunity, it carries with it the idea, first of making sacrifice for it, then quickness in seizing it, and sagacity in using it to the utmost, whether by silence or by speech, by facing or avoiding danger, by yielding to a crisis (see <a href="/romans/12-11.htm" title="Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;">Romans 12:11</a>) or conquering it. The reason given that “the days are evil” must be taken in the widest sense, of all that induces temptation to swerve out of the “strictness” of the right way. The general lesson is that which is drawn by our Lord in the parable of the Unjust Steward—to apply the wisdom of the buyers and sellers of the world to the work of “the children of light.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-17.htm">Ephesians 5:17</a></div><div class="verse">Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord <i>is</i>.</div>(17) <span class= "bld">Be ye not unwise.</span>—The word here is stronger than in <a href="/ephesians/5-15.htm" title="See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,">Ephesians 5:15</a>; it is properly <span class= "ital">senseless, </span>used of “the fool” (in <a href="/luke/11-40.htm" title="You fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?">Luke 11:40</a>; <a href="/luke/12-20.htm" title="But God said to him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you have provided?">Luke 12:20</a>; <a href="/1_corinthians/15-36.htm" title="You fool, that which you sow is not quickened, except it die:">1Corinthians 15:36</a>; <a href="/2_corinthians/11-16.htm" title="I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.">2Corinthians 11:16</a>; <a href="/2_corinthians/11-19.htm" title="For you suffer fools gladly, seeing you yourselves are wise.">2Corinthians 11:19</a>; <a href="/2_corinthians/12-6.htm" title="For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees me to be, or that he hears of me.">2Corinthians 12:6</a>; <a href="/2_corinthians/12-11.htm" title="I am become a fool in glorying; you have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very most chief apostles, though I be nothing.">2Corinthians 12:11</a>). By it St. Paul emphasises his previous warning; then he adds the explanation that to be “wise” is to “understand what the will of the Lord is”—to know His purpose towards us and towards the world, and so to know the true purpose of our life. Hence we are told in <a href="/job/28-28.htm" title="And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.">Job 28:28</a>, that “the fear of the Lord is wisdom,” or, more precisely, in <a href="/proverbs/9-10.htm" title="The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.">Proverbs 9:10</a>, that it is “the beginning of wisdom.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-18.htm">Ephesians 5:18</a></div><div class="verse">And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;</div>(18) <span class= "bld">Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess.</span>—From the general idea of reckless levity, St. Paul passes on to the special sin of drunkenness, as not (like gluttony) primarily a gratification of the appetite, but as a reckless pursuit of excitement at all costs—glorified as an excitement of emotion, and even of wit and intellect, in such contemporary writers as Horace, and actually confused, as in the Dionysiac or Bacchanalian frenzy, with a divine inspiration. How necessary the admonition was we see by the directions as to the choice of clergy in the Pastoral Epistles (1 Tim. 3:28; <a href="/titus/1-7.htm" title="For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;">Titus 1:7</a>; <a href="/titus/2-3.htm" title="The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;">Titus 2:3</a>); the more necessary, because (as <a href="/1_timothy/5-23.htm" title="Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your often infirmities.">1Timothy 5:23</a> shows) the right use of wine was recognised. Hence St. Paul emphatically brands drunkenness as “excess,” a word properly signifying “recklessness”—“incapable of saving,” or denying itself anything, and naturally passing through this want of self-restraint into profligacy—rightly translated “riot” in <a href="/titus/1-6.htm" title="If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.">Titus 1:6</a>, <a href="/1_peter/4-4.htm" title="Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:">1Peter 4:4</a>, as the corresponding adverb is rendered “riotous living” in <a href="/luke/15-13.htm" title="And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.">Luke 15:13</a>. For drunkenness is at once the effect and cause of utter recklessness. It is the effect of a self-abandonment, by which the sensual or passionate elements of the nature are stimulated to frenzy, while the self-controlling judgment is drugged to sleep. It is the cause of yet greater recklessness: for as these passions and appetites become jaded, they need stronger and stronger stimulants, till the whole nature, bodily and mental, is lost in delirium or stupor.<p><span class= "bld">But be filled with the Spirit.