Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Ephesians 4:22

Ephesians 4:22. That ye put off. The emphasis is on the verb, which is used of throwing oft garments. No more special reference (as preparation for a race, for baptism) is necessary. The tense points to a single, sudden act.

As regards your former way of life. ‘Conversation' is misleading; comp. Galatians 1:13. The phrase qualifies the verb ‘put off,' and this putting off of the old man is indispensable, because in their former way of life this old man was, as it were, the garment in which they were clothed

The old man. The corrupt self, the depraved nature, the ‘flesh' in the ethical sense (see Excursus on Romans 7), here personified, in contrast with ‘the new man' (Ephesians 4:24). It is ‘old,' because it is regarded as condemned, done away, and in Romans 6:6 is spoken of as ‘crucified.'

Which waxeth corrupt. The participle, thus rendered, has been variously explained, as ‘which tends to corruption,' ‘which is corrupted,' ‘which corrupteth himself,' The last view, which brings out the force of the present and middle senses of the original, is preferable, and fairly paraphrased by Ellicott as above. The idea of growing corruption was probably suggested by the figure of putting off an old garment. Eternal destruction is suggested as the culmination of the process of corruption.

According to the lusts of deceit. Not ‘deceitful lusts,' but lusts which belong to deceit, sin being thus characterized because of its power of deceiving. These ‘lusts' are the instruments which carry on the process of corruption, and their agency is so potent, because the subjects are deceived as to the true character of the desires they cherish. In the more refined forms of sin the deceit is the greater. The entire ‘culture ‘of too many is included here, as it was in those days of classical heathenism.

Continues after advertising

BibliaPlus

Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Ephesians 4:22

Old Testament

New Testament