Ephesians Chapter 5 · Matthew Poole

Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; Ephesians 5:1 ,2

Paul exhorteth to the imitation of God, and of the

love of Christ,

Ephesians 5:3 ,4

to avoid fornication and all uncleanness,

Ephesians 5:5 ,6

which exclude from, the kingdom of God, and draw

down God’s wrath on unbelievers,

Ephesians 5:7-14

with whose works of darkness Christians, that have

better light to inform and influence them, should

have no fellowship,

Ephesians 5:15-17

to walk with prudence and circumspection,

Ephesians 5:18-20

not to drink wine to excess, but to be filled with

the Spirit, singing psalms, and giving thanks to God,

Ephesians 5:21

and being in due subordination to one another.

Ephesians 5:22-24

The duty of wives toward their husbands,

Ephesians 5:25-33

and of husbands toward their wives, enforced by the

example of Christ and his church.

Be ye therefore followers of God;

particularly in being kind, and forgiving injuries,

Matthew 5:45 ,48; so that this relates to the last verse of the former chapter.

As dear children;

viz. of God. Children should imitate their fathers, especially when beloved of them.

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. And walk in love;

let your whole conversation be in love.

As Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us;

viz. to die for us,

Galatians 2:20, as the greatest argument of his love,

John 15:13 Romans 5:8.

An offering and a sacrifice to God:

either

offering

signifies a meat-offering, which was joined as an appendix with the bloody sacrifice; or rather more generally, all the oblations that were under the law; and the word

sacrifice

either restrains it to those especially in which blood was shed for expiation of sin, or explains the meaning of it: q.d. Christ gave himself an offering, even a sacrifice in the proper sense, i.e. a bloody one.

For a sweet-smelling savour;

i.e. acceptable to God; alluding to the legal sacrifices,

{see Genesis 8:21 Leviticus 1:9 }

and intimating those other to have been accepted of God, only, with respect to that of Christ; and that as Christ dying to reconcile sinners to God was acceptable to him, so our spiritual sacrifices are then only like to be accepted of him, when we are reconciled to our brother,

Matthew 5:23 ,24.

Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; But fornication;

folly committed between unmarried persons, especially men’s abuse of themselves with common strumpets, a sin not owned as such among the heathen.

And all uncleanness;

all other unlawful lusts whereby men defile themselves.

Or covetousness;

either an insatiable desire of gratifying their lusts, as

Ephesians 4:19; or rather an immoderate desire of gain, which was usual in cities of great trade, as Ephesus was: see

Ephesians 5:5.

Let it not be once named among you;

not heard of, or not mentioned without detestation: see

Psalm 16:4 1 Corinthians 5:1.

As becometh saints,

who should be pure and holy, not in their bodies and minds only, but in their words too.

Ephesians 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. Neither filthiness;

obscenity in discourse,

filthy communication,

Colossians 3:8.

Nor foolish talking;

affectation of foolish, vain speech, (whether jocose or serious), unprofitable, to the hearers.

Nor jesting;

either the same as the former, as may seem by the disjunctive particle

nor,

which may be by way of explication; or (which is of kin to it) scurrility in discourse, which is many times, by them that are addicted to it, called by the name of urbanity, or jesting: for all that jesting is not here condemned appears by

1 Kings 18:27 Isaiah 14:11.

Which are not convenient;

viz. for saints.

But rather giving of thanks;

i.e. to God for mercies received, which will better cheer up and recreate the mind than foolish talking and jesting can.

Ephesians 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Nor covetous man, who is an idolater;

because he serves Mammon instead of God, loves his riches more than God, and placeth his hope in them.

Hath any inheritance;

without repentance; for he speaks of those that persevere in such sins, whom he calls children of disobedience,

Ephesians 5:6.

In the kingdom of Christ and of God;

not two distinct kingdoms, but one and the same, which belongs to God by nature, to Christ as Mediator. By this phrase he intimates, that there is no coming into the kingdom of God but by Christ.

Ephesians 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Vain words;

false and deceitful, which cannot secure to you the impunity they promise you, bearing you in hand, either that those things are not sins, or not so dangerous.

