Chapter 4

4:1: "prisoner of the Lord..." See notes on 3:1. "Exhort you to walk worthy..." Colossians 2:6 tells us that "just as we have received Christ as Lord to so walk in Him". Because we have been made new we must live worthy of our calling. "walk" refers to our daily conduct. "calling..." This refers to God's call for salvation (2 Timothy 1:9). Paul bringing into light his imprisonment shows the Ephesians the price of walking worthy of the Lordship and calling of Christ even unto the hardship and pain of imprisonment.

4:2-4: As parts of the body of Christ, bearing with one another in love is crucial for unity as the body of Christ. (Colossians 3:14)

4:2: "humility and gentleness, with patience..." All of these attributes are natural fruit born out of the Holy Spirit's indwelling. In this sense, the word "humility" literally means "lowliness of mind". These attributes, humility, gentleness, and patience, enable us to "bear with one another in love" and these attributes cultivate the unity of the Spirit. Pride divides but a humble love unifies. Having a "lowliness of mind" enables us to lift others above our own selves.

4:3: Bearing with one another in love enables us to "keep the unity of the Spirit". "unity of the Spirit..." A natural unity which flows from and out of the Spirit. The Spirit puts us into unity with another though we are multi-tempered and different but yet we are one in Christ. The Spirit unifies these many parts of the body and "binds" us with peace.

4:4: One body- The Church. One Spirit- The Holy Spirit. One Hope- Glorification with Christ.

4:5: One Lord- Christ. One Baptism- likely refers to physical baptism, ones outward proclamation of Christ.

4:6: One God- this is just the basic doctrine of God spoken throughout Scripture. Over all- Although God is sovereignly willing over all creation, Paul is speaking here not about all creation but rather all who believe. He is spiritually authoritative over them.

4:7: Paul here is using the word "but" to make a transition from unity into individuality. To each one of us a spiritual gift was given, and it was given freely out of the hand of God, not taught nor earned.

4:8: Here, Paul is using an interpretation of Psalm 68:18 and taking it as an analogy for Christ's ascension. In Psalm 68, David celebrated over God's conquest of the "Jebusite" Jerusalem. Kings would bring home spoils to divide and likewise Christ, in his victory, brought and distributed "spoils" consisting of Spiritual Gifts.

4:9: Paul here is referring to the ascension of Christ from earth to heaven found in Acts 1:9-11. "lower parts" of the earth does not refer to a specific place or location but rather is in contrast to heaven. The "lowest" that Christ has been is in His self emptying and making Himself "nothing".

4:10: He who descended is also He who ascended far above all things in His ascension and exaltation above all things.

4:11: "apostles..." This is referring to the Apostles of Christ (The Twelve + Paul). This "office" of ministry is now closed. "prophets..." Those called by God to speak on His behalf. This office is closed as well, as the Biblical Canon has been finished and the Church has been (past tense) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. "evangelists..." Refers to men preach the gospel of Christ to unbelievers, in contrast with "pastors and teachers... This refers to one office of Ministry. These men preach and teach the Gospel to those inside of the church and "shepherd" the church. Just as Christ is the shepherd and overseer over the entire flock, these men shepherd and overseer over the local flock.

4:12: Christ gave Himself "these" (see verse 11) for the equipping (preparing/perfecting) of the "saints" (believers in Christ) for the "work of service" (works of ministry) to the building up of the body of Christ, which is the Church.

4:17: We have become part of the body of Christ and should not walk according to the pattern of this world but rather according to the pattern and life of Christ. We are called to walk the narrow path. (Colossians 2:6-7, Colossians 3:1, Romans 12:2, 1 John 4:5, Matthew 7:13-14).

4:18: Those outside of the Lord are darkened in their understanding due to the hardness of their heart in their unregenerate state. The ignorance they have by their own will to the things of God alienates them from both the life God would give them as well as the life that the Lord desires them to live in. They are alienated both to the essence of spiritual life given to every true believer as well as the motive of life which displays itself in a submission and reverence for the Lord and a desire for living in godliness. They are alienated not just in a sense of being "not so close" to God but in reality are completely cut off and disconnected from both the life of God and God himself.

4:19: The word used here for "callous" means "to be past feeling." Because of the unbelievers’ spiritual state of being past feeling—dead in sin by nature—they have given themselves up of their own will to the practice of every kind of impurity. Not only did God give them up to themselves, but they also gave themselves up to their own dirt and filth. They did not recognize God as God and thus were given over to their futile minds and hearts, which are set on the course of this world. The word "sensuality," in this context, speaks to the general concept of undisciplined, ungodly behavior, not merely sexual perversion.

