Introduction to Paul's Letter to the Ephesians

Commentary on Selected Verses

Paul comes to a  point of transition in Ephesians.  Chapter four begins the second half of the letter.  Recall from our outline that Ephesians divides into two portions: (1) Doctrine (chapters 1-3) and (2) Practical Guidance (chapters 4-6); or put another way: (1) Who we are in Christ and (2) What Christ expects of us.  The big lesson here is that Christian conduct follows from Christian doctrine (teaching).

Verse 1.  Paul exhorts his readers to lead lives that are consistent with the calling that they have received or as the NKJV puts it, Christians are to "walk worthy of the calling with which [they are called]."  The word "worthy" (axios) is literally "bringing up the other beam of the scales."  Paul is suggesting that there must be a balance between profession and action among believes.

Verse 2.  The second verse gives a number of attributes that are necessary to maintain Christian unity.  These attributes are humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance.  "Humility" (tapeinophrosynē) literally means "low-mindedness."  "Gentleness" (praütēs) refers to mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, or meekness.  Patience (makrothymia) most of the time in the NT refers to a reluctance to avenge wrongs.  Forbearance (anechō) is putting up with the faults of others.  The four graces mentioned here are all aspects of love.

Verse 3.  Christians are not called to create unity, but rather to maintain it.

Verse 4.  The words are a reminder of the association between the Body of Christ and the Holy Spirit.  To be "in Christ" means that a person is a member of the Body of Christ.  For Christ to be in someone means that the Holy Spirit indwells him or her.  That the Church is called a body means that the Church is a visible community.  The Church is to be a visible picture to the world of the reconciling activity of God in Christ.  Recall that the Holy Spirit is a guarantee of the hope to which Christians are called (Ephesians 1:14,18).  The hope is of sharing Christ's glory when he returns.

Verse 5.  "Jesus Christ is Lord" is the basic confession of Christianity.  Faith (pistis) refers to belief in Christ.  Christ is the object of Biblical faith and what makes someone a Christian is that he/she has a personal commitment to or an allegiance to Jesus Christ.  "One baptism" refers to water baptism, the external sign that one has faith in Jesus Christ.  Baptism symbolizes identification with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection.

Verse 6.  Christians are monotheists (Deut. 6:4).  We worship one God, not many.  Furthermore, because of our relationship with Christ, we can refer to God as Father.  God is the Father of all, meaning that he is the Father of both Jews and Gentiles who have been united in Christ.  Finally, God is "over" or "above" (epi) all, indicating his transcendence and sovereignty, he works "through" (dia) all, indicating his omnipresence and Creative role, and he is "in" (en) all, indicating his immanence.

Verses 7-8.  In verse 7, Paul begins to look at the individual members of the Church that comprise the whole Body.  Each member of the Body of Christ has been given a gift or several gifts for the benefit of the Church.  Christ is seen as the distributor of gifts and Christ's gifts are always a matter of his grace.  In verse 8, Paul quotes from Psalm 68:18.  When Jesus ascended into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to earth to indwell believers.  The captives spoken of here are the principalities and powers that Christ has conquered (Ephesians 1:20-22 and Colossians 2:15).

Verses 9-10.  If Christ ascended into heaven from earth, this implies that he once descended from heaven to earth.  There are a number of interpretations of what "lower earthly regions" means.  I take it to refer to Christ's descent to earth in the Incarnation. The purpose of the ascension was in order for Christ "to fill the whole universe."  Here, Paul echoes the words of Ephesians 1:23.  The filling means that there is no aspect of existence that is untouched by Christ.

Verse 11.  The term "Apostles" (from the verb apostellō, meaning "to send out") refers to the Twelve, those associated with specific churches (2 Cor. 8:23; Phil. 2:25), and Christians generally (John 13:16).  Prophets were those who proclaimed the Word of God (forthtellers).  They made the will of God known in specific situations.  Evangelists were "preachers of the Gospel" (euaggelion).  Pastors and teachers are perhaps the same office.  The duty of a pastor is to shepherd a flock.  A teacher communicates truth.

Verse 12.  "To prepare" (pros ton katartismon) means "to put right."  The term is applied to the setting of a bone.  Therefore, the text is saying that the aim of the ministries mentioned is to create a harmonious condition in which all parts of the Body work as they should.  The ultimate goal of God's gifts to the Church is that the Body may be built up.  Everyone from the greatest apostle to the most apparently insignificant disciple must do his/her works of service (diakonia).  If anyone does not do his/her part, the whole Body suffers.

