Albert Barnes Commentary Ephesians 5

Ephesians Chapter 5

This chapter is a continuation of the practical exhortations begun in chapter 4. It comprises the following points or subjects:

1. The exhortation to be followers of God and to walk in love (Ephesians 5:1–2).
2. The duty of avoiding the impure practices of the surrounding heathen, and of wholly breaking off from the vices in which even they themselves had indulged before their conversion to Christianity (Ephesians 5:3–17).
3. The apostle cautions them particularly against the use of wine and the revelry that attends its use; and exhorts them rather to engage in the exercises to which the Holy Spirit would prompt them, and to the services of praise and thanksgiving (Ephesians 5:15–20).
4. He exhorts them to mutual subjection, and particularly enjoins on wives the duty of being subject to their husbands (Ephesians 5:21–24).
5. The chapter closes with a statement of the duty of husbands to love their wives, illustrated by that which Christ showed for the church (Ephesians 5:25–33).

Be ye therefore followers of God. In Greek: "Be imitators—mimhtai—of God." The idea is not that they were to be the friends of God, or numbered among His followers, but that they were to imitate Him in the particular thing under consideration.

The word "therefore"—oun—connects this with the previous chapter, where he had been exhorting them to kindness and to a spirit of forgiveness. He here entreats them to imitate God, who was always kind and ready to forgive .

As He forgives us (Ephesians 4:32), we should be ready to forgive others. As He has borne with our faults, we should bear with theirs. As He is ever ready to hear our cry when we ask for mercy, we should be ready to hear others when they desire to be forgiven. And as He is never weary of doing us good, we should never be weary of benefiting them.

As dear children. The meaning is, "as children who are beloved follow the example of a father, so we, who are beloved of God, should follow His example." What a simple rule this is! And how much contention and strife would be avoided if it were followed! If every Christian who is angry, unforgiving, and unkind would just ask himself the question, "How does God treat me?" it would save all the trouble and resentment that ever exists in the church.

The term "followers" in this verse should be understood as "imitators."

And walk in love. That is, let your lives be characterized by love; let that be shown in all your conduct and speech (see commentary on John 13:34).

As Christ also has loved us. We are to show the same love for one another which he has shown for us. He showed his love by giving himself to die for us, and we should show similar love to one another (1 John 3:16).

And has given himself for us. This is evidently added by the apostle to show what he meant by saying that Christ loved us, and what we ought to do to show our love for each other. The strength of his love was so great that he was willing to give himself up to death on our account; our love for our brethren should be such that we would be willing to do the same thing for them (1 John 3:16).

An offering. The word here used—prosforan—means, properly, that which is offered to God—in any way, or whatever it may be. It is, however, in the Scriptures, commonly used to denote an offering without blood—a thank-offering—and thus is distinguished from a sacrifice, or a bloody offering. The word occurs only in Acts 21:26; Acts 24:17; Romans 15:16; Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 10:5, 8, 10, 14, 18.

It means here that he regarded himself as an offering to God.

And a sacrifice, yusian. Christ is here expressly called a Sacrifice—the usual word in the Scriptures to denote a proper sacrifice. A sacrifice was an offering made to God by killing an animal and burning it on an altar, designed to make atonement for sin. It always implied the killing of the animal as an acknowledgment of the sinner that he deserved to die. It was the giving up of life, which was supposed to reside in the blood (see commentary on Romans 3:25), and hence it was necessary that blood should be shed. Christ was such a sacrifice; and his love was shown in his being willing that his blood should be shed to save people.

For a sweet-smelling savour. (See commentary on 2 Corinthians 2:15, where the word 'savour' is explained.) The meaning here is that the offering which Christ made of himself to God was like the grateful and pleasant smell of incense; that is, it was acceptable to him. It was an exhibition of benevolence with which he was pleased, and it gave him the opportunity of showing his own benevolence in the salvation of people.

The meaning of this in connection here is that the offering which Christ made was one of love. So, Paul says, love one another. Christ sacrificed himself by love, and that sacrifice was acceptable to God. So show love to one another. Sacrifice everything that opposes it, and it will be acceptable to God. He will approve all that is designed to promote love, as he approved the sacrifice that was made, under the influence of love, by his Son.

