Note: Besides commentary on 4:30-5:2 this post contains Fr. MacEvilly’s summary analysis of both chapters 4 and 5 to help provide context.
ANALYSIS OF EPHESIANS CHAPTER 4
Scripture links are to the Douay Rheims translation
In this chapter, the Apostle commences the moral part of the Epistle. He inculcates union and concord, and in order to persuade the Ephesians to attend to his admonitions in this matter, he reminds them of his sufferings on their account. Furthermore, with a view to secure this necessary and important branch of concord and union, he recounts the several relations of unity in which they were already identified (Eph 4:1–7).
Seeing that the unequal distribution of spiritual gifts might be an obstacle to this union of soul, the Apostle obviates this by showing, that these gifts were bestowed not according to the merits of those favoured with them, but gratuitously, according to the will of Christ (Eph 4:7). This he shows from Psalm 68.—and turning aside from his subject, he proves from the prophetic quotation the divinity and eternal generation of Christ against the heretics of the day (Eph 4:8–10).
Returning to the subject from which he had digressed at verse 8, he points out the different gifts and offices (Eph 4:12), their duration to the end of the world (Eph 4:13). He more clearly points out the ends to be obtained by the institution of the ministry in the Church, and the gifts conferred on her, which are unity of faith, and an increase of Christian virtue and knowledge (Eph 4:14-15). He illustrates this increase of Christian virtue in the mystical body of the Church, by the example of the natural increase of the human body (Eph 4:16).
Resuming the subject of exhortation with which he commenced (verse 1), he conjures them to lead lives different from those of the unconverted Gentiles, of whom he draws a most frightful picture. He represents their interior state or the dispositions of their souls, which comprise vanity of thought, blindness of intellect, obduracy of will (Eph 4:17-18). He next describes the exterior fruits of these corrupt passions of heart, their insatiable impurities of every description (Eph 4:19). The life of Christians is all contrary to this (Eph 4:20-21). A truly Christian conduct consists in two things—in putting off the old man, and putting on the new (Eph 4:22–24). He specifies a few of the deeds of the old man, which are, vices of the tongue (Eph 4:25), passions of the heart, especially those of the irascible appetite (Eph 4:26), deeds committed by the hands (Eph 4:27-28). He dwells on the vices of the tongue, and recommends the language of edification. He particularizes the faults of the tongue, and finally recommends the language of kindness and charity (Eph 4:29-32).
COMMENTARY
Text in purple indicate Fr. MacEvilly’s paraphrase of the text he is commenting on. Links are to the Douay Rheims translation.
Eph 4:30. And do not, by indulging in the vices already referred to, particularly those of the tongue, contristate the Holy Ghost, by banishing him from the abode of your heart, in which he wishes to dwell; by whom you have been sealed, in the abundant effusion of sanctifying grace, unto the day of the final resurrection, when, after your bodies shall have been glorified, and freed from all evils, you shall put on immortal glory.
The Holy Ghost is said to be “grieved” by being banished from our hearts, as a man is said to be saddened by being expelled from an abode in which he wished to dwell. “Sealed,” by the abundance of sanctifying grace, which is a spiritual seal of the beloved soul, by which it is marked out as belonging to God. The Apostle probably refers to the sacramental grace received in baptism and confirmation.—(See 2 Tim. 1:6). As, therefore, the seal of God is impressed on the soul, this seal should be inviolable, and should not be broken without the authority of him who impressed it. He, then, breaks and violates this seal, whoever he be, that utters obscene words, with lips that were holy and sanctified by divine grace. “Unto the day of redemption,” i.e., of the glorious resurrection of our bodies, when we shall be emancipated from the slavery of corruption.
Eph 4:31. Let all aversion and embittered feelings towards your neighbour, all angry excitement, all desires of revenge, all loud threatenings and brawling expression of inward rage, all injurious and insulting language, with every fault of this description, i.e., evil acts or dispositions towards your neighbour, be put away from you.
“Let all bitterness:” aversion, arising from our brooding over the provocation received, is the beginning of anger. “Anger,” that excited state of feeling resulting from the injuries we conceived to be inflicted on us. “Indignation,” that passionate, fixed desire of revenge. “Clamour,” all loud threatenings, &c. “Blasphemy,” is generally understood of language injurious to God, but it is also understood of injurious language used towards men. “With all malice,” regards all vices by which our neighbour is injured. These he omits enumerating, and comprehends under the general term “malice.”
Eph 4:32. But in order the more perfectly to subdue these evil propensities of our corrupt nature, practice the opposite virtues. Be courteous and obliging towards one another, have compassion for the troubles and miseries of each other, so as to share them by a kindly sympathy, pardoning and remitting to each other the injuries you may have mutually to sustain, after the example of God, who has pardoned us our manifold sins and injuries offered him, through the merits of his Son, Christ.
