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Ephesians Chapter 6

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. - As in all three reciprocal duties discussed here, Paul began

with the duties of that group who were supposed to submit or obey. "Obedience is a stronger word than submission which was given as the duty of the wife." James M. Gillis, The Ten Commandments (New York: The Paulist Press, 1931), p. 49. James M. Gillis outlined a program for the healing of modern society as follows:

The salvation of society is in the family and the

reconstruction of family virtues, parental authority, and filial obedience. The family is the nucleus of all society. You can have no prosperous state unless the family is healthy. You can have no effective church unless the family is sound . . . The family is the organic cell from which all human societies are constructed.

"For this is right . . ." There will never be a time when it is

right for children to disregard, dishonor, and disobey their parents. "Parents give their children three things: they bring them into being, provide them nourishment, and afford them instruction." Thomas Aquinas, The Ten Commandments of God (London: Burnes, Oates, and Washbourne, Ltd. 1937), p.50. There are three concentric rings describing the situation in which all men should learn discipline and obedience, these being the home, the school and society. If one does not learn obedience at home, he becomes a troublemaker in school; and from there he soon graduates to the police court. A great deal of the world's sorrows could be prevented if all children were taught to obey their parents.

"In the Lord . . ." Paul did not have in view here anything

except Christian homes. He did not teach that children should obey instructions which contradict basic Christian principles. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

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- Children, obey your parents -- After speaking of the relations of husband and wife, next comes that of parents and children. The child is begotten, conceived, and brought into existence by the parents. It is a part of themselves, each imparting of their own life and being to the child. They take care of it, sustain it, and the child looks to the parent as the parent looks to God. In gratitude to the parent and as a means of training, it is to trust and obey God as it grows older. God has always required the child to obey the parent; under the Mosaic law, he said: "If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and, though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them; then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; and they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee; and all Israel shall hear, and fear." (Deut. 21: 18-21.) This was a son in his minority, but when the parents grow old and infirm in body and mind, and the child has reached the strength and wisdom of manhood, honor then demands support and help, but always with deference, kindness, and respect.

in the Lord: -- This limits the submission. That is, whatever

can be done in obedience to the parents without violating the law of God, that do; but beyond this no child dare go without deep condemnation upon itself. The fearful doom of those who fail to obey God in order to please parents or propitiate the world is given in the following: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him . . . If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me." (John 14: 21-24.) When one does the will of parents rather than obey the commandments of God, or when he fails to do the commandments of God to please any earthly being, he shows

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that he loves that being more than he loves God. Whenever one fails to bear whatever cross stands in his way, he fails to obey God in order to save his life even, he cannot be a disciple of the Lord. (Luke 14: 26, 27; 17:33.)

for this is right. -- The same obligation and restriction in

obeying parents, not only for gratitude and love of the parent, but because God requires it. In obeying the parent the child obeys God. This is the added obligation. But the child old enough to be accountable to God is under higher obligation to obey God than it is to obey the parent. It must disobey the parent in order to obey God when their requirements conflict. The first duty is to God. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- (i) There was the Roman patria potestas, the father's

power. Under the patria potestas a Roman father had absolute power over his family. He could sell them as slaves, he could make them work in his fields even in chains, he could punish as he liked and could even inflict the death penalty. Further, the power of the Roman father extended over the child's whole life, so long as the father lived. A Roman son never came of age. Even when he was a grown man, even if he were a magistrate of the city, even if the state had crowned him with well- deserved honors, he remained within his father's absolute power. "The great mistake," writes Becker, "consisted in the Roman father considering the power which Nature imposes as a duty on the elders, of guiding and protecting a child during infancy, as extending over his freedom, involving his life and death, and continuing over his entire existence." It is true that the father's power was seldom carried to its limits, because public opinion would not have allowed it, but the fact remains that in the time of Paul the child was absolutely in his father's power.

(ii) There was the custom of child exposure. When a child

was born, it was placed before its father's feet, and, if the father stooped and lifted the child, that meant that he acknowledged it and wished it to be kept. If he turned and walked away, it

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meant that he refused to acknowledge it and the child could quite literally be thrown out.

There is a letter whose date is 1 B.C. from a man called

Hilarion to his wife Alis. He had gone to Alexandria and he writes home on domestic affairs:

"Hilarion to Alis his wife heartiest greetings, and to my

dear Berous and Apollonarion. Know that we are still even now in Alexandria. Do not worry if when all others return I remain in Alexandria. I beg and beseech of you to take care of the little child, and, as soon as we receive wages, I will send them to you. If -- good luck to you! -- you have a child, if it is a boy, let it live; if it is a girl, throw it out. You told Aphrodisias to tell me: 'Do not forget me.' How can I forget you? I beg you therefore not to worry."

It is a strange letter, so full of affection and yet so callous

toward the child who may be born. A Roman baby always ran the risk of being repudiated and

exposed. In the time of Paul that risk was even greater. We have seen now the marriage bond had collapsed and how men and women changed their partners with bewildering rapidity. Under such circumstances a child was a misfortune. So few children were born that the Roman government actually passed legislation that the amount of any legacy that a childless couple could receive was limited. Unwanted children were commonly left in the Roman forum. There they became the property of anyone who cared to pick them up. They were collected at night by people who nourished them in order to sell them as slaves or to stock the brothels of Rome.

(iii) Ancient civilization was merciless to the sickly or deformed

child. Seneca writes, "We slaughter a fierce ox; we strangle a mad dog; we plunge the knife into sickly cattle lest they taint the herd; children who are born weakly and deformed we drown." The child who was a weakling or imperfectly formed had little hope of survival.

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It was against this situation that Paul wrote his advice to children and parents. If ever we are asked what good Christianity has done to the world, we need but point to the change effected in the status of women and of children. William Barclay - The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- "This is just . . ." That children should obey their parents in

everything lawful, is right in itself, even although the parents be unbelievers; as it is a proper return for the maintenance and education which they receive from their parents, and as it is enjoined by the law of every well regulated state. Macknight on the Epistles

2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a

promise), - This is one of the ten commandments written on tablets of

stone at Sinai. To honor father and mother is to discharge faithfully the duties the child owes them -- obedience in childhood, respect, reverence through life, tender care, and support in old age, and kindness and love at all times. This is the first commandment that has a specific promise connected with it. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Paul lays on children that they should obey the commandment

and honor their parents. He says this is the first commandment. He probably means that it was the first commandment which the Christian child was taught to memorize. The honor Paul demands is not the honor of mere lip service. The way to honor parents is to obey them, to respect them, and never to cause them pain. William Barclay - The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- This is one of the ten commandments written on tables of stone

at Sinai. To honor father and mother is to discharge faithfully the duties the child owes them -- obedience in childhood, respect, reverence through life, tender care, and support in old age, and kindness and love at all times. This is the first commandment that has a specific promise connected to it. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

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- Which is the first commandment with a promise. -- In the second commandment there is a promise of mercy to them who keep the commandments in general; but the fifth is the first commandment which hath a promise annexed to it in particular. This observation concerning the promise in the law to those who honoring their parents, the apostle made, to show that the honoring of parents is a matter of the greatest importance to the well-being of society, and highly acceptable to God. Macknight on the Epistles

- Honor thy father and mother (which is the first

commandment with promise). Some have been puzzled by this reference to "the first commandment with promise."

- It is asked, Does not the second commandment contain a

promise, too? Or, if the reference there to the mercy of God being shown to thousands of generations is to be regarded as a statement rather than as a promise, then is not the fifth the only one of the ten with a promise? Francis Foulkes, The Tyndale NT Commentaries, Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1963. p. 164.

Perhaps the best understanding of this is to take "with promise"

not to be a modifier of "first commandment," thus being parenthetical. This would leave the flat declaration that "this is the first for children." This would make Paul's meaning to be, "Children obey your parents in the Lord, for that is the first commandment for children; also, there is a promise connected with it." Certainly, Paul was not saying here that the Fifth Commandment in the Decalogue is the first, except in the sense indicated. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

3 “that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the

earth.” - The blessings come as the result of the character that loves

and honors the parent, and then God, and preserves from the fatal ruin of the stubborn and rebellious son. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

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- This blessing is the heritage of dutiful children in every land. The obedience of childhood and youth rendered to a wise Christian rule forms in the young the habit of self-control, self- respect, diligence, promptitude, faithfulness, and kindness of heart, which are the best guarantees for happiness and success in life. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- This promise is as true now as it was when included in the

Decalogue. Multiplied thousands of untimely and tragic deaths of young people would be avoided, or could have been avoided, by their simple obedience to the sacred instructions here. Disobedient, arrogant and heedless children, refusing to be restrained by parental wishes of any kind, are almost certain to violate basic rules of survival on the earth. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in

the discipline and instruction of the Lord. - It is a strange thing that Paul repeats this injunction even more

fully in Colossians 3:21. "Fathers," he says, "do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged." Bengel says that the plague of youth is a "broken spirit," discouraged by continuous criticism and rebuke and too strict discipline. David Smith thinks that Paul wrote out of bitter personal experience. He writes: "There is here a quivering note of personal emotion, and it seems as though the heart of the aged captive had been reverting to the past and recalling the loveless years of his own childhood. Nurtured in the austere atmosphere of traditional orthodoxy, he had experienced scant tenderness and much severity, and had known that 'plague of youth, a broken spirit.' " William Barclay - The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: --

