SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:4
Hay un cuerpo, y un espíritu; como sois también llamados en una misma esperanza de vuestra vocación;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ephesians 4:4
Verse 4. There is one body] Viz. of Christ, which is his Church. One Spirit] The Holy Ghost, who animates this body.
One hope] Of everlasting glory, to which glory ye have been called by the preaching of the Gospel; through which ye have become the body of Christ, instinct with the energy of the Holy Ghost.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. There is one body , &c.] The church; in what sense that is a body, and compared to one, (See Gill on “ Ephesians 1:23”). It is called “one” with relation to Jews and Gentiles, who are of the same body, and are reconciled in one body by Christ, and are baptized into it by the Spirit; and with respect to saints above and saints below, who make up one general assembly; and with regard to separate societies; for though there are several particular congregations, yet there is but one church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven; and saints of different ages, places, states, and conditions, are all one in Christ Jesus, who is the one, and only head of this body: and this is an argument to excite the saints to unity of Spirit; since they are, as one natural body is, members one of another, and therefore should not bite and devour one another; they are one political body, one kingdom, over which Christ is sole King and lawgiver, and a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand; they are one economical body, one family, they are all brethren, and should not fall out by the way. And one Spirit ; the Holy Spirit of God, who animates, quickens, and actuates the body: there is but one Spirit, who convinces of sin, enlightens, regenerates, and makes alive; who incorporates into the body, the church; who comforts the saints; helps them in their access to God through Christ; makes known the things of Christ to them, is a spirit of adoption, and the seal and earnest of the heavenly glory; and the consideration of this should engage to unity, because a contrary conduct must be grieving to the Spirit of God, unsuitable to his genuine fruits, and very unlike the true spirit of a Christian: and by one spirit may be meant the spirit of themselves, who, as the first Christians were, should be of one heart, and of one soul, of the same mind, and having the same affections for one another; which sense is favoured by the Syriac and Arabic versions; the former rendering the words, “that ye may be one body and one spirit”, making this to be the issue and effect of their endeavours after union and peace; and the latter reads them as an exhortation, “be ye one body and one spirit”; that is, be ye cordially and heartily united in your affections to one another: even as ye are called in one hope of your calling ; that is, the glory hoped for, and which is laid up in heaven, and will be enjoyed there, to which the saints are called in the effectual calling, is one and the same: there are no degrees in it; it will be equally possessed by them all; for they are all loved with the same love, chosen in the same head, and secured in the same covenant; they are bought with the same price of Christ's blood, and are justified by the same righteousness; they are all equally the sons of God, and so heirs of the same heavenly inheritance; and are all made kings and priests unto God, and there is but one kingdom, one crown, one inheritance for them all; and the holiness and beatific vision of the saints in heaven will be alike; and therefore they should be heartily affected to one another here on earth, who are to be partners together in glory to all eternity. So the Jews say f39 , that in the world of souls, all, small and great, stand before the Lord; and they have a standing alike; for in the affairs of the soul, it is fit that they should be all µywç , “equal”, as it is said ( Exodus 30:15), “the rich shall not give more”.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - Nothing is pressed more earnestly in the Scriptures, than to walk a becomes those called to Christ's kingdom and glory. By lowliness understand humility, which is opposed to pride. By meekness, tha excellent disposition of soul, which makes men unwilling to provoke and not easily to be provoked or offended. We find much in ourselve for which we can hardly forgive ourselves; therefore we must not be surprised if we find in others that which we think it hard to forgive There is one Christ in whom all believers hope, and one heaven they ar all hoping for; therefore they should be of one heart. They had all on faith, as to its object, Author, nature, and power. They all believe the same as to the great truths of religion; they had all been admitte into the church by one baptism, with water, in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, as the sign of regeneration. I all believers God the Father dwells, as in his holy temple, by his Spirit and special grace.
Greek Textus Receptus
εν 1520 σωμα 4983 και 2532 εν 1520 πνευμα 4151 καθως 2531 και 2532 εκληθητε 2564 5681 εν 1722 μια 1520 ελπιδι 1680 της 3588 κλησεως 2821 υμων 5216
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. The connection with the preceding verses is as follows: I exhort you to unity, for you stand related to the Church, which is one body in Christ; to the one Spirit who informs it; to the one hope which your calling inspires; to the one Lord, Christ, in whom you believe with one common faith, and receive one common sign of that faith, baptism. Above all, to the one God and Father.
Body - Spirit. The body is the invisible Church, the mystical body of Christ: the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Pneuma spirit, is never used in the New Testament of temper or disposition.
Even as. To the facts of one body and one Spirit corresponds the fact of their calling in one hope. Compare Col. iii. 15.
In one hope of your calling (en mia elpidi thv klhsewv umwn). In, not by. Their calling took place in the one hope as its moral element or sphere, since they were called to fellowship with Christ who is the one object and the one inspirer of hope. Compare called in peace, 1 Corinthians vii. 15; in sanctification, 1 Thess. iv. 7 (Rev.). Hope here is not the object but the principle of hope. The phrase hope of your calling signifies hope which is characteristic of God's call to salvation, and is engendered by it. See on ch. i. 18.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:4 {One body} (hen swma). One mystical body of Christ (the spiritual church or kingdom, cf. #1:23; 2:16). {One Spirit} (hen pneuma). One Holy Spirit, grammatical neuter gender (not to be referred to by "it," but by "he"). {In one hope} (en miai elpidi). The same hope as a result of their calling for both Jew and Greek as shown in chapter #2.