Verse 13.  The "unity of the faith" is the unity that binds together those who share a common faith in Christ.  It is effectively the same as the "unity of the Spirit" of verse 3.  The knowledge of the Son of God refers to intimate knowledge of Christ as in Ephesians 1:17.   The goal of all that Paul has said is that the Church will become mature (teleios) and Christ-like.  Christ is the perfect standard for his people to which his people must conform.

Verse 14.  In verse 14, Paul lists some evidences of spiritual immaturity.  The one who is immature is susceptible to false doctrine and the manipulation by wolves.  When individuals are mature, they will be able to discern truth from error.

Verses 15-16.    In verse 15, Paul contrasts the deception of heresy with the integrity of the Gospel.  As the Church concerns itself with truth in a spirit of love, it grows up and matures and becomes more and more like Christ.  In verse 16, Paul stresses that Christ is responsible for directing and controlling the growth of the Church.  He also stresses the interdependence of the members of the Body on one another.

Verse 17.  Paul's basic concern is that his readers break away from their former pagan way of life.  He doesn't want them to fall back into their old self-indulgent habits.  One way of translating the Greek word metaiotēs ("futility") is "good-for-nothing notions."  Often the word is associated with idolatry.

Verse 18.  Gentiles who have not come into the family of God are deprived of understanding.  They are "darkened in their understanding."  The Gentiles were alienated from God because of ignorance (agnoia) and "hardening of the heart."  One who "hardens his/her heart" separates himself/herself from all life with God.  The paganism described in these verses is similar to what Paul describes in Romans 1:18-32.

Verse 19.  According to Paul, the pagan way of life is characterized by 1) an inability to respond to moral stimuli and 2) an increasing desire to participate in more and more forms of sexual immorality.  When individuals reject God's laws and God's standards, they get caught up in vicious cycles of immorality.

Verse 20.  The Christian walk or the Christian life is the exact opposite of the one that has just been described.   Disciples are those who have "learned Christ" or become devotees of Christ.

Verses 21.  This verse declares the importance of both preaching and teaching.  We hear of Christ through the proclamation (kerygma) of the Gospel.  Once we have come to faith in Christ, we must receive teaching (didachē).

Verses 22-24.  Paul uses the metaphor of clothing to make his point.  His readers are first to put aside the dirty, filthy clothes of their unregenerate selves.  They are to undergo a radical shift in their mental outlook.  This can only occur under the influence of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16).  The "new self" is the very opposite of the "old self."  The "new self" is a completely new creation.  The new self is "created to be like God."  God is both the author and pattern of this changed life.  "Righteousness" (dikaiosynē) and holiness (hosiotēs) refer respectively to "uprightness" and "freedom from contamination."

Verse 25.  The first exhortation is directed at lying.  Here, the apostle seems to be quoting Zechariah 8:16, "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts."

Verses 26-27.  The second exhortation is directed at controlling anger.  These verses allow for anger, but anger must be kept in check.  To allow anger to go unrestrained is sin and allows the enemy access to our lives.  See James 1:19-20.

Verse 28.  This verse addresses the issue of stealing. Stealing is to attempt to get something for nothing.  Stealing must be replaced by honest hard work.  Not only must stealing be given up, but a heart of generosity must also be developed.  Christians shouldn't be motivated by greed but by a concern for others.

Verse 29.  Paul's fourth injunction is against unwholesome speech.  The Greek word translated "unwholesome" literally means "rotten."  These types of words would include complaining, sarcasm, and profanity.  The Greek word translated "benefit" is charis, meaning, "grace."  Therefore, Christians are to speak gracious words.

Verse 30.  The Holy Spirit is the controller of speech (Ephesians 5:18-19).  When the tongue is misused, this grieves the Spirit.  Paul reminds his readers that they are sealed with the Spirit (cf. Ephesians 1:13-14).

Verses 31-32.  The presence of the Holy Spirit is sufficient reason to clean up one's speech by getting rid of "bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."  Believers are admonished to "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."  To forgive (Charizomai) is the word from which "grace" (charis) is derived.  Therefore, to forgive is to extend grace to someone.

 Review Questions
Answering the following questions will help you to understand the fourth chapter of Ephesians and to clearly articulate some of its major themes.

1. What words are repeated several times in verses 1-16?  What does this tell you about the theme of the passage?
2. List the seven single elements that unite Christians (verse 4).  How do these seven things unite us?
3. Who is to do the "work of ministry" (verse 12)?  The leaders or the saints (i.e., regular Christians)?
4. What function do joints, bones, and ligaments have (verse 16)?
5. What are the two earmarks of a mature body (verse 16)?
6. What does it mean to put off the old self and put on the new self (verses 22-24)?