</span>—The antithesis is startling, but profoundly instructive. To the artificial and degrading excitement of drunkenness St. Paul boldly opposes the divine enthusiasm of the Spirit, one form of which was scoffingly compared to it on the Day of Pentecost (<a href="/acts/2-13.htm" title="Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.">Acts 2:13</a>). He is not content with warning us of its ruinous excess, or urging the strictness of stern self-restraint. Drunkenness comes from an unnatural craving for excitement, stimulated by unwholesome conditions of life, physical and mental. He would satisfy the craving, so far as it is natural, by a divine enthusiasm, brighter and stronger than even duty to God and man, breaking out in thanksgiving, adoration, and love.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-19.htm">Ephesians 5:19</a></div><div class="verse">Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;</div>(19) <span class= "bld">Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.</span>—The same words are found in <a href="/colossians/3-16.htm" title=" Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.">Colossians 3:16</a>, with a notable difference of application. There the idea is of teaching: “teaching and admonishing one another;” here, simply of a natural vent for emotion, especially of thanksgiving, although probably here also “to yourselves” means “to one another,” and refers, perhaps, chiefly to public worship. The well-known passage in Pliny, “Carmen dicere inter se invicem,” describes alternate, possibly antiphonal, singing of such sacred music. Of the various kinds of this music, the “psalms” and “hymns” are easily distinguished. The “psalm,” as the word itself implies, is music with instrumental accompaniment, and can hardly fail to refer to the Old Testament psalms, familiar in Jewish worship, and as we know, used in the first instance we have of apostolic worship (<a href="/acts/4-24.htm" title="And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, you are God, which have made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:">Acts 4:24</a>). On their frequent use see <a href="/1_corinthians/14-26.htm" title="How is it then, brothers? when you come together, every one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to edifying.">1Corinthians 14:26</a>; <a href="/james/5-12.htm" title="But above all things, my brothers, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yes be yes; and your no, no; lest you fall into condemnation.">James 5:12</a>. The “hymn” is purely vocal music, apparently of the whole company (see <a href="/matthew/26-30.htm" title="And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.">Matthew 26:30</a>; <a href="/acts/16-25.htm" title="And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises to God: and the prisoners heard them.">Acts 16:25</a>), more especially directed to praise of God, and probably designating the new utterances of the Christian Church itself. But the interpretation of the “spiritual song,” or “ode,” is more difficult. It is often considered as inclusive of the other two (as etymologically it might well be), but the genius of the passage appears to make it co-ordinate, and so distinct from them. From the use of the word “song,” or “ode,” as applied to lyric poetry, it may perhaps be conjectured that it describes more varied and elaborate music, sung by one person only—a spiritual utterance of one for the whole congregation. In a passage of Philo (2 p. 476)—quoted by Dr. Lightfoot on <a href="/colossians/3-16.htm" title=" Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.">Colossians 3:16</a>—on Jewish sacred music, we read, “He who stands up sings a hymn composed in praise of God, <span class= "ital">either having made a new one for himself, </span>or using an ancient one of the poets of days gone by.” The Christian counterpart of this might well be the “spiritual song.” To some such utterance, under the name of <span class= "ital">“</span>psalm,” St. Paul seems to allude in <a href="/1_corinthians/14-26.htm" title="How is it then, brothers? when you come together, every one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to edifying.">1Corinthians 14:26</a>, a passage dealing expressly with special spiritual gifts. “Each one of you has a psalm.” Evidently it might be strictly a “hymn” or “psalm,” though in common usage (as here) it would be distinguished from both.<p><span class= "bld">Singing and making melody in your heart.</span>—The word rendered “making melody” is the verb corresponding to the “psalm” above, as singing to the “song.” This clause is not identical but co-ordinate with the last. That described audible and public melody; this, the secret utterance of music in the soul, whether accompanying the other or distinct from it.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-20.htm">Ephesians 5:20</a></div><div class="verse">Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;</div>(20) <span class= "bld">Giving thanks always for all things.