1 Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. 3 But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; 4 nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks. 5 Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. 7 Therefore don't be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, 10 proving what is well pleasing to the Lord. 11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them. 12 For the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. 13 But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that reveals is light. 14 Therefore he says, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." 15 Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore don't be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Don't be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; 21 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. 22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. 24 But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; 26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, 27 that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. 29 For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; 30 because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. 31 "For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh." 32 This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. 33 Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
This chapter Ephesians. 5 is a continuation of the practical exhortations commenced in Ephesians. 4. It comprises the following points, or subjects:
1. The exhortation to be followers of God, and to walk in love; Ephesians 5:1-2.
2. The duty of avoiding the impure practices of the surrounding pagan, and of wholly breaking off from the vices in which even they themselves had indulged, before their conversion to Christianity; Ephesians 5:3-17.
3. The apostle cautions them particularly against the use of wine, and the revelry which attends its use, and exhorts them rather to engage in the exercises to which the Holy Spirit would prompt them, and to the services of praise and thanksgiving; Ephesians 5:18-20.
4. He exhorts they to mutual subjection; and particularly enjoins on wives the duty of being subject to their husbands; Ephesians 5:21-24.
5. The chapter closes with a statement of the duty of husbands to love their wives, illustrated by that which Christ showed for the church; Ephesians 5:25-33.
Christians should imitate their heavenly Father, and walk in love, after the example of Christ, Ephesians 5:1, Ephesians 5:2. They should avoid all uncleanness, impurity, covetousness, and foolish jesting, and idolatry, because these things exclude from the kingdom of God, Ephesians 5:3-7. The Ephesians were once in darkness, but being now light in the Lord, they are exhorted to walk in that light, and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; and to have no fellowship with the workers of iniquity, whose evil deeds are manifested by the light, Ephesians 5:8-13. All are exhorted to awake; to walk circumspectly; to redeem the time; and to learn what the will of the Lord is, Ephesians 5:14-17. The apostle gives particular directions relative to avoiding excess of wine, Ephesians 5:18. To singing and giving thanks, Ephesians 5:19, Ephesians 5:20. Submission to each other, Ephesians 5:21. To husbands that they should love their wives, as Christ loved the Church; for by the marriage union, the union between Christ and the Church is pointed out; and wives are exhorted to reverence their husbands, Ephesians 5:22-33.
INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS 5
The apostle, in this chapter, goes on with his exhortations to the duties of religion; and such in general as relate to purity of life, and against uncleanness; and particularly treats of the duties of married persons. And whereas in the latter part of the preceding chapter, he had exhorted to kindness and tenderness, and which he enforced by the example of God himself, he here repeats and urges it; and to it adds the example of Christ in loving his people, and giving himself for them a propitiatory sacrifice, acceptable to God, Ephesians 5:1, then follows a dehortation from several vices of the impure kind, some as being filthy actions, and unbecoming saints, and not to be named by them, and much less done, Ephesians 5:3, others, and such as are vices of the tongue, as being inconvenient, and to which thanksgiving is preferred, Ephesians 5:4, and the former especially, as excluding from having any part or portion in the kingdom of God and Christ Ephesians 5:5, and all of them, as bringing the wrath of God upon men, Ephesians 5:6, wherefore professors of religion should avoid such sins, and not join with the children of disobedience in the commission of them, Ephesians 5:7, to which exhortation they should the rather give heed, from the consideration of their present state, illustrated by their former one; who were once darkness, but now light, and therefore should walk as enlightened persons, Ephesians 5:8, and as having the Spirit of God, which is known by its fruits, Ephesians 5:9, studying to know, approve of, and do that which is acceptable to God, Ephesians 5:10, and on the contrary, should have no society and communion with men in the commission of sins, the works of darkness, but should reprove them for them, Ephesians 5:11, since the things done by them were such, that it was a shame to relate them, and much more to commit them, Ephesians 5:12, and the rather this was incumbent upon them, since it was agreeably to their character, as being made light in the Lord; seeing it is the property of light to make manifest and detect what is done in the dark, Ephesians 5:13, which is confirmed by a passage of Scripture pertinently produced, to stir up drowsy and lifeless professors to the discharge of their duty, Ephesians 5:14, and from hence the apostle enforces a wise and circumspect walk and conversation, one part of which lies in redeeming time; and which should be done for this reason, because the present days were evil ones, Ephesians 5:15, and that they might avoid a foolish walk, and order their conversation wisely and aright, he suggests it would be proper to learn what was the will of the Lord, which is the rule of a Christian's walk and conversation, Ephesians 5:17, and whereas drunkenness is oftentimes the cause of all the above mentioned vices, the apostle cautions against that, and on the contrary advises them to be concerned for a larger measure of the Spirit of God; that under his influence they might sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, in a melodious manner, and heartily to the Lord; and so express their thankfulness to him, for all mercies from him; and not abuse their mercies and themselves, spend their time in singing lewd and profane songs, as drunkards often do, Ephesians 5:18, and hence he passes to the special duties of wives and husbands, to which he premises a general exhortation to submission to one another, Ephesians 5:21, and begins with the subjection of wives to their husbands, this being the will of the Lord, Ephesians 5:22, and besides, the relation which the wife stands in to her husband, being her head, requires it; and which is illustrated by Christ being the head and Saviour of his body, the church, Ephesians 5:23, and which is further urged and enforced by the instance and example of the church's subjection to Christ, Ephesians 5:24, and next the apostle exhorts husbands to love their wives, in imitation of Christ, who has loved his church; and as an instance of it, has given himself to death for her; than which, there cannot be a greater instance of love, Ephesians 5:25, the ends of which were, the sanctification and cleansing of the church with his blood, by means of water and the word; and the presentation of her to himself, all glorious and beautiful, Ephesians 5:26, and then another argument is used, to engage the affections of husbands to their wives, they being their own bodies; so that loving them, is loving themselves, Ephesians 5:28, nor was it ever known, and it would be unnatural, for a man to hate his own flesh, but on the contrary, he nourishes and cherishes it; and therefore seeing the wife is a man's own flesh, he ought not to hate her, but to nourish and cherish her; and this is also enforced by the example of Christ, who does not hate his church, but nourishes and cherishes her, Ephesians 5:29, the reason of which is, because the saints which make up the church are members of him, one flesh and blood with him, Ephesians 5:30, which is the case of a man and his wife; and hence it is, that according to the original law of marriage, a man was to leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife, Ephesians 5:31, the whole of which is a mystery, and typical of the marriage relation and union between Christ and his church, Ephesians 5:32, and the chapter is closed with a recapitulation of the mutual duties of husband and wife, love in the one, and reverence in the other, Ephesians 5:33.
(Ephesians 5:1, Ephesians 5:2) Exhortation to brotherly love.
(Ephesians 5:3-14) Cautions against several sins.
(Ephesians 5:15-21) Directions to a contrary behaviour, and to relative duties.
(Ephesians 5:22-33) The duties of wives and husbands are enforced by the spiritual relation between Christ and the church.
SUMMARY.--Walking in Love. Flee All Impurity. Let Speech Be Pure. Covetousness a Species of Idolatry. No Fellowship with the Wicked in Their Deeds. Enjoyment to be Sought in the Spirit Rather than in Wine. The Mutual Duties of Wives and Husbands. The Mystery of the Marriage Union and of Christ with the Church.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.