The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16
CHURCH PRINCIPLE OF GROWTH AND PROGRESS ; THE CHURCH A BODY . read more
Ephesians-4:2-3,-numbers-12:3
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16
The unity of the Church. The doxology has just died away with its ascription of glory to God in the Church throughout all ages, and now the apostle turns from his intercession to admonish the Ephesian Christians about the necessity of cultivating lowliness of mind and mutual consideration, that in the Church there may be preserved "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." It is plain from the verses that follow that Paul's conviction was that the Divine glory could only be manifested... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16
Exhortation. I. TRANSITION FROM THE DOCTRINAL TO THE PRACTICAL . "I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you." There is a similar transition at Romans 12:1 , "I beseech you therefore." In both cases the " therefore " is the link of connection between doctrine and duty . In both cases the apostle follows up his exposition of doctrine by an affectionate enforcement of duty. In the other case his affectionate tone is caught from a consideration of the... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:2
SOME POINTS OF A WORTHY WALK . With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love. He begins his enumeration with passive graces—eminently those of Christ. Lowliness or humility may well be gendered by our remembering what we were when God's grace took hold of us ( Ephesians 2:1-3 ). Meekness is the natural expression of a lowly state of mind, opposed to boisterous self-assertion and rude striving with others; it genders a subdued manner and a... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:2
Graces that promote the harmony of the Church. "All lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." These graces are specially needful in the Church; for their opposites, pride, irascibility, and impatience do much to create heart-burning and division. I. LOWLINESS OF MIND . 1. Its nature . It is that deep humility, as opposed to pride, arrogance, and conceit, which is produced by a right sense of our weakness, ignorance, and dependence, and... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:2-6
Details of a walk worthy of the vocation. This walk demands— I. THE PRESERVATION OF SOCIAL CONCORD , THROUGH THE QUIET OR PASSIVE VIRTUES , which, having been very characteristic of Christ, are eminently incumbent on all who bear his Name. 1. Lowliness , arising from a chastened sense of our sin and unworthiness. 2. Meekness , which is in speech what lowliness is in spirit. 3. Long-suffering and forbearance in love ; in opposition to hastiness,... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:3
Striving to keep the unity of the Spirit . σπουδάζοντες is stronger than the A.V. "endeavoring," and denotes an object to be carefully and earnestly watched for and promoted. "The unity of the Spirit" is equivalent to the unity of which the Spirit is the Author. In all in whom he works savingly, the Spirit produces a certain oneness in faith, in repentance, in knowledge, in their views of sin, grace, Christ, the world, etc. This oneness exists, and cannot but exist, even when Christians... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:3
The unity of the Spirit and the mode of its keeping. "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond- of peace." I. CONSIDER THE NATURE OF THIS UNITY . 1. It is not the unity of the body, the Church. That is an immutable unity which man cannot keep. God alone keeps it. Neither are we commanded to make the unity of the Spirit, but simply to keep it—for it exists, in a sense, independently of man's fidelity; but in the degree in which it is kept in the bond of... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:3-6
The unities of Christianity a reason for union amongst Christians. "Endeavoring 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." These various unities in Christianity are here specified by the apostle in order to enforce the importance and obligation of a loving concord amongst all true... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-3
Walking worthily. It is touching to see how the great apostle, who had a right to issue commands to the Churches in the name of Christ, prefers to beseech his readers with gentle entreaty as "the prisoner in the Lord." This method is as much a mark of his wisdom as of his humility and kindness of heart. For we are all more easily moved by persuasion and sympathy than by patronage and authority. I. CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO A HIGH VOCATION . 1. There is a Divine call . ... read more