25 Husbands, G435 love G25 your G1438 wives, G1135 even as G2531 Christ G5547 also G2532 loved G25 the church, G1577 and G2532 gave G3860 himself G1438 for G5228 it; G846
Husbands, G435 love G25 your wives, G1135 and G2532 be G4087 not G3361 bitter G4087 against G4314 them. G846
Likewise, G3668 ye husbands, G435 dwell with G4924 them according to G2596 knowledge, G1108 giving G632 honour G5092 unto the wife, G1134 as G5613 unto the weaker G772 vessel, G4632 and G2532 as G5613 being heirs together G4789 of the grace G5485 of life; G2222 that G1519 your G5216 prayers G4335 be G1581 not G3361 hindered. G1581
And G2532 walk G4043 in G1722 love, G26 as G2531 Christ G5547 also G2532 hath loved G25 us, G2248 and G2532 hath given G3860 himself G1438 for G5228 us G2257 an offering G4376 and G2532 a sacrifice G2378 to God G2316 for G1519 a sweetsmelling G2175 savour. G3744
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
Let thy fountain H4726 be blessed: H1288 and rejoice H8055 with the wife H802 of thy youth. H5271 Let her be as the loving H158 hind H365 and pleasant H2580 roe; H3280 let her breasts H1717 satisfy H7301 thee at all times; H6256 and be thou ravished H7686 always H8548 with her love. H160
I am crucified G4957 with Christ: G5547 nevertheless G1161 I live; G2198 yet not G3765 I, G1473 but G1161 Christ G5547 liveth G2198 in G1722 me: G1698 and G1161 the life which G3739 I G2198 now G3568 live G2198 in G1722 the flesh G4561 I live G2198 by G1722 the faith G4102 of the Son G5207 of God, G2316 who G3588 loved G25 me, G3165 and G2532 gave G3860 himself G1438 for G5228 me. G1700
And G2532 from G575 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 who is the faithful G4103 witness, G3144 and the first begotten G4416 of G1537 the dead, G3498 and G2532 the prince G758 of the kings G935 of the earth. G1093 Unto him that loved G25 us, G2248 and G2532 washed G3068 us G2248 from G575 our G2257 sins G266 in G1722 his own G846 blood, G129
And G2532 he took G2983 bread, G740 and gave thanks, G2168 and brake G2806 it, and G2532 gave G1325 unto them, G846 saying, G3004 This G5124 is G2076 my G3450 body G4983 which G3588 is given G1325 for G5228 you: G5216 this G5124 do G4160 in remembrance G364 of G1519 me. G1699 Likewise G5615 also G2532 the cup G4221 after G3326 supper, G1172 saying, G3004 This G5124 cup G4221 is the new G2537 testament G1242 in G1722 my G3450 blood, G129 which G3588 is shed G1632 for G5228 you. G5216
I G1473 am G1510 the living G2198 bread G740 which G3588 came down G2597 from G1537 heaven: G3772 if G1437 any man G5100 eat G5315 of G1537 this G5127 bread, G740 he shall live G2198 for G1519 ever: G165 and G1161 G2532 the bread G740 that G3739 I G1473 will give G1325 is G2076 my G3450 flesh, G4561 which G3739 I G1473 will give G1325 for G5228 the life G2222 of the world. G2889
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
Forasmuch as ye know G1492 that G3754 ye were G3084 not G3756 redeemed G3084 with corruptible things, G5349 as silver G694 and G2228 gold, G5553 from G1537 your G5216 vain G3152 conversation G391 received by tradition from your fathers; G3970 But G235 with the precious G5093 blood G129 of Christ, G5547 as G5613 of a lamb G286 without blemish G299 and G2532 without spot: G784 Who verily G3303 was foreordained G4267 before G4253 the foundation G2602 of the world, G2889 but G1161 was manifest G5319 in G1909 these last G2078 times G5550 for G1223 you, G5209 Who G3588 by G1223 him G846 do believe G4100 in G1519 God, G2316 that raised G1453 him G846 up G1453 from G1537 the dead, G3498 and G2532 gave G1325 him G846 glory; G1391 that G5620 your G5216 faith G4102 and G2532 hope G1680 might be G1511 in G1519 God. G2316
And G2532 they sung G103 a new G2537 song, G5603 saying, G3004 Thou art G1488 worthy G514 to take G2983 the book, G975 and G2532 to open G455 the seals G4973 thereof: G846 for G3754 thou wast slain, G4969 and G2532 hast redeemed G59 us G2248 to God G2316 by G1722 thy G4675 blood G129 out of G1537 every G3956 kindred, G5443 and G2532 tongue, G1100 and G2532 people, G2992 and G2532 nation; G1484
But the poor H7326 man had nothing, save one H259 little H6996 ewe lamb, H3535 which he had bought H7069 and nourished up: H2421 and it grew up H1431 together H3162 with him, and with his children; H1121 it did eat H398 of his own meat, H6595 and drank H8354 of his own cup, H3563 and lay H7901 in his bosom, H2436 and was unto him as a daughter. H1323
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.