Ephesians v. 5, 6

“For this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, which is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.”

There were, it is likely, in the time of our forefathers also, some who “weakened the hands of the people” (Jer. xxxviii. 4.), and brought into practice that which is mentioned by Ezekiel,—or rather who did the works of the false prophets, who “profaned God among His people for handfuls of barley” (Ezek. xiii. 19.); a thing, by the way, done methinks by some even at this day. When, for example, we say that he who calleth his brother a fool shall depart into hell-fire, others say, “What? Is he that calls his brother a fool to depart into hell-fire? Impossible,” say they. And again, when we say that “the covetous man is an idolater,” in this too again they make abatements, and say the expression is hyperbolical. And in this manner they underrate and explain away all the commandments. It was in allusion then to these that the blessed Paul, at this time when he wrote to the Ephesians, spoke thus, “For this ye know,³⁷⁶

376 [“῎Ιστε γινώσκοντες: ‘This you are aware of from your own knowledge,’ so that I need not first to instruct you with regard to it, ‘that,’ etc. This is not Hebraism, since γινώσκοντες is a different verb from ἴστε, but it is like ὁρῶν καὶ ἀκούων οἶδα, Xen. Cyr. iv. 1, 14.”—Meyer.—G.A.]

377 [“In accordance with the context, this refers to unbelieving Gentiles who sought to palliate those Gentile vices, to make them out as matter of indifference, and so to entice Christians back to the Gentile life.”—Meyer.—G.A.]

“Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.”

Because of “fornication,” he means, because of “covetousness,” because of “uncleanness,” or both because of these things, and because of the “deceit,”³⁷⁸

378 [διὰ ταῦτα refers not “to deceiving with empty words,” but to the “vices” just mentioned. Comp. parallel passage, Col. iii. 6.—G.A.]

Ver. 7, 8. “Be not ye, therefore, partakers with them. For ye were³⁷⁹

379 [ἦτε γάρ, &c. ἦτε prefixed with significant emphasis, has the force of a “ground”: For your former state of darkness (with which those vices were in keeping) is “past.” Comp. Rom. vi. 17.—Meyer and Ellicott.—G.A.]

Observe how wisely he urges them forward; first, from the thought of Christ, that ye love one another, and do injury to no man; then, on the other hand, from the thought of punishment and hell-fire. “For ye were once darkness,” says he, “but are now light in the Lord.” Which is what he says also in the Epistle to the Romans; “What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed?” (Rom. vi. 21.), and reminds them of their former wickedness. That is to say, thinking what ye once were, and what ye are now become, do not run back into your former wickedness, nor do “despite to the grace” (Heb. x. 29.) of God.

“Ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord!”

Not, he says, by your own virtue, but through the grace of God has this accrued to you. That is to say, ye also were sometime worthy of the same punishments, but now are so no more. “Walk” therefore “as children of light.” What is meant however by “children of light,” he adds afterwards.

Ver. 9, 10. “For the fruit³⁸⁰

380 [“‘Fruit of the light’ (not of the spirit, as Chrysostom’s text has) denotes figuratively the aggregate of moral effects which Christian enlightenment produces.”—Meyer.—G.A.]

“In all goodness,”³⁸¹

381 [“Chrysostom’s interpretation is too specific. The words mean ‘good, right, true,’ and embrace the whole of Christian morality.”—Meyer.—G.A.]

Ver. 11, 12, 13. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them. For the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of. But all things when they are reproved, are made manifest by the light.”

