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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ephesians 4:17-32

The apostle having gone through his exhortation to mutual love, unity, and concord, in the Eph. 2:16; there follows in these an exhortation to Christian purity and holiness of heart and life, and that both more general (Eph. 4:17-24) and in several particular instances, Eph. 4:25-32. 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... 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

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Ephesians 4:17-24

4:17-24 I say this and I solemnly lay it upon you in the Lord--you must no longer live the kind of life the Gentiles live, for their minds are concerned with empty things; their understandings are darkened; they are strangers from the life God gives, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the petrifying of their hearts. They have come to a stage when they are past feeling, and in their shameless wantonness they have abandoned themselves to every kind of unclean conduct in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ephesians 4:21

If so be that ye have heard him ,.... Not heard him preach, but heard him preached; and that not merely externally, with the outward hearing of the ear; though oftentimes spiritual conviction and illumination, true faith in Christ, real comfort from him, and establishment and assurance of interest in him, come this way, as to these Ephesians, Ephesians 1:13 but internally, so as to know him, understand his word, and distinguish his voice; so as to approve of him and love him, and believe... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:21

If so be that ye have heard him - Ειγε , Seeing that, since indeed, ye have heard us proclaim his eternal truth; we have delivered it to you as we received it from Jesus. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:21

Verse 21 21.If ye have heard him. To excite their attention and earnestness the more, he not only tells them that they had heard Christ, but employs a still stronger expression, ye have been taught in him, as if he had said, that this doctrine had not been slightly pointed out, but faithfully delivered and explained. As the truth is in Jesus. This contains a reproof of that superficial knowledge of the gospel, by which many are elated, who are wholly unacquainted with newness of life. They... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:17-24

CONSTRASTED PRINCIPLES OF GENTILE AND CHRISTIAN CHARACTER . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:17-24

Contrasted principles of Gentile and Christian character. We now come more explicitly to the details of Christian duty. The apostle had presented a very high standard of Christian privilege in the preceding chapters, and now he presents an equally high standard of Christian duty . What God gives in the one form is to be given back in the other, and in corresponding proportion. The importance of the subject is indicated by the formula, "This I say, and testify in the Lord." The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:17-24

Exhortation resumed. "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord." It is characteristic of the apostle to sink his own personality, and to put forward Christ. He wishes it to be understood that it is not in his own thought, but in the thought of him whom he calls Lord, that he makes his statement and gives his solemn asseveration regarding their duty. I. EXHORTATION DIRECTED AGAINST GENTILISM . "That ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk." They had formerly been... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:17-32

Raw material for Christian unity. It comes upon us with something like a surprise, the exhortations of the present passage after the glories which have gone before. But they are instructive in that they bring out the raw material out of which Paul hoped to manufacture Christian unity. It is evident that he despaired of none, even supposing they had been guilty of the gravest crimes and characterized by the deepest pollution. Does not his grand hope rebuke our faint-heartedness? I. ... read more

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