Verse 1-2
Ephesians 5:1-2. Therefore —
Because you are forgiven by God,
and have been so much loved;
(Ephesians 4:32;) be ye
followers — ΄ιμηται, imitators,
of God — In loving and
forgiving; as dear — αγαπητα,
beloved, children — Whom he hath
not only forgiven after many and
great offences, but hath taken
into his peculiar favour,
adopted into his family,
constituted his heirs, and joint
heirs with his beloved Son, and
inspired with blessed and lively
hopes of unspeakable glory and
felicity for ever. O! how much
more honourable and more happy
it is to be an imitator of God,
than of Homer, Virgil, Alexander
the Great, or any other human
being, however renowned for
learning, prowess, or
achievements! And walk in love —
Toward one another and toward
all men, as well as toward God.
Let your whole conduct toward
others proceed from love as its
principle, be governed by love
as its rule, and be directed to,
and terminate in love, as its
end. As Christ also hath loved
us — In such an astonishing
manner, and to such an
inconceivable degree, and hath
so demonstrated his love, as to
give himself for us an offering
and a sacrifice to God — To
atone for our transgressions,
and render our salvation
consistent with the divine
perfections. Some divines have
thought that in these
expressions both the
peace-offerings and the
sin-offerings enjoined in the
law of Moses are alluded to, the
truths shadowed forth by both
being attained by true believers
through the sacrifice of Christ,
which both expiated sin, or
removed condemnation and wrath,
and obtained for them the divine
favour, with all the blessings
consequent thereon. But it does
not seem that any great stress
can be laid on this distinction,
as the word προσφεροω,
translated to offer, with the
noun derived from it, rendered
offering, is used in a multitude
of places in the LXX., for
presenting any victim before
God; as it is likewise in the
New Testament, (Matthew
5:23-24,) for bringing a gift
and offering it on the altar. Of
a sweet-smelling savour — Or
fragrant odour; an epithet given
to the sin-offering, (Leviticus
4:31,) and to the
burnt-offering, (Genesis 8:21,)
to denote the acceptableness of
such oblations to God, when
offered by upright worshippers
in the way he had appointed. For
in the warm eastern climes
nothing is more refreshing to
mankind than fragrant odours.
The sacrifice of Christ,
however, as is here implied, was
far more acceptable and pleasing
to God than any of the victims
or perfumes which had been
offered of old, whether on the
brazen or golden altar of the
Jewish tabernacle or temple.
Indeed, their sacrifices and
perfumes were only acceptable as
being emblematical of the
offering of his body once for
all, and of his continual
intercessions for us before the
throne of the Majesty on high.
And it is a pleasing and
encouraging consideration, that
through these all our sincere
prayers and praises, and our
acts of pious and charitable
liberality, beneficence, and
goodness, come up before God as
a grateful memorial, and draw
down upon us a most valuable
blessing. With regard to the
exhortation to mutual love here
given, it is justly observed by
Macknight, that “Christ’s love
in dying for us, is” [as on many
other accounts, so on this] “a
strong reason for our loving one
another; because, if we do not
love one another, we are
destitute of that disposition
which rendered Christ so
acceptable to his Father; and
have no right to be called his
disciples, or to share in the
inheritance of his children.
Verse 3-4
Ephesians 5:3-4. But
fornication, &c. — But any
impure love, and any vice
flowing therefrom, or connected
therewith; let it not be once
named — Or heard of; among you —
Except with detestation. Keep at
the utmost distance from it; as
becometh saints — Who are
conscious of the sanctity of
your name and profession, and
dread the thoughts of debasing
it; for certainly it is
reasonable and proper that they
who are separated from the
world, and dedicated to God,
should shun all such mention of
these things, as may any way
encourage and countenance the
practice of them. Neither
filthiness — Wanton, lewd,
lascivious speeches; nor foolish
talking — Tittle-tattle, talking
of the weather, fashions, meat,
and drink, and such vain
discourse as betrays folly and
indiscretion, and has no
tendency to edify; nor jesting —
ευτραπελια, wittiness,
facetiousness, or such artfully
turned discourse as is only
calculated to produce mirth and
laughter. Such turns of wit were
esteemed by the heathen a sort
of virtue: but how frequently
every thing of this kind
quenches the Spirit, those who
are of a tender conscience know.