</span>—This temper of universal and pervading thankfulness is dwelt upon in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians (<a href="/1_thessalonians/5-18.htm" title="In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.">1Thessalonians 5:18</a>) as indissolubly united with unceasing joy and prayer (“Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks.”) Since thanksgiving is for what God has given us, and prayer for what we still need, both must be united in our imperfect condition here. In <a href="/colossians/3-17.htm" title=" And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.">Colossians 3:17</a> it is associated with action “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here it is dealt with alone, as the basis of the praises, public and private, corporate and individual, described above. In regard to the former, St. Paul marks thanksgiving as the fundamental and invariable element of all Christian worship, clothing itself naturally in all variety of music; in regard to the latter, he describes the habitual spirit of thankfulness, prevailing alike in joy and sorrow, undisturbed even by penitent sense of sin, as the inner music of all Christian life.<p><span class= "bld">Unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.</span>—Both these expressions are emphatic. To all consciousness of God belong fear and reverence; to the belief in Him as “our Father” (see <a href="/context/romans/8-14.htm" title="For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.">Romans 8:14-17</a>; <a href="/context/galatians/4-4.htm" title="But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,">Galatians 4:4-6</a>) specially belong love and thanksgiving. But it is “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ”—that is, as identified in perfect unity with Him—that we have the adoption to sonship which is the ground of such thanksgiving. So also in the same unity (see <a href="/john/14-13.htm" title="And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.">John 14:13</a>; <a href="/john/15-16.htm" title="You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.">John 15:16</a>; <a href="/context/john/16-23.htm" title="And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to you, Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.">John 16:23-24</a>) we have the ground of perfect confidence in prayer.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-21.htm">Ephesians 5:21</a></div><div class="verse">Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.</div>(21) <span class= "bld">Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.</span>—In grammatical construction this clause is connected with the preceding verses; in point of idea it leads on to the next section, which treats of the three-fold submission of wives to husbands, children to parents, slaves to masters. There is, however, a certain connection of idea with the preceding section also, and especially with the encouragement of a Christian enthusiasm in the last clause. The strong and frequent emphasis laid in the New Testament on subjection, whether (as in <a href="/context/romans/13-1.htm" title="Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.">Romans 13:1-7</a>; <a href="/context/1_peter/2-13.htm" title="Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;">1Peter 2:13-17</a>) to the civil powers, or (as here, in <a href="/colossians/3-18.htm" title=" Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.">Colossians 3:18</a> to <a href="/colossians/4-1.htm" title=" Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.">Colossians 4:1</a>, and <a href="/1_peter/2-18.htm" title="Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the fraudulent.">1Peter 2:18</a> to <a href="/1_peter/3-7.htm" title="Likewise, you husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.">1Peter 3:7</a>) to domestic authority, or (as in <a href="/context/1_thessalonians/5-12.htm" title="And we beseech you, brothers, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;">1Thessalonians 5:12-13</a>; <a href="/2_thessalonians/3-6.htm" title="Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.">2Thessalonians 3:6</a>; <a href="/context/2_thessalonians/3-14.htm" title="And if any man obey not our word by this letter, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.">2Thessalonians 3:14-15</a>) to ecclesiastical authority, probably indicates some tendency, in the first exuberance of Christian liberty and enthusiasm, to disregard the wholesome restraints, laws, and conventions of outward life. Hence St. Paul’s general caution here, prefatory to the more detailed teaching of subjection which follows.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-22.htm">Ephesians 5:22</a></div><div class="verse">Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.</div>[<span class= "bld">5.</span><span class= "bld">Practical Exhortation continued</span> (<a href="/ephesians/5-22.htm" title="Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord.">Ephesians 5:22</a> to <a href="/ephesians/6-9.htm" title="And, you masters, do the same things to them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.">Ephesians 6:9</a>).<p>(4)THE BEARING OF THE TRUTH OF UNITY ON THE THREE GREAT RELATIONS OF LIFE.<p>(<span class= "ital">a</span>)<span class= "ital">Between husbands and wives</span>—a relation which is a type of the unity between Christ and His Church (<a href="/context/ephesians/5-22.htm" title="Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord.">Ephesians 5:22-33</a>).