Fathers are cautioned against an excessive severity that provokes bitter, wrathful rebellion. Children should be corrected and retained from self-will and should be trained to be obedient to their parents from earliest childhood; but this should be done in love for the child. The child will come to

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appreciate this and to love and honor the parent for the restraint and correction given.

but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the

Lord. -- Kindly and earnestly train them in the discipline of the Lord. It may be severe, but it is for the good of the child, and is prompted by love. In no point do Christians fail more than in the training of their children in the Lord. They allow them to grow up ambitious of worldly preferment, lovers of pleasure, greedy of gain, and frequently scoffers of God. This is due to lack of faithful training. The obedience of childhood and youth rendered to a wise Christian rule forms the habit of self-control, self-respect, diligence, faithfulness, and kindliness of heart, which are the best guarantees for happiness and success in ife. Parents cannot be faithful servants of God without studying his word; treasuring it in their hearts, letting its teachings mold their feelings, direct their lives, and form their character. They must do this to fit them for heaven. In doing so they will teach the word to their children as the chief matter of life. They have brought them into existence, and are under every obligation to bring them up in the chastening and admonition of the Lord.

So great and important were the issues involved concerning the

teaching of the law given at Sinai that God said unto Israel: "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou riseth up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates." (Deut. 6: 6-9.) Again, he says: "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; in that I command the this day to love Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, that thou mayest live and multiple, and that Jehovah thy God may bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to posses it." (30:15, 16.) And still further, he says: "set your heart unto all the words which I testify unto you this day, what ye shall command your children

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to observe to do, even all the words of this law. For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it." (32: 46, 47.) This was said concerning the law of Moses, sealed with the typical blood of animals; we have the spiritual and eternal law of God, sealed with the blood of his beloved Son, the Savior of the world, concerning which it is said: "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will." (Heb. 2: 1-4.) Parents who fail to teach their children sin against God, themselves, their children, and how shall they escape the wrath of God on account of their neglecting this solemn warning? David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but

nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord. In this matter of making basic human obligations to be reciprocal rather limited to the ones required to obey, the Christian religion swept away the whole philosophy of pre- Christian ages. In 5:25, Paul laid it upon husbands that they must love their wives, even as Christ loved the church enough to die for it! Here he confronted parents, fathers particularly, with their obligations to their children. They must instruct and discipline them "in the Lord," having the most urgent respect to the rights and feelings of the children. A moment later, he would thunder the obligation of masters toward their slaves (6:9). The epic nature of these admonitions is seen in the fact that in the society of Paul's day, wives, children and slaves had no rights.

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Status Of Wives, Children and Slaves

All women, wives in particular, were in practical fact the chattels of their husbands, without economic or civil rights of any kind whatever, subject to divorce or abuse upon any pretext and without recourse or protection of any kind. What Christianity has done for women has been extolled in the songs and literature of all nations; but the same glorious transformation of the status of children and slaves was also achieved by those sacred scriptures before our eyes in this very chapter. See CJ, 4:27.

The rights of children were also non-existent in ancient society. A Roman father had absolute power over his family. He

could sell them as slaves, work them in the fields, even in chains. He could take the law into his own hands (he was the law), punish as he liked, and even inflict the death penalty on a child! William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1954), p.208.

The notion that a father had any obligation toward a child

simply did not exist in non-Jewish elements of ancient pagan society. As a result of the prevailing attitude, many unwanted or despised children were exposed at birth to the elements, wild beasts, or other forms of horrible death.

It was exactly the same way with slaves. A slave is no better than a beast; the old and sick must

be thrown out to starve; when a slave is sick, it is a waste to give him rations; masters had power of life and death over slaves; Augustus killed a slave for killing a pet quail; Pollio flung a slave alive to the savage lampreys in his fish pond because he dropped and broke a crystal goblet. One Roman nobleman's wife killed a slave because she lost her temper. Slaves used as maids often had their cheeks torn, their hair torn out, or were branded with hot irons at the caprice of their heartless and cruel masters.

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Francis W. Beare, Interpreter's Bible, Vol. X (New York: Abingdon Press, 1963), p. 732.

Now, it was to a world which from the remotest antiquity had

operated upon such principles as these, regarding wives, children and slaves, that the great apostle of Christianity thundered the mighty oracle of these magnificent chapters. In the name of Christ, he asserted the obligation of husbands, fathers and masters, thereby announcing the character of the basic rights of wives, children and slaves. In all literature apart from the word of God, where is anything that compares to what is taught here? No wonder this letter has lived two thousand years; and, as for the nonsense that it was not written by Paul, one may only ask, "Who, in the name of God, could have written it except Paul?" Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear

and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ; - When Paul wrote to slaves in the Christian Church he must

have been writing to a very large number. It hs been computed that in the Roman Empire there were

60,000,000 slaves. In Paul's day a kind of terrible idleness had fallen on the citizens of Rome. Rome was the mistress of the world, and therefore it was beneath the dignity of a Roman citizen to work. Practically all work was done by slaves. Even doctors and teachers, even the closest friends of the Emperors, their secretaries who dealt with letters and appeals and finance, were slaves.

Often there were bonds of the deepest loyalty and affection

between master and slave. Pliny writes to a friend that he is deeply affected because some of his well-loved slaves have died. He has two consolations, although they are not enough to comfort his grief. "I have always very readily manumitted my slaves (for their death does not seem altogether untimely, if they have lived long enough to receive their freedom); the other, that I have allowed them to make a kind of will, which I

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observed as rigidly as if it were good in law." There the kindly master speaks.

But basically the life of the slave was grim and terrible. In law

he was not a person but a thing. Aristotle lays it down that there can never be friendship between master and slave, for they have nothing in common; "for a slave is a living tool, just as a tool is an inanimate slave." Varro, writing on agriculture, divides agriculture instruments into three classes -- the articulate, the inarticulate and the mute. The articulate comprises the slaves; the inarticulate the cattle; and the mute the vehicles. The slave is no better than a beast who happens to be able to talk. Cato gives advice to a man taking over a farm. He must go over it and throw out everything that is past its work; and old slaves too must be thrown out on the scrap heap to starve. When a slave is ill it is sheer extravagance to issue him with normal rations.

The law was quite clear, Gaius, the Roman lawyer, in the

Institutes lays it down: "We may note that it is universally accepted that the master possesses the power of life and death over the slave." If the slave ran away, at best he was branded on the forehead with the letter F for fugitivus, which means runaway, at worst he was killed. The terror of the slave was that he was absolutely at the caprice of his master. Augustus crucified a slave because he killed a pet quail. Vedius Pollio flung a slave still living to the savage lampreys in his fish pond because he dropped and broke a crystal goblet. Juvenal tells of a Roman matron who ordered a slave to be killed for no other reason than that she lost her temper with him. When her husband protested, she said: "You call a slave a man, do you? He has done no wrong, you say? Be it so; it is my will and my command; let my will be the voucher for the deed." The slaves who were maids to their mistresses often had their hair torn out and their cheeks torn with their mistresses' nails. Juvenal tells of the master "who delights in the sound of a cruel flogging thinking it sweeter than any siren's song," or "who revels in clanking chains," or "who summons a torturer and brands the slave because a couple of towels are lost." A Roman writer lays it down: "Whatever a master does to a slave,

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undeservedly, in anger, willingly, unwillingly, in forgetfulness, after careful thought, knowingly, unknowingly, is judgment, justice and law."

It is against this terrible background that Paul's advice to slaves

has to be read. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- This injunction addressed to slaves and masters "does not

imply either approval or disapproval of the institution of slavery itself." Francis w. Beare, Interpreter's Bible, Vol. X (New York: Abingdon Press, 1963), p. 732. Those who understand Christianity as any kind of an attack upon established institutions in society, should take account of the fact that the most shameful and disreputable institutions of ancient culture were in no case frontally assaulted by Christianity. Some who should know better are embarrassed by this; but there were reasons grounded in the greatest wisdom, why such an open attack was not made.

"With fear and trembling . . ." This is not advice for the slave

to cringe before his master, but is to be taken in close relationship with the words, as unto Christ."

"In singleness of your heart . . ." This means, "Not merely

through fear of punishment, but from a principle of uprightness." Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Whole Bible (London: Carlton and Porter), in loco.

"As unto Christ . . ." All work must be done, by all men,

slaves included, as being performed under the eye of God. Every piece of work a Christian does must be good enough for God to see. The economic and labor problems of the world, especially acute today, are not primary economic at all. The problem which the world faces is a religious problem. Barclay observed that:

We will never make men good workmen by increasing

pay, bettering conditions or heightened rewards. It is a Christian duty to see these things, of course; but in

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themselves they will never produce good work. The only secret of good workmanship is that it is done for God. William Barclay, op. cit, p. 215.

