HORTATORY PART. CHAPTER S 4-6. THE WALK WORTHY OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE CHURCH IN CHRIST. As in most of his Epistles, the Apostle turns his didactic statements into practical exhortations. The latter are not appended, but grow out of the former (‘therefore,' chap. Ephesians 4:1). This Apostolic ‘t... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:1. CHILDREN. The exhortation to children is placed first; the general precept in chap. Ephesians 5:21 (‘submitting yourselves,' etc.) calls for this order. OBEY YOUR PARENTS IN THE LORD. ‘Obey' is stronger than ‘submit yourselves;' the sphere or element of the obedience is ‘in the Lord.... [ Continue Reading ]
2. _Christian Duties of Children and Parents._ These exhortations naturally follow those of the last section and rest, as the previous ones do, upon the common relation to the Lord. For the children of Christian parents, through the vital fellowship with them, are recognized as ‘holy' (1 Corinthian... [ Continue Reading ]
IV. SPECIAL CHRISTIAN DUTIES IN HOUSEHOLD RELATIONS. (1.) Of wives and husbands; chap. Ephesians 5:22-33. (2.) Of children and parents; chap. Ephesians 6:1-4. (3.). Of servants and masters; chap. Ephesians 6:5-9.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:2. HONOR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER. See marginal references for repetitions and citations of Exodus 20:12. ‘Honor' includes more than obedience; Luther: ‘serve, love and esteem.' ‘Thy' should be repeated with ‘mother,' to give the force of the article which occurs twice: both parents sta... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:3. THAT _(‘_ in order that') IT MAY BE WELL WITH THEE, etc. The Apostle here follows Deuteronomy 5:16, rather than Exodus 20:12; the two passages differing slightly from each other. He, however, omits ‘which the Lord thy God giveth thee,' This omission gives the promise a wider reference... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:4. And ye fathers. ‘And' suggests that there are duties on the side of the superiors also. ‘Fathers,' because in the household these represent the ultimate authority (chap. Ephesians 5:22; Ephesians 5:24; Ephesians 5:33); Ephesians 6:1-2 show that no depreciation of the mother is involve... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:5. SERVANTS; lit, ‘bondmen,' slaves. While the passage has its very obvious application to all servants, the word itself refers to ‘slaves.' The last clause of Ephesians 6:8 (‘bondman or free') does not oppose this view. The application of the principles here involved must legitimately r... [ Continue Reading ]
3. _Christian Duties of Servants and Masters_. The precepts for the subordinate class come first, but both are exhorted as Christians; the servants to serve as to the Lord, the masters to rule as having a common Master with their servants. The principles here set forth may readily be applied to all... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:6. NOT IN THE WAY OF EYESERVICE, AS MEN-PLEASERS. A further description of the last clause, ‘in singleness,' etc. ‘Eyeservice' is a word coined by the Apostle to express that kind of service which seeks the appearance of fidelity, namely, under the master's eye; hence rendered as ‘men-pl... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:7. WITH GOOD WILL. The word is not that sometimes rendered ‘good pleasure,' but another which implies a well-disposed mind. The work is to be clone ‘from the soul,' heartily (Ephesians 6:6), but this phrase refers to the disposition to the master. DOING SERVICE, AS TO THE LORD, AND NOT... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:8. KNOWING; since ye know; encouraging motive for such obedience. THAT WHATSOEVER GOOD THING EACH ONE DOETH. The early manuscripts present a number of various readings of this clause, affecting mainly the order of the words; the better supported variation may be rendered: ‘that each on... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:9. AND YE MASTERS. The position and authority is recognized. Do THE SAME THINGS TO-WARDS THEM. ‘The Apostle had stooped to the slave, and he was not afraid to speak with erect attitude to the master. The language is general, and expresses what Calvin well calls _jus analogum'_ (Eadie).... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:10. HENCEFORTH. So the oldest authorities read; this suggests an inference. The words ‘my brethren' must be rejected. Singularly enough the Apostle does not thus address his readers throughout this Epistle. BE STRENGTHENED; the verb is passive. It is God who strengthens (Philippians 4:... [ Continue Reading ]