He had said, “ye are light.” Now the light reproves by exposing the things which take place in the darkness. So that if ye, says he, are virtuous, and conspicuous, the wicked will be unable to lie hidden. For just as when a candle is set, all are brought to light, and the thief cannot enter; so if your light shine, the wicked being discovered shall be caught. So then it is our duty to expose them. How then does our Lord say, “Judge not, that ye be not judged”? (Matt. vii. 1; 3.) Paul did not say “judge,” he said “reprove,” that is, correct. And the words, “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” He spoke with reference to very small errors. Indeed, He added, “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” But what Paul is saying is of this sort. As a wound, so long as it is imbedded and concealed outwardly, and runs beneath the surface, receives no attention, so also sin, as long as it is concealed, being as it were in darkness, is daringly committed in full security; but as soon as “it is made manifest,” becomes “light”; not indeed the sin itself, (for how could that be?) but the sinner. For when he has been brought out to light, when he has been admonished, when he has repented, when he has obtained pardon, hast thou not cleared away all his darkness? Hast thou not then healed his wound? Hast thou not called his unfruitfulness into fruit? Either this is his meaning,³⁸²

382 [This difficult passage is thus translated by Ellicott: It is true these things are done in secret, but all of them, when reproved, are made manifest by the light (thus shed upon them); for everything that is made manifest is light (becomes daylight, is of the nature of light).—G.A.]

Ver. 14. “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.”

By the “sleeper” and the “dead,” he means the man that is in sin; for he both exhales noisome odors like the dead, and is inactive like one that is asleep, and like him he sees nothing, but is dreaming, and forming fancies and illusions. Some indeed read,³⁸³

383 [ἐπιψαύσεις (instead of ἐπιφαύσει) is the reading of D* and E, and the Latin versions of these mss. (continges Christum), but it never obtained much acceptance, and hardly appears in extant codices. See Scrivener’s Introd. 632, and Westcott and Hort, Appendix, p. 125.—G.A.]

Now he is not saying this with reference to the unbelievers only, for many of the faithful, no less than unbelievers, hold fast by wickedness; nay, some far more. Therefore to these also it is necessary to exclaim, “Awake,³⁸⁴

384 [“The words here quoted are not found exactly in this form in the O.T., but certainly occur in substance in Isa. lx. 1. Instead of resorting to the explanation of Meyer or De Wette (which are somewhat rationalistic), it is better to say that Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is expressing in a condensed form the spiritual meaning of the passage.”—Ellicott. Riddle says: “It is Isa. lx. 1, partly paraphrased and partly condensed, and interpreted in the light of its fulfillment.” “This call of God to the sons of disobedience to awake, confirms the necessity of the ἐλέγχειν, and the promise, ‘Christ shall shine upon thee,’ confirms the salutary influence of the light.”—Meyer.—G.A.]

Now there are some who say that the words, “the covetous man is an idolater,” are hyperbolical. However, the statement is not hyperbolical, it is true. How, and in what way? Because the covetous man apostatizes from God, just as the idolater does. And lest you should imagine this is a bare assertion, there is a declaration of Christ which saith, “Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.” (Matt. vi. 24.) If then it is not possible to serve God and Mammon, they who serve Mammon have thrown themselves out of the service of God; and they who have denied His sovereignty, and serve lifeless gold, it is plain enough that they are idolaters. “But I never made an idol,” a man will say, “nor set up an altar, nor sacrificed sheep, nor poured libations of wine; no, I came into the church, and lifted up my hands to the Only-begotten Son of God; I partake of the mysteries, I communicate in prayer, and in everything else which is a Christian’s duty. How then,” he will say, “am I a worshiper of idols?” Yes, and this is the very thing which is the most astonishing of all, that when thou hast had experience, and hast “tasted” the lovingkindness of God, and “hast seen that the Lord is gracious” (Ps. xxxiv. 8.), thou shouldest abandon Him who is gracious, and take to thyself a cruel tyrant, and shouldest pretend to be serving Him, whilst in reality thou hast submitted thyself to the hard and galling yoke of covetousness. Thou hast not yet told me of thy own duty done, but only of thy Master’s gifts. For tell me, I beseech thee, whence do we judge of a soldier? Is it when he is on duty guarding the king, and is fed by him, and called the king’s own, or is it when he is minding his own affairs and interests? To pretend to be with him, and to be attentive to his interests, whilst he is advancing the cause of the enemy, we declare to be worse than if he breaks away from the king’s service, and joins the enemy. Now then thou art doing despite to God, just as an idolater does, not with thine own mouth singly, but with the ten thousands of those whom thou hast wronged. Yet you will say, “an idolater he is not.” But surely, whenever they say, “Oh! that Christian, that covetous fellow,” then not only is he himself committing outrage by his own act, but he frequently forces those also whom he has wronged to use these words; and if they use them not, this is to be set to the account of their reverence.