Coffman's Commentary - Ephesian - Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh

are your masters, -- The apostle recognized the slavery of human being in both master and slave. Slavery is a political relation, established by political governments. The Lord did not violently interfere with political relations. It was not an indissoluble relationship like husband and wife, parent and child. Slavery was in force in all the countries to which letters were addressed. Indeed, it was in force in all countries at that time. Christ did not propose to break up such relations by violence. He recognized the relationship, regulated it, and put in operation principles that in their workings would so mold public sentiment as to break down all evil relations and sinful institutions. Slavery was so treated.

with fear and trembling, -- With earnest, conscientious care

and reverence. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary The fear enjoined is no dread of human displeasure, or the

master's whip or tongue. It is the same "fear and trembling" with which the child of God is to work out his "own salvation." (Phil. 2:12.) The inward work of the soul's salvation and the outward work of the busy hands on the farm, in the mine, at the factory, or in the lowest domestic duties -- all alike are to be performed under a solemn responsibility to God and in the presence of Christ who understands every kind of work, and will render to each of his servants just and exact reward. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

in singleness of your heart, -- The honest desire to do right

for its own sake, with inward sincerity, knowing it was their duty; and even if it was irksome, doing it pleasantly, with no feeling of reluctance, but genuine good will.

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as unto Christ; -- The Christian servant was required to obey his master not only from fear, but for conscience' sake. It was not only to please the master, but to please Christ. It was an added obligation to fidelity in the service rendered. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- as to Christ. -- By mentioning three different times in this and the following verses the slave's subjection to Christ, the apostle hath mitigated the hardships of slavery; for he hath shown that both the master's power of commanding, and the slave's obligation to obedience, are limited by the law of Christ. See 1 Cor. 7:21 - 21 Were you a slave when called? Never mind. But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity. RSV Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

6 not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of

Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, - "Eyeservice . . ." refers to the slave (or other workman) who is

diligent to appear busy only when the boss is looking. It is the opposite of work done out of good will with love and integrity.

"Men-pleasers . . ." A motive far higher than winning approval

of inspectors or superiors marks the work of Christians, that of considering every task as "the will of God," and striving to please him in the execution of it. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

- Paul's advice to slaves provides us with the gospel of the

Christian workman. (i) He does not tell them to rebel; he tells them to be

Christians where they are. The great message of Christianity to every man is that it is where God has set us that we must live out the Christian life. The circumstances may be all against us, but that only makes the challenge greater. Christianity does not offer us escape from circumstances; it offers us conquest of circumstances.

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(ii) He tell the slaves that work must not be done well only when the overseer's eye is on them; it must be done in the awareness that God's eye is on them. Every single piece of work the Christian produces must be good enough to show to God. The problem that the world has always faced and that it faces acutely today is basically not economic but religious. We will never make men good workmen by bettering conditions or heightening rewards. It is a Christian duty to see to these things; but in themselves they will never produce good work. Still less will we produce good work by increasing oversight and multiplying punishment. The secret of good workmanship is to do it for God.

Paul has a word for the master of men, too. He must

remember that although he is master of men, he is still the servant of God. He too must remember that all he does is done in the sight of God. Above all he must remember that the day comes when he and those over whom he is set will stand before God; and then the ranks of the world will no longer be relevant.

The problem of work would be solved if men and masters alike

would take their orders from God. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- not in the way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers; -- Eyeservice

is neither work done only to please the eye, which cannot bear to be tested; or it may be good work done only when the master's eye is upon the worker. This was a vice not peculiar to slavery, but it enters into all forms of service. Dishonest work is to be avoided quite as much as dishonest words. An acted lie is as dishonorable as a spoken one.

But as servants of Christ, -- The servants of Christ must apply

the principles of Christ to their work. doing the will of God from the heart; -- The service was to be

a faithful service, rendered from the heart, with a singleness of heart for the benefit of the master. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

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- To be the will of God in this way may sometimes require Christian courage. In these days there are labor unions and combinations among workmen, with a view of protecting their rights. They may sometimes be dominated by selfishness, and act tyrannically; and a Christian workman may be in the position of choosing between the Lord and incurring the ill will of his fellow workers. If he is worthy of the Lord, he will not, to please his fellow workers, render unfaithful work, but will brave the consequences of rendering faithful service because he must be faithful to Christ rather than to men. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to men, - With good will doing service, as unto the Lord, and not

unto men. -- This is further emphasis and elaboration of what Paul had just written. All work done by the Christian is to be done "as unto the Lord." that is, "as service of the Lord." This is one of noblest principles of Christianity, making all employment to be the service of God. Not merely those who perform public service for the church, or those who stand in some formal relationship to religious activity, not merely these, but all men who engage in honest work, doing it well and cheerfully, are servants of God, no less than they. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

- with good will doing service, -- Much of the service required

f slaves was done from fear and grudging; but the Christian lave must do the will of God in the service of men, as Jesus hrist did it -- with meekness and fortitude and unvaried love. he work will thus be rendered from inner principles, with thought and affection and resolution spent upon it.

as unto the Lord, and not unto men: -- As a Christian he

must do it willingly, and cheerfully as unto the Lord, for he accepts only cheerful service. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

8 knowing that whatever good any one does, he will receive the same

again from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

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- Although there is a sense in which good, honest and cheerful work of a slave might bring some limited reward during earthly life. "It is ultimately the judgment seat of Christ that the apostle has in view here. F.F, Bruce, The Epistle to the Ephesians (Old Tappan, N.J. : Fleming H. Revell Co., 1961), p. 124 Whatever men may do, Christ will reward all of his workman at last. It is the consciousness which would enable the workman, even though he was a slave, "to work zestfully and cheerfully even for a master who was unreasonable in his demands and impossible to please." Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

- knowing that whatsoever good thing each one doeth, -- The

Lord requires fidelity in any relation his servants occupy as service to him. They must be faithful in all relations of life.

the same shall he receive again from the Lord, whether he

be bond or free. -- When the servants are so because they trust the Lord, he will reward them whether bond or free. So if the master be harsh and unreasonable, and the slave be discouraged from service, he will still do it from the fear of the Lord, and look forward for God to reward him. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

9 Masters, do the same to them, and forbear threatening, knowing that

he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

- This is the oracle of God that turned the world upside

down. All obligations involving human beings are a two-way street. Slaves have duties, but so also. do their masters! What an earthshaking concept that was, and IS! Toward their slaves, masters were commanded: "Give them the same good will, love and loyalty that you hope to receive from them." Francis W. Beare, op. cit., p. 735. Behind a commandment like this lay the infinite dimensions of those tremendous new value-judgments which were brought to mankind from above by Jesus Christ the Lord. The infinite value of human life! Who ever heard of such a thing? It had never been heard of until the apostles of Christ preached it in the heathen darkness, having themselves received it of the Lord. The mighty corpus of the ancient

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empire trembled under the impact of a shot like this verse which Paul launched from the end of a prisoner's chain; and when a shaft of light such as this penetrated the darkness, men knew instinctively that a new age had dawned.

However, it should be noted that it was not the truth alone

which could change the world; it was the truth in Christ the Lord! The duty of masters to their slaves, fathers to their children and husbands to their wives, etc., was not just splendid theory. The living Christ at the right hand of God would require of every man an accounting of his deeds at the judgment of the Great Day. No man would escape it!

Shallow and unperceptive persons of our own times tend to be

critical of NT teaching because no hard, definitive commands are uttered demanding the abolition of slavery; but it was clear to Christ and the apostles that laws never made men better; only an inward change could accomplish such a purpose as that. Paul's instructions here did not free slaves; but, as Dummelow said, "It freed slavery of its evils, J.R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 966. and set in motion forces that would ultimately destroy, not only slavery, but other evil institutions as well.

In this connection, the resurgence of humanism in these times

should be noted. Turning away from God, men are obsessed with the notion that, in themselves, they can make everything all right, with their laws, social gains and planned programs of all kinds; but it is no more possible to accomplish worthwhile human societies away from God than it is to produce a crop of apples from uprooted trees. "The NT presents the demands of the kingdom of God as prior to those of a utopian society on this earth . . . Love of God is still the first and great commandment, love of neighbor second. Worshipping and serving the creature more than the Creator, however, drowned the pre-Christian world in debaucheries; and, if indulged, it will do it again! Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

- And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, and

forbear threatening: -- He commands the masters to act towards their slaves from the fear of God. The spirit that

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threatens is a bitter, dictatorial one, lacks kindness and consideration, and greatly exasperates and embitters the servant.

knowing that he who is both their master and yours is in

heaven, -- God will reward the master with good or evil as he treats his servants. God rewards the master for his course toward his servant as well as the servant's course toward his master.

and there is no respect of persons with him. -- God no more

respects the person of the master than that of the servant. Indeed, he makes no allowance for him because of his superior station. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- The general principles underlying this section are applicable to

all the relations of employer and employee. The employee is warned against eyeservice, exhorted to faithful labor as in the sight of God, bidden to look unto a higher recompense than the temporal wages, because he serves a higher Master. The master is reminded of the equality of all before God, and warned that position does not avail in his sight, and exhorted respecting the duties to him involved in the duties of an employer. Here, and here only, is the true social science. Duties to one another are duties to Christ. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. - The admonition Paul was about to give here had been in mind

throughout the epistle. He mentioned the strength of God (1:19; 3:16) and the putting on of "the new man" (4:24) earlier; but now he would give final instructions for arming the Christian for the warfare against the forces which opposed him. "The cosmic purpose of God involves the believer with the spiritual hierarchy of the unseen world organized under the power of Satan." George E. Harpur, A NT Commentary, Ephesians, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House. 1969), p. 468.

Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

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- Finally, -- In this section Paul draws his epistle to a conclusion, and by this word quickens the attention of his readers, and prepares them for a counsel eminently mighty in itself of what had already been said.

be strong in the Lord. -- He now gives admonition as to their

general deportment. We become strong in the Lord by drawing near to God in a more faithful and trusting obedience to him, a closer walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

and in the strength of his might. -- Though the redemption in

Christ is complete and free, yet between the beginning and the final consummation there is a continual conflict -- it is something real and arduous. It is not only real, but is difficult. It is one in which true believers are often grievously tried; and multitudes of weak believers utterly fail. He knew that to meet these mighty foes they needed to be fully armed for the conflict. To be strong in the Lord indicates the relation to Christ in which alone the strength can be experienced. (2 Cor. 12:9.) The might is Christ's, but by faith it becomes our strength. Strong trust, courage, endurance, hope may all be had from him, if our fellowship be maintained in uninterrupted vigor. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- 2 Cor. 12:9 - 9 but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. RSV

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand

against the wiles of the devil. - "The armor of God . . ." The Christian does not oppose evil in

his own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. Only the armor of God is sufficient to the warfare involved.

"The wiles of the devil . . ." One may experience only

irritation and disgust at a remark like this: "Neither of these nouns is used by Paul; each occurs twice in this epistle (4:14,

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27). In place of 'the devil' Paul always used the personal name 'Satan'. " Francis W. Beare, op. cit., p. 737 The incredible thesis that lies behind a comment like that is that Paul could not have written Ephesians, because there are two nouns in it that he did not use in his other writings! It is assumed by such theorizers that although Paul knew the devil's personal name and used it frequently, he did not know that Satan was "the devil," and that he could not thus have identified him here. Such a notion is outrageously fantastic. Note the following deduction that such a theory (if accepted) would require:

The pseudonymous writer who allegedly forged Ephesians in

Paul's name is represented as one "deeply imbued with the mind and spirit of the great apostle, closely acquainted with his letters, etc." Of course, this unknown fraud also had to be a great genius ever to come up with the kind of world-shaking truth revealed in this epistle; and yet, this great genius who knew all about Paul was stupid enough to say "devil" instead of Satan, which it is alleged Paul never did! Thus the theoretical genius was a stupid ass, after all. The evil critics of God's word will have to come up with something a lot more reasonable than this to deserve any credibility whatever. Besides all that, the writer of Hebrews (2:14) used the word "devil"; and the conviction of this writer that Paul wrote that epistle is continually strengthened by further studies of the word of God. Paul's use of the word "devil" in this passage has its bearing in that same direction. The whole critical word game of counting and cataloging words is, in its entirety, artificial, contrived and absolutely undependable. Any writer may use words in any letter that he never used before! Of course, they talk about "probability"; but what is the "probability" that any fraudulent forger could have produced a book like Ephesians?

"The wiles of the devil . . ." This refers to the stratagems

employed by the evil one with the design of destroying the faith of Christians. Paul was familiar with many of the devices by which Satan had sought to hinder and thwart his apostolical labors. He mentioned a glaring instance of this (1 Thess. 2:18), knew that the most intimate human relationships could be exploited to the detriment of Christianity (1 Cor. 7:5), and

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pointed out that the devil could even take the form of an angel of light so as to lead believers away from the truth (2 Cor. 11:3, 14).

So-called "moderns" who are so far above the word of God that

they reject all possibility of an unseen kingdom of evil presided over by a malignant personal foe (Satan), are not "wise" in any sense, but are blinded and deceived by "the god of this world."

Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians - Paul suddenly sees a picture ready-made. All this time he

was chained by the wrist to a Roman soldier. Night and day a soldier was there to ensure that he would not escape. Paul was literally an envoy in a chain. Now he was the kind of man who could get alongside anyone; and beyond doubt he had talked often to the soldiers who were compelled to be so near him. As he writes, the soldier's armor suggests a picture to him. The Christian too has his armor; and part by part Paul takes the armor of the Roman soldier and translates it into Christian terms. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- Put on the whole armor of God, -- God does not clothe

Christians with this strength and power without earnest effort on their part, and without their making just such efforts and doing just what he commands. The spiritual or inner man becomes strong only by experience. God has prepared and furnished armor to be used by the Christian soldier. It is composed of weapons both defensive and offensive, those which ward off the blows of the enemy and with which they are to strike offensive blows to conquer others. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- We are thus taught from the outset that as the strength which

we need is not from ourselves, so neither are the means of offense and defense. Nor are they means of man's devising. This is a truth which has been overlooked by many professed Christians in all ages of the church, to the injury of those who profess to be children of God. Instead of relying on the arms which God has provided, men have always been disposed to

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trust to that which they have provided for themselves or which have been prescribed by others. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

that ye may be able to stand -- The Christian soldier ought to

be prepared on all sides, so as to want nothing. The Lord has provided arms for repelling every attack. It remains for him to apply them to use. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

To quicken our vigilance, he reminds us that we must not only

engage in open warfare, but that we have a crafty and insidious foe to encounter, who frequently lies in ambush. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

against the wiles of the devil. -- These are the devil's

treacherous methods of warfare and his subtle plans of battle. Wiles are acts or means of cunning deception; something as a ruse or stratagem, by which he is enabled to trick or deceive. The idea here is that the devil does not carry on an open warfare. Hence the necessity of being constantly armed to meet him whenever the attack is made. He presents the world in an alluring aspect; invites to pleasure that seems to be harmless, and leads in indulgence until we have gone so far that we cannot retreat. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Put on the complete armor of God -- 1. By calling the

Christian virtues the complete armor of God the apostle represents the disciples of Christ, whose enemies and persecutors were many, as engaged in a dangerous warfare, and I think, contrasts their virtues with the complete armor fabled by the heathen poets to have been fabricated by the gods, and bestowed on their favorite heroes. That armor was vastly inferior to the complete armor of God; for, in the first place, the Christian's complete armor is really of divine workmanship, and is actually bestowed on the Christian soldier, whereas the other is more fiction. In the second place, the armor said to have been given by the heathen gods, consisting of brass and steel, could only defend the body of the hero who was covered with it; but the complete armor given by the true

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God, consisting of the Christian virtues, is useful for defending the mind of the faithful against all the temptations with which their enemies attack them. In the third place, the complete armor of God gives strength to the Christian soldier in the battle, and therefore is far preferable to any armor made of metals, which may defend, but cannot strengthen the body of the warrior. See 1 Thess. 5:8

2. Against the crafty ways of the devil -- By crafty ways of

the devil, the apostle means, not simply the temptations which arise from the motions of the flesh, the love of pleasure, the fear of persecution, the contagion of evil example, the solicitations of the wicked, the sophisms of the philosophers, and of the unbelieving Jews. and the false glosses of heretical teachers in the church itself; but all these temptations, as prepared and pointed against men by such skilful, experienced and malicious enemies as the devil and his angels. Accordingly, it is added in the following verse. 'We wrestle not with flesh and blood only, but with governments, with powers.' &c. of whom the devil is the head. Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

12 For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the

principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

- For our wrestling -- Wrestling is a technical word of the Greek

athletic contests. It was probably suggested by the word stand. For the wrestler's work is to maintain his position and to throw his adversary. And it is a most graphic picture of the Christian life. For, unlike military conflict, each one contends alone against a personal contestant, and can gain the victory only by intense personal effort and watchfulness. This suitability of the word led Paul to drop for a moment the military metaphor involved in the word armor, to which he returns in the next verse, and to borrow another metaphor from the athletic festivals.

is not against flesh and blood, -- This denotes mankind as

limited by the constitution of the human body. The Christian

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struggle is not against persons so limited. This is true even when we have resolute human opponents. For these are but instruments of unseen and more tremendous foes.

but against the principalities, against the powers. -- The

signification of this and the following terms, and the analogy of scripture, renders it certain that the reference is to evil spirits. For the angels that sinned and were cast out of heaven, it is said: "God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." (2 Pet. 2:4.) And again: Angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness under the judgment of the great day." (Jude 6.) They are now subject to Satan their prince. They are now called those who are first in high rank; and powers, those invested with high authority. These terms have probably reference to the relation of the spirits among themselves.

against the world- rulers -- This expresses the extent of the

dominion of these invisible foes -- the term is extended only to the rulers of the most widely extended realms; there is no part of the earth to which their influence does not extend, and where this dark rule does not show itself. (Luke 4:6.)

