Ephesians 4:8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ephesians 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... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Ephesians 4:1-10

4:1-10 So then, I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to behave yourselves in a way that is worthy of the calling with which you are called. I urge you to behave with all humility, and gentleness, and patience. I urge you to bear with one another in love. I urge you eagerly to preserve that unity which the Holy Spirit can bring by binding things together in peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called with one hope of your calling. There is one Lord, one faith, one... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Ephesians 4:1-32

With this chapter the second part of the letter begins. In Ephesians 1:1-23 ; Ephesians 2:1-22 ; Ephesians 3:1-21 Paul has dealt with the great and eternal truths of the Christian faith, and with the function of the Church in the plan of God. Now he begins to sketch what each member of the Church must be if the Church is to carry out her part in that plan. Before we begin this chapter, let us again remind ourselves that the central thought of the letter is that Jesus has brought to a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 4:8

Wherefore he saith ,.... God in the Scripture, Psalm 68:18 when he ascended up on high ; which is not to be understood of Moses's ascending up to the firmament at the giving of the law, as some Jewish writers F17 Targum & Jarchi in Psal. lxviii 18. interpret it; for though Moses ascended to the top of Mount Sinai, yet it is never said that he went up to the firmament of heaven; nor of David's going up to the high fortresses of his enemies, as another of those writers F18 ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:8

Wherefore he saith - The reference seems to be to Psalm 68:18 , which, however it may speak of the removal of the tabernacle, appears to have been intended to point out the glorious ascension of Christ after his resurrection from the dead. The expositions of various commentators have made the place extremely difficult. I shall not trouble my reader with them; they may be seen in Rosenmuller. When he ascended up on high - The whole of this verse, as it stands in the psalm, seems to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:8

Verse 8 8.Therefore he saith. To serve the purpose of his argument, Paul has departed not a little from the true meaning of this quotation. Wicked men charge him with having made an unfair use of Scripture. The Jews go still farther, and, for the sake of giving to their accusations a greater air of plausibility, maliciously pervert the natural meaning of this passage. What is said of God, is applied by them to David or to the people. “David, or the people,” they say, “ascended on high, when, in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16

CHURCH PRINCIPLE OF GROWTH AND PROGRESS ; THE CHURCH A BODY . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16

The unity of the Church. The doxology has just died away with its ascription of glory to God in the Church throughout all ages, and now the apostle turns from his intercession to admonish the Ephesian Christians about the necessity of cultivating lowliness of mind and mutual consideration, that in the Church there may be preserved "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." It is plain from the verses that follow that Paul's conviction was that the Divine glory could only be manifested... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16

Exhortation. I. TRANSITION FROM THE DOCTRINAL TO THE PRACTICAL . "I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you." There is a similar transition at Romans 12:1 , "I beseech you therefore." In both cases the " therefore " is the link of connection between doctrine and duty . In both cases the apostle follows up his exposition of doctrine by an affectionate enforcement of duty. In the other case his affectionate tone is caught from a consideration of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7-11

Christ's gifts to his Church. The grand object of the apostle in this section of his Epistle is to show the ample provision made by Christ for the welfare of his Church. The Church may sing as well as the individual, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." The particular object is to indicate that the gifts conferred by him on the members individually ( Ephesians 4:7-10 ), and especially the appointment of the several classes of office-bearers ( Ephesians 4:10 ), show the... read more

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