Ephesians 4:2

with all lowliness So, exactly, Acts 20:19, in St Paul's review of his own "walk" at Ephesus; "serving the Lord with all lowliness." "With" :the idea is strictly of accompaniment, attendance. But in view of actual N. T. usage of the preposition this must not be pressed. Lowliness was to characterizethem.

Observe the moral lesson here. The first and most characteristic effect of the heights and depths of Divine privilege and spiritual experience just unfolded is to be the sincerest and most unselfish humility.

lowliness The Gr. word imports an unaffected lowly estimate of self. See Trench's Synonyms of the N. T., under ταπεινοφροσύνη, πραότης. It is a distinctively Christian grace, viewed as a thing always to be sought and cherished. Pagan ethics, at best, just recognized it as right where necessary, but not as good and happy per se. The Gospel puts its obligation and its blessedness on the same footing for allbelievers, as all absolutely dependent for all true good upon the mercy of Another.

The corresponding adjective is used (Matthew 11:29) by our Lord of Himself. Trench remarks that we have Him there recognizing His entire dependence as Man on the Father. Not moral defect but "creatureliness," he says, is the thought there. "In His human nature He must be the pattern of all … creaturely dependence."

Observe the force of the phrase; "alllowliness." The grace was to have the most unreserved scope and exercise.

meekness See Trench again, as just above. The Gr. word imports gentle and entire submission under trial, whatever the trial be, in the consciousness that no other attitude can be right for self. Meekness thus rests "on deeper foundations than its own, namely on those which lowliness has laid for it, and it can only continue while it continues to rest on these." In this respect "it is a grace in advance of lowliness" (Trench).

longsuffering Grouped with "meekness," Galatians 5:22; Colossians 3:12. It so far differs from it as not necessarily to import the patience or submission due to a sense that a chastisement is right, but rather patience for whatever good reason; e. g.largeness of view of things, or deep internal peace and joy. It is used of the Divine patience, Romans 2:4; Romans 9:22; 1 Timothy 1:16; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:15.

forbearing one another in love Here was to be the special motive to "longsuffering," the family-affection of fellow-members of Christ. It is implied that there were sure to be occasions for such forbearance. Cp. Colossians 3:13.