Which things are not convenient
— Or proper for a Christian, as
neither increasing his faith nor
holiness, and are therefore
utterly unsuitable to his
profession. But rather giving of
thanks — Rather abound in the
language of thanksgiving and
devotion, to which you are under
so many and such strong
obligations, and which will
yield a pleasure much more
sublime and satisfactory than
any animal indulgences or
delights. Observe, reader, the
deliverances which God hath
wrought out for us, and the
benefits which he hath conferred
on us in the course of his
providence, the great blessings
of redemption and salvation from
sin and misery procured for us,
and the gift of eternal life
consequent thereon, with
whatever is necessary to prepare
us for these blessings, are
powerful considerations why we
should be frequent and fervent
in praise and thanksgiving.
Verses 5-7
Ephesians 5:5-7. For this ye
know — Of this ye cannot be
ignorant, favoured as you have
been with the light of the
gospel, that no whoremonger,
&c., hath any inheritance — Here
or hereafter; in the kingdom of
Christ or of God — That is,
purchased by Christ, and
bestowed by God. The reason why
the apostle, in this and his
other epistles, condemned
fornication and every sort of
uncleanness in such an express
manner, was because the heathen
avowedly practised these vices
even in their temples as acts of
worship, which they thought
rendered them acceptable to
their gods. But how different
from such practices is the
conduct enjoined in the gospel,
which teaches that they who
continue in such abominations,
shall for ever be excluded from
the presence and glory of God.
Nor covetous man — That is, the
man whose chief desire and care
is to increase his wealth,
either that he may spend it on
the gratification of his lusts,
or may hoard it up; who is an
idolater — As placing that love,
delight, and confidence in
riches, which ought to be placed
in God alone; or because he sets
up something else, whatever may
be the object of his covetous
desires, and something
comparatively very base and
contemptible, in the place of
God, as if it could be the
ground of his dependance, and
the source of his happiness. Let
no man deceive you with vain
words — Or sophistical
arguments, as if you might live
in the commission of such sins,
and yet find mercy with God, or
escape punishment. For because
of these and the like things,
cometh the wrath of God — And
the dreadful effects thereof, on
the children of disobedience —
Even on the Gentiles, though not
favoured with the light and aids
which you have, demonstrating to
you the infinite evil of all
such practices, and affording
you sufficient power to avoid
them. Now, if even heathens are
punished for such practices,
much less can we suppose that
professing Christians, who have
so much greater advantages for
practising purity and virtue in
all their branches, and are
under such strong and peculiar
engagements so to do, shall
escape with impunity if they
pursue a similar line of
conduct. Be not ye therefore
partakers with them — In these
abominations, if ye would not
finally partake in that dreadful
punishment which they are
bringing on themselves thereby.
Verses 8-10
Ephesians 5:8-10. For ye were
sometimes — That is, once;
darkness — In a state of total
blindness and ignorance, without
any light of instruction
without, or divine grace within,
and therefore had some excuse
for living such unrighteous and
profane lives: but now ye are
light in the Lord — Enlightened
by the divine word and Spirit,
and brought to the saving
knowledge of God and Christ, and
of divine things in general; and
consequently such vicious
practices as you formerly
pursued would be utterly
inexcusable in you now. You are
now under an indispensable
obligation to walk as children
of light — That is, in a manner
suitable to your present
knowledge. For, &c. — As if he
had said, Such walking is the
proper, natural result of your
illumination and spiritual
condition; the fruit of the
Spirit is in — Consists in; all
goodness, righteousness, and
truth — That is, the Spirit
works these graces in those
persons in whom he dwells,
graces quite opposite to the
sins spoken of Ephesians 4:25,
&c. By goodness we are to
understand an inclination and
endeavour to perform all good
offices to our fellow-creatures,
especially to the children of
God: by righteousness, justice,
and fair dealing toward all men:
and by truth, freedom from
hypocrisy, dissimulation, guile,
and deceit. Some MSS., together
with the Syriac and Vulgate
versions, read here, But the
fruit of the light, &c., which
Estius, Grotius, Mill, and
Bengelius, think the true
reading, because there is no
mention made of the Spirit,
either in what goes before, or
in what follows. The common
reading they suppose hath been
taken from Galatians 5:22.