<p>(<span class= "ital">b</span>)<span class= "ital"> Between parents and children</span>—a relation hallowed as existing “in the Lord” (<a href="/context/ephesians/6-1.htm" title="Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.">Ephesians 6:1-4</a>).<p>(<span class= "ital">c</span>)<span class= "ital">Between masters and servants</span>—a relation softened and deepened by common service to the one Master (<a href="/context/ephesians/6-5.htm" title="Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;">Ephesians 6:5-9</a>).]<p>(4 <span class= "ital">a.</span>) In <a href="/context/ephesians/5-22.htm" title="Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord.">Ephesians 5:22-33</a>. St. Paul passes from warning against special sins to consider the three great relations of life, first considered as “subjections,” and so illustrating the general precept of submission in <a href="/ephesians/5-21.htm" title="Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.">Ephesians 5:21</a>, but ultimately viewed in their reciprocity of mutual obligations and rights. First, accordingly, he dwells on the relation of marriage, declaring it to be hallowed as a type of the unity of Christ with His Church, and hence drawing the inference of the duty of free obedience in the wife, and of self-sacrificing love in the husband. This passage may be held to contain the complete and normal doctrine of the New Testament on this great question, written at a time when Christianity had already begun to exalt and purify the nuptial tie; and it is instructive to compare it with 1 Corinthians 7, written for “the present distress,” glancing not obscurely at marriage with unbelievers, and adapted to the condition of a proverbially profligate society, as yet scarcely raised above the low heathen ideas of marriage.<p>(22) <span class= "bld">Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands.</span>—The same exhortation is found in <a href="/colossians/3-18.htm" title=" Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.">Colossians 3:18</a>; <a href="/titus/2-5.htm" title="To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.">Titus 2:5</a>; <a href="/context/1_peter/3-1.htm" title="Likewise, you wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;">1Peter 3:1-6</a>; and besides these formal exhortations there is distinct and emphatic declaration of the “subjection of women” in <a href="/1_corinthians/11-3.htm" title="But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.">1Corinthians 11:3</a>; <a href="/context/1_corinthians/11-7.htm" title="For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, for as much as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.">1Corinthians 11:7-9</a>; <a href="/context/1_corinthians/14-34.htm" title="Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted to them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also said the law.">1Corinthians 14:34-35</a>; <a href="/context/1_timothy/2-11.htm" title="Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.">1Timothy 2:11-12</a>. Probably the sense of that fundamental equality in Christ, in which (see <a href="/galatians/3-28.htm" title="There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.">Galatians 3:28</a>) “there is neither bond nor free, there is <span class= "ital">neither male nor female,” </span>while it was rightly accepted as showing that there is no spiritual inferiority in woman—such as Oriental theory asserted, and even Greek and corrupt Roman practice implied—was perverted to the denial of the greater natural weakness of woman, from which subordination comes, and to the foolish and reckless disregard of all social conventions. St. Paul, as usual, brings out the simple truth of principle, sanctioning whatever is fundamental and natural in woman’s subordination, and leaving the artificial enactments of law or custom to grow by degrees into accordance with it. The principle of subordination is permanent; the special regulations of it in the world or in the Church must vary as circumstances change.<p><span class= "bld">As unto the Lord.</span>—These words are explained by the next verse. In <a href="/colossians/3-18.htm" title=" Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.">Colossians 3:18</a> we have the less emphatic phrase, “as it is fitting in the Lord.<span class= "ital">”</span><p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-23.htm">Ephesians 5:23</a></div><div class="verse">For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.</div>(23) <span class= "bld">For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church.