Commentary on Ephesians 5.1–6.21

“Be, then, imitators of God, as dearest children.” This is what he said above: that by this exhortation we are commanded to be imitators of God the Father, so that, if we obey, we may be held dearest children of God. For that son is dearest to his father who imitates his good qualities.

“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet fragrance.” As he wants us to be imitators of God the Father in kindness and mercy, so also of Christ his Son in love; so that, as he loved us, handing himself over for us, so we too ought to lay down even our lives for one another. This the apostle John also said: that by the Lord's example lives are to be laid down for the brothers (1 John 3:16). If, then, Christ's death is a sweet fragrance to God, God gladly accepted his death. If that is true, those who crucified him according to God's will did not sin. But it is not so; because Christ is said to have offered himself to God when he allowed himself to be killed, persevering in the will of God his Father; because one who is unjustly killed, offering himself to the devil, does his will so as to deserve to be killed. So too Christ, while he clung to God's will, displeased the devil, and he killed him for this reason, because he offered himself to God by carrying out righteousness. For in the offering righteousness and truth are signified; for God looks upon this, and this is his acceptable sacrifice: not that the one who is killed pleases God because he is killed, but because he kept righteousness until death. For Christ undertook this death for life; hence it is also called a sweet fragrance to God. Yet to the Romans he says that God handed him over for us all (Rom 8:32). Now it must be asked how God handed him over, or how he offered himself to God; for as far as the words go this seems contradictory. God is said to have handed him over when he allowed him to be killed, as the Lord says to Pilate: “You would have no power against me unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11). For it was given to him, but as one who wished; that is, he was allowed to do what he wished, and this is to hand over: for when he looks the other way, he hands over; for if he had not wished to allow it, he would not have been killed. He allowed him, then, to be killed, but by those who wished to kill him not under compulsion but willingly. They are not, then, free from punishment, because what they wished was permitted them; for condemnation is fitting in that they willed it. Yet God permitted this because he knew that this would be against the devil, for the sake of many. For it was fitting that what the enemy, not foreseeing what was to come against himself, thought he was doing for himself should be permitted to him, so that, blaming his own lack of foresight, he might be tormented with regret for his deed. That Christ offered himself, or that God handed him over, is one thing; because the will of both is one.

“But sexual immorality and all uncleanness or greed, let it not even be named among you, as befits saints.” What he says is plain. Yet how grave a thing greed is, which we overlook, when it is compared to sexual immorality and uncleanness, and is regarded by us as a fault of no importance, though it is a grave sin! Those, then, in whom any of the things he forbids is found cannot be saints.

“Or baseness, or foolish talk, or scurrility, which are not fitting; but rather thanksgiving.” Since some are accustomed to do something base, or to raise a laugh with foolish talk, as though it were not a sin, he forbids this, because the servants of God ought always to appear sober and modest; for one sins through foolish talk. Hence Solomon says: “A fool does evil through laughter” (Prov 10:23). And the Lord says in the gospel that for every idle word that people have spoken they will give account in the day of judgment (Matt 12:36). Nor can many things be distinguished that are said for the purpose of insulting someone; therefore these things do not pertain to anything salutary. Wherefore he admonishes that those things be done and spoken that serve our benefit and the praise of God, in whose law one must meditate day and night, as it is written in the psalm (Ps 1:2). For even when they are silent, the servants of God are to be recognized by their conduct and manners, so that as far as the true is from the false, so far are the servants of God from the servants of the devil.

