Eph 4:29-32 | Clarke | STEP | Verse 29 Let no corrupt communication - Πας λογος σαπρος. Kypke observes that λογος σαπρος signifies a useless, putrid, unsavory, and obscene word or conversation. 1. Useless, particularly that which has been rendered so by old age and corruption. 2. Putrid, impure; so Aristophanes in Lysistrat., p. 859, calls a bad woman σαπρα: εμοι συ λουτρον, ω σαπρα· Tune, Spurca! balneum mihi parabis? 3. Calumnious, or reproachful; whatever has a tendency to injure the name, fame, or interest of another. In short, it appears to mean any word or thing obscene, any thing that injures virtue, countenances vice, or scoffs at religion. In the parallel place, , the apostle exhorts that our speech may be seasoned with salt, to preserve it from putrefaction. See Kypke and Macknight. But that which is good to the use of edifying - To be good for a thing is a Graecism, as well as an Anglicism, for, to be fit, proper, suitable, etc.; so Achilles Tatius, lib. iv. p. 231: Αγαθον εις φιλιαν οιδα σε· I know thee to be good (formed) for friendship. And Appian, de Bell. Hisp., p. 439, terms both the Scipios, Ανδρας ες παντα αγαθους γενομενους, men who were good (suitable) for all things. And also Lucian, in Toxari, p. 53: Ου μονον αρα τοξευειν αγαθοι ησαν Σκυθαι· The Scythians were not good (expert) in archery only. See Kypke, from whom I quote. That it may minister grace - Ἱνα δῳ χαριν. This may be understood thus: 1. Let your conversation be pure, wise, and holy, that it may he the means of conveying grace, or Divine influences, to them that hear. 2. Let it be such as to be grateful or acceptable to the hearers. This is the meaning of Ἱνα δῳ χαριν in some of the most correct Greek writers. Never wound modesty, truth, or religion with your discourse; endeavor to edify those with whom you converse; and if possible, speak so as to please them.

Ephesians 4:29-32

Verse 29

Let no corrupt communication - Πας λογος σαπρος. Kypke observes that λογος σαπρος signifies a useless, putrid, unsavory, and obscene word or conversation.

1. Useless, particularly that which has been rendered so by old age and corruption.

2. Putrid, impure; so Aristophanes in Lysistrat., p. 859, calls a bad woman σαπρα: εμοι συ λουτρον, ω σαπρα· Tune, Spurca! balneum mihi parabis?

3. Calumnious, or reproachful; whatever has a tendency to injure the name, fame, or interest of another.

In short, it appears to mean any word or thing obscene, any thing that injures virtue, countenances vice, or scoffs at religion. In the parallel place, Col 4:6, the apostle exhorts that our speech may be seasoned with salt, to preserve it from putrefaction. See Kypke and Macknight.

But that which is good to the use of edifying - To be good for a thing is a Graecism, as well as an Anglicism, for, to be fit, proper, suitable, etc.; so Achilles Tatius, lib. iv. p. 231: Αγαθον εις φιλιαν οιδα σε· I know thee to be good (formed) for friendship. And Appian, de Bell. Hisp., p. 439, terms both the Scipios, Ανδρας ες παντα αγαθους γενομενους, men who were good (suitable) for all things. And also Lucian, in Toxari, p. 53: Ου μονον αρα τοξευειν αγαθοι ησαν Σκυθαι· The Scythians were not good (expert) in archery only. See Kypke, from whom I quote.

That it may minister grace - Ἱνα δῳ χαριν. This may be understood thus:

1. Let your conversation be pure, wise, and holy, that it may he the means of conveying grace, or Divine influences, to them that hear.

2. Let it be such as to be grateful or acceptable to the hearers. This is the meaning of Ἱνα δῳ χαριν in some of the most correct Greek writers. Never wound modesty, truth, or religion with your discourse; endeavor to edify those with whom you converse; and if possible, speak so as to please them. Verse 30

Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God - By giving way to any wrong temper, unholy word, or unrighteous action. Even those who have already a measure of the light and life of God, both of which are not only brought in by the Holy Spirit, but maintained by his constant indwelling, may give way to sin, and so grieve this Holy Spirit that it shall withdraw both its light and presence; and, in proportion as it withdraws, then hardness and darkness take place; and, what is still worse, a state of insensibility is the consequence; for the darkness prevents the fallen state from being seen, and the hardness prevents it from being felt.