</span>—It is instructive to compare this with the partly similar passage in <a href="/1_corinthians/11-3.htm" title="But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.">1Corinthians 11:3</a>. There “the head of the woman is the man,” as here; but “the head of every man (individually) is Christ,” considered in His human nature; and finally, “the Head of Christ,” as the Son of Man, “is God.” There, accordingly, “headship” is simple lordship; the woman is subject to the man, the man is subject to Christ alone; Christ as the Son is subject to the Father. Here, on the other hand, we note, first, that in accordance with the general idea of the Epistle, the headship of Christ over the Church at large takes the place of His headship over the individual; next, that from the idea of His headship so conceived is derived the further idea of a spiritual unity, involving self-sacrifice in the head, as well as obedience to the head; and, lastly, that since the very idea of unity in Christ is unity with God, there is nothing to correspond to the third clause in the former Epistle.<p>(23, 24) <span class= "bld">And he is the saviour of the body. Therefore . . .</span>—The words “and” and “is” are wrongly inserted, and the word “therefore” is absolutely an error, evading the difficulty of the passage. It should be, <span class= "ital">He Himself being the Saviour of the Body. But</span> . . . This clause, in which the words “He Himself” are emphatic, notes (as if in order to guard against too literal acceptation of the comparison) that “Christ” (and He alone) is not only Head, but “Saviour of the Body,” <span class= "ital">i.e., </span>“of His body the Church,” not only teaching and ruling it, but by His unity infusing into it the new life of justification and sanctification. Here no husband can be like Him, and therefore none can claim the absolute dependence of faith which is His of right. Accordingly St. Paul adds the word “But.” Though “this is so,” yet “still let the wives,” &c.<p><span class= "bld">As the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.</span>—The subjection of the Church of Christ is a free subjection, arising out of faith in His absolute wisdom and goodness, and of love for His unspeakable love. Hence we gather (1) that the subordination of the wife is not that of the slave, by. compulsion and fear, but one which arises from and preserves freedom; next (2), that it can exist, or at any rate can endure, only on condition of superior wisdom and goodness and love in the husband; thirdly (3), that while it is like the higher subordination in kind, it cannot be equally perfect in degree—while it is real “in everything,” it can be absolute in nothing. The antitype is, as usual, greater than the type.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-25.htm">Ephesians 5:25</a></div><div class="verse">Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;</div>(25) <span class= "bld">Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church.</span>—The love of Christ for His Church is such that He counts Himself incomplete without her (<a href="/ephesians/1-23.htm" title="Which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.">Ephesians 1:23</a>), and raises her to be one with Himself; that He bears with her weakness and frailty; that He draws her on by the cords of love; and that He gives up Himself for her. Only so far as the husband shows the like love in perfect sympathy, in chivalrous forbearance, in abhorrence of tyranny, in willingness to self-sacrifice, has he any right to claim lordship.<p><span class= "bld">And gave himself for it.</span>—Here, as before, the antitype transcends the type. In the character of our Lord’s sacrifice, as an atonement offered “for” the Church, and in the regenerating and cleansing effect of that sacrifice (see next verse), none can approach Him. The husband may be said to give himself for his wife, but it cannot be in any higher sense than as taking the chief share of the burden, and if possible the pain, of life for her. He may follow Christ in love, and in that alone. Compare St. Paul’s words in <a href="/colossians/1-24.htm" title=" Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:">Colossians 1:24</a>, “I fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His body’s sake, which is the Church” (where see Note).<p>(25-27) In these verses we trace, under the nuptial metaphor, a clear description of the three great stages in salvation—justification in His “giving Himself for us, sanctification in the “cleansing by water in the Word,” glorification in the final “presentation” to Christ in glory. The metaphor is certainly preserved in the last two clauses, which correspond to the bath of purification of the bride, and the festal presentation of her (usually by the friend of the bridegroom, <a href="/john/3-29.htm" title="He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.">John 3:29</a>), in all her beauty and adornment, to her husband at his own home; perhaps even in the first also, for the husband used to give a dowry, which was held in the rude simplicity of ancient times to purchase his wife, and here that which Christ gives is the unspeakable price of His own Self. Throughout, in accordance with the whole tenor of the Epistle, it is the Church as a whole, not the individual soul, which is “the Spouse of Christ.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-26.htm">Ephesians 5:26</a></div><div class="verse">That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,</div>(26) <span class= "bld">That he might sanctify and cleanse it . . .</span>—The true rendering is, <span class= "ital">that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it in the laver of the water in </span>[<span class= "ital">the</span>]<span class= "ital"> Word.