15 See G991 then G3767 that G4459 ye walk G4043 circumspectly, G199 not G3361 as G5613 fools, G781 but G235 as G5613 wise, G4680
Walk G4043 in G1722 wisdom G4678 toward G4314 them that are without, G1854 redeeming G1805 the time. G2540
Only G3440 let your conversation be G4176 as it becometh G516 the gospel G2098 of Christ: G5547 that G2443 whether G1535 I come G2064 and G2532 see G1492 you, G5209 or G1535 else be absent, G548 I may hear G191 of your G5216 affairs, G4012 that G3754 ye stand fast G4739 in G1722 one G1520 spirit, G4151 with one G3391 mind G5590 striving together G4866 for the faith G4102 of the gospel; G2098
And G2532 I fell G4098 at G1715 his G846 feet G4228 to worship G4352 him. G846 And G2532 he said G3004 unto me, G3427 See G3708 thou do it not: G3361 I am G1510 thy G4675 fellowservant, G4889 and G2532 of thy G4675 brethren G80 that have G2192 the testimony G3141 of Jesus: G2424 worship G4352 God: G2316 for G1063 the testimony G3141 of Jesus G2424 is G2076 the spirit G4151 of prophecy. G4394
See G991 that ye refuse G3868 not G3361 him that speaketh. G2980 For G1063 if G1487 they G1565 escaped G5343 not G3756 who refused him G3868 that spake G5537 on G1909 earth, G1093 much G4183 more G3123 shall not we G2249 escape, if we turn away from him G654 that speaketh from G575 heaven: G3772
See G3708 that none G3361 G5100 render G591 evil G2556 for G473 evil G2556 unto any G5100 man; but G235 ever G3842 follow G1377 that which G3588 is good, G18 both G2532 among G1519 yourselves, G240 and G2532 to G1519 all G3956 men.
For G1223 this cause G5124 we G2249 also, G2532 since G575 the G3739 day G2250 we heard G191 it, do G3973 not G3756 cease G3973 to pray G4336 for G5228 you, G5216 and G2532 to desire G154 that G2443 ye might be filled G4137 with the knowledge G1922 of his G846 will G2307 in G1722 all G3956 wisdom G4678 and G2532 spiritual G4152 understanding; G4907
Nevertheless G4133 G2532 let G25 every one G1520 G1538 of you G5210 in particular G2596 so G3779 love G25 his G1438 wife G1135 even as G5613 himself; G1438 and G1161 the wife G1135 see that G2443 she reverence G5399 her husband. G435
Are ye G2075 so G3779 foolish? G453 having begun G1728 in the Spirit, G4151 are ye G2005 now G3568 made perfect G2005 by the flesh? G4561
Brethren, G80 be G1096 not G3361 children G3813 in understanding: G5424 howbeit G235 in malice G2549 be ye children, G3515 but G1161 in understanding G5424 be G1096 men. G5046
When G1161 Pilate G4091 saw G1492 that G3754 he could prevail G5623 nothing, G3762 but G235 that rather G3123 a tumult G2351 was made, G1096 he took G2983 water, G5204 and washed G633 his hands G5495 before G561 the multitude, G3793 saying, G3004 I am G1510 innocent G121 of G575 the blood G129 of this G5127 just person: G1342 see G3700 ye G5210 to it.
And G1161 five G4002 of G1537 them G846 were G2258 wise, G5429 and G2532 five G4002 were foolish. G3474
Behold, G2400 I G1473 send G649 you G5209 forth G649 as G5613 sheep G4263 in G1722 the midst G3319 of wolves: G3074 be ye G1096 therefore G3767 wise G5429 as G5613 serpents, G3789 and G2532 harmless G185 as G5613 doves. G4058
And G2532 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto him, G846 See G3708 thou tell G2036 no man; G3367 but G235 go thy way, G5217 shew G1166 thyself G4572 to the priest, G2409 and G2532 offer G4374 the gift G1435 that G3739 Moses G3475 commanded, G4367 for G1519 a testimony G3142 unto them. G846
The wisdom H2451 of the prudent H6175 is to understand H995 his way: H1870 but the folly H200 of fools H3684 is deceit. H4820
And David's H1732 heart H3820 smote H5221 him after H310 that he had numbered H5608 the people. H5971 And David H1732 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 I have sinned H2398 greatly H3966 in that I have done: H6213 and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, H3068 take away H5674 the iniquity H5771 of thy servant; H5650 for I have done very H3966 foolishly. H5528
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ephesians 5
Commentary on Ephesians 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
We had several important exhortations in the close of the foregoing chapter, and they are continued in this: particularly,
Eph 5:1-2
Here we have the exhortation to mutual love, or to Christian charity. The apostle had been insisting on this in the former chapter, and particularly in the last verses of it, to which the particle therefore refers, and connects what he had said there with what is contained in these verses, thus: "Because God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you, therefore be you followers of God, or imitators of him;' for so the word signifies. Pious persons should imitate the God whom they worship, as far as he has revealed himself as imitable by them. They must conform themselves to his example, and have his image renewed upon them. This puts a great honour upon practical religion, that it is the imitating of God. We must be holy as God is holy, merciful as he is merciful, perfect as he is perfect. But there is no one attribute of God more recommended to our imitation than that of his goodness. Be you imitators of God, or resemble him, in every grace, and especially in his love, and in his pardoning goodness. God is love; and those that dwell in love dwell in God and God in them. Thus he has proclaimed his name, Gracious and merciful, and abundant in goodness. As dear children, as children (who are wont to be greatly beloved by their parents) usually resemble them in the lineaments and features of their faces, and in the dispositions and qualities of their minds; or as becomes the children of God, who are beloved and cherished by their heavenly Father. Children are obliged to imitate their parents in what is good, especially when dearly beloved by them. The character that we bear of God's children obliges us to resemble him, especially in his love and goodness, in his mercy and readiness to forgive. And those only are God's dear children who imitate him in these. It follows, And walk in love, v. 2. This godlike grace should conduct and influence our whole conversation, which is meant by walking in it. It should be the principle from which we act; it should