Proving — δοκιμαζοντες, making
trial of, proving by experience,
or approving; what is acceptable
— ευαρεστον, well-pleasing; to
the Lord — And how happy they
are who in all things are
governed by his will.
Verse 11-12
Ephesians 5:11-12. And have no
fellowship — No society, no
participation with wicked men in
the unfruitful works of darkness
— Works which bring no
advantage, but mischief, (Romans
6:23,) and called works of
darkness, because they usually
proceed from ignorance, Acts
3:17; are contrary to the light
of the word, John 3:20; are
usually committed in the dark, 1
Thessalonians 5:7; and bring
those who live and die in the
commission of them to utter and
eternal darkness, Matthew 25:30;
but rather reprove them — Show
your disapprobation of them by
seasonable and suitable reproof,
(Leviticus 19:17; Matthew
18:15,) and especially by the
holiness of your conversation.
Observe, reader, to avoid such
things is not sufficient. For it
is a shame even to speak of
those things — Except in the way
of reproof; which are done of
them in secret — That is, says
Dr. Whitby, “in their mysteries,
which therefore were styled
απορρητα μυστηρια, (mysteries
not to be spoken of,) none being
permitted to divulge them upon
pain of death. Hence even the
word μυστηριον (mystery) hath
its name, say grammarians, from
μυειν το στομα, to stop the
mouth. The Eleusinian mysteries
were performed in the night,
agreeably to the deeds of
darkness committed in them; so
were the Bacchanalia; and they
were both full of detestable
iniquity; and upon that account,
says Livy, “were banished out of
the Roman senate and Italy.”
These quotations, with many
others which might be added to
them, plainly prove, as Dr.
Doddridge observes, that if the
lower sort of mysteries among
the heathens were first
intended, as some have supposed,
to impress the minds of the
people with the belief of future
rewards and punishments, and the
higher sort of them to instruct
persons of more reflection and
penetration than the rest, in
the knowledge of the true God,
and the other great principles
of natural religion, they were,
long before the apostle’s time,
greatly corrupted, and degraded
to the most detestable purposes.
Monsieur Saurin thinks there is
a sarcasm in this verse, as if
the apostle said, “The heathens
call these things απορρητα,
things not to be spoken of;
true, they are properly so;
things not too sacred, but too
infamous to be mentioned.”
Verse 13-14
Ephesians 5:13-14. But all
things that are reproved — Or,
discovered, or confuted, as
ελεγχομενα may be properly
rendered; are made manifest —
Have their iniquity laid open to
the actors themselves, as well
as to others; by the light — Of
divine truth; or, as Whitby
interprets the clause, “being
discovered by the light, they
are made manifest.” For
whatsoever doth make any thing
of a moral or immoral nature
manifest, is light — That is,
nothing can make any thing in
men’s spirit or conduct manifest
but light, yea, light from
heaven; “and therefore the
gospel well deserves that name,
as teaching those who are
instructed in it to judge
rightly concerning the moral
nature of actions, and
inculcating such general
principles, as will be of use to
them in every particular case
that can possibly arise.”
Wherefore he saith — Namely,
God, in the general tenor of his
word, to all who are still in
darkness; Awake thou that
sleepest — In ignorance of God,
of thyself, and of his will
concerning thee, and in a state
of stupid insensibility
respecting invisible and eternal
things; and arise from the dead
— From thy state of spiritual
death, a state of alienation
from the life of God here, and
obnoxiousness to eternal death
hereafter. See on Ephesians 2:5.
And Christ shall give thee light
— Spiritual and divine light,
knowledge, wisdom, holiness, and
happiness, the light of grace
and glory.