of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness

-- These evil spirits reign over the existing state of ignorance and alienation from God. That is, the world in its apostasy is subject to their control; or "this darkness" is equivalent to kingdom of darkness. Rulers of the kingdom of darkness, which includes in it the world as distinguished from the true people of God. Our conflict, therefore, is with the potentates who are rulers of the kingdom of darkness as it now is.

in the heavenly places. -- Undoubtedly the places here meant

are those in which are found the hosts of wicked spirits against whom believers are in perpetual struggle, and in which they need the panoply of God described in the following verses. These places cannot be called "heavenly" because of heavenly enjoyment experienced by these occupants, but for some other

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reason. The allusion is the same as in the following: "And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, where-in ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience." (2: 1, 2.) If our "adversary the devil, as a roaring lion: (1Pet. 5:8), if he is "going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it: (Job 1:7), his activity is in the same place precisely in which the angels are employed. He is often at church, and sometimes in the pulpit. He is at work in places that are heavenly, to angels, though they are far from being heavenly to him. Paul often speaks of the Christian life as a conflict, but only here does he name the opponent. In 1 John 5:4, 5, the enemy to be conquered is the world. This calls attention to the outward and visible form, and the multiplicity, of the foes arrayed against us. In 1 John 4" 4-6, the power of this multiform antagonist is traced to one animating and personal principle. In 2 Cor. 4:4, Paul says, "the god of this world" proves his hostility by blinding "the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, . . . should not dawn upon them." And the passage before us speaks of various superhuman powers acting under the direction of one supreme foe, the devil. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

At the head of the ranks of wicked spirits is the devil. The

subject is a forbidding one, but the levity with which it is treated in many circles, the number of those who scorn the idea of personal evil spirits whose sole aim is to antagonize the Lord's work, grace among men, justifies some reflections on it. Probably there is no criminal known to men that has so many aliases as the devil. I subjoin a partial list of names given by the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit: Evil One (Matt. 13:19) ; Enemy (Matt. 13:39) ; Beelzebub (Mark 3: 22) ; Prince of Devils (3: 22) ; Strong One (Luke 11: 21) ; Murderer (John 8: 44) ; Liar (8: 44) ; Father of Lies (8:44) Prince of This World (12:31) ; Satan (Acts 5:3) ; God of This World (2 Cor. 4: 4) ; Belial (6: 15) ; Serpent (11:3) ; Spirit of Evil (Eph. 2: 2) ; Tempter (1 Thess. 3:5) ; Adversary (1 Pet. 5:8) ; Angel of the Abyss (Rev. 9:11) ; Apollyon (9: 11) ; Great Red Dragon (12:3) ;

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The Dragon (12:7) ; Great Dragon (12:9) ; The Old Serpent (12:9) ; Devil and Satan (12: 9) ; Deceiver of the Whole World (12: 9) ; Accuser (12: 10). Here are twenty-seven names given the devil, each of which is descriptive of his energy, and his power. The Lord Jesus himself calls him "the prince of this world," a title which invests him with marvelous authority. Paul calls him "the god of this world." Both describes the sphere of the devil's influence, and both have to do with that strange, lawless, and godless thing called "the spirit of the twentieth century." How profoundly this spirit of the age is dominated by the devil and interpenetrated vicious influence which every observant Christian perceives. There is scarcely a beneficial invention of this age that is not perverted into an instrumentality for evil. With such a foe confronting him, the Christian needs "the whole armor of God," which is fully provided and freely given. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- In this verse, Paul describes the spiritual enemy. He had

already mentioned the "devil"; but Satan has many allies, "the spiritual hosts of wickedness." It is an unpardonable error to suppose that Paul here had any reference to the mythological gods of the Greeks and Romans, or to any of the complicated theories of vain speculators regarding the unseen creation. Of them, Paul affirmed nothing. It is a fact beyond denial that the ancient pagan world was organized along patterns of evil, and the whole pagan complex of antiquity was fitted together, dovetailed and interwoven in such a manner as to forbid the notion that such a sprawling, powerful, effective and arrogant pagan society was merely accidental. Satan had organized it. Furthermore, evil is still organized; and organization presupposes an organizer.

"Principalities . . ." There are various dominions of evil, that

is, certain classifications of it. Paul's use of some of these words here appear to be figurative; nevertheless, there were and are genuine realities behind them.

"World-rulers of this darkness . . ." Barry interpreted this as

a "poetic expression of the idea conveyed by the expression 'prince of this world,' applied by Jesus himself to Satan (John

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12:31; 14:30; 16:11)." The power of Satan is limited to them who yield themselves to do evil; and in no sense does Satan share ultimate authority with God. This whole passage, including the discussion of the armor, is figurative, setting forth the Christian's struggle against evil as a warfare; and this passage is a description of the foe.

In heavenly places . . ." This expression, as Paul used it,

sometimes means "in the very presence of God," but in others it is limited to what might be called, loosely, the Christian religion; and is so limited here. Satan is not conducting any war in heaven against God! However, religion, in the broad sense, provides a very extensive and convenient field of satanic operations, the great apostasy itself having been produced in the church herself. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

- As Paul takes leave of his people he thinks of the greatness of

the struggle which lies before them. Undoubtedly life was much more terrifying for the ancient people than it is for us today. They believed implicitly in evil spirits, who filled the air and were determined to work men harm. The words which Paul uses, powers, authorities, world-rulers, are all names for different classes of these evil spirits. To him the whole universe was a battleground. The Christian had not only to contend with the attacks of men; he had to contend with the attacks of spiritual forces which were fighting against God. We may not take Paul's actual language literally; but our experience will tell us that there is an active power of evil in the world. Robert Louis Stevenson once said: "You know the Caledonian Railway Station in Edinburgh? One cold, east windy morning, I met Satan there." We do not know what actually befell Stevenson but we recognize the experience; we have all felt the force of that evil influence which seeks to make us sin. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

13 Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to

withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. - Wherefore take up the whole armor of God. -- Having all

these wicked spirits to flight, he admonished them to take unto

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themselves the whole armor of God. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- The repetition of the counsel given emphasizes its importance.

The language used distinguishes it from all manner of merely human precautions, defenses, or disciplines. It is a special provision for the believers in response to his prayerful trust in God. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, -- The

commandment to be strong in the Lord is fully associated with our having done all, because leaning on almighty strength implies the effort to put forth strength by our own instrumentality; when God's strength comes to us it constrains us to do all that can be done by us or through us, as Paul exhorted: "So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure." (Phil. 2: 12, 13.) David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

We are to leave nothing undone that can contribute to the

success of the battle; then we shall be able to stand, or stand firm. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

and having done all, to stand. -- It is to bear in mind through

the whole context that the central idea is preparedness, not progress or conquest; ideas of which the gospel is full but which are not present here. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

The scene is filled with the marshalled hosts of the evil one,

bent upon dislodging the Christian from the one possible vantage ground of life and power -- union and communion with the Lord. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Paul suddenly sees a picture ready-made. All this time he was

chained by the wrist to a Roman soldier. Night and day a soldier was there to ensure that he would not escape. Paul

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was literally an envoy in a chain. Now he was the kind of man who could get alongside anyone; and beyond doubt he had talked often to the soldiers who were compelled to be so near him. As he writes, the soldier's armor suggests a picture to him. The Christian too has his armor; and part by part Paul takes the armor of the Roman soldier and translates it into Christian terms. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- The nature of the Christian warfare is further evident in

this. It is not so much an attack against evil, as it is a warding off and foiling of evil's attack against the Christian which is indicated by the emphasis upon "stand." The forces of evil on earth have been mightily offended and wounded by the gospel of Christ; bitterness and hatred against the truth are to be expected everywhere.

"In the evil day . . ." The notion that Paul here referred to "the

time which the horoscope has designated as dangerous, when the unlucky star is in the ascendant," Francis W. Beare, op. cit., p. 739 is ludicrous. Nothing could have been further from the mind of the apostle! What is meant, of course, is the day of crisis or decision; and, as Hendriksen pointed out: "In order to stand one's ground in the day of evil or crisis, let him stand his ground today!" William Hendriksen, NT Commentary, Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1967), p. 286 Over and beyond this, there also looms the certainty of the final judgment on the last day. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put

on the breastplate of righteousness, - Loins girded about with truth -- Since faith is mentioned

afterwards as a distinct part of the Christian armor, truth, cannot mean in this place those truths which are the objects of the Christian faith, but a true or unfeigned profession of the Christian faith in opposition to that which is hypocritical. For by sincerity in the profession of their faith, the whole faculties of their mind would be invigorated, and themselves put in a

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constant readiness for action; just as a soldier who is girded with the military belt, is fitted either for fighting or for retreating.

Having on the breast-plate of righteousness -- In the parallel

passage, 1 Thess. 5:8 this is called the 'breastplate of faith and love.' Perhaps the apostle in this passage alluded to Isa. 59:17, where Messiah is said to have put on 'righteousness as a breastplate;' that is, by the uprightness of his conduct, and his consciousness thereof, he defended himself from being moved by the calumnies and reproaches of the wicked.