The wrath of God;

viz. in the other world.

Ephesians 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. With those children of disobedience, who continue in the forementioned sins: see

Job 34:8 Psalm 50:18.

Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: For ye were sometimes darkness;

the same as in darkness,

Romans 2:19 1 Thessalonians 5:4; viz. the darkness of sin, ignorance, unbelief. The abstract being put for the concrete, shows the greatness of that darkness in which they were.

But now are ye light in the Lord;

either now, being in Christ, ye are light, or rather, ye are enlightened or made light by Christ, being furnished with spiritual knowledge, faith, purity, and holiness.

Walk as children of light;

a Hebraism;

children of light,

for those that are in the light,

1 Thessalonians 5:5: q.d. Let your conversation be suitable to your condition and privileges: see

1Jo 1:7.

Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) The fruit of the Spirit;

either in the fruit or work of the new nature, or of the Holy Ghost, by whom we are made light in the Lord: see

Galatians 5:22.

In all goodness;

either a general virtue in opposition to wickedness, or benignity and bounty.

Righteousness;

in opposition to injustice, by covetousness, fraud, &c.

Truth;

in opposition to error, lies, hypocrisy. He shows what it is to

walk as children of light.

Ephesians 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Searching what the will of the Lord is, and approving it by your practice as the rule of your walking,

Romans 12:2.

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them . Have no fellowship with;

not only do not practise them yourselves, but do not join with others in them, by consent, advice, assistance, or any other way whereby ye may be defiled by them.

The unfruitful;

by a meiosis, for bringing forth evil fruit, destructive, pernicious,

Romans 6:21 Galatians 6:8.

Works of darkness;

wicked works, so called because they proceed from darkness in the mind, the ignorance of God, and men are put upon them by the devil, the prince of darkness, and because they are afraid of the light.

But rather reprove them;

or convince them, viz. not only by your words,

Leviticus 19:17 Matthew 18:15, but especially by your actions, which being contrary to them, will both evidence them to be, and reprove them as being, works of darkness.

Ephesians 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. For it is a shame even to speak of those things;

much more to have fellowship with them in them.

Which are done of them in secret;

the darkness adding boldness, as if what men did not see, God did not observe.

Ephesians 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. But all things;

or all those things, viz. those unfruitful works of darkness, which are to be

reproved.

Are made manifest;

i.e. in the minds and consciences of the sinners themselves.

By the light;

the light of doctrine in verbal reproofs, and of a holy life in real and practical ones.

For whatsoever doth make manifest is light;

or, it is the light which manifests every thing, viz. which was before in the dark. The apostle argues from the nature and office of light; q.d. It is the property of light to discover and manifest what before was not seen, and therefore it becomes you who are light in the Lord to

shine as lights in the world,

Philippians 2:15, that ye may by your holy conversation convince wicked men of their wickedness, and deeds of darkness, which they did not before perceive in themselves.

Ephesians 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. He saith;

either God by the prophets, of whose preaching this is the sum; it may allude in particular to

Isaiah 60:1. Or, Christ by his ministers, in the preaching of the gospel, who daily calls men to arise from the death of sin by repentance, and encourageth them with the promise of eternal life.

Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead;

the same thing in two different expressions. Sinners in some respects are said to be asleep, in others, to be dead. They are as full of dreams and vain imaginations, and as unfit for any good action, as they that are asleep are for natural; and they are as full of stench and loathsomeness as they that are dead. Here therefore they are bid to awake from sin as a sleep, and to arise from it as a death. The meaning is, that they should arise by faith and repentance out of that state of spiritual death in which they lie while in their sins.

And Christ shall give thee light;

the light of peace and joy here, and eternal glory hereafter. The apostle intimates, that what is the way of Christ in the gospel should likewise be the practice of these Ephesians, whom he calls

light in the Lord,

viz. to reprove the unfruitful works of darkness, and awaken sleeping, dead sinners, and bring them to the light of Christ.

Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, See then that ye walk circumspectly;

being called to reprove the evil conversation of others, see that ye walk exactly and accurately yourselves, avoiding extremes and keeping close to the rule. See the same word rendered

diligently,

Matthew 2:8, and

perfectly,

1 Thessalonians 5:2.

Not as fools;

who are destitute of spiritual wisdom, and through carelessness fall into sin or error, though in the light of the gospel.

But as wise;

those that are taught of God, and are endued with wisdom from above.

Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Redeeming the time;

or, buying the opportunity: a metaphor taken from merchants, that diligently observe the time for buying and selling, and easily part with their pleasure for gain; q.d. Deny yourselves in your ease, pleasure, &c. to gain an opportunity of doing good.

Because the days are evil;

either wicked, by reason of the wickedness of those that live in them, or troublesome, full of difficulties and dangers, by reason of men’s hatred of you, and so either depriving you of the opportunity of doing good, or exposing you to hazards for doing it.

Ephesians 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is . Understanding,

diligently considering,

what the will of the Lord is,

in the understanding of which your chief wisdom consists.

Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Wherein,

in which drunkenness,

is excess;

profuseness, lasciviousness, and all manner of lewdness, as the effects of drunkenness,

Proverbs 23:29, &c.

But be filled with the Spirit;

the Holy Spirit, often compared to water; or the joy of the Spirit, in opposition to being filled with wine,

Acts 2:13, and that carnal mirth which is caused by it: q.d. Be not satisfied with a little of the Spirit, but seek for a greater measure, so as to be filled with the Spirit. See

Psalm 36:8 John 3:34 John 4:14.

Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Speaking, &c.

in opposition to the vain chaff and lewd talkativeness of drunkards over their cups.

To yourselves;

Gr. in yourselves, i.e. among yourselves, both in church assemblies and families.

In psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs;

under these names he comprehends all manner of singing to mutual edification and God’s glory. The particular distinction of them is uncertain, but most take

psalms

to be such as anciently were sung with musical instruments;

hymns,

such as contained only matter of praise;

spiritual songs,

such as were of various matter, doctrinal, prophetical, historical, &c.: see on

Colossians 3:16.

Singing and making melody in your heart;

not only with your voice, but with inward affection, contrary to the guise of hypocrites.

To the Lord;

to the glory of God, not for the pleasure of the sense, or for gain, &c.

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Giving thanks always:

God still by fresh mercies gives fresh occasion for thanksgiving, and we must accordingly continue our thanksgiving through the whole course of our lives without weariness.

For all things;

all sorts of mercies, among which afflictions may be reckoned, as working for good to them that love God,

Romans 8:28.

Unto God and the Father;

i.e. unto God even the Father, the Fountain of all our good.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

in whose name, and by whose merit, all good things are given to us, and by whom we offer up all our prayers, and praises, and spiritual services, that they may be accepted of God.

Ephesians 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Submitting yourselves one to another,

viz. to those to whom ye ought to be subject in natural, civil, or church relations.

In the fear of God;

either for fear of offending God, the Author of all power, who commands this subjection; or so far as is consistent with the fear of God, and so in those things which are not forbidden of him.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands;

yielding honour and obedience to them.

As unto the Lord;

for the Lord’s sake who hath commanded it, so that ye cannot be subject to him without being subject to them: see

1 Timothy 2:12.

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. For the husband is the head of the wife;

superior to her by God’s ordination in authority and dignity, as the head in the natural body, being the seat of reason, and the fountain of sense and motion, is more excellent than the rest of the body.

Even as Christ is the head of the church:

see

Ephesians 1:22 Colossians 1:18. The particle

as

notes not equality, but likeness, Christ being the Head of the church in a more excellent way than the husband is of the wife.

And he is the saviour of the body;

i.e. Christ is the Saviour of his church, implying that so likewise the husband is given to the wife to be a saviour to her, in maintaining, protecting, and defending her; and therefore the wife, if she regard her own good, should not grudge to be subject to him.

Ephesians 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. As the church is subject to Christ,

viz. with cheerfulness, chastity, humility, obedience, &c.

