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

¶ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

¶ With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Gifts for the Unity of the Body

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Putting Off the Old Man

¶ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But ye have not so learned Christ;

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Specific Commands for the New Life

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Neither give place to the devil.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven 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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