- 1 Thess. 5:8 - 8 But, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. RSV - Isa. 59:17 - 17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in fury as a mantle. RSV

Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians 15 and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of

peace; - and having shod your feet with the preparation of the

gospel of peace; -- Since the Christian warrior is to stand, he must have no unprotected and uncertain foothold. Preparedness is the thought here. As his fighting was so much of a hand-to-hand conflict, a firm footing was exceedingly important. His sandals were accordingly not only bound firmly to his feet and ankles, but were thickly studded with hobnails, to give a sure footing to those who would stand firm. The Christian soldier's preparedness in this regard, he is to find in the gospel of peace. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- It is that principle of steadfastness which has its origin in a

sense of oneness with God, and so of divine aid in any emergency. The paradox here, of peace as part of the panoply of the holy war, is as significant as it is beautiful. The Christian soldier's foothold needs to be settled, sure, and restful, just in

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proportion to the stress around him. The peace of justification (Rom. 5:1), and its accompaniment, "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding," guarding the heart and thoughts in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7), are just then most necessary to the Christian's spirit and most real to his consciousness, when put to the test in the evil day. Jesus Christ, in himself, is ground of vantage; a clear view and personal hold of him is the secret of a true foothold upon him. Paul himself, when facing death, stood in this strength when he wrote the following: "For which cause I suffer also these things: yet I am not ashamed; for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed unto him against that day." (2 Tim. 1:12.) J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- The preparation of the gospel of peace, -- means the virtues

which in the first age were necessary to those who travailed through the world to preach the gospel; namely, fortitude, perseverance, self-government, and peaceableness: for these qualities were a great preservative against the evils to which they were exposed. Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

16 besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can

quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. - No passage in all the Bible any more dramatically teaches the

absolute necessity of the Christian's thorough knowledge of the word of God. Not having it, he is naked, barefooted, bareheaded and helpless before the enemy.

From Pilgrim's progress, it will be recalled that the armor with

which the Christian was outfitted in the House Beautiful had no protection for his back. Christians are not protected if they flee from the foe; they are expected to stand against every attack. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

- As Paul takes leave of his people he thinks of the greatest of

the struggle which lies before them. Undoubtedly life was much more terrifying for the ancient people than it is for us today. They believed implicitly in evil spirits, who filled the air and were determined to work men harm. The words which Paul uses,

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powers, authorities, world-rulers, are all names for different classes of these evil spirits. To him the whole universe was a battleground. The Christian had not only to contend with the attacks of men; he had to contend with the attacks of spiritual forces which were fighting against God. We may not take Paul's actual language literally; but our experience will tell us that there is an active power of evil in the world. Robert Louis Stevenson once said: "You know the Caledonian Railway Station in Edinburgh? One cold, east windy morning, I met Satan there." We do not know what actually befell Stevenson but we recognize the experience; we have all felt the force of that evil influence which seeks to make us sin.

Paul suddenly sees a picture ready-made. All this time he was

chained by the wrist to a Roman soldier. Night and day a soldier was there to ensure that he would not escape. Paul was literally an envoy in a chain. Now he was the kind of man who could get alongside anyone; and beyond doubt he had talked often to the soldiers who were compelled to be so near him. As he writes, the soldier's armor suggests a picture to him. The Christian too has his armor; and part by part Paul takes the armor of the Roman soldier and translates it into Christian terms. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- withal taking up the shield of faith, -- The shield to which

reference is made was four feet long and two and one-half feet wide. It was held on the left arm and could be used to protect the entire body, and was very essential to the safety of the combatant. Joined together, these large shields formed a wall, behind which a whole body of troops could hide themselves from the rain of the enemies' missiles. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Such is the office of faith in the conflicts of life; it is the

Christian soldier's main defense. To increase our faith it is necessary to study regularly the word of God, since belief cometh of hearing "the word of Christ." (Rom. 10: 17.) But in order that our faith may be strengthened and fixed as a part of our being, it is necessary that we give expression to our

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convictions in our daily life. No thought or feeling enters into the formation of our characters or becomes permanent until it controls the actions of our bodies and becomes a part of our being. Faith itself is accepted by God only when it has molded the actions of the body and made the body subject to its control. The conviction of the heart becomes a part of our being and enters into our character only when it prompts the body to action. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of

the evil one. -- Faith in God furnishes the shield that will ward off all the darts of the wicked one. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

On the shield of faith the darts of Satan are caught, their points

broken, and their fire extinguished. The shields were made of wood, covered on the outside with thick leather, which not only deadened the shock of the missile, but protected the frame of the shield from the fire-tipped darts. These flaming arrows, armed with some quickly burning and light combustible material, if they failed to pierce the warrior's shield, fell in a moment extinguished at his feet. It is not likely that Paul means by the fiery darts incitement to passions in ourselves, inflammatory temptations that seek to rouse the inward fires of anger and lust. The fire belongs to the enemy who shoots the dart. It signifies malignant hate with which Satan hurls his slander and threats against the people of God through his human instruments. An unwavering faith wards off and quenches this fire, so that the soul never succumbs to its heat. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Extinguish all the fiery darts. -- Anciently they used small

firebrands in the form of darts and arrows, which they kindled and shot among their enemies. These were called fiery darts and in battle they were received by the soldiers on their shields, which were covered with brass or iron, in order to extinguish them, or prevent their effect.

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Of the wicked one. -- The devil is called the wicked one, by way of eminence, because in him the most consummate malice and cunning are joined. Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which

is the word of God. - And take the helmet -- The Roman soldier's helmet was a cap

made of thick leather or brass, fitted to the head. It was used to guard the head from a blow by a sword, a war club, or a battle- axe.

of salvation, -- According to the analogy of the preceding

expressions, "the breastplate of righteousness," and "the shield of faith," salvation is itself the helmet. That which adorns and protects the Christian, which enables him to hold up his head with confidence and joy, is the fact that he is one of the redeemed, made meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of saints in light, who has been delivered out of the power of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom there is redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1: 12, 14.) David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- To the Christian soldier, the assurance of salvation is very

important for the following reasons: To be firm and steadfast in the faith, he must have scriptural assurance of pardon or salvation from past sins, and he must have a well- grounded hope of the future and final salvation, This can be attained only by "them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption." (Rom. 2:7.) J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- and the sword of the Spirit, -- This is the sword which the

Spirit puts into the hands of the Christian, which he must accept and use.

which is the word of God: -- The Spirit gave the word of God

to the Christian, that he might use it both as a defensive and offensive weapon. It is that which God has spoken, his word, the Bible. This "sharper than any two-edged sword." (Heb.

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4:12.) It is the wisdom of God and the power of God. It commends itself to reason and conscience. It has the power not only of truth, but of divine truth. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- The Lord promised to give a word and wisdom which all their

adversaries should not be able to gainsay or resist. (Luke 21: 15.) In opposition to all error, to all false philosophy, to all false principles of morals, to all sophistries of vice, to all suggestions of the devil, the sole, simple and sufficient weapon is the word of God. It puts to flight all the powers of darkness. The Christian finds this to be true in his individual experience. It dissipates his doubts; it drives away his fears; it delivers him from the power of Satan. It is also the experience of the church collectively. All her triumphs over sin and error have been accomplished through the word of God. So long as she uses this and relies on this alone, she goes forward conquering; but when she turns aside to reason, science, tradition, or the doctrines and commandments of men, then she is at the mercy of the adversary -- the devil. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- And receive the helmet of salvation -- In the parallel passage, 1 Thess, 5:8 - 8 But, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. RSV. Chandler's note on this is "The helmet was for the defense of the head, to preserve it from deadly blows. And in like manner, 'the hope of salvation,' built on the promise of God, and arising from the consciousness of integrity, will ward off, or preserve from the fatal effects of all temptations from worldly terrors and evils, so that they shall not disorder the imagination, or pervert the judgment, or cause men to desert the path of duty to their final destruction." And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. -- Here the apostle calls the word of God 'the sword of the Spirit,' because it was given by inspiration of the Spirit, and because the doctrines, promises, and precepts of the word of God, are the most effectual means of putting our spiritual enemies to flight. Of this efficacy of the word of God, we have an illustrious

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example in our Lord's temptation in the wilderness, who put the devil to flight by quotations from the scriptures of the Old Testament. -- Beza observes, that all the parts of the complete armor of the ancients are elegantly introduced in the apostle's account of the Christian's complete armor; for there is first the military belt, called by the Greeks and by the Latins balteus. This covered the two parts of the breast-plate where they joined. -- The breast-plate was the second article of the complete armor, and consisted of two pieces, the one reaching from the neck to the navel, and the other hanging from thence to the knees. Next to the breast-plate were the greaves, which made the third article of the complete armor. They were made of gold, or silver, or brass, or iron, and were designed to defend the legs and feet against the strokes of stones and arrows. Thus Goliath 'had greaves of brass upon his legs.' 1 Sam. 17:6 -- The forth article of the complete armor was the helmet, which likewise was made of metals of different sorts, and was used to defend the head against the strokes of swords and missile weapons. -- Add, in the fifth place, the shield, and the whole body is completely covered. The shield was sometimes round, and sometimes square, and was made of strong thick leather. Thus the shield of Ajax consisted of seven folds of bulls' hides. Sometimes the shield was made of wood, covered with plates of brass or steel.