Verses 15-17
Ephesians 5:15-17. See then —
That you may be fit to reprove
sin in others; that ye —
Yourselves, upon whom the light
of Christ already shines; walk
circumspectly — ακριβως,
accurately, with the utmost
exactness; making his will, as
made known to you in his word,
your rule, and his glory your
end, in all your actions, cares,
labours, and pursuits; taking
the most attentive heed to every
step, and conducting yourselves,
not as fools, who have no
understanding of their duty or
interest, and who consider not
what they are doing, in what way
they are proceeding forward, or
where it will terminate; but as
wise men — Who know the worth of
their immortal souls, the snares
that are or will be laid to
entangle them, by their subtle
and powerful enemies, the many
pressing dangers they have to
avoid, and the important ends
they have to secure. Redeeming
the time — With all possible
care, εξαγοραζομενοι, buying it
up, as it were, as a most
precious commodity, (though held
cheap by many,) out of the hands
of sin and Satan, of sloth,
ease, pleasure, and worldly
business, which may be done at
the expense of a little
self-denial, watchfulness, zeal,
and diligence, which will be
amply recompensed in time and in
eternity; or endeavouring to
recover and buy back, (as the
word may signify,) as far as
possible, what has been lost, by
diligently making use of what
remains, especially in embracing
every opportunity of receiving
and doing good, and studying to
improve every one to the best
purposes: and this the rather,
because the days are evil — Days
of the grossest ignorance,
immorality, and profaneness; so
that being surrounded on every
side with bad examples, we are
in danger of being corrupted,
and are at the same time exposed
to various persecutions and
perils, and know not how soon we
may be deprived of our liberty
or lives. Wherefore — Since the
times are so evil, and the
danger so great; be ye not
unwise — Ignorant of your duty
and true interest, negligent of
the concerns of your immortal
souls, and inconsiderate as you
formerly were; but understanding
what the will of the Lord is —
In every time, place, and
circumstance.
Verses 18-21
Ephesians 5:18-21. And be not
drunk with wine — As the heathen
are when they celebrate the
feasts of Bacchus, their god of
wine; wherein is excess — Which
is the source of all manner of
extravagance, and leads to
debauchery of every kind. The
original word ασωτια, here
rendered excess, signifies
entire dissoluteness of mind and
manners, and such a course of
life as is void of counsel and
prudent intention, like the
behaviour of persons who are
continually drunk. While the
above-mentioned Bacchanalia
continued, men and women made it
a point of religion to
intoxicate themselves, and ran
about the streets, fields, and
vineyards, singing and shouting
in a wild and tumultuous manner;
in opposition to which
extravagant vociferations,
singing praises to God is with
great propriety recommended.
Plato tells us, that there was
hardly a sober person to be
found in the whole Attican
territories during the
continuance of these detestable
feasts. But be ye filled with
the Spirit — In all his graces,
which gives a joy unspeakably
more delightful, exhilarating,
and permanent, than that which
is produced by the fumes of
wine. The antithesis is
beautiful. The lewd votaries of
Bacchus fill themselves with
wine; but be ye filled with the
Spirit. In which precept there
is this remarkable propriety,
that our Lord had represented
the influences of the Spirit,
(which he invited all who
thirsted for them, to come to
him and receive,) under the
emblem of rivers of living
water, which he commanded
believers to drink plentifully,
John 7:37-39. Speaking to
yourselves — That is, to one
another, by the Spirit, for your
mutual edification; in psalms —
Of David, and hymns — Of praise;
and spiritual songs — On any
divine subject; of this latter
kind were the songs of
Elisabeth, of Mary, and of
Zecharias, recorded by Luke
1:42; Luke 1:46; Luke 1:67. By
there being no inspired songs,
peculiarly adapted to the
Christian dispensation, as there
were to the Jewish. it is
evident that the promise of the
Holy Ghost to believers in the
last days, was, by his larger
effusion, to supply this want.
