Ephesians 4:1-6 WEB

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:4-6

WHEREIN UNITY CONSISTS — SEVEN PARTICULARS . There is one body (see Ephesians 2:16 ). The Church is an organic whole, of which believers are the members, and Christ the Head, supplying the vitalizing power: The real body, being constituted by vital union with Christ, is not synonymous with any single outward society. One Spirit ; viz. the Holy Spirit, who alone applies the redemption of Christ, and works in the members of the Church the graces of the new creation. As ye also... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:4-6

The sevenfold unity. The apostle proceeds to state the nature and grounds of the unity which is to be so carefully guarded. It has its basis in the fact that the Church is one, and does not consist of two rival societies. I. " THERE IS ONE BODY ." The body with its many members and its many functions is yet one. Similarly, "we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another" ( Romans 12:5 ); so that believers, no matter how separated by race, color,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:4-6

Christian unity. This is a frequently recurring theme in the Epistle to the Ephesians, and it is always treated with an emphasis that marks its supreme importance, and with a prophetic hopefulness that regards the higher development of it as one of the grandest features of the ideal future. I. WHEREIN CHRISTIAN UNITY CONSISTS . 1. Externally it consists in the " one body ." Plainly the "one body" is the Church, the community of Christians. It should be clear to an... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:2-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:3-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:4-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:4-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:4-6

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