</span> The reference in “the laver of the water” to baptism, is even more unquestionable than in “the laver of regeneration” of <a href="/titus/3-5.htm" title="Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;">Titus 3:5</a>. Hence we must conclude that the phrase “in the Word” is in some way connected with that sacrament. Of the two Greek words translated “word,” the one here used is that which signifies not “the word” existing as a definite thought in the mind, but “the word” as audibly spoken. It has, indeed, in the original no article, but this is probably because it had assumed so technical a sense as to resemble a proper name; and it is best connected with the phrase “having cleansed it,” thus being coordinated, not subordinated, to the “laver of the water.” Accordingly it would seem to signify all that element of baptism which is “in word”—that is, the question of faith, “the answer of a good conscience” (<a href="/1_peter/3-21.htm" title="The like figure whereunto even baptism does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:">1Peter 3:21</a>), and, lastly, the solemn formula of baptism “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” If we are to single out any of these, we must surely (with Chrysostom) take the last. But it is better to embrace the whole, and so include the whole spiritual element of baptism, both the acceptance of faith on the part of man, and the grace-giving blessing of God.<p>To “sanctify” is here to consecrate to Himself (comp. <a href="/john/17-17.htm" title="Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth.">John 17:17</a>; <a href="/john/17-19.htm" title="And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.">John 17:19</a>) after purification. In the same connection we have in <a href="/1_corinthians/6-11.htm" title="And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.">1Corinthians 6:11</a>, “Ye were washed, ye were sanctified, ye were justified.” In virtue of such consecration the Church visible is “holy” in idea and in capacity—the Church invisible here (which will be the Church triumphant hereafter), holy in the actual purity which becomes a consecrated nature. Of such consecration baptism is unquestionably the means; as we see in command in <a href="/matthew/28-19.htm" title="Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:">Matthew 28:19</a>, and in fact in <a href="/acts/2-38.htm" title="Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.">Acts 2:38</a>; <a href="/acts/2-41.htm" title="Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls.">Acts 2:41</a>.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-27.htm">Ephesians 5:27</a></div><div class="verse">That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.</div>(27) <span class= "bld">That he might present it to himself.</span>—The original is more emphatic—<span class= "ital">that He might Himself present it to Himself.</span> This presentation belonged usually to the “paranymph,” or “friend of the bridegroom, to whom St. John Baptist compares himself in <a href="/john/3-29.htm" title="He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.">John 3:29</a> (where see Note); St. Paul himself assumes that office in <a href="/2_corinthians/11-2.htm" title="For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.">2Corinthians 11:2</a>, “I have espoused (or rather, <span class= "ital">betrothed</span>) you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” Here, however, all is of Christ. He, as Paranymph, comes down to seek and to save His Bride; He, as Bridegroom, receives her in His heavenly home.<p><span class= "bld">A glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle . . .</span>—Properly, (<span class= "ital">that He might present</span>)<span class= "ital"> the Church as glorious, not having a spot </span>(<span class= "ital">i.e., </span>a stain on its purity), <span class= "ital">or a wrinkle </span>(<span class= "ital">i.e., </span>a defect in its beauty and freshness of life); <span class= "ital">but that it may be holy</span> (not merely consecrated to holiness) <span class= "ital">and without blemish</span> (as He is without blemish). On these last words see Note on <a href="/ephesians/1-4.htm" title="According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:">Ephesians 1:4</a>. They are most commonly sacrificial, corresponding (see <a href="/colossians/1-22.htm" title=" In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and unreproveable in his sight:">Colossians 1:22</a>) to the sacrificial use of the word “present.” Here, however, they are seen clearly to have reference to the nuptial metaphor by what goes before.<p>In all this we have a picture which properly belongs to the Church in glory, and which is fully drawn out under the same metaphor as <a href="/context/revelation/19-7.htm" title="Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready.">Revelation 19:7-9</a>; <a href="/revelation/21-2.htm" title="And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.">Revelation 21:2</a>; <a href="/context/revelation/21-9.htm" title="And there came to me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.">Revelation 21:9-10</a>; for only in it can the description be fully realised. In capacity and promise it belongs to the whole Church militant; in reality, but in imperfection, to the Church invisible on earth; in absolute perfection to the Church triumphant in heaven.