“For know this, that no one who is sexually immoral or unclean or greedy, which is idolatry, has an inheritance in the kingdom of God and of Christ.” He shows why these things must be removed: because one who is such will not have a part in the kingdom of heaven, which is the Father's and the Son's. Yet to teach that greed is a dangerous thing, he calls it idolatry, than which no sin is greater. Let us see, then, why greed is called idolatry. Idolatry usurps the honour of God and claims it for the creature, when in the name of deity, which belongs to the Creator alone, it asserts that his handiwork is his partner. Greed is made equal to it for this reason: that likewise the greedy man usurps and hoards for himself the things that are God's; so that what God granted in common for the use of all, greed denies, when it gathers these things to itself so that others may not use them; and it hoards them so that they may be sold dear, so that the poor may not live; for if they were not hoarded, the abundance of all things would produce benefit; indeed, among the ancients, because there was no greed, there was no dearth either. Rightly, then, it is compared to idolatry, because it harms many. It is likewise hostile to the Creator; for God wills and commands that the poor be helped from what he has created, and greed opposes it. See whether it can exist without the devil. “Let no one deceive you with empty words; for because of these the wrath of God comes upon the sons of distrust. Do not, then, become partners with them.” Empty words are vain; and vanity is the worship of idols, which certainly does not have its beginning from God but from error. He teaches, then, that assent should not be given to their words; for they are always making a noise, and by a certain seduction of deceit they put forward against the faith the custom of antiquity, judging that the reason of present things is to be asserted, not the hope of things to come. Therefore vengeance comes upon these from heaven, so that they may know that what they refused to believe is true. He teaches that the servants of God ought to be kept far apart from this vanity, so as not to be sharers in their punishment.

“For you were once darkness, but now light in the Lord.” Darkness is ignorance, because no one sees in darkness; and ignorance is paganism, or unbelief, from which they have been drawn to faith by the grace of God, made light, that is, truth; because in the light things are shown as they are. Indeed, the pagans, celebrating their mysteries in darkness in a cave, are deluded with their eyes veiled. Those of them who have become Christians, having known the truth, are called sons of light, because God is light, whose faith they receive in truth.

“Walk as sons of light; for the fruit of light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” He says this so that they may live in such a way as rightly to be called sons of light. For the works of light are done openly, without fear; but the works of darkness in secret, because they are unlawful; for every sin fears to be made public.

“Prove what is pleasing to God.” From the magnificence of holiness and goodness one can weigh the works in which God delights; for he himself said: “Be holy, as I also am holy, the Lord your God” (Lev 19:2). And the Lord: “Be merciful,” he says, “as your Father also is” (Luke 6:36). These things please God; for in holiness is purification, but in mercy full and perfect righteousness.

“And do not share in the unfruitful works of darkness.” He warns that we not be polluted by consenting to the deeds of the wicked, because they are unfruitful for good and profitable for evil.

“But rather reprove them; for the things done by them in secret it is shameful even to speak of.” He wants them not only to be strangers to evil deeds but also to reprove the evil deeds of those who work basely in secret. For sins are then proved when they are reproved; so that they may admire the sons of light, whom, when justly reproved by them, they will not be able to contradict, but will rather revere them. “But all things, when they are reproved, are made manifest by the light.” It is true that sins are seen when they are reproved; because one who sins, as long as he is not rebuked, does not think he is sinning. “For everything that is made manifest is light.” In what is manifest there is no ambiguity, nor can what is openly an offence be excused. For as when the sun appears it can no longer be denied that it is day, so too when sin is made manifest, reproof will not seem false.

“Therefore it says: Rise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and you will touch Christ.” By this sleep he means the stupor of a mind estranged from the true way. And this estrangement is a kind of death, from which he is admonished to rise, so that, coming to his senses, he may recognize the truth, which is Christ. The faithless and the vicious, then, sunk in the mire in despair of life, are admonished to rise or emerge and to have a share with Christ, so as to pass from darkness to light and from death to life.

“See, then, how you walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Since above he commanded that unbelief and the vices of life be reproved by the servants of God, he now adds that these very things be reproved prudently, because of scandal; so that one must live among the faithless with prudence, especially at a time when the faithless reign, presuming on a profane king; so that if a Christian sees a restless and angry opponent, he should keep his distance from him and not even provoke him to blasphemy and to stirring up a storm; but he should speak where the opportunity is given. For as among open unbelievers, when asked what he is, he ought not to keep silent nor deny what he is, so too if there is fear in disputing among them, he must keep quiet; since it is a loss to sow upon thorns. For this is the part of the prudent: to know how to answer each one; for there is one who, though he is faithless, is yet not wholly intractable, so as not to allow himself to hear the words of faith. Again, there is one in whom the zeal of unbelief so burns that one should treat of the faith not only not with him, but not even in his presence; for as he makes a noise and blasphemes, scandal is caused to many. Hence Paul and Barnabas, when they heard people blaspheming against them, shook out their garments and withdrew from them (Acts 13:46, 51).

