INTRODUCTION TO
Ephesians
CIRCUMSTANCES OF WRITING
Paul referred to himself by name as the author of the book of Ephesians in two places (1:1; 3:1). Many regard this book as the crown of all of Paul’s writings. Today some scholars think the book contains a writing style, vocabulary, and even some teachings that are not typical of the apostle. If that is the case, then it would mean a disciple of Paul had surpassed him in theological insight and spiritual perception. Of such an erudite disciple the early church has no record. Furthermore, pseudonymity (a writer writing under someone else’s name) probably was not practiced by early Christians. We can conclude, in line with the undisputable acceptance of Pauline authorship in the early church, that there is no reason to dispute the Pauline authorship of Ephesians.
Paul penned the letter while in prison (3:1; 4:1; 6:20). Disagreement exists concerning whether Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea (Ac 24:22) around AD 57–59 or in Rome (Ac 28:30) in about 60–62 when he wrote this letter. Paul most likely wrote Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians during the same imprisonment. Tradition suggests that Paul wrote the letter from Rome around 60–61, which would have transpired while Paul was under house arrest in guarded rental quarters (Ac 28:30).
Relatively little is known about the recipients of the letter called Ephesians. Some important and early manuscripts do not contain the words “at Ephesus” (1:1). The letter was carried to its destination by Tychicus, who in Ephesians 6:21 and Colossians 4:7 is identified as Paul’s emissary. The Ephesian and Colossian letters probably were delivered at the same time since in both letters the apostle noted that Tychicus would inform the churches concerning Paul’s situation.
We can suggest the following possible scenario. While Paul was imprisoned in Rome, the need arose to respond to new religious philosophies influencing the Asia Minor area. The impetus to write the letters came to Paul from Epaphras, who informed him of the threats to Christianity in the Lycus Valley. In response, Paul wrote a letter to the church at Colossae. About the same time (either shortly before or shortly thereafter), he penned a more expansive and general letter intended for churches in Asia Minor, including Laodicea (see Col 4:16) and Ephesus.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE BIBLE
The letter to the Ephesians was probably a circular letter, with Ephesus being the primary church addressed. Paul stayed at Ephesus, the capital city of the province of Asia, for almost three years (see Ac 20:31). The fact that it was a circular letter helps explain the absence of personal names of Ephesian believers. From its inception Paul intended for the letter to gain a wider audience than that which would be found in Ephesus alone. After the Ephesians read it, the letter would have been routed to Colossae, Laodicea, and other churches in the area. Known to be a letter of the apostle Paul, the letter was readily accepted as Scripture by the recipients.
STRUCTURE
The salutation and structure of Ephesians are quite similar to Colossians. Many topics are commonly treated in both letters. The message is strikingly similar. Of the 155 verses in Ephesians, over half contain identical expressions with those in Colossians. Colossians, however, is abrupt, argumentative, and seemingly compressed. Ephesians presents a bigger, finished picture that is meditative, instructive, and expansive.
Though Ephesians and Colossians contain many similarities, it is important to observe the distinctives of Ephesians. When the content of Ephesians that is common to Colossians is removed, there remain at least seven units of material unique to Ephesians.
SPURGEON ON EPHESIANS
Divine things are usually better seen by the heart than by understanding. God has revealed a thousand things which we shall never understand, and yet we can know them by a loving, trusting experience. The purifying of the heart is the enlightening of the spiritual eyes. Strange as it may seem, the true eye of the renewed man is seated in the heart rather than in the head. Holy affections enable us to see and, as far as possible, to understand divine things.
GREETING
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:
To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus A at Ephesus. B
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
GOD’S RICH BLESSINGS
3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. C 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
QUOTE 1:6
Grace becomes a platform upon which all the perfections of deity exhibit themselves, and grace becomes a light which shines on all the rest; and they, albeit bright enough in themselves, seem to be doubly bright when they glow in its brilliance.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. D 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the right time E — to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.
11 In him we have also received an inheritance, F because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.
13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.
PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL INSIGHT
15 This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, G would give you the Spirit H of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.
GOD’S POWER IN CHRIST
20 He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens — 21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, A not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he subjected everything under his feet B and appointed him C as head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
1:3 “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.” How can we bless God? God blesses us with all spiritual blessings, but we cannot give him any blessings. He needs nothing at our hand, and if he did, we could not give it. He is infinitely blessed already; we cannot add to his blessedness. When he blesses us, he gives us a blessedness we never had before. But when we bless him, we cannot, by one iota, increase his absolutely infinite perfection.