But fornication. This was a common vice among the Gentiles then, as it is now, and one into which they were in special danger of falling (see the notes on Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 6:18).

And all uncleanness. This refers to impurity of life (see the notes on Romans 1:24).

Compare Romans 6:9; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19; Colossians 3:5.

Or covetousness. The connection in which this word is found is remarkable. It is associated with the lowest and most debasing vices, and this, as well as those vices, was not once to be named among them. What was Paul’s estimate, then, of covetousness? He considered it an odious and abominable vice, a vice to be regarded in the same light as the most gross sin, and as wholly to be abhorred by all who bear the Christian name . According to Paul, the covetous man is to be ranked with the sensual and with idolaters (Ephesians 5:5), and with those who are entirely excluded from the kingdom of God. Is this the estimate in which the vice is held now? Is it the view which professing Christians take of it? Do we not feel that there is a great difference between a covetous man and a man of impure and licentious life? Why is this? Because:

1. it is so common;
2. because it is found among those who make pretensions to refinement and even religion;
3. because it is not so easy to define what covetousness is, as it is to define impurity of life; and
4. because the public conscience is seared, and the mind blinded to the low and groveling character of the sin.

Yet, is not Paul’s view the right view? Who is a covetous man? A man who, in the pursuit of gold, neglects his soul, his intellect, and his heart. A man who, in this insatiable pursuit, is regardless of justice, truth, charity, faith, prayer, peace, comfort, usefulness, and conscience. Who will say that there is any vice more debasing or degrading than this?

The time may come, therefore, when the covetous man will be regarded as deserving the same rank in public estimation with the most vicious, and when TO COVET will be considered as much opposed to the spirit of the gospel as any of the vices named here. When that time comes, the world’s conversion will probably not be a distant event.

Let it not be once named among you. That is, let it not exist; let there be no occasion for mentioning such a thing among you; let it be wholly unknown. This cannot mean that it is wrong to mention these vices for the purpose of rebuking them or cautioning those in danger of committing them—for Paul himself mentions them in this manner here and frequently elsewhere—but that they should not exist among them.

As becometh saints. This means as befits the character of Christians, who are regarded as holy. Literally, “as becometh holy ones”—hagiois.

Neither filthiness. That is, obscene or indecent conversation. Literally, that which is shameful, or deformed—aischrotes. The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament.

Nor foolish talking. This word—morologia—does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It means that kind of talk which is insipid, senseless, stupid, foolish; which is not fitted to instruct, edify, or profit—the idle chit-chat which is so common in the world. The meaning is that Christians should aim for their conversation to be sensible, serious, and sincere, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, "that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment," (Matthew 12:36).

Nor jesting. eutrapelia. This word also does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It properly means, that which is well-turned (eu, well, and trepo—to turn); and then that which is sportive, refined, courteous; and then urbanity, humor, wit; and then jesting, levity—which is evidently the meaning here. The apostle would not forbid courteousness or refinement of manners (compare 1 Peter 3:8); and the reference, therefore, must be to that which is light and trifling in conversation, to what is known among us as jesting. It may be observed:

1. That courteousness is not forbidden in the Scriptures, but is positively required (1 Peter 3:8).

2. Cheerfulness is not forbidden—for if anything can make one cheerful, it is the hope of heaven.

3. Pleasantry cannot be forbidden. I mean that quiet and gentle humor that arises from good-nature, and that makes one good-natured in spite of oneself. Such are many of the poems of Cowper, and many of the essays of Addison in the "Spectator"—benevolent humor which disposes us to smile, but not to be malignant; to be good-natured, but not to inspire levity.

But levity and jesting, though often manifested by ministers and other Christians, are as inconsistent with true dignity as with the gospel. Where were they seen in the conversation of the Redeemer? Where in the writings of Paul?

Which are not convenient. That is, which are not fit or proper, which do not become the character of Christians. (See Barnes on Romans 1:28.)

