11 And G2532 he G846 gave G1325 some, G3303 apostles; G652 and G1161 some, prophets; G4396 and G1161 some, evangelists; G2099 and G1161 some, pastors G4166 and G2532 teachers; G1320
And I will give H5414 you pastors H7462 according to mine heart, H3820 which shall feed H7462 you with knowledge H1844 and understanding. H7919
And G2532 G3739 God G2316 hath set G5087 some G3303 in G1722 the church, G1577 first G4412 apostles, G652 secondarily G1208 prophets, G4396 thirdly G5154 teachers, G1320 after that G1899 miracles, G1411 then G1534 gifts G5486 of healings, G2386 helps, G484 governments, G2941 diversities G1085 of tongues. G1100 Are all G3361 G3956 apostles? G652 are all G3361 G3956 prophets? G4396 are all G3361 G3956 teachers? G1320 are all G3361 G3956 workers of miracles? G1411
And are built G2026 upon G1909 the foundation G2310 of the apostles G652 and G2532 prophets, G4396 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 himself G846 being G5607 the chief corner G204 stone;
How G4459 then G3767 shall they call on G1941 him in G1519 whom G3739 they have G4100 not G3756 believed? G4100 and G1161 how G4459 shall they believe in G4100 him of whom G3739 they have G191 not G3756 heard? G191 and G1161 how G4459 shall they hear G191 without G5565 a preacher? G2784 And G1161 how G4459 shall they preach, G2784 except G3362 they be sent? G649 as G2531 it is written, G1125 How G5613 beautiful G5611 are the feet of them G4228 that preach the gospel G2097 of peace, G1515 and bring glad tidings G2097 of good things! G18
Now G1161 there were G2258 in G2596 the church G1577 that was G5607 at G1722 Antioch G490 certain G5100 prophets G4396 and G2532 teachers; G1320 as G5037 Barnabas, G921 and G2532 Simeon G4826 that was called G2564 Niger, G3526 and G2532 Lucius G3066 of Cyrene, G2956 and G5037 Manaen, G3127 which had been brought up G4939 with Herod G2264 the tetrarch, G5076 and G2532 Saul. G4569
And G1161 the next G1887 day we that were of G4012 Paul's G3972 company G4012 departed, G1831 and came G2064 G2064 unto G1519 Caesarea: G2542 and G2532 we entered G1525 into G1519 the house G3624 of Philip G5376 the evangelist, G2099 which was G5607 one of G1537 the seven; G2033 and abode G3306 with G3844 him. G846
Now for a long H7227 season H3117 Israel H3478 hath been without H3808 the true H571 God, H430 and without a teaching H3384 priest, H3548 and without law. H8451
And G2532 the wall G5038 of the city G4172 had G2192 twelve G1427 foundations, G2310 and G2532 in G1722 them G846 the names G3686 of the twelve G1427 apostles G652 of the Lamb. G721
For G2532 G1063 when for G1223 the time G5550 ye ought G3784 to be G1511 teachers, G1320 ye have G2192 need G5532 that one teach G1321 you G5209 again G3825 which G5101 be the first G746 principles G4747 of the oracles G3051 of God; G2316 and G2532 are become such as G1096 have G2192 need G5532 of milk, G1051 and G2532 not G3756 of strong G4731 meat. G5160
Or G1535 ministry, G1248 let us wait on G1722 our ministering: G1248 or G1535 he that teacheth, G1321 on G1722 teaching; G1319
Take heed G4337 therefore G3767 unto yourselves, G1438 and G2532 to all G3956 the flock, G4168 over G1722 the which G3739 the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 hath made G5087 you G5209 overseers, G1985 to feed G4165 the church G1577 of God, G2316 which G3739 he hath purchased G4046 with G1223 his own G2398 blood. G129
The elders G4245 which are among G1722 you G5213 I exhort, G3870 who G3588 am also an elder, G4850 and G2532 a witness G3144 of the sufferings G3804 of Christ, G5547 and also G2532 a partaker G2844 of the glory G1391 that shall G3195 be revealed: G601 Feed G4165 the flock G4168 of God G2316 which is among G1722 you, G5213 taking the oversight G1983 thereof, not G3361 by constraint, G317 but G235 willingly; G1596 not G3366 for filthy lucre, G147 but G235 of a ready mind; G4290 Neither G3366 as G5613 being lords over G2634 God's heritage, G2819 but G235 being G1096 ensamples G5179 to the flock. G4168
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ephesians 4
Commentary on Ephesians 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
We have gone through the former part of this epistle, which consists of several important doctrinal truths, contained in the three preceding chapters. We enter now on the latter part of it, in which we have the most weighty and serious exhortations that can be given. We may observe that in this, as in most others of Paul's epistles, the former part is doctrinal, and fitted to inform the minds of men in the great truths and doctrines of the gospel, the latter is practical, and designed for the direction of their lives and manners, all Christians being bound to endeavour after soundness in the faith, and regularity in life and practice. In what has gone before we have heard of Christian privileges, which are the matter of our comfort. In what follows we shall hear of Christian duties, and what the Lord our God requires of us in consideration of such privileges vouchsafed to us. The best way to understand the mysteries and partake of the privileges of which we have read before is conscientiously to practise the duties prescribed to us in what follows: as, on the other hand, a serious consideration and belief of the doctrines that have been taught us in the foregoing chapters will be a good foundation on which to build the practice of the duties prescribed in those which are yet before us. Christian faith and Christian practice mutually befriend each other. In this chapter we have divers exhortations to important duties.