Singing and making melody —
Which will be as acceptable and
pleasing to God as music is to
us; in your heart — As well as
your voice, your affections
going along with your words,
without which no external
melody, be it ever so exact and
harmonious, can be pleasing to
his ear; to the Lord — Jesus,
who searcheth the heart; giving
thanks always — At all times and
places; for all things —
Prosperous or adverse, for all
things work together for good to
them that love God; in the name
— Or through the mediation; of
our Lord Jesus Christ — By whom
we receive all good things.
Submitting yourselves —
υποτασσομενοι, being subject,
one to another — Performing
those mutual duties to each
other, which belong to you
according to your several places
and stations. As if he had said,
While you are careful, as above
directed, in the duties of
praise and piety to God, be not
negligent in those which you owe
to your fellow-creatures, but
perform them punctually in all
the various relations in which
you stand to each other; in the
fear of God — Properly
influenced thereby, and
evidencing to all around you
that you truly fear and obey
him.
Verses 22-24
Ephesians 5:22-24. In the
following directions concerning
relative duties, the inferiors
are all along placed before the
superiors, because the general
proposition is concerning
submission: and inferiors ought
to do their duty, whatever their
superiors do. Wives, submit
yourselves to your own husbands
— Unless where God forbids.
Otherwise, in all indifferent
things, the will of the husband
is a law to the wife: as unto
the Lord — As owning Christ’s
authority in your husbands,
whose image they bear, 1
Corinthians 11:7. The obedience
a wife pays to her husband, is
at the same time paid to Christ
himself. For the husband is the
head of the wife — Under Christ;
is her governor, guide, and
guardian; as Christ is the head
of the church — As if he had
said, God will have some
resemblance of Christ’s
authority over the church
exhibited in the husband’s
authority over his wife. See on
Ephesians 1:22. And he is the
Saviour of the body — Of the
church, his mystical body, from
all sin and misery. As if he had
said, As Christ’s authority is
exercised over his church to
defend it from evil, and supply
it with all good, so should the
husband’s power over his wife be
employed to protect her from
injuries, and provide
comfortably for her according to
his ability. Therefore as the
church — That is, that part of
the church which is truly
regenerate; is subject unto
Christ — And with cheerful
willingness submits to his
authority; so let the wives be
to their own husbands — To whom
they have promised obedience; in
every thing — Which is lawful,
which is not contrary to any
command of God.
Verse 25
Ephesians 5:25. The apostle now
proceeds to speak of the duty of
husbands to their wives, the
principal of which consists in
their loving them, without which
they would abuse their power to
tyranny and oppression. But how
are they to love them? The
apostle says, as Christ loved
the church — Namely, with a love
that is sincere, pure, ardent,
constant, and persevering, and
notwithstanding the
imperfections and failures that
they are chargeable with. The
true model this of conjugal
affection! with this kind of
love, with this degree of it,
and to this end, should husbands
love their wives. Christ loved
the church, and gave himself a
ransom for it, when it was in a
state of slavery and misery; and
husbands, if called to it by
God, should lay down their lives
for their wives. Observe,
reader, as the church’s
subjection to Christ is proposed
as an example to wives, so the
love of Christ to his church is
proposed as a pattern to
husbands: and while such
examples are offered to the
imitation of both, and so much
is required of each of them,
neither has reason to complain
of the divine injunction. The
love which God requires from the
husband toward his wife,
compensates for that subjection
which he demands from her to her
husband: and the prescribed
subjection of the wife is an
abundant return for that love of
the husband which God hath made
her due. In what follows we are
told that the end for which
Christ loved the church, was
that he might make her holy and
save her; therefore, if husbands
are to love their wives as
Christ loved the church, they
must endeavour to promote their
faith and piety, must strive to
make them wise and holy.
