Albert Barnes Commentary Ephesians 4:14

"that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;" — Ephesians 4:14 (ASV)

That we henceforth be no more children. In some respects, Christians are to be like children. They are to be docile, gentle, mild, and free from ambition, pride, and haughtiness. (See Matthew 18:2 and Matthew 18:3.)

But children have other characteristics besides simplicity and docility. They are often changeable (Matthew 11:17); they are credulous, and are easily influenced by others and led astray. In these respects, Paul exhorts the Ephesians to no longer be children, but urges them to put on the characteristics of manhood, and especially to put on the firmness in religious opinion which befitted maturity of life.

Tossed to and fro. kludwnizomenoi. This word is taken from waves or billows that are constantly tossed about—in all ages an image of instability of character and purpose.

And carried about with every wind of doctrine. With no firmness, no settled course, no helm. The idea is that of a vessel on the restless ocean, tossed about with every varying wind, and having no settled line of sailing. Many people are like this in regard to religious doctrines.

They have no fixed views and principles. They hold no doctrines that are settled in their minds by careful and patient examination, and the consequence is that they yield to every new opinion and submit to the guidance of every new teacher. The doctrine taught here is that we should have settled religious opinions.

We should carefully examine what is truth, and having found it, should adhere to it and not yield to every new teacher who comes along. We should not, indeed, close our minds against conviction. We should be open to argument and be willing to follow the truth wherever it will lead us.

But this state of mind is not inconsistent with having settled opinions and with being firm in holding them until we are convinced that we are wrong. No one can be useful who does not have settled principles. No one who does not have such principles can inspire confidence or be happy; and the first aim of every young convert should be to acquire settled views of the truth and to become firmly grounded in the doctrines of the gospel.

By the sleight of men. The cunning, skill, trickery of men. The word used here—kubeia—is from a word, kubov, meaning a cube or a die, and properly means a game with dice. Hence, it means game or gambling, and then anything that turns out by mere chance or hap-hazard, as a game with dice does.

It may possibly also denote the trick or fraud that is sometimes used in such games; but it seems rather to denote a person forming their religious opinions by the throw of a die; or, in other words, it describes a person whose opinions seem to be the result of mere chance.

Anything like casting a die, or like opening the Bible at random to determine a point of duty or doctrine, may come under the apostle's description here, and would all be opposed to the true method: calm examination of the Bible and prayer. A person who forms their religious principles by chance can unform them in the same way; and one who has determined their faith by one cast of the die will be likely to throw them into another form by another. Therefore, I would render the phrase "the sleight of men" as "by the mere chance of men; or, as you might happen to encounter people—one holding this opinion and the next that—and thus allowing yourself to be influenced by them without any settled principles."

Cunning craftiness. Deceit, trick, art. (See 2 Corinthians 12:16; Luke 20:23; and 1 Corinthians 3:19.) (See also 2 Corinthians 4:2 and 2 Corinthians 11:3.)

Whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Literally, "Unto the method of deceit;" that is, in the usual way of deceit. Doddridge states, "In every method of deceit." This is the true idea. The meaning is that people would use plausible pretences and would, if possible, deceive the professed friends of Christ. Against such we should be on our guard; and our opinions should be formed not by their arts, but by the word of God.