But besides the defensive armor just now described, offensive weapons were likewise necessary to render the soldier's armor complete; particularly the sword, which was used with the right hand, while the shield was held on the left arm. They had darts likewise, or javelins, mentioned ver.16. Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To

that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

- As Hendriksen noted, the word "all" is used four times in this

verse.

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ALL kinds of prayers and supplications are to be used: public prayers, private prayers, intercessory prayers, prayers of thanksgiving, every kind!

ALL seasons are the season of prayer: all times of the day, all

conditions and circumstances, all occasions, all states of mind, etc.

ALL perseverance: through times of discouragement or defeat

when it seems that all is lost, when victory has smiled or when it has failed . . . let nothing hinder the prayer life.

ALL the saints are to be remembered in prayer. What an

intercessor was Paul. His letters abound with the word that he is praying for those whom he remembers and for those who will receive his letters.

Even though the Christian has put on the whole armor of God,

he cannot win the victory except through a constant reliance upon prayer. A prayerless Christian is a contradiction of terms. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

- Finally, Paul comes to the greatest weapon of all -- and that is

prayer. We note three things that he says about prayer. (a) It must be constant. Our tendency is so often to pray only in the great crises of life; but it is from daily prayer that the Christian will find daily strength. (b) It must be intense. Limp prayer never got a man anywhere. Prayer demands the concentration of every faculty upon God. (c) It must be unselfish. The Jews had a saying, "Let a man unite himself with the community in his prayers." I think that often our prayers are too much for ourselves and too little for others. We must learn to pray as much for others and with others as for ourselves.

Finally, Paul asks for the prayers of his friends for himself. And

he asks not for comfort or for peace but that he may yet be allowed to proclaim God's secret, that his love is for all men. We do well to remember that every Christian leader and every Christian preacher needs his people to uphold his hands in prayer. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

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- with all prayer and supplication -- In this verse there still lingers some reference to soldiers on guard. Prayer is the general word for worship appropriated to God alone; supplication, used also toward man, is one element of such worship -- asking what we need from God. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Paul says: "In nothing be anxious; but in everything by

prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Phil. 4:6.) In this we have first the general word prayer and then the two chief elements of worship, supplication with thanksgiving. It is not armor or weapons that makes the soldier. There must be courage and strength; even then he needs help. As the Christian has no resources of strength in himself, and can succeed only as aided from above, the apostle urges the duty of prayer.

- praying at all seasons in the Spirit, -- Believers should pray

on all occasions, as Jesus said: "They ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18:1), and Paul exhorted Christians to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). It is obvious, therefore, that prayer includes all converse with God, and is the expression of our feelings and desires which terminate in him. True prayer is spiritual and comes from a heart filled with heavenward longings and aspirations, changing our prayer from a cold form to heartfelt realities. The ordinary habit of the soul should be prayerful, realizing the presence of God and looking for his grace and guidance. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- and watching thereunto in all perseverance and

supplication for all the saints, -- The conflict of which Paul has been speaking is not merely a single combat between the individual Christian and Satan, but also a war between the people of God and the powers of darkness. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- No soldier entering into a battle fights for himself alone, but

for all his fellow soldiers also. They form one army and the success of one is the success of all. In like manner Christians

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are united in one army and therefore have a common cause; and each must pray and fight for all. Such is the communion of saints as set forth by the Holy Spirit that they can no more fail to take this interest in each other's welfare than the eye can fail to sympathize with the foot. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- With all supplication and deprecation -- The words translated

supplication and deprecation, seems naturally, as Chandler remarks, "to denote the asking of what is good and the deprecating what is evil, from their two roots; the first of which signifies wishing, and the latter fearing. And this they were to do 'in the Spirit;' that is, either with their heart and mind, sincerely and fervently, (Ess. 4:56), or according as the Spirit of God should excite and move them."

Pray at all seasons in Spirit. -- In confirmation of the

interpretation in the commentary, I observe, that our Lord himself directed Ananias to distinguish Saul as his disciple, by the watch word or token of his praying: Acts 9:11. 'Inquire in the house of Judas, for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold he prayeth' in my name.

For this very purpose watch, with all perseverance and

prayer, for all the saints. -- The first Christians constantly prayed for each other. Thus when Peter was cast into prison, 'prayer was made, without ceasing, of the church unto God for him,' Acts 12:5. And their prayer was answered; for he was miraculously delivered by an angel. This, with other instances, led the disciples to expect great benefit from the prayers of the faithful. Hence Paul himself often begged the brethren to pray for him, as in ver. 19. Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

19 and also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my

mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, - and on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in

opening my mouth, -- Paul was a man of like passions and infirmities with us. His inspiration revealed unto him the will of God concerning man, and what was needed to carry forward

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God's work among men. Seeing his duty and responsibility, and seeing what he most lacked to enable him to do the work, he prayed to be strengthened and guarded against the weaknesses and dangers that beset him. A lack of courage to speak at all times the full truth of God was one of the besetting sins of the early preachers. No more courageous man ever lived than Paul; yet he felt there was danger that he might fail to speak the whole truth of God to the world, and prayed, and asked others to pray for him that he might have the courage to preach it faithfully. If one of such natural courage as he felt such danger and the necessity for praying for courage, how much more should we poor mortals feel the need of following his example. Our courage is not now tested exactly in the same way his was; but it is none the less fully tested, and we need the courage to do our full duty to God and man. His courage was tested by the danger of persecution, imprisonment, and death.

to make known with boldness -- This includes frankness and

boldness of spirit, of which this unrestrained declaration of truth is the expression. Men now as often fail to preach the whole truth of God with boldness and fullness, because it is unpopular and excites opposition of the public, as it did in apostolic days from fear of imprisonment and death. Courage to preach boldly and fully the whole truth of God is the crying need of preachers and teachers of God's word. The word of God is corrupted, its teachings are perverted, and his truth is compromised, because they lack courage to speak boldly the whole truth. This weakens the church, and deprives men of the blessings of God's help. He blesses only those who speak the whole will of God. Not to do so is to stain our souls with the blood of our fellow men.

the mystery of the gospel, -- The mystery of the gospel is that

the Gentiles are fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus, through the gospel. (3:1-7.) David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- And on my behalf, that utterance my be given unto me in

opening my mouth to make known with boldness the

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mystery of the gospel. -- As Paul constantly prayed for others, he earnestly desired that others should constantly pray for him. The reason why he felt especially in need of prayer was stated in the next verse. He was an ambassador of the Highest, yet he was chained to a Roman soldier; but Paul was not intimidated by the disparity between his true status and that which might have seemed to be his status. Chained though he was, Paul, in those letters he was dispatching from his Roman cell, was destroying the great pagan empire; and there can be little doubt that Paul fully understood this.

"The mystery of the gospel . . ." This is another reference to

the mystery of Christ, the mystery of God, etc., as Paul variously identified it. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

- For which I execute the office of an ambassador in a chain.

-- The apostle being accused of no crime against society, but only of heresy in the Jewish religion, Acts 24:5, 26:31, he was allowed at Rome to live in his own hired house, with a soldier who kept him, Acts 28:16. To this soldier he was tied with a chain, fixed on his right wrist, and fastened to the soldier's left arm; and the chain being of a convenient length, the two could walk together with ease, whithersoever the apostle's affairs called him. The soldiers who were thus employed, no doubt reaped great benefit from the apostle's conversation and preaching. Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

- for which I am an ambassador in chains; -- Paul was then in

Rome, a prisoner, wearing chains for preaching the truth. He was an ambassador of God to the world to proclaim terms of pardon, as he says: "We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. 5:20.) Ambassadors are representatives of governments which send them. Paul, as sent by Christ with authority to preach in his name, and to negotiate with men, proclaiming the terms of reconciliation and urging their acceptance, was in an eminent

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sense an ambassador. He was an ambassador in chains, yet he did not lose his courage, but preached with as much boldness as ever.

that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. -- Every

one who speaks in the name of the Lord ought to speak his word boldly, fearlessly, and fully as it is, no matter how unpopular it may be. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- For which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may

speak boldly, as I ought to speak. This was during Paul's first imprisonment in Rome, "during which Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians and Philippians were written; and, although not as severe as his second imprisonment, he was nevertheless a prisoner. From Acts 8:20, it is inferred that Paul was continually chained to a guard.

Paul did not pray for the easement of his burden, but for the

grace to proclaim the word of God boldly in spite of it. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

21 Now that you also may know how I am and what I am doing,

Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything.

- As we have seen, the letter to the Ephesians was an

encyclical letter and the bearer from church to church was Tychicus. Unlike most of his letters Ephesians gives us no personal information about Paul, except that he was in prison; but Tychicus, as he went from church to church, would tell how Paul was faring and would convey a message of personal encouragement. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- But that ye also may know my affairs, how I do. -- Having

referred to his captivity, he knew it would be natural for the Ephesians to desire more information about how he fared and his state of mind in captivity. The information regarding Paul

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and his friends would not be confined to the letter, but would be given no doubt also by Tychicus by word of mouth.