Verse 26-27
Ephesians 5:26-27. That he might
sanctify and cleanse it — Might
remove the guilt, power, and
pollution of sin; with the
washing of water — In baptism,
as the sign of regeneration by
the Holy Spirit, which can only
renew, sanctify, and cleanse the
soul. See 2 Thessalonians 2:13;
1 Peter 1:2; Titus 3:5. By the
word — The ordinary channel by
which justifying, regenerating,
and sanctifying grace is
communicated; (John 15:3; James
1:18; 1 Peter 1:23; John 17:17;)
and by which we are made
perfect, and thoroughly
furnished unto all good works, 2
Timothy 3:17. That he might
present it to himself — That
being purified, renewed, and
adorned, as a bride prepared for
her husband, he might place it
in his own immediate presence; a
glorious church — Perfectly
holy, happy, and pleasing in his
sight; not having spot — Of
impurity from any remains of
sin, or wrinkle — Of deformity
from any decay, or any such
thing — Any thing which could be
called a defect; the perfection
of the bodies of the saints, as
well as that of their souls,
being included in this
description: but that it should
be holy and without blemish — Or
without blame; and he might
survey it completely pure,
beautiful, and resplendent, in
that great day, when the whole
number of the elect shall be
gathered together, and the
marriage of the Lamb shall be
celebrated amidst the
acclamations of the heavenly
legions, to whose blissful world
his bride shall be conducted in
triumph. “How bright an idea,”
says Dr. Doddridge, “does this
give us of the grand plan and
design of Christianity: namely,
to bring all the millions of
which the church consists, to
such a state of perfect virtue
and glory, that when the
penetrating eye of Christ, its
great and holy bridegroom, shall
survey it, there shall not be
one spot, or wrinkle, or any
thing like it, in the least to
impair its beauty, or offend his
sight! Where is such a scheme of
thought to be found in the
world, but in the New Testament,
and those who have been taught
by it?”
Verses 28-32
Ephesians 5:28-32. But to return
to the subject from which this
pleasing digression has led us:
So ought men to love their wives
as their own bodies — That is,
as themselves, or a part of
themselves; the bond of marriage
making the husband and his wife
one, and establishing an
inseparable community of
interests between them; so that
the husband is to love his wife
with the same sincerity and
ardency of affection wherewith
he loves himself. “The husband,”
says Macknight, “whose love
leads him, after Christ’s
example, not only to protect and
cherish his wife, by giving her
the necessaries and conveniences
of life, but also to cleanse
her; that is, to form her mind,
and assist her in making
progress in virtue, really loves
himself, and promotes his own
happiness in the best manner.
For his wife, being thus loved
and cared for, will be
strengthened for performing her
duty; and her mind being
improved, her conversation will
give him the greater pleasure.
Withal, having a high esteem for
her husband, she will submit to
the hardships of her inferior
station with cheerfulness.” No
man — In his senses; ever yet
hated his own flesh — Whatever
its infirmities or imperfections
were; but nourisheth and
cherisheth it — Feeds and
clothes it; nay, and not only
provides for its sustenance, but
for its comfortable
accommodation; even as the Lord
nourishes and cherishes the
church — Supplying it with all
things that may conduce to its
welfare and happiness,
sympathizing with it in its
infirmities, looking upon it as
one with himself. For — He can
say of his church what Adam said
of Eve, when just taken out of
his side, (Genesis 2:23,) This
is bone of my bone, and flesh of
my flesh. In other words, the
reason why Christ nourishes and
cherishes the church, is that
close connection which subsists
between him and her, his people
being as intimately united to
him, as if they were literally
flesh of his flesh, and bone of
his bone. For this cause —
Because the woman is of the
man’s flesh, and of his bones;
shall a man leave his father and
mother — To whom he was before
united by the closest ties; and
shall be joined unto his wife —
Inseparably, till death shall
part them; and they — Though
originally and naturally two
persons; shall — For the future;
be one flesh — Shall be
considered as one person, or as
one soul in two bodies. This is
a great mystery — A truth long
unknown; and now, when in some
measure discovered, is a matter
worthy of much admiration. In
the Vulgate version, this clause
is translated, Sacramentum hoc
magnum est, This is a great
sacrament. And it is the sole
foundation on which the Papists
have set up marriage as a
sacrament. But I speak
concerning Christ and the church
— That is, In saying this, you
will easily perceive I speak not
of the union between a man and
his wife, but of that between
Christ and the church: for that
the eternal Son of God should
unite himself to a society of
degenerate and mortal men,
should love them with an
affection exceeding that which
is to be found among the most
intimate human relations, and
should even regard them as
making a part of himself,
because of the intimacy with
which they are joined to him in
a community of spirit and of
interest, can certainly never be
sufficiently admired.
