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4:25 putting away falsehood: Words should be spoken to help others and build them up, not to harm them or beat them down. Speech that is careless, slanderous, vulgar, or untruthful threatens the unity of the Church (4:29; Mt 12:3637; Jas 3:1-12). The Lord despises a lying tongue (Prov 6:1617) (CCC 2475-86). speak the truth: An excerpt from Zech 8:16. • The prophet is urging his people to reform their lives, beginning with a renewed effort to use truthful and reliable speech. Back to text.
4:26 Be angry but do not sin: Not all anger is sinful or harmful. Righteous indignation is an appropriate response to offenses committed against God (Ps 119:53; Mk 3:5). In the case of personal insults, we should strive for reconciliation with the offender before the day's end. Otherwise the rift will begin to widen as resentment, bitterness, and hatred consume us. • Paul is alluding to Ps 4:4, where the Psalmist calls us to examine our hearts in silence before going to bed. Back to text.
4:28 honest work: Generosity is urged as appropriate reparation for thievery. Reformed burglars should now work to provide for themselves and also for others in need (Lk 3:11; Acts 20:35) (CCC 2444, 2487). Back to text.
4:30 grieve the Holy Spirit: A warning to avoid sin and the occasions that lead to it. Paul is thinking primarily of destructive speech that disrupts unity and fellowship in the body of Christ (4:29, 31). Theologically, this comment confirms the "Personhood" of the Spirit, since only a person can be saddened or insulted by the faults of another. • Paul is alluding to Is 63:10, where the Prophet recalls how the Exodus generation of Israel grieved the Spirit by grumbling against the Lord and Moses in the wilderness. day of redemption: I.e., the day when our bodies will be redeemed at the general resurrection (Rom 8:23). Back to text.
4:32 forgiving: We thank God for his mercy by showing mercy to others (Mt 6:14-15; 18:23-35; CCC 2842). Back to text.
5:1 imitators of God: A challenge to love as God loves and to forgive as God has forgiven us (Mt 5:44-48; Lk 6:36; CCC 1694). Back to text.
5:2 gave himself up: Jesus died as a priest who made his life a willing sacrifice. Paul explains this in cultic terms drawn from the OT. • Just as the priests of biblical history burned animals upon altars as a pleasing aroma to the Lord (Gen 8:20-21; Ex 29:18), so Jesus offered himself on the Cross as an ascending sacrifice of love to the Father (Heb 7:26-27; 10:8-10). We share in Christ's priestly ministry by offering to the Father acceptable sacrifices of our time, talents, and treasures in the liturgy of everyday life (Rom 12:1; 2 Cor 2:15) (CCC 614). Back to text.
5:3 immorality: The Greek expression refers to fornication or sexual misconduct. Christians are forbidden to practice, think about, speak about, or even joke about such obscenities (5:4, 12). Christ has erected a high standard of chastity that restricts all sexual activity to the private quarters of lawful marriage (Heb 13:4). Back to text.
5:5 an idolater: Any time we love and desire the world more than we love God, we make it an idol (Mt 6:24). The equation between covetousness and idolatry is also made in Col 3:5. has any inheritance: Sins of impurity are so grave that sexual offenders risk forfeiting heaven altogether. So unless the transgressor repents, he will perish with his illicit pleasures when "the wrath of God comes" at the Last Judgment (5:6). Notice that Paul is warning believers of this danger, implying that salvation, once attained, can still be lost (CCC 1861, 2351-59). Back to text.
5:14 Awake, O sleeper: Possibly an excerpt from an ancient baptismal hymn. It resonates with the surrounding themes of light, symbolic of purity and truth, and darkness, symbolic of sin and ignorance (5:7-13). The summons to arise from the dead is a call to break away from the sinful world and live as children of light (5:7-8; 2 Cor 6:14) (CCC 1695). Back to text.
5:16 making the most: Paul urges us to make prudent use of our time by seizing every opportunity to do good. Although we cannot lengthen time or add to our span of life, we can discipline ourselves to use our time more wisely and to fill it more fully (Col 4:5). Back to text.
5:18 do not get drunk: Christians are called to live sober and respectable lives. For drunkenness opens the door to all kinds of dissipation (Prov 20:1), but sobriety enables us to live under the influence of the Spirit (Rom 8:5-11). Note that Paul advocates temperance and not strict abstinence from alcohol (1 Tim 5:23; CCC 1809). • The command is taken from the Greek version of Prov 23:31. Back to text.
5:21 subject to one another: This verse marks a transition into Paul's teaching on family life. He calls for mutual submission within the network of relationships that follow: husbands and wives (5:22-25), parents and children (6:1-4), slaves and masters (6:5-9). The submission Paul enjoins in these various circumstances is reciprocal although not strictly identical, for the commands given to husbands, fathers, and masters are different from those given to wives, children, and slaves. For similar household codes, see Col 3:18-4:1 and 1 Pet 2:13-3:12 (CCC 1642). Back to text.