“Therefore do not become imprudent, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” The Lord Jesus admonishes that peace must be pursued. And the vessel of election says: “If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all” (Rom 12:18). And to Timothy: “The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all” (2 Tim 2:24). This is the Lord's will: that what is to be done by his servants be done with modesty; for agitation and uproar, or contention with animosity, breed enmity. He added these things, then, because of the preceding, in which he wants the servants of God to rebuke the offences of sinful people; so that, since dissension and quarrelling usually arise from this, they may reprove sinners with temperance and gentleness, lest, provoked to anger, they leap into strife. And therefore he warns that this be attended to prudently, so that there may be progress.

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is debauchery.” The sober can have confidence in reproving; for a good way of life strikes fear into the offender; nor will the one reproved be able to take it harshly that he is rebuked, when he knows the excellent life of the one who admonishes him. For where there is drunkenness, there is also debauchery; and debauchery provokes baseness. Therefore it is fitting that they be sober, so that the rights of a good way of life may be kept.

“But be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to God.” The Holy Spirit loves a reasonable life; for if we live well, we shall be filled with him, as he says, to confess and extol God's gift with various melody of voice, so that praise may be sung to God in every tongue. For one in whom the Spirit is always meditates on spiritual things, so that it may not be on the lips only, but may burst forth from the heart, because of the Lord's old saying through the prophet. For he says: “This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Isa 29:13).

“Giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God and the Father, being subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” We are commanded to give thanks to God in all his gifts, who also deigned to adopt us through Christ his own Son, through whom we have known him and have learned that God is to be worshipped in the Spirit (for God is Spirit, John 4:24), each subjecting himself to the other because of the fear of Christ, who commanded that humility be practised.

“Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord; for the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, he himself the saviour of his body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also let wives be subject to their husbands in all things.” Wives are commanded by natural law to be subject to their husbands, because the husband is the woman's source; hence, as to the Lord, he says, so ought they to be subject to their husbands. Hence Sarah called Abraham lord (Gen 18:12); for as Christ is the head of the church, so is the husband of the wife. For the church took its beginning from Christ, and so is subject to him; so too the woman to the man, so as to be subject. Yet there is this difference: that the woman is consubstantial with the man; but the church can share with Christ in name, not in nature.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her, to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of water in the word, so as to present the church to himself glorious, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she might be holy and spotless. So also husbands ought to love their wives.” Wives are commanded to be subject and to have reverence for their husbands; but husbands are admonished to love their wives so much that they would even lay down their lives for them, having zeal, out of love, for their affection and discipline, so that they may be religious and holy. “He who loves his wife loves his own body.” By natural reason the woman is a portion of the man's body, and therefore the man loves himself in the woman; just as, if he commits sexual immorality, he sins against himself, because the two are in one flesh. So the persons do not divide the substance, so that through the persons a number of natures arises; but they are in unity of nature.

“For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ also does the church.” By the Saviour's example he exhorts husbands to love their wives: as Christ nourishes and cherishes his body, so too the husband his wife, because she is his flesh.

“For we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.” This is to be understood spiritually; for he said that we are his members because he himself is the head of the whole church; so that, since we began to exist through him, he is called our head, as the one from whom the whole body subsists; so that every spiritual creature is his member, provided it bends the knee in his name.

“For this reason a man will leave father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two will be in one flesh” (Gen 2:24). To commend unity he gave an example of unity: that as man and woman are one by nature, so Christ and the church may be understood to be one by faith. “This mystery is great; but I speak with reference to Christ and the church.” He signifies that the sacrament of the mystery is great in the unity of man and woman. Nor does he disclose this, but points to another matter, not at variance with the mystery mentioned, which he knows pertains to the progress of the human race, that is, of the church and the Saviour: that as, leaving his parents, a man clings to his wife, so too, leaving all error, the church should cling and be subject to its head, which is Christ. “Nevertheless let each one of you also love his wife as himself, and let the wife fear her husband.” Since there is one nature in man and woman, the husband is admonished to love his wife as himself; but the wife, because she is a person inferior by reason of condition, not of nature, is commanded, as subject to her husband, to fear him.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right: Honour your father and mother.” A law is given to children, that since they owe their existence to their parents as authors, they should obey them; for it is right that they show reverence to those through whom they exist.

