Charles Spurgeon Commentary Ephesians 4:26

"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:" — Ephesians 4:26 (ASV)

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Be angry sometimes. A man who is never angry surely has no strong convictions in him, for he who is not angry at evil can scarcely be thought to rejoice in that which is good. But anger is a dog that is very apt to bite the wrong persons; therefore, be angry, and sin not.

Anger is like fire. Let it always be put out at night. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, but if it lights during the day, keep it in the grate—keep it in its proper place, for if fire takes hold where it should not, the house may be destroyed, and the man himself may perish in the fire.

If you are angry, as you sometimes must be, be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down on your wrath. They say that the stings of some obnoxious creatures will not die until the sun goes down. Well, let the sting of anger die when the sun goes down. Rake out the fire when the sun is down. Do not keep it blazing all night long, ready for the morning.

Let it go out, lest our anger become hatred and become malice.

Be angry, and sin not:

If you must be angry (and you must, sometimes), take care that you do not sin when you are angry. It is rather a difficult thing to be angry, and not to sin; yet, if a man were to see sin, and not to be angry with it, he would sin through not being angry. If we are only angry, in a right spirit, with a wrong thing, we shall manage to obey the injunction of the apostle: Be angry, and sin not:

Let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Never let it outlive the day, but forgive before the sun goes down.

Speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

Then, why should we lie one to another? Should one hand try to deceive the other hand? Should the eye mislead the foot? Surely, the union of one member with all the other members should ensure its truthfulness.

Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down upon your wrath:

If ever angry, be only angry with evil, and never retain anger in your heart. It must not last more than a day. They say that a wasp's sting dies at night; so, let every resentful thought die away as the sun sets.