Eph 4:1
This is a general exhortation to walk as becomes our Christian profession. Paul was now a prisoner at Rome; and he was the prisoner of the Lord, or in the Lord, which signifies as much as for the Lord. See of this, ch. 3:1. He mentions this once and again, to show that he was not ashamed of his bonds, well knowing that he suffered not as an evil doer: and likewise to recommend what he wrote to them with the greater tenderness and with some special advantage. It was a doctrine he thought worth suffering for, and therefore surely they should think it worthy their serious regards and their dutiful observance. We have here the petition of a poor prisoner, one of Christ's prisoners: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you,' etc. Considering what God has done for you, and to what a state and condition he has called you, as has been discoursed before, I now come with an earnest request to you (not to send me relief, nor to use your interest for the obtaining of my liberty, the first thing which poor prisoners are wont to solicit from their friends, but) that you would approve yourselves good Christians, and live up to your profession and calling; That you walk worthily, agreeably, suitably, and congruously to those happy circumstances into which the grace of God has brought you, whom he has converted from heathenism to Christianity. Observe, Christians ought to accommodate themselves to the gospel by which they are called, and to the glory to which they are called; both are their vocation. We are called Christians; we must answer that name, and live like Christians. We are called to God's kingdom and glory; that kingdom and glory therefore we must mind, and walk as becomes the heirs of them.
Eph 4:2-16
Here the apostle proceeds to more particular exhortations. Two he enlarges upon in this chapter:-To unity an love, purity and holiness, which Christians should very much study. We do not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called if we be not faithful friends to all Christians, and sworn enemies to all sin.
This section contains the exhortation to mutual love, unity, and concord, with the proper means and motives to promote them. Nothing is pressed upon us more earnestly in the scriptures than this. Love is the law of Christ's kingdom, the lesson of his school, the livery of his family. Observe,
Eph 4:17-32
The apostle having gone through his exhortation to mutual love, unity, and concord, in the foregoing verses, there follows in these an exhortation to Christian purity and holiness of heart and life, and that both more general (v. 17-24) and in several particular instances, v. 25-32. This is solemnly introduced: "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord; that is, seeing the matter is as above described, seeing you are members of Christ's body and partakers of such gifts, this I urge upon your consciences, and bear witness to as your duty in the Lord's name, and by virtue of the authority I have derived from him.' Consider,
In the midst of these exhortations and cautions the apostle interposes that general one, And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, v. 30. By looking to what precedes, and to what follows, we may see what it is that grieves the Spirit of God. In the previous verses it is intimated that all lewdness and filthiness, lying, and corrupt communications that stir up filthy appetites and lusts, grieve the Spirit of God. In what follows it is intimated that those corrupt passions of bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, and malice, grieve this good Spirit. By this we are not to understand that this blessed Being could properly be grieved or vexed as we are; but the design of the exhortation is that we act not towards him in such a manner as is wont to be grievous and disquieting to our fellow-creatures: we must not do that which is contrary to his holy nature and his will; we must not refuse to hearken to his counsels, nor rebel against his government, which things would provoke him to act towards us as men are wont to do towards those with whom they are displeased and grieved, withdrawing themselves and their wonted kindness from such, and abandoning them to their enemies. O provoke not the blessed Spirit of God to withdraw his presence and his gracious influences from you! It is a good reason why we should not grieve him that by him we are sealed unto the day of redemption. There is to be a day of redemption; the body is to be redeemed from the power of the grave at the resurrection-day, and then God's people will be delivered from all the effects of sin, as well as from all sin and misery, which they are not till rescued out of the grave: and then their full and complete happiness commences. All true believers are sealed to that day. God has distinguished them from others, having set his mark upon them; and he gives them the earnest and assurance of a joyful and glorious resurrection; and the Spirit of God is the seal. Wherever that blessed Spirit is as a sanctifier, he is the earnest of all the joys and glories of the redemption-day; and we should be undone should God take away his Holy Spirit from us.