“Which is the first commandment of promise: that it may be well with you, and that you may be long-lived on the earth.” This promise is contained in Exodus (Exod 20:12): that parents should be honoured, so that it may be well with them and they may come to a more advanced age. How, though, did he call this the first commandment, when it is agreed that the first commandment is contained thus: “You shall have no other gods besides me”? Then: “You shall not make for yourself any likeness of the things that are in heaven above and on earth below.” Third: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” Fourth: “You shall keep,” he says, “my sabbaths.” And fifth: “Honour father and mother,” and so on (Exod 20:3–12). But because the first four commandments pertain to God, they are understood to be contained in the first tablet; the rest pertain to man: that he honour his parents, not kill, not commit sexual immorality, not steal, not bear false witness, nor covet anything of his neighbour's. These six commandments seem to have been written on the second tablet, of which the first is: “Honour father and mother.” For this reason, then, he said, “which is the first commandment with a promise”: to distinguish between the commandments that pertain to God and those that pertain to man.

“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and correction of the Lord.” So that the Law may be kept, by which it is laid down that children should honour their parents, another law is also given by the Apostle to parents, that they so instruct their children that they do not despise the commandments of the Law; because if they are brought up in the fear of the Lord, they will be able to observe what has been commanded. For if they provoke their children to anger, they themselves do not keep the measure of the Law; for they seem to compel them to be found transgressors. For in anger no one recognizes what is useful; therefore they ought to learn temperance by their parents' example, so as to pursue what is useful. For fathers ought to remember that they too were sons, and certainly did not want to be exasperated by their fathers. Sons too ought to recognize that they will be fathers, and would not want to be dishonoured by their sons. Therefore let both show to each other what they seek from each other.

“Slaves, obey your fleshly masters with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to Christ.” Since our religion is loftier than all and alone powerful, and promises the kingdom of heaven to believers, lest pride should arise in people for this reason, all are commanded to pay what is owed by their present conditions or offices; so that they may rather stir the minds of the faithless to the worship of God, which they see to be both just and humble. For masters, seeing that their slaves have become better and have made faithful progress in rendering service, pay with all generosity what they deserve. Slaves too, when they see the gentleness of their masters, desire with all eagerness the faith by whose so peaceable reins human duties are governed. For one who is in a servile condition, if he has a servant, does not want to be despised by him; and therefore he himself ought not to despise his master; and as he wants his master to deal with him, so he too ought to deal with his servant, and so he will be able to please God.

“Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, serving with good will as to the Lord and not to men; knowing that whatever good each one does, he will receive this from the Lord, whether slave or free.” Because of the fear of God he wants just and faithful service shown to people; for he serves God whose rights he keeps in obeying his fleshly master, who, he hears testified, will repay him and all others for just deeds in the day of judgment. This can also profit the salvation of the masters; for seeing what is difficult, slaves made faithful servants by God's grace, they could praise God's glory.

“And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threats, knowing that both their Lord and yours is in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.” Fleshly masters, not ignorant that God is the common Lord of all, should demand such services as they would not take ill to have demanded of themselves. For with whatever measure anyone measures, it will be measured back to him (Matt 7:2); for the Lord, a just judge, discerns cases, not persons.

“Finally, brothers, be strengthened in the Lord and in the might of his power.” After all the admonitions and exhortations, and the order of discipline handed on religiously, and the dispensation of the mystery made manifest, he wants them to be robust in faith, through confidence in God's power; so that, knowing that the hope of the promise is firm, they may be ready for God's service, steering the helm against the waves stirred up by the enemy's folly. For he stirs up a storm against God's servants, but himself suffers shipwreck.

