Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Ephesians 4:28

Ephesians 4:28. Let him who stealeth, not, ‘stole,' as if a single act were meant. One who acts thus, not quite so strong as ‘thief,' But were there any such among the Ephesian Christians? Possibly there were, comp. 1 Corinthians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 12:21; but more probably the term should be understood in the spirit of Christian ethics, of those who lived by their wits, cheating their neighbors, or in indolence neglected to labor for themselves, becoming a burden on the charity of others. Certainly the context points to such, as included. Preying upon others in any way is forbidden: let such steal no longer; but rather, etc. How he should labor is explained in the appended clause: working with his hands that which is good. The effort is to be assiduous, the ‘hands' that were thievish are to be used in honest labor. Laziness is but a form of dishonesty; and manual labor is far more honorable than many forms of ‘business,' so-called.

That he may have, etc. Why he should labor is now stated. Further it is implied that all labor, however assiduous and honest, which does not aim at a surplus to give away, is not distinctively Christian. The laborer may not always be conscious of this end, but it must be practically present. The precept of this verse is the very opposite of communism, which encourages men to take as their right, not to give as their privilege. Here is the germ of Christian social science. It does not encourage demands from capital (the accumulated surplus of labor), but lays a personal duty upon the Christian capitalist. On the other hand, each is commanded not only to labor but to have a surplus: to be a capitalist for benevolent purposes at least. The Apostle's language discourages begging, combining to extort, or legislating in favor of idleness. Legislative charity is not necessarily Christian charity; taxes are not free will offerings of benevolence. The dignity of manual labor is sustained by the Apostle's example (Acts 18:3; Acts 20:34; 2 Thessalonians 3:8) and precept (Acts 20:35; 2 Thessalonians 3:10). To despise labor is a mark of barbarism, not of civilization. Unless the primal curse (Genesis 3:19) be accepted and transformed into a blessing, it becomes a worse misfortune. The one rule for making it a blessing is given by this Apostle: ‘So laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive' (Acts 20:35).

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Ephesians 4:28

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