1:6 “To the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.” God is essentially glorious. When God glorifies his grace, he glorifies his whole character. Grace becomes a platform upon which all the perfections of deity exhibit themselves, and grace becomes a light which shines on all the rest; and they, albeit bright enough in themselves, seem to be doubly bright when they glow in its brilliance.
1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” The apostle spoke of present blessings, matters of actual experience. The grace of the eternal past is a matter of faith, but here is something within our grasp and enjoyment. The other we believe, but this we actually and literally receive. We do not hope for it, but we have it. We do not merely think so, but we know we have it. We are redeemed. We are free from bondage. We are forgiven and are no longer under condemnation.
1:18-20 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the might working of his strength. He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens.” Divine things are usually better seen by the heart than by understanding. God has revealed a thousand things which we shall never understand, and yet we can know them by a loving, trusting experience. The purifying of the heart is the enlightening of the spiritual eyes. Strange as it may seem, the true eye of the renewed man is seated in the heart rather than in the head. Holy affections enable us to see and, as far as possible, to understand divine things.
A 1:1 Or to the saints, the believers in Christ Jesus
B 1:1 Other mss omit at Ephesus
C 1:4 Or in his sight. In love
D 1:8 Or on us. With all wisdom and understanding
E 1:10 Or the fulfillment of times
FROM DEATH TO LIFE
2And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. D 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, E 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
UNITY IN CHRIST
11 So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh — called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, 15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. A 17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
QUOTE 2:14
As soon as we become Christians, we cannot hate anybody. It is utterly inconsistent with grace in the heart to harbor malice against others.
2:1 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.” Spiritual resurrection may be understood in theory, but it cannot be really comprehended until we ourselves have been raised out of spiritual death. In the things of God, knowledge is only to be gained by personal experience. To understand regeneration, one must be born again. To understand faith, simple as it is, one must believe.
2:8 “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift.” Grace is the first and last moving cause of salvation and faith. Important as it is, it is only an important part of the machinery which grace employs. Faith occupies the position of a channel or conduit. Grace is the fountain and the stream; faith is the aqueduct along which the flood of mercy flows down to refresh the thirsty sons of men.
2:14 “For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility.” The Lord Jesus is the great cause of peace between people. As soon as we become Christians, we cannot hate anybody. It is utterly inconsistent with grace in the heart to harbor malice against others. Through our weakness we may be, and sometimes are, quick of temper and sharp—and this we ought to regret and mourn over—but to carry in our soul any enmity against others is contrary to the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2:16 “He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.” Especially among Christians there must not be anything like a shadow of division or discord. And I do pray that we would lay aside everything like enmity, hatred, variance, strife, and jealousies. We will have to live in heaven together. We ought to live like heavenly ones together here.
2:22 “In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.” The house of God is built with the living stones of converted men and women and the church of God, which Christ has purchased with His blood—this is the divine edifice and the structure wherein God dwells even to this day.
PAUL’S MINISTRY TO THE GENTILES
3For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles — 2 you have heard, haven’t you, about the administration of God’s grace that he gave to me for you? 3 The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above. 4 By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. 5 This was not made known to people B in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.
8 This grace was given to me — the least of all the saints — to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, 9 and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. 10 This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. 11 This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. C 13 So then I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.
PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL POWER
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father D 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
ILLUSTRATION 3:20-21
Praise is a river flowing on joyously in its own channel, banked up on either side that it may run toward its one object. But adoration is the same river overflowing all banks, flooding the soul, and covering the entire nature with its great waters—and these not so much moving and stirring as standing still in profound rest, mirroring the glory which shines down upon it like a summer’s sun upon a sea of glass.
3:8 “This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ.” Many, who now shine in the highest places of self-estimation, will one day be glad enough to sit at the feet of the poorest of the saints, unless I am greatly mistaken; for everyone that exalts himself shall be humbled. For my part, I had sooner hear Paul say that he was less than the least of all the saints than I would hear the holiest brother out of heaven say that he had been living without sin. Paul was as holy as the holiest now upon earth, but among the humble he was the most humble. May the Lord make us each so.
3:17 “And that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love. . . .” Jesus resides in our hearts, which is the center of our love, and then we know his love. He teaches us to love him, and as we learn the sweet lesson, we begin to know how Jesus loves us. We come to know him by personal acquaintance, by having Christ dwelling in us so that we see him, hear him, feel his touch, and enjoy his blessed company. This kind of knowledge is the most precious of all knowledge, whatever the subject may be.