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-28.htm">Ephesians 5:28</a></div><div class="verse">So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.</div>(28) <span class= "bld">So ought men to love their wives . . .</span>—From this glorious digression; applying only to the divine Antitype, St. Paul comes back to the one point, in which the type may imitate it—that is, a deep and unfailing love. “So” refers to the previous verse, describing the love of Christ, not to the “as” following; otherwise the want of connection would be strangely abrupt. Moreover, from this idea of the love of Christ as the pattern, the latter part of this verse and the following verses naturally arise. Christ loves the Church as His body, a part of Himself. Hence the idea that the husband is “the head of the wife” gives place to the absolute identification of himself with his wife, as “one flesh.”<p><span class= "bld">He that loveth his wife loveth himself.</span>—All right “love of our neighbour” is directed to be given to him “as to ourselves.” It is to be of the same kind as the love of self—that is, first, an instinct (as of self-preservation); and next a rational and settled principle (as of reasonable self-love, seeking our own perfection, which is our happiness). Here, however, this love to our neighbour is actually identified with self-love. The wife is the husband’s very self; he can no more fail to love her than to love himself, though (again to follow the example of Christ) he may love her better than himself. We may note that this identification of husband and wife is the basis of all ecclesiastical, and, in great degree, of all civil, law of Christian nations as to marriage.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-29.htm">Ephesians 5:29</a></div><div class="verse">For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:</div>(29) <span class= "bld">His own flesh</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e., </span>as above (<a href="/ephesians/5-28.htm" title="So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself.">Ephesians 5:28</a>), <span class= "ital">his own body.</span> There are two parts of the natural care for our own bodies; first, “to nourish” (properly, <span class= "ital">to rear them up from childhood, </span>as in <a href="/ephesians/6-4.htm" title="And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.">Ephesians 6:4</a>), and then “to cherish” (literally, <span class= "ital">to keep them warm</span>)<span class= "ital">, </span>to provide all they need for health, and comfort, and life. In all that corresponds to both, the husband is to show love to the wife, not only as a self, but as a weaker self, for whom he is bound to think and to act. It may be noted in passing that the very comparison accords with the Christian idea of the body as a part of the true self, redeemed to be a temple of God; and is utterly incongruous with the Gnostic conceptions (already beginning at Colossæ, probably not unknown in other Asiatic churches) of all matter as the source of evil, and of the body as that for which the spirit should not deign to care.<p>(29, 30) <span class= "bld">Even as the Lord the church: for we . . .</span>—Again St. Paul escapes from the type to rest on the Antitype (see <a href="/ephesians/5-32.htm" title="This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.">Ephesians 5:32</a>). The idea of the natural rearing and cherishing the body suggests the thought of the tender care of Christ, in which He “rears up” His Church from weak infancy to full maturity in heaven, and all the while “cherishes it (comp. <a href="/1_thessalonians/2-7.htm" title="But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherishes her children:">1Thessalonians 2:7</a>, spoken of His servants) as a nurse cherisheth her children,” “carrying it in His bosom” (<a href="/isaiah/40-11.htm" title="He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.">Isaiah 40:11</a>), comforting and cheering its childlike weakness. Hence he goes back again to speak with great and special emphasis of our unity with Him.<p><span class= "bld">Of his flesh, and of his bones.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">made out of His flesh and bones</span>—parts, that is, of His glorified body, having “flesh and bones” (<a href="/luke/24-39.htm" title="Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see me have.">Luke 24:39</a>). The expression is unique, suggested, of course, by <a href="/genesis/2-23.htm" title="And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.">Genesis 2:23</a>, “This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh,” but designed to bring out in a startling emphasis the true meaning of the familiar phrase, “the members of His body.” We are grafted into Him. What we grow to be is, so to speak, the product of His divine substance, proceeding from the indwelling life which gradually forms the organised limbs.