4:20: Paul contrasts the behaviors of those apart from God to those who are in Christ. Those who are in Christ have laid aside those things Paul was previously speaking of in the verses before.

4:21: Those who are in Christ have been taught in the way of Christ which does not conform to this world. "Truth is in Jesus..." Jesus is the truth and truth is found in Him. (John 8:44, John 14:6)

4:22–24: We, just as they, are dead in our old self and old man, which belonged to our former life. We were constantly in a state of corruption and destruction according to the lusts of deceit and the desires of the flesh and mind. We who are in Christ have laid aside these things that we were formerly infatuated with and dead in. Our old minds were set on the things of the world, but now those who are in Christ have been set upon the renewal of their minds.

This is not to say that their minds are already renewed, but rather that our minds are in a state of renewal. Our minds have been made new in the likeness of our new man, but our minds are in a constant state of renewal. Our minds have been made new in a sense of will and morality, but not in the sense of being fully cleansed. We are being renewed in a spiritually alive mind rather than a mind set on vain things. Our minds are new in nature but still stained by the things of this flesh.

We are not to put on the new man in a sense of changing the nature of ourselves into that which is new. We are already renewed. Rather, what Paul is saying is that just as we have been made into a new man, we are to put on that new man externally as well as internally and walk in that renewal. We are not renewing ourselves here but walking in the renewal in which we have been given. We are putting it on in a sense of motive and will, not changing ourselves, as the Lord has already done.

This new man into which we have been renewed has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. We do not transform ourselves. It is participation in our transformation, not an active self-transformation.

4:25: Just as the truth is found in Christ, and our new man is modeled after the likeness of God, because we have put on the new man, we are to lay aside falsehood. For the truth is found in God, and thus those in Him must speak that which they know to be true. Here Paul speaks to two different groups: neighbors and brothers. Every brother in Christ is technically a neighbor of ours on earth, yet not every neighbor is a brother in Christ.

We are to speak truth with our neighbors, meaning that we are to speak truth with all those on earth. The truth that we are to lay aside falsehood is universal. We are not to speak lies, and we are to lay aside falsehood. Yet we cannot expect those who are not in Christ to listen to this precept. Our laying aside falsehood is not just among the brethren but among all of our earthly neighbors. “For we are members of each other” speaks to the truth that we are not just one body in Christ, but that we are united in Christ to each other.

4:26: A verse taken from Psalm 4:4. Anger appears not to be a sin in itself but definitely becomes sin when it is brought out in action whether in thought or deed. We are to deal with sin quickly and not let it rest nor sit idly. We are to swiftly bring the Lord's ointment of peace upon the anger with which we are burning.

4:27: Anger can quickly become an opportunity for sin and the devil's influence in our lives.

4:28: The one who previously took without permission now is to openly give out the palm of his hand and the one who previously reaped without laboring must now labor that he might sow into others. In this context, "he who steals" is referring mostly to the past, as in "he who stole" but also applies to the present: "must steal no more".

4:29: The word used here for "unwholesome" can mean "worthless" and "corrupt". This is referring to things spoken that have no need of being said as well as things which tear somebody down. This is not to say that a stern word is unbeneficial or worthless because of its tonality for a word of admonishment or warning certainly brings forth much good fruit. What it comes down to is grace. We are to speak in a beneficial manner that seeps with grace.

4:30: We grieve the Holy Spirit when we are in rebellion against God (Isaiah 63:10). We cause Him sorrow and hurt when we sin against Him. We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) and preserved for the day of redemption. When we lack obedience to the truth—and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth—we grieve Him.

4:31: "bitterness..." A bitter hatred. Bitterness is in opposition to kindness. In this context, it refers both to bitterness in mind and deed (speech). "anger..." There are points in time when the temptation of anger will come upon us, but we are to "put it away from us." "wrath..." The action that proceeds out of anger. Also described as "violent passion." "malice..." Evil intent towards people or a person. Also expressed as "depravity of mind, which is opposed to humanity and justice." All of these things are to be "put away from us," just as we have taken off the old garment/man, so are these things to be taken off alongside it.

4:32: "instead" here is as opposed to the things previously spoken of in the verse beforehand, being bitterness, anger, wrath, shouting, slander, malice, and all types of bitterness and anger. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit and proceeds out of the heart of a true believer in Christ. Believers are to forgive each other (and others), just as they themselves have been forgiven in Christ. We are to be tender-hearted, just as we have been given a heart of flesh, as opposed to the heart of stone which brings forth those things spoken of in verse 31.