Ephesians4

Paul exhorts believers to walk worthy of their calling, maintaining unity in the Spirit through lowliness, meekness, and love, recognizing the singular nature of God, Lord, faith, and body. He explains that Christ gave diverse spiritual gifts for the church's edification and maturity, preventing them from being swayed by false doctrines. Believers are urged to abandon their former Gentile ways, putting off the "old man" and putting on the "new man" characterized by truth, righteousness, and mutual forgiveness. This transformation is to be evident in their ethical conduct and communication.

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Call to Walk Worthy of Calling

As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Gifts for the Unity of the Body

Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”

What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended to the lower parts of the earth?

He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.

And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.

From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.

Putting Off the Old Man

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.

Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.

But this is not the way you came to know Christ.

Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—

to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

to be renewed in the spirit of your minds;

and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Specific Commands for the New Life

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.

“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,

and do not give the devil a foothold.

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.

Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.

Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

Study Notes for Ephesians 4

Verse 1

Paul transitions from the great theological truths of chapters 1–3 to the practical ethical demands of Christian living (chapters 4–6). Being a 'prisoner of the Lord' lends authority to his appeal for humble obedience.

Verse 3

Unity is not something the church creates, but something it must maintain ('endeavouring to keep'). The Holy Spirit establishes the unity; peace is the 'bond' that holds believers together practically.

Verse 6

Verses 4–6 list the 'seven ones,' stressing the non-negotiable theological foundations of the Christian life. This profound theological unity demands practical relational unity among believers.

Verse 7

While unity is stressed, diversity in gifting is also divine. Grace here refers specifically to the enablement and spiritual gifts distributed by Christ to every believer for service.

Verse 8

Paul quotes Psalm 68:18 (adapting it slightly) to prove Christ’s authority to dispense gifts following His victorious ascension. 'He led captivity captive' refers to Christ triumphing over the powers of sin and death.

Verse 9

The 'lower parts of the earth' refers either to Christ’s descent into the grave/Hades or simply to His humiliation in the Incarnation, contrasting with His ascension 'far above all heavens.'

Verse 11

These roles represent Christ's structural gifts to the church, designed to equip the entire body. The grouping 'pastors and teachers' often indicates a single office combining two functions: leading and instructing.

Verse 12

This verse clarifies the threefold purpose of ministry: equipping the saints (believers), performing the service (ministry), and building up (edifying) the church.

Verse 13

The ultimate goal of ministry is corporate maturity ('a perfect man'), defined by spiritual stability and full knowledge of Christ, reaching His standard of spiritual completeness.

Verse 15

Maturity involves 'speaking the truth in love,' balancing conviction with compassion, ensuring that growth is always directed toward Christ, the Head of the church.

Verse 16

The body metaphor illustrates how every individual part must function effectively ('effectual working in the measure of every part') for the entire church to grow and increase in love.

Verse 17

Paul issues a direct command based on the contrast between the life received in Christ and the futile, morally corrupt way of life characteristic of unregenerate paganism ('other Gentiles').

Verse 18

Describes the spiritual alienation of the unregenerate: intellectual futility, spiritual separation ('alienated from the life of God'), and moral callousness due to willful ignorance.

Verse 22

Verses 22–24 summarize the ethical demand of conversion using the metaphor of changing clothes: 'Put off' the corrupt old life, 'be renewed' inwardly, and 'put on' the new, righteous life.

Verse 25

The first specific command addresses truthfulness, motivated by the theological reality that believers are interconnected members of one body.

Verse 26

This command, likely referencing Psalm 4:4, acknowledges that anger is a natural emotion but strictly limits its duration and expression, lest it become sinful.

Verse 27

Unresolved anger provides the devil a 'place' or foothold (Gk. *topos*), allowing negative influences to take root in the believer's life or community.

Verse 28

Conversion results in an ethical reversal: stealing is replaced by diligent labor, motivated by the desire not just for self-sufficiency but to provide for the needy.

Verse 29

Addresses the use of language. 'Corrupt communication' (Gk. *sapros*, meaning rotten or worthless) must be replaced by speech that is constructive, positive, and ministers grace to the hearers.

Verse 30

The Holy Spirit seals believers as God's guaranteed possession until the final day of redemption. Sinful behavior, especially malice and bitterness, is viewed as personally grieving the Spirit who lives within them.

Verse 32

The pinnacle of Christian ethics: forgiveness toward others is mandatory and must be modeled after the radical, gracious, and unconditional forgiveness God has demonstrated toward believers through Christ.

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Ephesians4

Call to Walk Worthy of Calling

Gifts for the Unity of the Body

Putting Off the Old Man

Specific Commands for the New Life

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