John Calvin 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 may be no more children. Having spoken of that perfect maturity towards which we are progressing throughout the whole course of our lives, he reminds us that, during such progress, we ought not to resemble children. An intervening period is thus identified between childhood and full maturity.

Those are “children” who have not yet advanced a step in the way of the Lord, but who still hesitate—who have not yet determined what road they should choose, but move sometimes in one direction and sometimes in another, always doubtful, always wavering.

Those, again, who are firmly established in the doctrine of Christ, though not yet perfect, have so much wisdom and vigor as to choose properly and proceed steadily in the right course. Thus we find that the life of believers, marked by a constant desire and progress towards the maturity they will ultimately reach, bears a resemblance to youth.

At no period of this life are we fully mature. But let not such a statement be carried to the other extreme, as if there were no progress beyond childhood. After being born to Christ, we should grow, so as not to be children in understanding (1 Corinthians 14:20). Hence it appears what kind of Christianity the Popish system must be, when its pastors labor, with all their power, to keep the people in absolute infancy.

Tossed to and fro, and carried about. The distressing hesitation of those who do not place absolute reliance on the word of the Lord is illustrated by two striking metaphors. The first is taken from small ships, exposed to the fury of the waves in the open sea, holding no fixed course, guided neither by skill nor design, but hurried along by the violence of the tempest.

The next metaphor is taken from straws or other light substances, which are carried here and there as the wind drives them, often in opposite directions. Such must be the changeable and unsteady character of all who do not rest on the foundation of God’s eternal truth.

It is their just punishment for looking not to God, but to men. Paul declares, on the other hand, that faith which rests on the word of God stands unshaken against all the attacks of Satan.

By every wind of doctrine. By a beautiful metaphor, all the doctrines of men, by which we are drawn away from the simplicity of the gospel, are called winds. God gave us His word, by which we might have placed ourselves beyond the possibility of being moved; but, giving way to human contrivances, we are carried about in all directions.

By the cunning of men. There will always be impostors who make insidious attacks upon our faith; but if we are fortified by the truth of God, their efforts will be unavailing. Both parts of this statement deserve our careful attention.

When new sects or wicked tenets spring up, many people become alarmed. But the attempts of Satan to darken the pure doctrine of Christ with his falsehoods are never interrupted; and it is the will of God that these struggles should be the trial of our faith.

When we are informed, on the other hand, that the best and most readily available defense against every kind of error is to bring forward the doctrine we have learned from Christ and His apostles, this surely is no ordinary consolation.

With what awful wickedness, then, are Papists chargeable, who take away from the word of God everything like certainty and maintain that there is no steadfastness of faith except what depends on the authority of men! If a man entertains any doubt, it is in vain to tell him to consult the word of God: he must abide by their decrees.

But we have embraced the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel. Let us therefore confidently expect that we shall reap the advantage promised here—that all the impostures of men will do us no harm. They will attack us, indeed, but they will not prevail.

We are entitled, I acknowledge, to look for the provision of sound doctrine from the church, for God has committed it to her charge; but when Papists use the disguise of the church to suppress doctrine, they give sufficient proof that they have a diabolical synagogue.

The Greek word κυβεία, which I have translated cunning, is taken from dice players, who are accustomed to practicing many arts of deception. The words ἐν πανουργίᾳ, meaning by craftiness, intimate that the ministers of Satan are deeply skilled in imposture. It is added that they keep watch in order to ensnare (πρὸς τὴν μεθοδείαν τῆς πλάνης). All this should rouse and sharpen our minds to profit from the word of God. If we neglect to do so, we may fall into the snares of our enemies and endure the severe punishment of our sloth.