3:19 “And to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” He intended another kind of knowledge. I know many people—that is to say, I have seen them in the streets and they tip their hats to me, and I do the same to them. And thus I know them. This is a slender form of knowledge, yet I fear it is the kind of knowledge most people have of Christ. Even such a knowledge as comes by trembling faith is a knowledge that saves. But I will tell you the people I know best. They live with me in my own house. I see them every day. I am on the most familiar terms with them, and this is the knowledge here intended.
3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” In our text we have adoration, not prayer. Adoration—not even so much the act of praise as the full sense that praise is due and far more of it than we can render. Adoration is not seeking the divine presence but conscious of it to an unutterable degree and therefore full of awe and peace. Adoration is the fullness, the height and depth, the length and breadth of praise. Adoration is to prostrate yourself in the dust in humility and yet to soar aloft in sublime thought—to sink into nothing and yet to be so enlarged as to be filled with all the fullness of God.
UNITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST
4Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope A at your calling — 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7 Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 For it says:
When he ascended on high,
he took the captives captive;
he gave gifts to people. B
9 But what does “he ascended” mean except that he C also descended to the lower parts of the earth? D 10 The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things. 11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 equipping the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head — Christ. 16 From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.
LIVING THE NEW LIFE
17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because A of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more. B
20 But that is not how you came to know Christ, 21 assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to take off C your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed D in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on E the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
25 Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, F because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin. G Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity. 28 Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. 29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, H so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him I for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you A in Christ.
QUOTE 4:30
He is not a God who reigns in solitary isolation, divided by a great gulf; but he, the blessed Spirit, comes into such near contact with us, takes such minute observations, feels such tender regards, that he can be grieved by our faults and follies.
QUOTE 4:30
What a marvel that Deity should be said to grieve over the faults of beings so utterly insignificant as we are.
4:3 “Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” The text bids us endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit, but it does not tell us to endeavor to maintain the unity of evil, the unity of superstition, or the unity of spiritual tyranny! The unity of evil we are to break down by every weapon our hands can grasp. The unity of the Spirit we are to maintain and foster is another thing. We dare not commit the sin of quenching the Holy Spirit even though it were with the view of promoting unity!
4:15-16 “But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.” Paul was most anxious to have the Ephesian church thoroughly knit together. With his manacled hands the prisoner of the Lord pleads with them to be truly one—to walk worthy of the vocation by which they were all called by the one Spirit of God. He entreats them—with all humility, meekness, and patience—to bear and to forbear with one another in love. Both in the inward creed and the outward confession of it they were all one. They were not divided on these points. So he begged them to be divided in nothing, especially as he was able to assure them that they had one God and Father, above all, through all and in all, and one Christ, the Savior of all.
4:30 “And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption.” This text reveals to us the close connection between the Holy Spirit and the believer; he must take a tender and affectionate interest in us since he is grieved by our shortcomings and our sins. He is not a God who reigns in solitary isolation, divided by a great gulf; but he, the blessed Spirit, comes into such near contact with us, takes such minute observations, feels such tender regards, that he can be grieved by our faults and follies. Although the word “grieve” is a painful one, yet there is honey in the rock; for it is an inexpressibly delightful thought that he who rules heaven and earth and is the Creator of all things and the infinite and ever blessed God condescends to enter into such infinite relationships with his people that his divine mind may be affected by their actions. What a marvel that Deity should be said to grieve over the faults of beings so utterly insignificant as we are.
D 4:9 Or the lower parts, namely, the earth
C 4:21-22 Or Jesus. This means: take off (as a command)
D 4:22-23 Or desires; renew (as a command)
E 4:23-24 Or minds; and put on (as a command)
H 4:29 Lit for the building up of the need
5Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. 3 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of B among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. 5 For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
QUOTE 5:1-2
We must not be satisfied with feeding the soul by meditation but rise up from the banquet and use the strength we have gained. Sitting at the feet of Jesus must be succeeded by following in the footsteps of Jesus.
LIGHT VERSUS DARKNESS
6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient C because of these things. 7 Therefore, do not become their partners. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light — 9 for the fruit of the light D consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth — 10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible, 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said:
Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.
CONSISTENCY IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you live — not as unwise people but as wise — 16 making the most of the time, E because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.”
Man is a creature formed for Society and for imitation. He will imitate something, but there is nothing perfect or so worthy of imitation as that which Paul gives us: “God.” Some of his attributes are inimitable. Others it would be foolish to profess to have. As for instance:
Power over the elements and over mind. Canute, rainmakers, persecutors.
Knowledge of things to come, of secrets, of the heart, gipsies, silly books.