Do we not see that such is the fact? What else is an idolater? Or does not he too worship passions, oftentimes not mastering his passions? I mean, for example, when we say that the pagan idolater worships idols, he will say, “No, but it is Venus, or it is Mars.” And if we say, Who is this Venus? the more modest amongst them will say, It is pleasure. Or what is this Mars? It is wrath. And in the same way dost thou worship Mammon. If we say, Who is this Mammon? It is covetousness, and this thou art worshiping. “I worship it not,” thou wilt say. Why not? Because thou dost not bow thyself down? Nay, but as it is, thou art far more a worshiper in thy deeds and practices; for this is the higher kind of worship. And that you may understand this, look in the case of God; who more truly worship Him, they who merely stand up at the prayers, or they who do His will? Clearly enough, these latter. The same also is it with the worshipers of Mammon; they who do his will, they truly are his worshipers. However, they who worship the passions are oftentimes free from the passions. One may see a worshiper of Mars oftentimes governing his wrath. But this is not true of thee; thou makest thyself a slave to thy passion.

Yes, but thou slayest no sheep? No, thou slayest men, reasonable souls, some by famine, others by blasphemies. Nothing can be more frenzied than a sacrifice like this. Who ever beheld souls sacrificed? How accursed is the altar of covetousness! When thou passest by this idol’s altar here, thou shalt see it reeking with the blood of bullocks and goats; but when thou shalt pass by the altar of covetousness, thou shalt see it breathing the shocking odor of human blood. Stand here before it in this world, and thou shalt see, not the wings of birds burning, no vapor, no smoke exhaled, but the bodies of men perishing. For some throw themselves among precipices, others tie the halter, others thrust the dagger through their throat. Hast thou seen the cruel and inhuman sacrifices? Wouldest thou see yet more shocking ones than these? Then I will show thee no longer the bodies of men, but the souls of men slaughtered in the other world. Yes, for it is possible for a soul to be slain with the slaughter peculiar to the soul; for as there is a death of the body,³⁸⁵

385 [As in other places, the text of Field is here incomplete. (ὥσπερ γάρ ἐστι ψυχῆς θάνατος, “Ψυχὴ γὰρ ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα,” etc.) It omits the clause, ὥσπερ γάρ ἐστι σώματος θάνατος, which is so necessary to the sense and which is attested by excellent manuscript authority, and adopted by Savile.—G.A.]

Such for the most part are the slaughters made at the altar of covetousness. They are not satisfied, they do not stop at men’s blood; no, the altar of covetousness is not glutted, unless it sacrifice the very soul itself also, unless it receive the souls of both, the sacrificer and the sacrificed. For he who sacrifices must first be sacrificed, and then he sacrifices; and the dead sacrifices him who is yet living. For when he utters blasphemies, when he reviles, when he is irritated, are not these so many incurable wounds of the soul?

Thou hast seen that the expression is no hyperbole. Wouldest thou hear again another argument, to teach you how covetousness is idolatry, and more shocking than idolatry? Idolaters worship the creatures of God (“for they worshiped,” it is said, “and served the creature rather than the Creator”) (Rom. i. 25.); but thou art worshiping a creature of thine own. For God made not covetousness but thine own insatiable appetite invented it.³⁸⁶

386 [This seems strained; for it is not true that they worshiped covetousness, a creature of their own, as Chrysostom calls it, but they worshiped gold and silver, which are creatures of God.—G.A.]