Whereby ye are sealed - The Holy Spirit in the soul of a believer is God's seal, set on his heart to testify that he is God's property, and that he should be wholly employed in God's service. It is very likely that the apostle had in view the words of the prophet, Isa 63:10 : But they rebelled, and Vexed his Holy Spirit; therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and fought against them. The psalmist refers to the same fact in nearly the same words, Psa 78:40 : How oft did they Provoke him in the wilderness, and Grieve him in the desert! Let every man, therefore, take heed that he grieve not the Spirit of God, lest God turn to be his enemy, and fight against him. Verse 31

Let all bitterness - Πασα πικρια. It is astonishing that any who profess the Christian name should indulge bitterness of spirit. Those who are censorious, who are unmerciful to the failings of others, who have fixed a certain standard by which they measure all persons in all circumstances, and unchristian every one that does not come up to this standard, these have the bitterness against which the apostle speaks. In the last century there was a compound medicine, made up from a variety of drastic acrid drugs and ardent spirits, which was called Hiera Picra, ἱερα πικρα, the holy bitter; this medicine was administered in a multitude of cases, where it did immense evil, and perhaps in scarcely any case did it do good. It has ever appeared to me to furnish a proper epithet for the disposition mentioned above, the holy bitter; for the religiously censorious act under the pretense of superior sanctity. I have known such persons do much evil in a Christian society, but never knew an instance of their doing any good.

And wrath - Θυμος is more properly anger, which may be considered the commencement of the passion.

Anger - Οργν is more properly wrath - the passion carried to its highest pitch, accompanied with injurious words and outrageous acts, some of which are immediately specified.

And clamor - Κραυγη Loud and obstreperous speaking, brawling, railing, boisterous talk, often the offspring of wrath; all of which are highly unbecoming the meek, loving, quiet, sedate mind of Christ and his followers.

And evil speaking - Βλασφημια· Blasphemy; that is, injurious speaking - words which tend to hurt those of whom or against whom they are spoken.

With all malice - Κακια· All malignity; as anger produces wrath, and wrath clamor, so all together produce malice; that is, settled, sullen, fell wrath, which is always looking out for opportunities to revenge itself by the destruction of the object of its indignation. No state of society can be even tolerable where these prevail; and, if eternity were out of the question, it is of the utmost consequence to have these banished from time. Verse 32

Be ye kind one to another - Γινεσθε - χρηστοι· Be kind and obliging to each other; study good breeding and gentleness of manners. A Christian cannot be a savage, and he need not be a boor. Never put any person to needless pain.

Tender-hearted - Ευσπλαγχνοι· Compassionate; having the bowels easily moved (as the word implies) to commiserate the state of the wretched and distressed.

Forgiving one another - Should you receive any injury from a brother, or from any man, be as ready to forgive him, on his repentance and acknowledgment, as God was, for Christ's sake, to forgive you when you repented of your sins, and took refuge in his mercy.

1. The exhortations given in this chapter, if properly attended to, have the most direct tendency to secure the peace of the individual, the comfort of every family, and the welfare and unity of every Christian society. That God never prohibits any thing that is useful to us, is an unshaken truth. And that he never commands what has not the most pointed relation to our present and eternal welfare, is not less so. How is it, then, that we do not glory in his commandments and rejoice in his prohibitions? If the gratification of our fleshly propensities could do us good, that gratification had never been forbidden. God plants thorns in the way that would lead us to death and perdition.

2. From the provision which God has made for the soul's salvation, we may see the nature, and in some sense the extent, of the salvation provided. Much on this subject has been said in the preceding chapter, and the same subject is continued here. God requires that the Church shall be holy, so that it may be a proper habitation for himself; and he requires that each believer should be holy, and that he should, under the influences of his grace, arrive at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ! Eph 4:13. This is astonishing; but God is able to make all grace abound towards us.

3. It is the will of God that Christians should be well instructed; that they should become wise and intelligent; and have their understandings well cultivated and improved. Sound learning is of great worth, even in religion; the wisest and best instructed Christians are the most steady, and may be the most useful. If a man be a child in knowledge, he is likely to be tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine; and often lies at the mercy of interested, designing men: the more knowledge he has, the more safe is his state. If our circumstances be such that we have few means of improvement, we should turn them to the best account. "Partial knowledge is better than total ignorance; he who cannot get all he may wish, must take heed to acquire all that he can." If total ignorance be a bad and dangerous thing, every degree of knowledge lessens both the evil and the danger. It must never be forgotten that the Holy Scriptures themselves are capable of making men wise unto salvation, if read and studied with faith in Christ.

4. Union among the followers of Christ is strongly recommended. How can spiritual brethren fall out by the way? Have they not all one Father, all one Head? Do they not form one body, and are they not all members of each other? Would it not be monstrous to see the nails pulling out the eyes, the hands tearing off the flesh from the body, the teeth biting out the tongue, etc., etc.? And is it less so to see the members of a Christian society bite and devour each other, till they are consumed one of another? Every member of the mystical body of Christ should labor for the comfort and edification of the whole, and the honor of the Head. He that would live a quiet life, and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, must be as backward to take offense as to give it. Would all act on this plan (and surely it is as rational as it is Christian) we should soon have glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will among men.

5. A roughness of manners is to some unavoidable; it is partly owing to the peculiar texture of their mind, and partly to their education. But there are others who glory in, and endeavor to cultivate, this ungentle disposition; under this is often concealed a great degree of spiritual pride, and perhaps some malignity; for they think that this roughness gives them a right to say grating, harsh, and severe things. They should be taught another lesson; and if they will not demean themselves as they ought, they should be left to themselves, and no man should associate with them. They are not Christians, and they act beneath the character of men.