Tychicus, -- He was of the province of Asia, in Asia Minor, of

which Ephesus was the capital. (Acts 20:4.) He accompanied Paul on his last journey from Corinth to Asia, although he is not, like Trophimus, actually named with Paul in Jerusalem. It is highly probable that he was one of the "messengers of the churches" spoken of in Second Corinthians (8: 18-23.), as sent to bear the alms to Jerusalem. We now find him again with Paul, and made by him the bearer of this epistle and the one to the Colossians. He is alluded to as still his companion in the interval between the first and second captivity (Tit. 3:2.) , and in the second captivity is dispatched once more to Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:12). David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, -- The

character and career of Tychicus are such as show him altogether worthy of the confidence reposed in him by Paul, who sent him again and again on important work, which could be performed only by a man of ability and of high Christian character and experience. Thus all that is known of Tychicus bears out the description given by Paul himself, that he was a beloved brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant of the Lord. The two qualities by which he is noted -- lovableness and fidelity -- have not only served to embalm his name, but to show that he had a character much like that of Paul. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- shall make known to you all things: -- It is supposed that this

has reference to his commission as bearer of this epistle. As so sent, Tychicus would be a messenger direct from Paul, and could make known to these brethren, whose solicitude in his behalf was certainly great, all the particulars of his life in the Roman prison. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- This message is nearly identical with Colossians 4:7f, indicating

that Tychicus was also the bearer of other letters besides this one. Tychicus was a native of Asia (Acts 20:4), is named among the delegates to the Gentile churches who went with

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Paul to Jerusalem, and was mentioned as a messenger of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:12 and Titus 3:12. Bruce observed that, "On the present occasion, he was probably Paul's special envoy to churches in the province of Asia which were planted in the course of Paul's Ephesian ministry. F.F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 753. Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

- That ye also may know the things relating to me. We have

this expression likewise Philipians 1:12. The apostle means, that he wished the Ephesians, as well as the Philipians and Colossians, to know what success he had had in preaching at Rome, what opposition he had met with, what comfort he enjoyed under his sufferings, what converts he had made to Christ, and in what manner the evidences of the gospel affected the minds of the inhabitants of Rome.

Tychicus - will make known to you all things, -- This

passage is a clear confutation of those who hold, that this epistle originally had a general inscription, and was directed to no particular church. For how could Tychicus be sent 'to the saints which are, and to believers in Christ Jesus' in all countries, to make them know the apostle's affairs, and thereby to comfort their hearts? It is evident, therefore, that this epistle was sent to the saints of some particular place. And who should they be, but the saints at Ephesus, to whom, as Dr. Lardner hath showed, by the consent of all the ancient MSS. and versions, it was inscribed. Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how

we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. - Whom I have sent . . ." This may sound strange, since

Tychicus was still with Paul when this was written. "This is the epistolary aorist tense . . . at the time they read this letter, he will have been sent." Alfred Martin, op. cit., p. 753. -- Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians

- whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that you

may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts. -

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This serves to explain the absence of personal remembrances, allusions, and messages in the epistle. Tychicus, in whom Paul had full confidence, would deliver them all by word of mouth. The concluding words show that it was not to gratify any personal feelings that Paul directed Tychicus to make this communication; but knowing how much they felt for him, he believed it would be a comfort to hear how he fared. To pagans, imprisonment was always dreadful; it was well for them to know how Christians could glory in tribulations. (Rom. 5:3.) Tychicus, the beloved brother, was well fitted to apply this comforting view of his state. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- As we have seen, the letter to the Ephesians was an encyclical

letter and the bearer from church to church was Tychicus. Unlike most of his letters, Ephesians gives us no personal information about Paul, except that he was in prison; but Tychicus, as he went from church to church, would tell how Paul was faring and would convey a message of personal encouragement. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

- Paul finishes with a blessing -- and in it all the great words

come again. The peace which was a man's highest good, the faith which was complete resting in Christ, the grace which was the lovely free gift of God -- these things Paul calls down from God upon his friends, Above all he prays for love that they may know the love of God, that they may love men as God loves them, and that they may love Jesus Christ with an undying love. William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

- Peace to the brethren. -- It hath been said, that if this epistle

was directed to the Ephesians, it is difficult to understand how the apostle contented himself with giving them a general salutation, without mentioning any of his numerous acquaintance and friends, with whom he had been intimate

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during his long residence at Ephesus. But the answer is, there are no particular salutations in the apostle's first epistle to Timothy, notwithstanding Timothy was in Ephesus when it was written. And in the second, there are only salutations to Priscilla and Aquila, the apostle's fellow-laborers, who were in Ephesus occasionally, and to the household of Onesiphorus, on account of the great respect which the head of the family had showed to the apostle during his second imprisonment in Rome, 2 Tim 1:16. -- In like manner, there are no particular salutations in the epistles to the Galatians, the Philippians, the Thessalonians, and to Titus; because, to have sent salutations to individuals in churches where the apostle was so generally and intimately acquainted, unless there had been some very special reasons for such salutations, it might have offended those who were neglected. On the other hand, to have mentioned every person of note in these churches, would have taken up too much room. In writing to the Romans, the case was different. The apostle was personally unknown to the most of them; and therefore he could without offence to the rest, take particular notice of all his acquaintance. Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

- Peace be to the brethren, -- The peace for which Paul prayed

to be among those in Christ is the fruit of peace with Christ and God. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Such peace guarding the thoughts and heart of each

Christian, nothing contrary thereto will arise among them. There can be no clashing of interests, no selfish competitions, no strife as to who shall be the greatest. The awe of God's presence with his people, the remembrance of the dear price at which the church was purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28), the sense of Christ's lordship (1 Cor. 15:25), and the sacredness of the brotherhood (1 Cor. 3:16, 17), should check all turbulence and rivalry and teach us to seek the things that make for peace (1 Pet. 3:11). J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

and love with faith, -- Love includes peace, and more; for it

labors not to prevent contention only, but to help enrich in all

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ways the body of Christ. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- By such toil of love, faith is made perfect. As faith grows

and deepens, it makes new channels in which love may flow. To the Thessalonians Paul wrote: "We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth." (2 Thess. 1:3.) This is the sound and true growth of faith. J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. -- Peace

among Christians is the fruit of peace with God through Christ. With such peace guarding the thoughts and heart of each Christian, nothing contrary thereto will arise among them. Calm and quite hearts make a peaceful church. There are no clashing interests, no selfish competitions, no strife as to who shall be greatest. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Hendriksen's noble comment on these verses is: The peace that passes all understanding, the love that is the

greatest of the three greatest, and the faith that overcomes the world, these three precious treasures are given away to any one who sincerely requests them of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The significant thing here, of course is the reverse order in

which Paul's favorite words are enumerated. In Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, and Colossians 1:2 -- in all these, the order of the words is invariably "grace," then "peace." Here it is the other way; and, as Dummelow said, "An imitator would have copied the other epistles in this." J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 966 No one but Paul himself would have dared reverse the order of these words, therefore, this conspicuous departure from his usual mode of expression has, in this instance, the impact of an apostolical signature.

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"Love incorruptible . . ." What an amazing word is this! It is those who love with an imperishable love that are meant!

there must be neither decrease not decay; and "those who were chosen in him before the foundation of the world." (1:4) retain their love for him undiminished after the world itself has passed away! William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 286.

Coffman's Commentary - Ephesians 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love undying. - Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ --

God's grace is to those who love Jesus Christ, and for those who continue to love him is this grace continued. If our love to Christ fails, grace ceases to rest upon us. God does not look with favor upon those who turn from faith in his Son. David Lipscomb - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Of such persons, Paul said: "If any man loveth not the Lord,

let him be anathema. Maranatha." (1 Cor. 16:22.) God's love is not a love of indifference; but a love of choice, Jesus said: "If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him." (John 14:23.) God cannot grant his grace to those who have seen and hated him in his Son and image. By that hatred they refuse his grace, and cast it from them. On the other hand, sincere love to the Lord Jesus Christ opens the heart to all the rich and purifying influences of divine grace. If we love Christ, we shall love his people.

with a love incorruptible. -- This is the life of the body of

Christ. In it lies the church's immortality. The gates of death prevail not against her, rooted and grounded as she is in love to the risen and immortal Christ. May that love be maintained in deathless power! J.W. Shepherd - Gospel Advocate Commentary

- Who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity: literally in

incorruption. Our love of Christ, like our love of God, is founded in our knowledge of the excellencies of his character, and of the benefits he has conferred on us; and consists in obeying his

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commandments. This is the import of loving our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption, or in sincerity.

Amen.-- This is an Hebrew word, signifying truth. With this

word the Jews ended all their prayers and most solemn speeches; in which they were followed by the first Christians, who thus signified, that the things which they had spoken, whether to God or men, were their real sentiments and desires.

Macknight on the Epistles - Ephesians

1

1 The Revised Standard Version. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1971, S. Eph 6:1