Father Wilberforce’s Commentary on Ephesians 5:15-20

The following commentary by Father A. B. Wilberforce was originally published in 1902. It is based upon the St Thomas Aquinas’ Lectures on Ephesians.

WALK CAUTIOUSLY, FOR THE DAYS ARE EVIL

Eph 5:15  See therefore, brethren, how you walk circumspectly: not as unwise,
Eph 5:16  But as wise: redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

To walk circumspectly is to live cautiously, and “caution,” says St Thomas, “Is a certain condition of prudence by which a man avoids difficulties in practical matters.” This caution everyone ought to use; it is a part of wisdom. “The eyes of the wise men are in his head; the fool walketh in darkness” (Eccles 2:14). Prudence and caution, so necessary at all times, were peculiarly needful in those early days when unwise actions might excite persecution against the whole Church.

Redeeming the time means using well every opportunity we have of doing good works and gaining merit, and not allowing time that will never return to pass away idly and uselessly. We should value time, by which we can gain eternity, as much as if we had to  purchase or redeem it by a great price. If a man has spent a large portion of his life in sin, he has lost all that time; and in the little space that remains to him before the great day of account, he must endeavour to repair the past by redoubling his efforts to do all the good works in his power for the pure love of God (1 Pet 4:3).

For the days are evil; therefor use every opportunity of doing good. “From the day on which Adam fell and was banished from Paradise, the days have been always evil” (St Aug. Hom. 10), but especially was this the case when St Paul wrote for then the corruptions of pagan society had reached their worst point, and made the time emphatically evil.

Eph 5:17  Wherefore, become not unwise: but understanding what is the will of God.

Those who meditate constantly on the law of God, and can truly say, “I have loved Thy law O Lord; it is my meditation all the day long (P1 119:97) are truly wise. The only wisdom is to strive to understand thoroughly and to perform perfectly the holy Will of God. Therefore the Apostle warns us not to become unwise by neglecting to learn or refusing to do the Will of God.The first principle by which we ought to judge of things and to regulate them in practice is the “good acceptable, and perfect Will of God” (Rom 12:2). And if this be really the principal of action the mind is guided by prudence which is wisdom applied to the practical things of life. “O that they would be wise, and would understand, and would provide for their last end” (Deut 32:29).

ABSTAIN FROM WINE; BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST

Eph 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury: but be ye filled with the Holy Spirit,

Having already warned them against impurity, St Paul proceeds to condemn excess in wine, which is a common cause of impurity, and therefore a thing that must be carefully avoided by all who desire to live chastely according to the will of God. “Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness riotous; whosoever is delighted therewith shall not be wise (Prov 20:1). The prophet Hosea also couples together intemperance and impurity in the words “Fornication and wine and drunkenness take away the understanding” (Hos 4:11). St Jerome says plainly “I shall never consider a drunkard to be a chaste man…say what you will, I speak according to my conscience” (as Titum, cap 1). In another place the same Father reminds us that “Lot, who was not conquered by the example of Sodom, was overcome by wine.”

Be ye filled with the Holy Spirit. Instead of exciting the animal nature with much wine, fill the soul with the Holy Ghost, Who gives fervor of devotion, and makes men “In spirit fervent” (Rom 12:11). Another effect of the presence of the Holy Spirit is joy and spiritual gladness; “justice, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom 14:17).

Eph 5:19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord:
Eph 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father:

St Paul here opposes the caste and holy joy which results from the interior influence of the Holy Spirit, to the riotous mirth of the drunkard; the psalms and hymns of the one to the ribald songs of the other. When Christians assemble on festive occasions, he teaches, instead of injuring body and soul by excess in meat and wine, they should take delight in holy conversation and in singing psalms and hymns, especially about Christ and the blessing of belonging to Him. The ancient Hebrews were accustomed to have music at their banquets and festive gathering, and we see a trace of this custom in the words “Wine and music rejoice the heart, but the love of wisdom is above them both” (Sirach 49:2). In another chapter the sacred writer says, A concert of music in a banquet of wine is a carbuncle set in gold. As a signet of an emerald in a work of gold: so is the melody of music with pleasant and moderate wine ” (Sirach 32:7). The Prophet Isaiah reproached his countrymen because though “the harp and the lyre and the timbrel and the pipe, and wine are in your feasts,” still, “the work of the Lord you regard not, nor do you consider the works of His Hands” (Isa 5:12).