This seems to be the sense of
the passage. Dr. Macknight,
however, following Dr. Alix, Dr.
Whitby, and several others,
thinks that the apostle calls
the formation of Eve from Adam’s
body, his marriage with her, and
the intimate union established
between them by that marriage, a
great mystery, because it
contained an important
emblematical meaning concerning
the regeneration of believers,
and their union with Christ,
which [meaning] hitherto had
been kept secret, but which he
had discovered by applying
Adam’s words concerning Eve, to
Christ and his church;
insinuating, by this
application, “1st, That the
formation of Eve, of a rib taken
out of Adam’s body, was a figure
of the regeneration of
believers, by the breaking of
Christ’s body, mentioned
Ephesians 5:25. 2d, That Adam’s
love to Eve, on account of her
being formed of his body, was a
figure of Christ’s love to
believers, because they are
become his body, Ephesians 5:30.
3d, That Adam’s marriage with
Eve was a figure of the eternal
union of Christ with believers
in heaven, mentioned Ephesians
5:27. In giving this
emblematical representation of
these ancient facts, the apostle
has not exceeded the bounds of
probability. In the first age,
neither the art of writing, nor
any permanent method of
conveying instruction being
invented, it was necessary to
make such striking actions and
events as could not easily be
forgotten, emblems of the
instruction intended to be
perpetuated. On this
supposition, Adam, in whom the
human race began, was a natural
image of Christ, in whom the
human race was to be restored;
and his deep sleep, the opening
of his side, and the formation
of Eve of a rib taken out of his
side, were fit emblems of
Christ’s death, of the opening
of his side on the cross, and of
the regeneration of believers by
his death. The love which Adam
expressed toward Eve, and his
union with her by marriage, were
lively images of Christ’s love
to believers, and of his eternal
union with them in one society
after their resurrection. And
Eve herself, who was formed of a
rib taken from Adam’s side, was
a natural image of believers,
who are regenerated, both in
their bodies and in their minds,
by the breaking of Christ’s side
on the cross. Thus the
circumstances which accompanied
the formation of Eve, being fit
emblems of the formation of the
church, we may suppose they were
brought to pass to prefigure
that great event; and by
prefiguring it, to show that it
was decreed of God from the very
beginning!” For a further
elucidation of the subject, the
reader must be referred to the
above- mentioned commentator. We
may add here, however, that
Origen seems to have had some
notion of the relation this
passage had to Adam and Eve,
when he says, “If any man deride
us for using the example of Adam
and Eve, when we treat of the
knowledge of Christ, let him
consider these words, This is a
great mystery.” Tertullian also
frequently alludes to the same
thing, saying, “This is a great
sacrament: Carnaliter in Adam,
spiritualiter in Christo,
propter spirituales nuptias
Christi et ecclesiĉ: carnally in
Adam, spiritually in Christ, by
reason of the spiritual marriage
between him and his church.”
Verse 33
Ephesians 5:33. Nevertheless —
As if he said, But though there
be such a mystical sense in the
marriage of Adam and Eve, or in
the union subsisting between a
man and his wife; though it be a
striking emblem of the union
between Christ and his church,
yet the plain, literal sense
especially now concerns you. Let
every one of you in particular
so love his wife even as himself
— That is, with a sincere,
peculiar, cordial, and
prevailing affection, like that
which he bears to himself: and
let the wife see that she
reverence her husband — That she
entertain a high esteem for him,
be desirous of pleasing him in
all things lawful, reasonable,
and proper, and fear to give him
unnecessarily any just offence
in any thing, persuaded that it
is the will of God, and the law
of the relation in which she
stands to him, that she should
thus conduct herself toward him. |