(3b) Ephesians 5:3-14 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. read more
The Lessons of Childliness Ephesians 5:1 It is the great mark of the Gospel that its deepest truths are presented to us in forms taken from our daily life. The cleansing water and the simple meal are made sacraments revelations of Divine mysteries. The ties of family are the chosen emblems of our heavenly fellowship. One of these relations is set before us in the words which I have taken for my text. We all are as children in His household, heirs, indeed of a glorious inheritance, but yet... read more
Chapter 23THE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHTEphesians 5:7-14The contrast between the Christian and heathen way of life is now, finally, to be set forth under St. Paul’s familiar figure of the light and the darkness. He bids his Gentile readers not to be "jointpartakers with them"-with the sons of disobedience upon whom God’s wrath is coming (Ephesians 5:6) -for he has hailed them already, in Ephesians 3:6, as "joint-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." "Once" indeed they shared... read more
3. The Walk in Holiness and Righteousness CHAPTERS 4:17-5:21 1. Not as the Gentiles walk (Ephesians 4:17-19 ) 2. The putting off and putting on (Ephesians 4:20-32 ) 3. Followers of God (Ephesians 5:1-2 ) 4. Exhortations (Ephesians 5:3-21 ) At this point the exhortations to walk in separation begin. The “therefore” of Ephesians 4:17 refers us to the “wherefore” of Ephesians 2:11-12 . What Gentiles are in their natural condition is here once more put before us. The grace of God takes the... read more
5:7 {3} Be not ye therefore partakers with them.(3) Because we are most ready to follow evil examples, therefore the apostle warns the godly to always remember that the others are but as it were darkness, and that they themselves are as it were light. And therefore the others commit all evils (as men are accustomed to do in the dark), but they ought not to follow their examples, but rather (as the property of the light is) reprove their darkness, and to walk in such a way (having Christ that... read more
WALK IN LOVE (vs.1-7) Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 5 are closely connected with verse 32 of chapter 4. God's gracious character of love that delights to have us as His dear children is our example. The more we realize the reality of this, the more consistent with it will be our walk. For we are to walk in love. Nor is it a love we must manufacture or awaken in our own hearts, but the blessed result of Christ's love to us. That love has given, not only many gifts, but Himself. He delivered... read more
THE CHRISTIAN ’S WALK At 4:1 the apostle returns to the exhortation and practical application on which he had started at 3:1. The Ephesian Christians had been called with a holy calling (vocation) and now they were to “walk worthy” of it. “Walk” occurs five times in our lesson, giving completeness to it. WALK IN UNITY (Ephesians 4:1-16 ) The unity referred to is that which has been made among Christians by the baptism of the Holy Spirit into Christ (Ephesians 4:3-6 ). It is not anything... read more
(1) ¶ Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (2) 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. (3) ¶ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; (4) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. (5) For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor... read more
Be ye not, therefore, partakers with them: do not imitate their wickedness, or the wrath of the Almighty will likewise fall on you. (Estius) read more
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John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 5:1-33
The old Darkness and new Light. Rules for the Married1, 2. In close connexion with what precedes. ’It is the mark of beloved children to become imitators of a loving Father; practise the self-sacrifice of Christ, which shows how He loved us and the Father.’3-14. Special exhortation against covetousness and impurity.3. But] The five sins mentioned in Ephesians 4:25-32 are to be put away; these two are not even to be mentioned: ’saints’ are set apart from such subjects, being consecrated to God.... read more