Christians should be grave and serious, though cheerful and pleasant. They should feel that they have great interests at stake, and that the world has too. They are redeemed—not to make sport; purchased with precious blood—for other purposes than to make others laugh.

They are soon to be in heaven—and one who has any impressive sense of that will habitually feel that they have much else to do than to make others laugh. The true course of life is midway between moroseness and levity, sourness and lightness, harshness and jesting.

Be benevolent, kind, cheerful, bland, and courteous, but serious. Be solemn, thoughtful, deeply impressed with the presence of God and with eternal things, but pleasant, affable, and benignant. Think not a smile sinful, but think not levity and jesting harmless.

But rather giving of thanks. Thanks to God, or praises, are more becoming to Christians than jesting. The idea here seems to be that such employment would be far more appropriate to the character of Christians than idle, trifling, and indelicate conversation.

Instead, therefore, of meeting together for low wit and jesting, for singing songs, and for the vulgar discourse that often attends such "gatherings" of friends, Paul would have them come together for the purpose of praising God and engaging in His service.

People are social in their nature; and if they do not assemble for good purposes, they will for bad ones. It is much more appropriate to the character of Christians to come together to sing praises to God rather than to sing songs; to pray rather than to jest; to converse about the things of redemption rather than to tell anecdotes; and to devote time to contemplating the world to come, rather than to trifles and nonsense.

For this you know. Be assured of this. The object here is to deter from indulgence in those vices by the solemn assurance that no one who committed them could possibly be saved.

Nor unclean person. No one of corrupt and licentious life can be saved. See Revelation 22:15.

Nor covetous man, who is an idolater. That is, he bestows on money the affections due to God. See Colossians 3:5. To worship money is as real idolatry as to worship a block of stone. If this is so, what an idolatrous world this is! How many idolaters are there in professedly Christian lands! How many, it is to be feared, in the church itself! And since every covetous man is certainly to be excluded from the kingdom of God, how anxious should we be to examine our hearts, and to know whether this sin may not lie at our door!

Has any inheritance, etc. Such a one will never enter heaven. This settles the inquiry about the final destiny of a large portion of the world; and this solemn sentence our conscience and all our views of heaven approve. Let us learn from this:

1. That heaven will be pure.
2. That it will be a desirable place—for who would wish to live always with the licentious and the impure?
3. It is right to reprove these vices and to preach against them. Should we not be allowed to preach against those sins which will certainly exclude people from heaven?
4. A large part of the world is exposed to the wrath of God. How many are covetous! How many multitudes are licentious! In how many places is licentiousness openly and unblushingly practiced! In how many more places in secret! And in how many more is the heart polluted, while the external conduct is moral; the soul corrupt, while the individual moves in respectable society!
5. What a world of shame hell will be! How dishonorable and disgraceful to be damned forever, and to linger on in eternal fires, because the man was TOO POLLUTED to be admitted into pure society! Here, perhaps, he moved in fashionable life, and was rich, honored, and flattered. There he will be sent down to hell because his whole soul was corrupt, and because God would not allow heaven to be contaminated by his presence!
6. What a doom awaits the covetous man! He, like the sensualist, is to be excluded from the kingdom of God. And what is to be his doom? Will he have a place apart from the common damned—a golden palace and a bed of down in hell? No. It will be no small part of his aggravation that he will be doomed to spend an eternity with those in comparison with whom on earth, perhaps, he thought himself to be as pure as an angel of light.
7. With this multitude of the licentious and the covetous, all who are not renewed and sanctified will sink to hell. What a prospect for the gay, the fashionable, the moral, the amiable, and the lovely, who have no religion! For all the impenitent and the unbelieving, there is but one home in eternity. Hell is less terrible from its penal fires and its smoke of torment than from its being made up of the profane, the sensual, and the vile. Its supremest horrors arise from its being the place where all the corrupt and unholy dwellers in a fallen world will be gathered—all who are so impure that they cannot be admitted into heaven. Why, then, will the refined, the moral, and the amiable not be persuaded to seek the society of a pure heaven and to be prepared for the world where holy beings dwell?