Ephesians 4:32

Ephesians 4:32. But become ye. ‘But' marks the contrast with Ephesians 4:31; ‘become' points to a process, indicating that the preceding warning was needed.

Kind to one another; benignant, of a sweet disposition, the practical manifestation is implied; comp. Galatians 5:22.

Tenderhearted; having sympathy, heartfelt compassion, etc.

Forgiving each other; not, ‘one another,' as before; possibly the change marks more strongly the fellowship of Christians. The participle shows how the kindness and sympathy should be manifested; opportunities to forgive will not be lacking.

Even as God in Christ forgave you (some authorities read ‘us'). The example is introduced as a motive, but ‘even as' is not = ‘because.' The verb points to a single crowning act of forgiveness in the past, and should not be translated: ‘hath forgiven,' or ‘will forgive,' a gloss which our feeble faith too frequently puts upon it. ‘In Christ' (not, ‘for Christ's sake') may be connected with ‘God,' or with ‘forgave:' either presents an important truth. God in Christ forgave us, and God forgave us in Christ, in giving Him to be a propitiation for our sins. The latter though accords better with the term used and with the emphasis Paul places on the atonement. So nearly all recent commentators. Kindness is well, compassion is better, but forgiveness is God-like. Forgiveness, however, is the result of an inward experience of God's forgiving love in Christ. Not to believe in Christ is to exclude the strongest motive for pardoning those who injure us.