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-31.htm">Ephesians 5:31</a></div><div class="verse">For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.</div>(31) <span class= "bld">For this cause.</span>—In spite of much authority, it seems far simpler to consider the words “Even as the Lord . . . His bones” as parenthetical, and refer back to <a href="/context/ephesians/5-28.htm" title="So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself.">Ephesians 5:28-29</a>. In exactly the same way our Lord quotes the same verse of Genesis (<a href="/genesis/2-24.htm" title="Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall join to his wife: and they shall be one flesh.">Genesis 2:24</a>) to show the indissoluble character of the marriage tie. Here the similarity of connection with that of the original passage is even stronger. Because a man’s wife is as his own body, “for this cause shall a man,” &c. To connect these words with those going before is indeed possible, but somewhat too mystical even for this passage.<p><span class= "bld">Shall a man leave his father . . .</span>—The relation of parentage is one of common flesh and blood, and stands at the head of those natural relations which we do not make, but into which we are born. The relation of marriage is the most sacred of all the ties into which we are not born, and which we do make for ourselves, in accordance with a true or supposed harmony of nature. It becomes, says Holy Scripture, a relation, not of common flesh and blood, but of “one flesh.” Itself originally voluntary, it supersedes all natural ties. Our Lord therefore adds, “They are no more twain, but one flesh. What God hath joined together let not man put asunder” (<a href="/matthew/19-6.htm" title="Why they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.">Matthew 19:6</a>). Hence it strikingly represents that unity with Christ—voluntarily initiated by Him, voluntarily accepted by us—which yet so supersedes all natural ties that it is said to oblige a man to “hate his father and mother . . . and his own life also” (<a href="/luke/14-26.htm" title="If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.">Luke 14:26</a>).<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-32.htm">Ephesians 5:32</a></div><div class="verse">This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.</div>(32) <span class= "bld">This is a great mystery.</span>—Rather, <span class= "ital">This mystery is a great one.</span> The words apply to the type, as well as to the Antitype. (1) The indissoluble and paramount sacredness of marriage, as all history shows, is “a mystery”—that is (see <a href="/ephesians/1-9.htm" title="Having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself:">Ephesians 1:9</a>), a secret of God’s law, fully revealed in Christ alone. For in heathen, and, to some extent, even in Jewish thought, marriage was a contract far less sacred than the indissoluble tie of blood; and wherever Christian principle is renounced or obscured, that ancient idea recurs in modern times. It may be noted that from the translation here of the word “mystery,” by <span class= "ital">sacramentum</span> in the Latin versions, the application of the word “sacrament” to marriage arose. (2) But the following words, “But I” (the word “I” being emphatic) “speak concerning Christ and the Church,” show—what indeed the whole passage has already shown—that St. Paul’s chief thought has passed from the type to the Antitype. He has constantly dwelt on points which suit only Christ’s relation to the Church, and to that relation he has, by an irresistible gravitation of thought, been brought back again and again. (3) Yet the two cannot be separate. The type brings out some features of the Antitype which no other comparison makes clear; and history shows that the sacredness of the type in the Church has depended on this great passage—bearing, as it does, emphatic witness against the ascetic tendency to look on marriage as simply a concession to weakness, and as leading to a life necessarily lower than the celibate life.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/ephesians/5-33.htm">Ephesians 5:33</a></div><div class="verse">Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife <i>see</i> that she reverence <i>her</i> husband.</div>(33) <span class= "bld">Nevertheless.</span>—Although, <span class= "ital">i.e., </span>the primary and perfect application is to Christ alone, let the teaching be so far applied to marriage as that practically “the husband love his wife as himself,” and “the wife reverence (properly, <span class= "ital">fear</span>) the husband.” This return to homely, practical duty after high and mysterious teaching is characteristic of St. Paul. (See, for example, <a href="/1_corinthians/15-58.htm" title="Therefore, my beloved brothers, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.">1Corinthians 15:58</a>.)<p><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers<br /><br />Text Courtesy of <a href="//biblesupport.com" target="_top">BibleSupport.com</a>. 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