5:22-33 Paul views Christian marriage through the lens of Christ's covenant love for the Church. This analogy of faith highlights (1) the indissolubility of Christian marriage, since Christ will never withdraw from the Church or disown her, (2) the sacramentality of Christian marriage, since marital love is a living sign of Christ's love for the Church, and (3) the reciprocity of Christian marriage, since the Church submits to Christ's leadership even as Christ the bridegroom acquiesces to the prayers of his beloved bride. • The marital union between Christ and the Church in the New Covenant (2 Cor 11:2; Rev 19:7-9) recalls the marriage covenant between Yahweh and Israel in the Old Covenant (Is 54:5-8; Hos 2:16-20) (CCC 1612, 1641). Back to text.
5:22 Wives, be subject: The Greek implies her submission is free and voluntary, not degrading, servile, or coercive (Col 3:18; Tit 2:5; 1 Pet 3:1). Since a wife entrusts herself to her husband as part of her devotion to the Lord, her submission cannot be unconditional, especially if her husband commands what God expressly forbids (Acts 5:29). Though ancient society often viewed wives as the property of their husbands, Paul sees marriage as a loving partnership between spouses of equal dignity (Gal 3:28). Back to text.
5:25 Husbands, love: The husband's mission is to build up his marriage and family, not to dominate or demean them for selfish ends. His model is Christ, whose love was put into action by sacrifice. Again, Paul confronts prevailing customs, where husbands often reigned like tyrants over their household (Col 3:19; 1 Pet 3:7). Back to text.
5:26 washing of water: A reference to Baptism, which cleanses the soul of sin and beautifies it with grace (Acts 22:16; 1 Cor 6:11; Tit 3:5). The accompanying word refers to the baptismal formula spoken as the sacrament is administered (Mt 28:19) or possibly to the cleansing power of the gospel (Jn 15:3). According to Jewish marital custom, brides were presented to their bridegrooms after bathing and adorning themselves (CCC 1228). • Paul's comments recall the symbolic imagery of Ezek 16:8-14, where Yahweh entered a covenant of marriage with Jerusalem after bathing her in water and clothing her with beautiful garments. In the new economy, Christ weds the Church to himself after cleansing her in Baptism and clothing her with the fine linen of righteous deeds (Rev 19:78) (CCC 1617). Back to text.
5:27 without spot or wrinkle: Evokes the image of a garment that is clean and pressed. Back to text.
5:29 nourishes: The concern of a husband to meet his physical needs should likewise bring him to cherish his wife. • The close connection drawn between a man's flesh and a man's wife stems from Genesis, where the Lord used Adam's own flesh and bone to form his bride, Eve (Gen 2:21-23). • Paul's allusion to Adam and Eve implies a greater truth about Christ. He, too, fashions his bride, the Church, by giving her the sacramental substance of his own flesh and blood in the Eucharist. This is what makes the Church his own flesh (CCC 757, 1003). See note on Jn 19:34. Back to text.
Word Study
Head (Eph 5:23)
Kephalē (Gk.): "head". The term is found 75 times in the NT and numerous times in the Greek OT. It can refer to the physical "head" of a man (Mt 5:36), animal (Gen 3:15), or statue (Dan 2:32). It can also mean "ruler" or "leader", as when King David is called the head of the nations (Ps 18:43) and when Christ is called the head of all things (Eph 1:22). Other ancient texts attest the meaning "source" or "origin", as when Herodotus refers to the headwaters of a river (Histories 4, 91), when the Jewish philosopher Philo describes Esau as the progenitor of his entire clan (On the Preliminary Studies 12, 61), and when the Jewish author of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs identifies deceitful spirits as the source of youthful misbehavior (Testament of Reuben 2, 2). Paul uses this term in his teaching on marriage to encourage husbands to be heads or leaders within the home as Christ is head over the Church (1 Cor 11:3; Eph 5:23). As the context of these passages shows, Paul views marital headship through the creation narratives of Genesis, where Adam was both the head and source of his wife, Eve (Gen 2:21-23), just as Christ is the head and source of the Church (Eph 4:15-16; Col 2:19). For Paul, then, the Body of Christ can be pictured as the torso of Christ (anatomical image) as well as the bride of Christ (marital image). For more on this Pauline theme, see note on 1 Cor 12:21.
5:31 two shall become one: A citation from Gen 2:24. • Genesis recounts the institution of marriage, between the first couple, Adam and Eve. Despite God's intention that this covenant be a permanent, fruitful, and exclusive bond of companionship, numerous deviations from the divine plan have marred its beauty over the centuries (e.g., polygamy, divorce, adultery, concubinage). Christ came to redeem marriage from these aberrations, restore its original dignity, and enrich it with sacramental grace (Mt 19:3-9) (CCC 1605, 1615-16). Back to text.
