John Calvin Commentary Ephesians 4

The three remaining chapters consist entirely of practical exhortations. Mutual agreement is the first subject, during which a discussion is introduced concerning the government of the church, as it was established by our Lord to maintain unity among Christians.

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord. His imprisonment, which might have been thought more likely to cause him to be despised, is appealed to, as we have already seen, as a confirmation of his authority. It was the seal of that embassy with which he had been honored. Whatever belongs to Christ, though in the eyes of men it may be attended by disgrace, ought to be viewed by us with the highest regard. The apostle’s prison is more truly venerable than the splendid retinue or triumphal chariot of kings.

That you may walk worthy. This is a general sentiment, a sort of preface, on which all the following statements are founded. He had formerly illustrated the calling with which they were called, and now reminds them that they must live in obedience to God, so that they may not be unworthy of such distinguished grace.

With all humility. He now proceeds to specific points, and first of all he mentions humility. The reason is that he was about to discuss the subject of Unity, to which humility is the first step. This, in turn, produces meekness, which inclines us to bear with our fellow believers, and thus to preserve that unity which would otherwise be broken a hundred times a day.

Let us remember, therefore, that in cultivating brotherly kindness, we must begin with humility. From where do rudeness, pride, and disdainful language towards fellow believers come? From where do quarrels, insults, and reproaches come? Do they not come from this: that each person carries their love of self, and their regard for their own interests, to excess?

By laying aside haughtiness and a desire to please ourselves, we shall become meek and gentle, and acquire that moderation of temper which will overlook and forgive many things in the conduct of our fellow believers. Let us carefully observe the order and arrangement of these exhortations. It will be useless to inculcate forbearance until natural fierceness has been subdued and mildness acquired; and it will be equally vain to discuss meekness until we have begun with humility.

Forbearing one another in love. This agrees with what is elsewhere taught, that love suffereth long and is kind (1 Corinthians 13:4). Where love is strong and prevalent, we shall perform many acts of mutual forbearance.

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit. With good reason does he recommend forbearance, as tending to promote the unity of the Spirit. Innumerable offenses arise daily, which might produce quarrels, particularly when we consider the extreme bitterness of the natural human temper. Some consider the unity of the Spirit to mean that spiritual unity which is produced in us by the Spirit of God. There can be no doubt that He alone makes us of one accord, of one mind, (Philippians 2:2) and thus makes us one; but I think it more natural to understand the words as denoting harmony of views. This unity, he tells us, is maintained by the bond of peace; for disputes frequently give rise to hatred and resentment. We must live at peace, if we wish that brotherly kindness should be permanent among us.

There is one body. He proceeds to show more fully how completely Christians ought to be united. The union ought to be such that we should form one body and one soul. These words denote the whole person. We ought to be united, not only in part, but in body and soul.

He supports this with a powerful argument: as ye have been called in one hope of your calling. We are called to one inheritance and one life; therefore, it follows that we cannot obtain eternal life without living in mutual harmony in this world.

Since one divine invitation is addressed to all, they ought to be united in the same profession of faith and to give every kind of assistance to each other.

Oh, if this thought were deeply impressed upon our minds—that we are subject to a law that no more permits the children of God to differ among themselves than it permits the kingdom of heaven to be divided—how earnestly we should cultivate brotherly kindness!

How we should dread every kind of animosity, if we properly reflected that all who separate us from our brothers and sisters estrange us from the kingdom of God!

And yet, strangely enough, while we forget the duties that brothers and sisters owe to each other, we continue boasting that we are the children of God.

Let us learn from Paul that no one is at all fit for that inheritance who is not one body and one spirit.

One Lord. In the first Epistle to the Corinthians, he employs the word Lord to denote simply the government of God.

“There are differences of administration, but the same Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:5).

In the present instance, as he shortly after expressly mentions the Father, he gives this title strictly to Christ, who has been appointed by the Father to be our Lord, and to whose government we cannot be subject unless we are of one mind. The frequent repetition of the word one is emphatic.

Christ cannot be divided. Faith cannot be torn apart. There are not various baptisms, but one which is common to all. God cannot cease to be one, and unchangeable.

It must therefore be our duty to cherish holy unity, which is bound by so many ties. Faith, and baptism, and God the Father, and Christ ought to unite us, so that we almost become one man.

All these arguments for unity deserve to be pondered, but cannot be fully explained here. I consider it sufficient to take a rapid glance at the apostle’s meaning, leaving its full illustration to the preachers of the gospel. The unity of faith, which is here mentioned, depends on the one, eternal truth of God, on which it is founded.

One baptism, this does not mean that Christian baptism is not to be administered more than once, but that one baptism is common to all, so that through it we begin to form one body and one soul.

But if that argument has any force, a much stronger one will be founded on the truth that the Father, and Son, and Spirit are one God, for it is one baptism which is celebrated in the name of the Three Persons.

What reply will the Arians or Sabellians make to this argument? Baptism possesses such force as to make us one; and in baptism, the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Spirit is invoked.

Will they deny that one Godhead is the foundation of this holy and mysterious unity? We are compelled to acknowledge that the ordinance of baptism proves the existence of Three Persons in one Divine essence.