The best and most secure way of overcoming these evil propensities of nature is, to practise the opposite virtues. There is scarcely a passion more deeply rooted in our corrupt nature, and harder to eradicate, than the desire of retaliating and taking vengeance on our enemies, on those who have injured and are still disposed to injure us. But eradicate it, overcome it we must, if we wish to enter the kingdom of heaven, which suffers violence, and which only the violent can bear away. It is on condition that we forgive our enemies, that God forgives us. We can achieve the victory over this dreadful passion, to the gratification of which our corrupt nature so strongly urges us, by fervent prayer to God, who commands nothing above our strength, nothing which he will not grant us grace, if fervently besought for it, to accomplish. We can to this end also employ certain considerations. First—The example of God pardoning his enemies, “that you may be like your Father who is in heaven,” &c. What sins and outrages has he not remitted to us? He, the Creator, the Benefactor, pardoning his ungrateful creatures. Second—The example of the Son of God. How he wished to reclaim his apostate disciple, “friend, why camest thou hither?” On the cross he prays for his blasphemous persecutors, “Father, forgive them,” &c. Third—The example of the saints of old. Among the rest, David refused to stretch forth his hand against Saul, his unrelenting and unjust persecutor, and after his death, punished the Amalecite who said he slew him, and called on the rains and dews of heaven not to fall on the mountains of Gilboe, where he and his son had been slain. Fourth—Gratitude to God for his many benefits, for whose sake principally, and not for the sake of an ungrateful creature, we are called on to pardon our enemy. Fifth—The consideration of the wretched state of our enemy, exposed to eternal torments, the miserable condition of his soul who wishes to injure us. This should soften us into pity rather than vengeance. Sixth—The reward of this forgiveness, and self-victory, viz., peace of soul, tranquillity of conscience, which is but the earnest of future glory, the final reward which God has in store for those who make sacrifices for his sake. God is never outdone in generosity. No one ever made sacrifices for Him that did not receive an hundred-fold reward. Of this we have a striking example in the life and conversion of St. John Gualbert, after pardoning a mortal enemy.—(See his Life, July 12.)
ANALYSIS OF EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5
In this chapter, the Apostle exhorts the Ephesians to love one another after the example of God (Eph 4:32), and also after the example of Christ, who sacrificed himself for us (Eph 5:1-2). He exhorts them to shun all impurity both in word and deed, because wholly unsuited to the exalted state of sanctity to which they were called, and because it provokes the punishment of exclusion from God’s eternal inheritance (Eph 5:3-5). He cautions them against listening to the false teachings of some men on this head (Eph 5:6). He dissuades them from all participation whatsoever, in the wicked conduct of their Pagan neighbours. He, on the contrary, adduces several motives of persuasion, to encourage them to set forth, by the pure and bright contrast of their holy lives, in darker and more hideous colours, the wicked deeds of the others (Eph 6:7–15).
He exhorts them to act with wise caution and circumspection in their intercourse with the Pagans, considering the perilous nature of the days upon which they had fallen (Eph 5:15–18). He cautions them against excessive indulgence in wine, and exhorts them to seek consolation from a different source—viz., the Spirit of God; and he points out how, in their different meetings, they are to express their joy in the Holy Ghost, by singing psalms, and other spiritual songs, and by expressing their thankfulness to God (Eph 5:19-20).
He next lays down a general principle of Christian policy, relative to the duties of subjection and subordination, in the different states of life (Eph 5:21). Descending to particulars, he devotes the remainder of this chapter to the instruction of those engaged in the marriage state, as to the duties they mutually owe each other. In this state, the woman is the party on whom the duty of obedience devolves. He shows the relation of subjection which she bears her husband, to be similar to that which the Church bears to Christ; and hence, she should be subject to him, as the Church is to Christ (Eph 5:22–24), He, on the other hand, adduces the same analogy of relation, as a reason why husbands should love their wives. They hold in their regard a relation of headship, similar to that which Christ holds in regard to the Church (Eph 5:25–27). Another reason for this love is founded on the nature of the conjugal union between man and wife (Eph 5:28-29). He, next, points out the ground of the comparison of the man and wife with Christ and his Church, by showing that the Church is a part of Christ, and for this purpose he quotes in a mystical sense, the passage in Genesis, where reference is made to the creation of the woman (Eph 5:30). He quotes more largely from the passage in Genesis, in order to develop more fully the motive referred to (in verse 28), and shows the union between man and wife to be a type of the indissoluble and mystic union between Christ and his Church (Eph 5:31-32). He applies to the Ephesians the motives already adduced, and calls upon husbands and wives to attend to them (Eph 5:33).
COMMENTARY
Eph 5:1. Since, therefore, God hath pardoned you in Christ, be ye imitators of God, as children are wont to imitate the parents, by whom they are most tenderly loved.
“Be ye, therefore, followers of God.” In Greek, μιμηται, “imitators of God.” These words are immediately connected with the last verse of the preceding chapter. “As most dear children,” i.e., as children greatly beloved by God.
Eph 5:2. And exercise the duty of fraternal charity in all its parts, both in pardoning injuries and doing good so far as to sacrifice your lives, if necessary, for the good of our neighbour, after the example of Christ, who delivered himself up for our redemption, a most perfect victim—corresponding with all the ends, and comprising within itself all the properties, of the ancient offerings—and most acceptable with God.
“And walk in love.” This is a point in which we are called upon to imitate God. There are many other things in which we cannot imitate him, but only admire and adore him. “As Christ also hath loved us and delivered himself for us.” The Apostle proposes the example of our Redeemer as a second motive to exercise fraternal charity; and he leaves it to be inferred, that we also, like him, should love one another, Even at the sacrifice of life, if necessary; for, he died for us when we were his enemies by sin. “Since he hath laid down his life for us, so should we also lay down our live for our brethren.”—(1 John, chap 3)
“And delivered himself for us.” Every word has force. Who delivered himself?—God. For whom? For us, his creatures and enemies by sin. To what did he deliver himself? To a death of unparalleled ignominy and tortures. “Ut servum redimeres, Filium tradidisti?”
“An oblation and a sacrifice.” These words mean that he offered himself as a most perfect victim, comprising all the qualities of victims, bloody or unbloody, and corresponding to all the ends of the ancient sacrifices, whether holocaust, peace offering, sin offering, &c.
“For an odour of sweetness,” or, most sweet odour, denotes its acceptance with God. The phrase is frequently employed in reference to the acceptability of the ancient sacrifices, as in Genesis, and elsewhere.
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