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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Ephesians 4:17 - 4:24
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eph_4:17-24
17So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Eph_4:17
NASB "This I say, and affirm together with the Lord"
NKJV "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord"
NRSV "Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord"
TEV "In the Lord's name, then, I say this and warn you"
NJB "In particular, I want to urge you in the name of the Lord"
This claim of co-affirmation with the Lord shows Paul's apostolic authority and knowledge of Jesus' teachings.
▣ "that you walk no longer" In Eph_4:17-19 there is a series of characteristics of the heathen lifestyle. These new believers themselves used to live like this (cf. Eph_4:28). Paul lists the characteristics of fallen humanity several times in his writings (cf. Rom_1:29-31; 1Co_5:11; 1Co_6:9; 2Co_12:20; Gal_5:19-21; Eph_4:19; Eph_4:31; Eph_5:3-4; Col_3:5-9). See Special Topic at Col_3:5.
How to produce holiness was the major conflict between Paul and the Jewish legalists. Both Paul and the Judaizers wanted a righteous lifestyle in converts. Paul acknowledged the past pagan sins of these believers, but believed that free grace, an indwelling Spirit, and a growing knowledge of the gospel would produce what legalism could not. The performance of the Old Covenant has been replaced by the new heart and mind of the New Covenant (cf. Jer_31:31-34; Eze_36:22-32).
NASB, NKJV,
NRSV "in the futility of their mind,"
TEV "whose thoughts are worthless"
NJB "the empty-headed life"
This term means "vain," "empty," "aimless" (cf. Rom_1:21). Eph_4:17-19 refer to either (1) the false teachers' speculations or (2) the believers' previous lives in paganism.
Eph_4:18 "being darkened in their understanding" This is a perfect passive participle. Their current state of spiritual blindness (as is ours) is a result of (1) supernatural temptation; (2) heretical influence; and (3) personal choice.
▣ "excluded from the life of God" This is another perfect passive participle. This refers to separation from the OT covenant God and His promises (cf. Eph_2:12).
▣ "because of the ignorance that is in them" This refers to self-willed ignorance (cf. Rom_1:18 to Rom_3:20).
▣ "because of the stubbornness of their hearts" This is the abiding results of the fall (cf. Genesis 3; Joh_3:17-25). See Special Topic: Heart at Col_2:2.
Eph_4:19
NASB "having become callous"
NKJV "being past feeling"
NRSV "have lost all sensitivity"
TEV "have lost all feeling of shame"
NJB "sense of right and wrong once dulled"
This is another perfect active participle. Fallen humanity had become, and remained, insensitive or hardened beyond feeling, to both natural revelation (cf. Psa_19:1-6; Rom_1:18 to Rom_2:16) and special revelation of the Bible and the Son, the written word (cf. Psa_19:7-12) and the living Word (cf. Joh_1:1-14).
NASB "having given themselves over to sensuality"
NKJV "having given themselves over to licentiousness"
NRSV "have abandoned themselves to licentiousness"
TEV "give themselves over to vice"
NJB "have abandoned themselves to sexuality"
This literally means "open shamefulness" (cf. Rom_1:24; Rom_1:26; Rom_1:28). Fallen humanity has abandoned all restraints, social and spiritual. These false teachers even shocked other pagans.
NASB "for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness"
NKJV "to work all uncleanness with greediness"
NRSV "greedy to practice every kind of impurity"
TEV "and all sorts of indecent things without restraint"
NJB "eagerly pursue a career of indecency of every kind"
This means more and more for me at any cost (cf. Col_3:5). Fallen humanity has lost the sense of corporate good. Humans live only for themselves, for the moment. This is the curse of the Fall of Genesis 3. It is so clearly manifested in modern western society!
Eph_4:20 "but you did not learn Christ in this way" This is a strong contrast between Christ's preachers and the false teachers. Eph_4:17 implies a contrast between their previous life in paganism and their new life in Christ.
Eph_4:21 "if" This is a first class conditional sentence which was assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. These believers had heard the truth.
▣ "Jesus" This was a rare use of the name "Jesus" by itself, in Paul's writings. It may be related to the false teachings concerning Jesus the man (i.e., His humanity) versus Christ the Spirit (i.e., His deity). In Gnosticism Jesus could not be fully God and fully man because "spirit" (i.e., God) is good, but matter (i.e., humanity) is evil. They would assert His deity but deny His humanity (cf. 1Jn_4:1-6). It is interesting that modern society has reversed this heresy.
Eph_4:22 "lay aside" There are three aorist infinitive clauses in Eph_4:22-24. Clothing is used as a metaphor to describe spiritual characteristics (cf. Job_29:14; Psa_109:29; and Isa_61:10). This was also an emphasis on the need for repentance and a resulting changed life (cf. Mar_1:15; Act_3:16; Act_3:19; Act_20:21).
NASB "your former manner of life"
NKJV "your former conduct"
NRSV "your former way of life"
TEV "which made you live as you used to"
NJB "give up your old way of life"
The KJV translation has "conversation," which meant "lifestyle" in a.d. 1611 when that translation was written. This clearly shows the need for updating translations! No translation is inspired. Their job is to communicate the gospel to one or more generations. Only the original message given by God is inspired.
▣ "the old self" This refers to mankind's fallen characteristics and propensities in Adam (cf. Rom_6:6; Col_3:9). It is the priority of self, independence from God, more and more for me at any cost!
Eph_4:23 "you be renewed in the spirit of your mind," This is a present passive infinitive. Believers are to continue to be made new in their thinking by allowing the Spirit to develop the mind of Christ in them (cf. Rom_12:2; Tit_3:5). This is an aspect of the "new covenant" from Jer_31:31-34 (cf. Eze_36:22-38).
Eph_4:24 "put on" This is an aorist middle infinitive. This is the clothing metaphor which emphasizes the continuing decision to be in Christ (cf. Rom_13:14; Gal_3:27; Col_3:8; Col_3:10; Col_3:12; Col_3:14; Jas_1:21; 1Pe_2:1). This terminology of putting on Christ may have even been connected to the ordinance of baptism in the early church, where new converts put on clean, white clothing after baptism. It denotes a volitional choice!
▣ "new self" This is a metaphor for the new life in Christ. Peter called it "partaking of the divine nature" in 2Pe_1:4. This is in contrast to the old fallen Adamic nature of Eph_4:22.
▣ "in the likeness of God" Believers should have the family characteristics of God (cf. Rom_8:28-29; Gal_4:19). The Bible emphasizes our position in Christ and also our need for progressive Christlikeness. Salvation is free, but maturity costs everything! Christianity is both a death and a life, a point and a process, a gift and a reward! This paradox is very difficult for modern people to grasp. They tend to emphasize one aspect or the other. See Special Topic below.
▣ "in righteousness" See Special Topic below.
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