So let the wives be to their own husbands;

in imitation of the church’s subjection to Christ, as a pattern of their subjection to their husbands.

In every thing;

understand, to which the authority of the llusband extends itself.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church,

viz. with a sincere, pure, ardent, and constant affection. As they resemble Christ in the honour they have of being the heads of their wives, so they must likewise in performing the duty of loving them, under which all matrimonial duties are comprehended.

And gave himself for it;

whereby he testified the greatness of his love.

Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might sanctify;

purify from its filth, and consecrate unto God: implying the whole translation of it out of a state of sin and misery into a state of grace and life, consisting in the remission of sin, and renovation of nature.

And cleanse it;

or, cleansing it, importing the means whereby he works the former effect.

With the washing of water,

viz. in baptism, in which the external washing represents seals, and exhibits the internal cleansing from both the guilt and defilement of sin by the blood of Christ,

Hebrews 9:14 Revelation 1:5.

By the word;

the word of the gospel, especially the promise of free justification and sanctification by Christ, which received by faith is a means of this sanctification, and without which the external washing is ineffectual; the sign, without the word whereof it is a seal, being no sacrament.

Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. That he might present it to himself;

hereafter in heaven; that the whole church of the elect may be present with him,

2 Corinthians 5:6 ,8 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

A glorious church;

perfect in knowledge and holiness, shining with a heavenly glory, and fully conformed to himself,

1Jo 3:2.

Not having spot;

spot of sin, in allusion to spots in garments.

Or wrinkle;

any relic of old Adam, in allusion to wrinkles in the body, which are signs of old age, and imply deformity.

Or any such thing,

viz. which is contrary to the beauty of the church, and might make her unpleasing to Christ her Husband.

Without blemish;

without any fault to be found in her. He seems to allude to the sacrifices, which were to be without blemish,

Leviticus 1:3: see

Song of Solomon 4:7.

Ephesians 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies;

with the same kind of love wherewith they love their own bodies. The woman at first was taken out of the man, and on that account the wife may be said to be a part of her husband.

He that loveth his wife loveth himself;

either this explains the former, and

himself

here is the same as

their own bodies

before; or it adds to it, and is as much as, his own person, the wife being another self, one flesh, the same person (in a civil sense) with her husband.

Ephesians 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: No man;

none in his right senses; or no man hates his flesh absolutely, but the diseases or miseries of it.

His own flesh;

his body.

Nourisheth and cherisheth it;

feeds and clothes it, and supplies it with things necessary for it.

Even as the Lord the church,

which he furnisheth with all things needful to salvation.

Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. We are members of his body;

his mystical body.

Of his flesh, and of his bones;

as Eve was of Adam’s,

Genesis 2:23; only that was in a carnal way, this in a spiritual, as by the communication of Christ’s flesh and blood to us by the Spirit we are united to him, and members of him.

Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. For this cause;

because the woman was formed of the flesh and bones of the man. He refers to Adam’s words,

Genesis 2:24.

Shall a man leave his father and mother;

as to cohabitation, and domestic conversation; or, let a inan rather leave his father and mother than not cleave to his wife. The apostle doth not cancel the obligations of other relations, but prefers this before them.

They two shall be one flesh;

i.e. one body, or one man, viz. by the marriage bond, whereby each hath power over the other’s body,

1 Corinthians 7:4.

Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. This is a great mystery;

either, this that was spoken before of a marriage union between Christ and the church, and its being of his flesh and of his bones, is a great mystery, and so in the latter part of the verse the apostle explains himself. Or, this that was said of the conjunction of Adam and Eve was a great mystery, (i.e. a great secret in religion), as being a type of Christ’s marriage with his church; though not an instituted type appointed by God to signify this, yet a kind of natural type, as having a resemblance to it.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Nevertheless;

q.d. Setting aside this mystery; or, to return to my former exhortation.

Love his wife even as himself;

as her that is one flesh with him.

Reverence her husband;

or fear, yet not with a servile, but ingenuous fear, and such as proceeds from love.