At the Last Supper Christ and His Apostles sang a hymn, and the early Christians, imitating this example, in their love-feasts and other gatherings were accustomed to have music and songs, not profane, but sacred hymns in praise of God. Tertullian (second century) describes these Christian feasts in the thirty-ninth chapter of his Apology as follows: “Before the company has sat down to eat, prayer to God is poured forth. Food is taken as far as hunger requires; drink in a measure that is useful for those who desire to preserve purity. Christians feast in a way that befits men who remember that by night as well a by day God should be adored; they speak as those who should know that the Lord listens. After washing the hands with water, lights are brought in, and then each one is invited to sing in praise of God, either using the words of Holy Scripture or his own words, and by this is shown the temperance with which each one has drunk.”

The early Fathers tell us also that it was the custom of Christians to sing pious hymns to Christ for recreation. Thus St Basil describes the peasants as chanting the Gloria Patri; and St Jerome tells us of the ploughman cheering himself by singing “Alleluia,” and of the tired reaper singing psalms (Cornelius a Lapide).

Singing and making melody in your hearts. Singing in praise of God should be a service of the heart and not of the lips only; and so St Jerome writes that “from these words those whose duty it is to chant psalms in the Church should understand that they should sing the praises of God with the heart as well as with the voice.”

The Apostle exhorts Christians to spiritual joy and gladness, to be always joyful and trying to inspire others with feelings of joy, love, and thanksgiving. This spiritual joy, one of the fruits of the Holy Ghost, is a sign of His Presence. To those who possess this joyful spirit nothing is difficult, nothing troubles their heart; they count it all joy when they fall into divers tribulations. St Dominic and St Philip Neri are special instances among the Saints of this fruit of the Holy Ghost.

Giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father. Here St Paul teaches us the practical lesson he so constantly dwells upon in his Epistles, exhorting us to give thanks to God, not only in time of prosperity, but always, at all times, and not only for the things we naturally like, but for those we dislike. For all things, at all times, is the rule of thanksgiving. Everyone can say, Thank God, when all goes well; but it requires true virtue to thank God in time of trial and suffering. In time of prosperity we thank Him for doing our own will; but if we are thankful in times of suffering and adversity we are thanking Him for doing His own Will. In time of suffering, therefore,  whether in body or mind, we must rise above nature and say, “I thank Thee, O God, for doing Thy own Will, in Thy own wy, because it is Thy Will.

St Thomas notices from these words of the Apostle (verses 18-20) that there are three effects which follow from being filled with the Holy Ghost. Christians have received the Holy Ghost in Baptism and the other sacraments; but not all even of those who live in a state of grace, can be said to be filled with the Holy Ghost. A man may have the Holy Spirit, but not be guided by His Grace in every act. But to be filled with the Holy Ghost will show itself by love to God and man. The three effects which follow from being filled with the Holy Spirit (which is the gift of God) are 1. Spiritual meditation; 2. Spiritual joy and gladness; 3. Thanksgiving.

1. Spiritual meditation. Speaking to yourselves, that is, to your own souls, in the silent interior conversation that each one constantly holds with himself; in psalms, that is, using the words of the psalms (which for this purpose out to be learnt) in our interior conversation, instead of idle or hurtful thoughts. We should meditate therefore on right, practical conduct to see what we ought to do, on the praises of God to judge what we should imitate, on the heavenly joy to see how we should serve God.

2. Spiritual joy. By frequent meditation the fire of charity is kindled in the heart, “My heart grew hot within me, and in my musing a fire shall flame forth (Ps 39:4); and thus spiritual joy springs up in the heart. By singing and making melody in the heart to the Lord our affections are filled with spiritual joy, which inclines us to undertake good works (1 Cor 14:15; Col 3:16).

3. Thanksgiving. Meditation and spiritual joy enable the soul more clearly to see, and more humbly to acknowledge, that everything comes from God. For the nearer the soul approaches God and knows Him, the more does it see His greatness and its own nothingness in comparison with God, as Job says, “With the hearing of the ear I have heard Thee, but now my eye seeth Thee therefore I reprehend myself and do penance in dust and ashes (Job 42:5). Therefore should we thank God always, for all things, for all are gifts of His goodness, whether in prosperity or adversity: “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall be always in my mouth (Ps 34:1; James 1:2; Acts 4:41).

This thanksgiving is to be offered in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, because all good things come to us through Him (Rom 5:1).

To God and the Father. To God, Who is our Creator. To the Father, for He has sent Christ to us, and through Him hath regenerated us. And thus we thank God for the gifts of nature, and the Father for those of Grace.