Ephesians Chapter 4

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Introduction

THIS chapter is the commencement of the practical part of the epistle, and is made up, like the remaining chapters, of various exhortations. It is in accordance with the usual habit of Paul to conduct an argument in his epistles, and, then to enforce various practical duties, either growing out of the argument which he had maintained, or, more commonly, adapted to some particular state of things in the church to which he wrote. The points of exhortation in this chapter are, in general, the following: --

I. An exhortation to unity, Eph 4:1ff. He entreats them to walk worthy of their vocation, Eph 4:1; shows them how it could be done, or what he meant; and that, in order to that, they should show meekness and kindness, Eph 4:2 and particularly exhorts them to unity, Eph 4:3 for they had one God, one Saviour, one baptism, one religion, Eph 4:4ff.

II. He shows them that God had made ample provision for his people, that they might be sound in the faith, and in unity of life and of doctrine, and need not be driven about with every wind of opinion, Eph 4:7ff. He assures them that to every Christian is given grace in the Redeemer adapted to his circumstances, Eph 4:7; that the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven to obtain gifts for his people, Eph 4:8ff; that he had given apostles, prophets, and evangelists, for the very purpose of imparting instruction, and confirming them in the faith of the gospel, Eph 4:11, Eph 4:12; that this was in order that they might attain to the highest elevation in Christian knowledge and piety, Eph 4:13; and particularly that they might not be driven to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, Eph 4:14ff.

III. Having these arrangements made for their knowledge and piety,he exhorts them not to live as the heathen around them lived, but to show that they were under a better influence, Eph 4:17ff. Their understanding was darkened, and they were alienated from the life of God, or true religion, Eph 4:18; they were past feeling, and were given over to every form of sensuality, Eph 4:19. The Ephesians, however, had been taught a different thing, Eph 4:20, Eph 4:21; and the apostle exhorts them to lay aside everything pertaining to their former course of life, and to become wholly conformed to the principles of the new man, Eph 4:22ff.

IV. He exhorts them to perform particular Christian duties, and to put away certain evils, of which they and all others were in danger, Eph 4:25. In particular, he entreats them to avoid lying, Eph 4:25; anger, Eph 4:26; theft, Eph 4:28; corrupt and corrupting conversation, Eph 4:29; grieving the Holy Spirit, Eph 4:30;) bitterness, evil-speaking, and malice, Eph 4:31; and entreats them to manifest, in their intercourse with each other, a spirit of kindness and forgiveness, Eph 4:32.

Text

1: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, edit

2: With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; edit

3: Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. edit

4: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; edit

5: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, edit

6: One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. edit

7: But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. edit

8: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. edit

9: (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? edit

10: He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) edit

11: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; edit

12: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: edit

13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: edit

14: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; edit

15: But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: edit

16: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. edit

17: This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, edit

18: Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: edit

19: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. edit

20: But ye have not so learned Christ; edit

21: If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: edit

22: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; edit

23: And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; edit

24: And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. edit

25: Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. edit

26: Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: edit

27: Neither give place to the devil. edit

28: Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. edit

29: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. edit

30: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. edit

31: Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: edit

32: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. edit