direct the ends at which we aim. We should be more careful to give proof of the sincerity of our love one to another. As Christ also hath loved us. Here the apostle directs us to the example of Christ, whom Christians are obliged to imitate, and in whom we have an instance of the most free and generous love that ever was, that great love wherewith he hath loved us. We are all joint sharers in that love, and partakers of the comfort of it, and therefore should love one another, Christ having loved us all and given such proof of his love to us; for he hath given himself for us. The apostle designedly enlarges on the subject; for what can yield us more delightful matter for contemplation than this? Christ gave himself to die for us; and the death of Christ was the great sacrifice of atonement: An offering and a sacrifice to God; or an offering, even a sacrifice-a propitiatory sacrifice, to expiate our guilt, which had been prefigured in the legal oblations and sacrifices; and this for a sweet-smelling savour. Some observe that the sin-offerings were never said to be of a sweet-smelling savour; but this is said of the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. As he offered himself with a design to be accepted of God, so God did accept, was pleased with, and appeased by, that sacrifice. Note, As the sacrifice of Christ was efficacious with God, so his example should be prevailing with us, and we should carefully copy after it.
Eph 5:3-20
These verses contain a caution against all manner of uncleanness, with proper remedies and arguments proposed: some further cautions are added, and other duties recommended. Filthy lusts must be suppressed, in order to the supporting of holy love. Walk in love, and shun fornication and all uncleanness. Fornication is folly committed between unmarried persons. All uncleanness includes all other sorts of filthy lusts, which were too common among the Gentiles. Or covetousness, which being thus connected, and mentioned as a thing which should not be once named, some understand it, in the chaste style of the scripture, of unnatural lust; while others take it in the more common sense, for an immoderate desire of gain or an insatiable love of riches, which is spiritual adultery; for by this the soul, which was espoused to God, goes astray from him, and embraces the bosom of a stranger, and therefore carnal worldlings are called adulterers: You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Now these sins must be dreaded and detested in the highest degree: Let it not be once named among you, never in a way of approbation nor without abhorrence, as becometh saints, holy persons, who are separated from the world, and dedicated unto God. The apostle not only cautions against the gross acts of sin, but against what some may be apt to make light of, and think to be excusable. Neither filthiness (v. 4), by which may be understood all wanton and unseemly gestures and behaviour; nor foolish talking, obscene and lewd discourse, or, more generally, such vain discourse as betrays much folly and indiscretion, and is far from edifying the hearers; nor jesting. The Greek word eutrapelia is the same which Aristotle, in his Ethics, makes a virtue: pleasantness of conversation. And there is no doubt an innocent and inoffensive jesting, which we cannot suppose the apostle here forbids. Some understand him of such scurrilous and abusive reflections as tend to expose others and to make them appear ridiculous. This is bad enough: but the context seems to restrain it to such pleasantry of discourse as is filthy and obscene, which he may also design by that corrupt, or putrid and rotten, communication that he speaks of, ch. 4:29. Of these things he says, They are not convenient. Indeed there is more than inconvenience, even a great deal of mischief, in them. They are so far from being profitable that they pollute and poison the hearers. But the meaning is, Those things do not become Christians, and are very unsuitable to their profession and character. Christians are allowed to be cheerful and pleasant; but they must be merry and wise. The apostle adds, But rather giving of thanks: so far let the Christian's way of mirth be from that of obscene and profane wit, that he may delight his mind, and make himself cheerful, by a grateful remembrance of God's goodness and mercy to him, and by blessing and praising him on account of these. Note,
Eph 5:21-33
Here the apostle begins his exhortation to the discharge of relative duties. As a general foundation for these duties, he lays down that rule v. 21. There is a mutual submission that Christians owe one to another, condescending to bear one another's burdens: not advancing themselves above others, nor domineering over one another and giving laws to one another. Paul was an example of this truly Christian temper, for he became all things to all men. We must be of a yielding and of a submissive spirit, and ready to all the duties of the respective places and stations that God has allotted to us in the world. In the fear of God, that is, so far as is consistent with the fear of God, for his sake, and out of conscience towards him, and that hereby we may give proof that we truly fear him. Where there is this mutual condescension and submission, the duties of all relations will be the better performed. From v. 22 to the end he speaks of the duties of husbands and wives; and he speaks of these in a Christian manner, setting the church as an example of the wife's subjection, and Christ as an example of love in husbands.
After this, the apostle concludes this part of his discourse with a brief summary of the duty of husbands and wives, v. 33. "Nevertheless (though there be such a secret mystical sense, yet the plain literal sense concerns you) let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, with such a sincere, peculiar, singular, and prevailing affection as that is which he bears to himself. And the wife see that she reverence her husband.' Reverence consists of love and esteem, which produce a care to please, and of fear, which awakens a caution lest just offence be given. That the wife thus reverence her husband is the will of God and the law of the relation.