Tonight, we will be discussing Ephesians 4:17-32, where Paul encourages his audience to continue to leave behind their old ways of worldly living and to continue to practice their new ways of Christian living.
Anger: (vv. 25-27)
In vv. 17-24, Paul writes in general terms regarding the characteristics of a worldly or pagan self that must be discarded. In vv. 25-32, Paul gets more specific as to the passions of the old self that must be abandoned, and how that is accomplished. Paul also does not simply give a moral instruction but also states the purpose of that instruction – “Do this, because . . .”
The first worldly passion that Paul addresses is anger. In addressing anger, Paul uses a series of quotes from Zechariah 8:16-17 (we must speak the truth to each other), Psalm 4:4 (be angry, but do not sin), and a Pythagorean teaching (never let the sun go down in anger). Each of these quotes recognizes that anger is a fact of life, but it must be handled correctly and should be extinguished as soon as possible. Because, as Paul writes, if we allow ourselves to be controlled by anger, and not by Christ, we give the devil an opportunity to take repossession of our lives. See, Rom. 6:16.
Stealing and Speech: (vv.28-30)
In verse 28, Paul gives the simple teaching that no one is to steal, but rather to get a job. But Paul goes further and says, “Go get a job” because if you are employed, then you are in a better financial position to support others. Our obligation is not simply to support ourselves honestly, but to aid in the support of others.
In verse 29, Paul writes that no one in the community should speak rotten words, rather, all speech should be constructive. In other words, our speech should build up and not tear down. Because, as Paul writes, abusive speech vexes the Holy Spirit. The idea of the vexation of the Spirit comes from Isaiah where the prophet writes that Israel’s vexation of the Spirit caused God to turn against his people and to fight against them. Isa. 63:10. Unlike anger which allows the devil an opening, abusive and slanderous speech invites God’s immediate judgment. See, also, James 3:1-10.
The New Life: (vv.31-32)
Paul summarizes what this new life looks like in verses 31-32. The vices Paul lists all arises from malice, and Paul’s list traces the cycle of anger from the internal vices of bitterness and wrath to their external manifestations of shouting and cursing. Anger and abusive speech come from the same place. This is similar to Jesus’ teaching that anger, insults, and murder are all the same and expose the individual to the same punishment. Matt. 5:21-26.
Virtue, on the other hand, comes from being gracious or forgiving to others in the same measure that Christ is gracious to us. Going back to Chapters 1-3, if we understand what God has done for us, then we must do the same for others. The verb tense Paul uses here is the present participle which is “-ing.” Paul is not merely writing that we should be gracious to or forgive others, but we must be continuously gracing and forgiving each other. This endless gracing of one another is what a Christian community looks like.
SCHEDULE: We will have three more weeks in Ephesians: 5:1-20; 5:21-6:9, and 6:10-6:24.
Dinner is a 6. The menu is Arayes. Discussion about 6:45. Compline around 8. Hope to see you here!
Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:15-23