John Calvin Commentary Ephesians 5

Be you therefore followers. The same principle is pursued and reinforced by the consideration that children ought to be like their father. He reminds us that we are the children of God, and therefore we ought, as far as possible, to resemble Him in acts of kindness. It is impossible not to perceive that the division of chapters, in this instance, is particularly unfortunate, as it has created a separation between parts of the subject that are very closely related. If, then, we are the children of God, we ought to be followers of God. Christ also declares that unless we show kindness to the unworthy, we cannot be the children of our heavenly Father.

“Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you; that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
(Matthew 5:44–45)

And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us. Having called on us to imitate God, he now calls on us to imitate Christ, who is our true model. We ought to embrace each other with that love with which Christ has embraced us, for what we perceive in Christ is our true guide.

And gave himself for us. This was a remarkable proof of the highest love. Forgetful, as it were, of himself, Christ did not spare his own life, that he might redeem us from death. If we desire to partake of this benefit, we must cultivate similar affections toward our neighbors. Not that any of us has reached such high perfection, but all must aim and strive according to the measure of their ability.

An offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savor. While this statement leads us to admire the grace of Christ, it bears directly on the present subject. No language, indeed, can fully represent the consequences and efficacy of Christ’s death. This is the only price by which we are reconciled to God. The doctrine of faith on this subject holds the highest rank.

But the more extraordinary the revelations of the Redeemer’s kindness that have come to us, the more strongly are we bound to his service. Besides, we may infer from Paul’s words that, unless we love one another, none of our duties will be acceptable in the sight of God. If the reconciliation of humanity, effected by Christ, was a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savor, we, too, shall be unto God a sweet savor, (2 Corinthians 2:15), when this holy perfume is spread over us. To this applies the saying of Christ:

Leave thy gift before the altar, and go and be reconciled to thy brother. (Matthew 5:24).

For you were once darkness. The precepts which immediately follow derive greater weight from the motives with which they are mingled. Having spoken of unbelievers, and warned the Ephesians not to become partakers of their crimes and their destruction, he argues still further, that they ought to differ widely from the life and conduct of those men.

At the same time, in order to guard them against ingratitude to God, he refreshes their remembrance of their own past life. “You ought,” he says, “to be very different persons from what you formerly were; for out of darkness God has made you light.”

Darkness is the name here given to the whole nature of man before regeneration; for, where the brightness of God does not shine, there is nothing but fearful darkness.

Light, again, is the name given to those who are enlightened by the Spirit of God; for immediately afterwards in the same sense, he calls them children of light, and draws the inference, that they ought to walk in light, because by the mercy of God they had been rescued from darkness.

Observe here, we are said to be light in the Lord, because, while we are out of Christ, all is under the dominion of Satan, whom we know to be the Prince of darkness.

For the fruit of the light. This parenthesis is introduced to point out the road in which the children of light ought to walk. A complete description is not given, but a few parts of a holy and pious life are introduced by way of example. To give them a general view of duty, their attention is again directed to the will of God.

Whoever desires to live in a proper and safe manner, let him resolve to obey God and to take his will as the rule. To regulate life entirely by his command is, as he says in another Epistle, a reasonable service, (Romans 12:1), or, as another inspired man expresses it, To obey is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15:22).

I wonder how the word Spirit (πνεὐματος) has crept into many Greek manuscripts, as the other reading is more consistent—the fruit of the light. Paul’s meaning indeed is not affected; for in either case it will be this: that believers must walk in the light, because they are children of the light.

This is done when they do not live according to their own will but devote themselves entirely to obedience to God—when they undertake nothing but by his command. Besides, such obedience is testified by its fruits, such as goodness, righteousness, and truth.

And have no fellowship. As the children of light dwell amid the darkness, or, in other words, in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation (Deuteronomy 32:5) — there is good reason for warning them to keep themselves apart from wicked actions. It is not enough that we do not, of our own accord, undertake anything wicked.

We must beware of joining or assisting those who do wrong. In short, we must abstain from giving any consent, advice, approval, or assistance, for in all these ways we have fellowship. And lest anyone should imagine that they have done their duty merely by not conniving, he adds, but rather reprove them. Such a course is opposed to all dissimulation.

Where a manifest offense is committed against God, everyone will be eager to vindicate themselves from any share in the guilt, but very few will guard against connivance; nearly all will practice some kind of dissimulation. But rather than the truth of God fail to remain unshaken, let a hundred worlds perish.

The word ἐλέγχειν, which is translated reprove, corresponds to the metaphor of darkness, for it literally signifies to drag out into the light what was formerly unknown. As ungodly people flatter themselves in their vices (Psalms 36:2) and wish their crimes to be concealed, or to be considered virtues, Paul enjoins that they are to be reproved. He calls them unfruitful, because they not only do no good but are absolutely harmful.