We will examine, if you please, whence idolatry took its rise. A certain wise man (Wisd. xiv. 16.) tells us, that a certain rich man afflicted with untimely mourning for his son, and having no consolation for his sorrow, consoled his passion in this way: having made a lifeless image of the dead, and constantly gazing at it, he seemed through the image to have his departed one still; whilst certain flatterers, “whose God was their belly” (Philip. iii. 19.), treating the image with reverence in order to do him honor, carried on the custom into idolatry.³⁸⁷

387 [This is a rather doubtful and inadequate account of the beginning of idolatry.—G.A.]

388 ὁΚά& 187·ν τὸν θεὸν ἐπλεονέκτησεν (Comp. πλεονεξία).

389 [This is what the text seems to mean (πάλιν εἰς γυναῖκας ἀπὸ πλεονεξίας ἡ ὁρμὴ γέγονεν), and he is proposing to explain the origin of covetousness (which, by the way, most men need go no further than their own heart to find), and not of lust. Moreover, the following context makes lust a source of covetousness, which is true, and not covetousness the source of lust, which is not true.—G.A.]

Moral. Consider how many acts of plunder, how many acts of covetousness, thou hast committed. Restore all fourfold. Thus plead thy cause to God. Some, however, there are who are arrived at such a pitch of madness and blindness, as not even then to comprehend their duty; but who go on acting in all cases, just as if they were taking pains to make the judgment of God yet heavier to themselves. This is the reason why our blessed Apostle writes and says, “Walk as children of light.” Now the covetous man of all others lives in darkness, and spreads great darkness over all things around.

“And have no fellowship,” he adds, “with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them; for the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of; but all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light.” Hearken, I entreat you, all, as many of you as like not to be hated for nothing, but to be loved. “What need is there to be hated?” one says. A man commits a robbery, and dost thou not reprove him, but art afraid of his hatred? though this, however, is not being hated for nothing. But dost thou justly convict him, and yet fear the hatred? Convict thy brother, incur enmity for the love’s sake which thou owest to Christ, for the love’s sake which thou owest to thy brother. Arrest him as he is on his road to the pit of destruction. For to admit him to our table, to treat him with civil speeches, with salutations, and with entertainments, these are no signal proofs of friendship. No, those I have mentioned are the boons which we must bestow upon our friends, that we may rescue their souls from the wrath of God. When we see them lying prostrate in the furnace of wickedness, let us raise them up. “But,” they say, “it is of no use, he is incorrigible.” However, do thou thy duty, and then thou hast excused thyself to God. Hide not thy talent. It is for this that thou hast speech, it is for this thou hast a mouth and a tongue, that thou mayest correct thy neighbor.³⁹⁰

390 [Compare John Wesley’s sermon on the “Duty of Reproving our Neighbor,” Works, Vol. II., p. 88 (New York ed.), for a thorough and fearless discussion of this difficult duty.—G.A.]

“For,” he says, “the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of: but all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light.” What is it he means to say here? He means this. That some sins in this world are done in secret, and some also openly; but in the other it shall not be so. Now there is no one who is not conscious to himself of some sin. This is why he says, “But all the things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light.” What then? Is this again, it will be said, meant concerning idolatry? It is not; the argument is about our life and our sins. “For everything that is made manifest,” says he, “is light.”

Wherefore, I entreat you, be ye never backward to reprove, nor displeased at being reproved.³⁹¹

391 [“Better is open rebuke Than love that is hidden. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are profuse.”—Prov. xxvii. 5, 6. “He that rebuketh a man shall afterward find more favor Than he that flattereth with the tongue.”—Prov. xxviii. 23. Compare Chrysostom’s I. Homily on Eutropius, Vol. IX., p. 249, this series.—G.A.]

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