V. CONCLUDING EXHORTATION: BE STRENGTHENED IN THE LORD, AND PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD. Having exhorted his readers with respect to these various duties, the Apostle most appropriately concludes the practical part of the Epistle by directing them to the true source of strength and defence in the discha... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:11. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR, lit, panoply, a term then applied to the entire equipment, offensive and defensive (comp. Ephesians 6:17), of heavy armed infantry, the choice troops of those days. The several parts are spoken of in Ephesians 6:14-17. As Paul was bound by a chain to a soldie... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:12. For explains why we need to stand against this foe. OUR WRESTLING; the conflict in which we are engaged; the term being applied to hand to hand contests in athletic games. IS NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD. (The original has the unusual order: ‘blood and flesh.') Our real conflict a... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:13. WHEREFORE. Against such superhuman foes we need not only Divine strength (‘in the Lord') but Divine equipment, defensive and offensive. TAKE UP. A technical term, used of taking armor in order to put it on. THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD; see Ephesians 6:11, and below. THAT, in order... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:14. STAND THEREFORE. Stand ready for the fight, as the description of the armor indicates; others include the thought of standing in the fight. Standing victorious is the result, but is not referred to here. HAVING GIRT YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH. Putting on the girdle was the first act in a... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:15. AND HAVING SHOD YOUR FOOT. The Roman soldier wore sandals, in the soles of which nails were thickly studded, to give firm footing. Doubtless Paul had this in mind. WITH THE PREPAREDNESS, not, ‘preparation,' but promptitude of soul, readiness to act, giving firmness and constancy to... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:16. IN ALL THINGS, _i.e.,_ on all occasions. The received reading is, however, well supported, and means ‘in addition to all.' TAKING UP, as in Ephesians 6:13. THE SHIELD OF FAITH. The large shield of ancient times is referred to; four feet long, and two and a half wide. It was held o... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:17. AND RECEIVE, as offered to you by the Lord. THE HELMET OF SALVATION. The protection for the head of the ancient soldier, and his chief ornament, was the helmet. The Christian's helmet is ‘salvation,' _i.e.,_ the fact that he is saved, salvation appropriated by faith. In 1 Thessalon... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:18. This verse is to be connected with ‘Stand therefore' (Ephesians 6:14). Prayer must attend the putting on of the armor and the subsequent use of it. WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION PRAYING AT ALL TIMES IN THE SPIRIT. This is the correct order, the emphasis resting on the phrase ‘wit... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:19. AND ON MY BEHALF, especially for him among the saints. Not for himself, but for the sake of the gospel he thus speaks. THAT UTTERANCE MAY BE GIVEN; from God. IN THE OPENING OF MY MONTH, _i.e.,_ when I speak for God, the reference being, not to the quality or source of the discour... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:20. IN BEHALF OF WHICH, _i.e.,_ the mystery of the gospel, I AM AN AMBASSADOR IN A CHAIN. His preaching had made him a prisoner, but this is not the important thought; even when chained to a Roman soldier, he was still an ambassador of God to proclaim the gospel mystery. In view of his o... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:21. BUT. With this word of transition the Apostle passes to his brief conclusion. THAT YE ALSO; as well as those who are near him. Some explain: you as well as the Colossians to whom I have just written; but this will hold good only when the priority of that Epistle is otherwise establ... [ Continue Reading ]
VI. CONCLUSION. Personal Intelligence by Tychicus (Ephesians 6:21-22); closing benedictions, peace and grace (Ephesians 6:23-24).... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:22. WHOM I SENT. The sending would be a past act, when the letter was received. Meyer says, sent from Colosse, but the same phrase occurs in Colossians 4:8, so that nothing can be inferred as to the priority of writing, or in delivering the letters. FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE, namely, THAT Y... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:23. PEACE TO THE BRETHREN, etc. This double greeting is quite peculiar: it is in the third person, although Ephesians 6:21-22 were in the second; ‘peace' comes before ‘grace' (Ephesians 6:24), reversing the usual order, while the two-fold form is quite as peculiar. (See further, at close... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:24. GRACE, lit, ‘the grace,' the grace of God in Christ (comp. the usual benediction). WITH ALL THEM THAT LOVE, etc. The reference here seems to be to all Christians; comp. the anathema in 1 Corinthians 16:22. IN INCORRUPTION, not, ‘in sincerity,' which forms an anti-climax, not ‘in... [ Continue Reading ]