5:32 mystery: Marriage is an earthly image of the heavenly union between Christ and the Church. This spiritual symbolism was hidden from the beginning in the marital covenant and is now manifest in the New Covenant. Saint Jerome rendered the Greek word for "mystery" as sacramentum (sacrament) in the original Latin Vulgate (CCC 774-76). See word study: Mystery at Eph 3:3. Back to text.
6:2 Honor your father and mother: A citation from Deut 5:16. • This is the fourth commandment of the Decalogue and the first of the ten directed toward loving our neighbor (CCC 2214-18). It comes with a blessing of happiness and longevity (Eph 6:3) for those who obey their parents and care for them in old age (Sir 3:1-16). Rebellion against parental authority was commonplace among the pagans (Rom 1:30) and a capital offense in ancient Israel (Ex 21:17; Deut 21:18-21). Back to text.
6:4 Fathers, do not provoke: A warning not to discourage children by unreasonable discipline or restraint (Col 3:21). Parents must instead take responsibility for the moral (discipline) and intellectual formation (instruction) of their children in accordance with the gospel. Just as parents provide their children's bodies with food, clothing, and shelter, so they must nourish their children's souls with loving correction and Christian truth (Deut 6:6-7; Prov 13:24; Heb 12:7-11) (CCC 2221-30). Back to text.
6:5 Slaves, be obedient: Slavery was widely accepted in the ancient world and was often cruel and inhumane. For this reason, Paul stresses the equal dignity of slaves and their masters before God (6:8) and seeks to improve the relationship between them (6:9). Slaves are summoned to serve their masters willingly and honestly, while masters are called to respect their servants and refrain from harsh treatment. Although Paul does not challenge the institution of slavery directly, the principles of his gospel work indirectly against it (Gal 3:28; Philem 16). See note on 1 Cor 7:21. Back to text.
6:10-17 Paul warns readers of the spiritual warfare that rages unseen in the Church. For Christ's kingdom does not spread free of opposition or enemies; rather, it is daily attacked by malevolent spirits under the command of Satan. Our first defense is the armor of God, i.e., the graces given to protect us in times of temptation. Our weaponry is both offensive (sword) and defensive (breastplate, shield, helmet, protective footwear), enabling us to ward off the powers of darkness and to guard ourselves from exposure to their tactics (2 Cor 6:7; 10:3-5; 1 Thess 5:8). Although the devil and his demons were defeated by Christ on the Cross (Col 2:15), they remain dangerous until he comes again to destroy them (1 Cor 15:24-25; Rev 20:10). • Paul alludes to Wis 5:17-20 and Is 59:17. Both passages depict Yahweh as a warrior suiting up for battle against the ungodly. The Church joins him in this holy war as believers are enlisted among his troops and equipped with his divine armory. This OT background suggests that Paul's imagery is more closely linked with Yahweh's spiritual armor than with the military gear of a Roman soldier. • To put on the armor of God is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Called truth and righteousness, our Savior is our belt and our breastplate. Called the living Word of God, he is the sword who is sharp on both sides (St. Jerome, Commentary on Ephesians 3, 6). Back to text.
6:12 flesh and blood: A Semitic idiom for what is merely human (Mt 16:17; 1 Cor 15:50). principalities . . . powers . . .rulers: Ranks of demonic spirits opposed to the Church. See note on Eph 1:21. Back to text.
6:15 your feet . . . gospel of peace: An allusion to Is 52:7. • Isaiah envisions Yahweh reigning on Mt. Zion after crushing his enemies and redeeming his people. News of his victory travels on foot as messengers bring "good tidings" of "peace" and "salvation" (Is 52:7) to the ends of the earth. Paul sees this prophecy unfolding in the lives of believers as they carry the gospel to the world. It is assumed that the steady advance of God's kingdom means the steady retreat of all opposing forces. Back to text.
6:18 Pray at all times: A command closely linked with Paul's preceding instruction on spiritual warfare (CCC 2633, 2742). It indicates that our perseverance in prayer must match the relentless persistence of the devil (Lk 18:1; 1 Thess 5:17). We can expect no truce between God's family and God's enemies before the Day of Judgment (2 Pet 2:4). Back to text.
6:20 ambassador in chains: Paul is likely writing as a prisoner under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28:16), where he was given freedom to preach to the crowds who came to him (Acts 28:23-31). This would explain why he asks readers to pray on his behalf for the grace of evangelical boldness (Eph 6:19). Back to text.
6:21 Tychicus: The courier Paul assigned to deliver this letter and also Colossians (Col 4:7-8). If he is the same person from "Asia" mentioned in Acts 20:4, he would already be familiar with the cities of Ephesus and Colossae in Asia Minor (southwest Turkey). Back to text.
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