“Put on the armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the nations.” The armour of God is steadfast faith, through which alone Satan has always been conquered. “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the Principalities and Powers of this world, against the rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness, which are in the heavenly places.” The Apostle is certain that the deaths inflicted by the faithless on God's servants are administered at the devil's instigation, whose height is great and impossible for human beings; he admonishes that against these the armour of God must be taken up, by whose power alone all the devil's devices are overcome and destroyed. For it is he whose satellites are those he calls the rulers of this darkness, the most wicked spirits, who live in the heavenly places, in the firmament of the world. These are the leaders of error, rulers of darkness, that is, set over ignorance and unbelief. For “rulers of darkness” are to be understood as governing toward perversity, as masters of unbelief.

“Therefore take up the whole armour, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and, perfect in all things, to stand, your loins girded in love, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all these, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one; and receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Since we wage war against most savage enemies, cunning in every evasion, we ought therefore to keep watch with every caution and care, so that, whatever they attempt, they may find us fortified and prepared. For it must be that God helps those whom he sees watching in prayer and expecting victory from his weapons. In such a war there is need of a sober mind and a pure conscience, because the fight is not against fleshly wickedness but against spiritual. For against earthborn enemies the body is strengthened with food and the mind fired with drink, to take up boldness for fighting; but against spiritual forces of wickedness one must fight spiritually, and the weapons of sobriety and abstinence must be taken up, so that, filled with the Holy Spirit, we may defeat the unclean and wandering spirits. So we shall gird our loins in truth if we are ready to resist error. For everyone who wishes to work girds himself, so that, the hindrance removed, he may work more diligently.

“Through every prayer and supplication, praying at all times in the spirit, and watching in it with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and for me, that utterance may be given me in the opening of my mouth to make known boldly the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in a chain, so that in it I may use bold freedom, as I ought to speak.” If we live rightly, the Holy Spirit remains in us, and we can obtain what we ask. This, then, is to pray in the spirit at all times: to direct prayer to God with a clean conscience and sound faith. For one prays in the flesh who prays with a polluted mind, intending to sin again, not by accident or surprise but by purpose. But one can avoid sinning unto death if one prays perseveringly, so that the mind, with diligent attention, is always intent on God's Law, meditating day and night on the things that God loves. Then they can also pray for the saints; for it is not unfitting that members should be anxious for one another; nor can it seem rash if worthy disciples intercede for their teacher, helping him, so that, hindrances set aside, he may use freedom to preach as it was handed down by the Author; lest, pressed by the force of tribulations, he blunt the edge of his teaching by fear itself, its severity lost. He exhorts them, then, to pray for him in two ways: that his mind may be filled with the spirit to speak out the mystery fully, and that he may be given the opportunity of boldness in asserting it; which prayer God certainly hears gladly, for he sees his embassy despised in his Apostle, and so, indignant in his own cause, he will not deny it effect. For if it is the custom and law of nations not to inflict harm on envoys, with what presumption and audacity are not only harms but even death inflicted on the envoys of God! Wherefore he also says: “for which I am an ambassador in a chain.” For he was not allowed to speak freely, but, bringing God's words under subjection and constraint, he was subjected to chains, blows, and deaths; for he was stoned and fought with beasts at Ephesus (1 Cor 15:32).

“But so that you too may know my affairs, what I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you; whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that he may know your affairs and console your hearts.” Through Tychicus the Ephesians learn what the Apostle is doing, and he likewise learns what the Ephesians were doing. As for the Apostle, there was no doubt, because what he was doing was divine; but this had to be known about him: what he was doing among the faithless and their plots. As for the Ephesians, it had to be learned whether they were making progress or not. So that they would obey and gladly hear the words of Tychicus, he commends him, calling him a most beloved brother and a fit minister of God. “Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He wishes that peace, which is the door of love, may be with the brothers, and love with faith, so that, having entered through peace, they may remain in love, which is from faith. For this is of God the Father and of his Son our Lord Jesus Christ. “Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption. Amen.” The Apostle, foreknowing that there would be many who would have the sense of a corrupted faith about our Lord Jesus Christ, says that grace will remain for ever with those who love Christ, thinking rightly about him and in accord with the will of God the Father; for from those who hold him degenerate, the grace given them will be taken away.