Sovereignty belongs to him only, not to thrones or rulers. Universal dominion.
Eternity. We must die. We may not strive to live for ever.
Nor can we imitate any of his attributes on his own scale. Neither his justice, holiness, mercy, nor goodness. We make a small picture:
I.JUSTICE. He is exactly just. His law, his acts. He did not destroy Sodom or the world without enquiry. Nor will he. Men he does not save without justice. So we must be just to our country, to all men, and to God.
II.HOLINESS. God can do no wrong but hates all sin. He exerts himself to further holiness. So we should be consistently holy, hating sin, etc.
III.TRUTH AND FAITHFULNESS. No exaggeration, equivocation in him. No breach of promise. So let the Xn’s word be his oath.
IV.MERCY to those who offend, forbearance under injuries, longsuffering with others, and forgiveness to seventy times seven.
V.GOODNESS. To the saints, love. To the world, pity, kindness, benevolence, wide liberality.
The argument for such conduct is adoption, Election, redemption, Effectual calling, and all acts of grace are the most powerful arguments for holiness.
Let us see if we have the evidence of being “dear children.”
Imitation of our dear Father.
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WIVES AND HUSBANDS
22 Wives, submit A to your husbands as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing B her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. 28 In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 since we are members of his body. C 31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. D 32 This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 To sum up, each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband.
5:1-2 “Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.” Meditation is a happy, holy, profitable engagement; and it will instruct us, strengthen us, comfort us, inspire our hearts, and make our souls steadfast. But we may not stop at meditation. We must go on to imitation of the character of God. We must let our spiritual life not only bud and blossom in devout thought, but let it bring forth fruit in holy action. We must not be satisfied with feeding the soul by meditation but rise up from the banquet and use the strength we have gained. Sitting at the feet of Jesus must be succeeded by following in the footsteps of Jesus.
5:11 “Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Sins are “works of darkness.” They delight in concealment. They are not fit to be seen. They flourish in the darkness of the unrenewed heart. They are most fully maintained in the ignorance of a soul that is without the knowledge of the ever-blessed God. There is no true light, no real joy, in sin. They are works of darkness, too, because they tend to further darkness. The man who pursues them goes from blackness to a deeper blackness, and in the end his portion will be darkness unbroken by a ray of hope.
5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.” The love of Jesus—what a theme it is! The apostle said it passes knowledge; and if it passes knowledge, much more does it excel any description that can be given of it. This love of Christ is the most amazing thing under heaven, if not in heaven itself. Love between mortal and mortal is natural and comprehensible, but love between the infinite God and us poor sinful finite creatures, though conceivable in one sense, is utterly inconceivable in another. Who can grasp such an idea? Who can fully understand it? This is the miracle of miracles.
C 5:6 Lit sons of disobedience
D 5:9 Other mss read fruit of the Spirit
E 5:16 Lit buying back the time
CHILDREN AND PARENTS
6Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, 3 so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. E,F 4 Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
SLAVES AND MASTERS
5 Slaves, obey your human G masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as you would Christ. 6 Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart. 7 Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people, 8 knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. 9 And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
CHRISTIAN WARFARE
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit — which is the word of God. 18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.
PAUL’S FAREWELL
21 Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant A in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.
23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ. B,C
6:7 “Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people.” Our work for Jesus must be the outgrowth of the soil of the heart. Our service must not be performed as a matter of routine. There must be vigor, power, freshness, reality, eagerness, and warmth about it; or it will be good for nothing. No fish ever came upon God’s altar because it could not come there alive. The Lord wants none of our dead, heartless worship.
6:8 “Knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back form the Lord.” We know what is meant by putting heart into all we do. Let us explain it by our lives. A work that is to be accepted by the Lord must be heart-work throughout—not a few thoughts of Christ occasionally and a few chill words and a few chance gifts and a little done by way of convenient opportunity. But as the heart beats, so must we serve God. It must be our life.
6:16 “In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” The natural idea which lies upon the surface of the simile is that faith, like a shield, protects us against attack. As the shield enveloped the entire man so we think faith envelopes the entire man and protects him from all missiles wherever they may be aimed against him. Faith protects the whole person. When temptation to love the world comes in, then faith holds up thoughts of the future and confidence of the reward that awaits the people of God and enables the Christian to esteem the reproach of Christ’s greater riches, than all the treasures of Egypt, and so the heart is protected. Then when the enemy makes his cut at the sword-arm of a Christian to disable him, if possible, from future service, faith protects the arm like a shield; and he is able to do exploits for his Master and go forth, still conquering, and to conquer in the name of him who has loved us.