This verse in part repeats Eph. 3:1, where the apostle's exhortation in chs. 4—6 begins. This indicates that Eph. 3:2-21 is parenthetical. See note Eph. 3:1^2a.

See note Eph. 3:1^2a. In Eph. 3:1 Paul speaks of himself as "the prisoner of Christ Jesus," but here he says that he is "the prisoner in the Lord." To be a prisoner in the Lord is deeper than to be a prisoner of the Lord. As such a prisoner, Paul is a pattern for those who would walk worthily of God's calling.

This book is divided into two main sections. The first, composed of chs. 1—3, reveals the blessings and the position the church has obtained in Christ in the heavenlies. The second, comprising chs. 4—6, charges us concerning the living and responsibility the church should have in the Spirit on the earth. The basic charge is that we should walk worthily of God's calling, which is the totality of the blessings bestowed on the church, as revealed in Eph. 1:3-14. In the church, under the Triune God's abundant blessing, the saints should walk worthily of the Father's selection and predestination, the Son's redemption, and the Spirit's sealing and pledging. Hence, in chs. 4—6 we see, on the one hand, the living that the church should have, and, on the other hand, the responsibility that the church should bear.

Height in the quotation from Psa. 68:18 refers to Mount Zion (Psa. 68:15-16), which symbolizes the third heaven, where God dwells (1 Kings 8:30). Psalm 68 implies that it was in the ark that God ascended to Mount Zion after the ark had won the victory. Verse Psa. 68:1 is taken from Num. 10:35. This indicates that the background of Psalm 68 is God's move in the tabernacle with the ark as its center. Wherever the ark, a type of Christ, went, the victory was won. Eventually, this ark ascended triumphantly to the top of Mount Zion. This portrays how Christ won the victory and ascended triumphantly to the heavens.

Those refers to the redeemed saints, who were taken captive by Satan before being saved by Christ's death and resurrection. In His ascension Christ led them captive; that is, He rescued them from Satan's captivity and took them to Himself. This indicates that He conquered and overcame Satan, who had captured them by sin and death.

The Amplified New Testament renders "He led captive those taken captive" as "He led a train of vanquished foes." Vanquished foes may refer to Satan, to his angels, and to us the sinners, again indicating Christ's victory over Satan, sin, and death. In Christ's ascension there was a procession of these vanquished foes, led as captives from a war, for a celebration of Christ's victory.

Gifts here does not refer to the abilities or capacities for various services but to the gifted persons in v. 11 — apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers. After conquering Satan and death and rescuing the sinners from Satan and death through His death and resurrection, Christ in His ascension made the rescued sinners themselves such gifts by means of His resurrection life and gave them to His Body for its building up.

Referring to Hades, which is under the earth. Christ went there after His death (Acts 2:27).

First, in His incarnation Christ descended from heaven to earth. Then, in His death He descended farther, from earth to Hades. Eventually, in His resurrection He ascended from Hades to earth, and in His ascension, from earth to heaven. Through such a journey He cut the way that He might fill all things.

The measure of the gift of Christ is the size of a member of His Body.

Here grace was given according to the gift; in Rom. 12:6 the gifts differ according to grace. Grace actually is the divine life that produces and supplies the gifts. In Rom. 12 it is the grace that produces the gift. Hence, the gift is according to grace. Here the grace is according to the gift, according to the measure of the gift. This is similar to our blood supplying the members of our body according to their size.

Concerning the Body of Christ, all the basic elements are one, but the gifts (the functions) are many and varied.

The Trinity is implied even here. Over all refers mainly to the Father, through all to the Son, and in all to the Spirit. The Triune God eventually enters into us all by reaching us as the Spirit. The oneness of the Body of Christ is constituted of the Trinity of the Godhead — the Father as the source and origin being the Originator, the Son as the Lord and Head being the Accomplisher, and the Spirit as the life-giving Spirit being the Executor. The Triune God Himself, when realized and experienced by us in our daily life, is the fundamental basis and very foundation of our oneness.

Referring to all believers.

God is the Originator of all things, and the Father is the source of life for the Body of Christ.

Through faith we believe into the Lord (John 3:36), and through baptism we are baptized into Him (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3) and terminated in Adam (Rom. 6:4). Through faith and baptism we have been transferred out of Adam into Christ, thereby being joined to the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17). Immediately after believing in Christ, we should be baptized to complete the transfer.

This verse does not say "one Son," but "one Lord." In the Gospel of John it is the Son into whom we believe (John 3:16), but in the Acts it is the Lord into whom we believe (Acts 16:31). In the Epistles of John, the Son is for the imparting of life (1 John 5:12), whereas in the Acts, the Lord, after His ascension, is for the exercising of authority (Acts 2:36), a matter which concerns His headship. Hence, our believing in Him is related to both life and authority, for He is both our life and our Head. As the Head of the Body (Eph. 1:22), He is the Lord. Christians are divided because they neglect the Head; that is, they neglect the Lord's headship and authority.

The hope of glory (Col. 1:27), which is the transfiguration of our body (Phil. 3:21) and the manifestation of the sons of God (Rom. 8:19, 23-25).

In exhorting us to safeguard the oneness, the apostle pointed out seven things that form the base of our oneness: one Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God. These seven "ones" are of three groups. The first three form the first group, that of the Spirit with the Body as His expression. This Body, having been regenerated and being saturated with the Spirit as its essence, has the hope of being transfigured into the full likeness of Christ. The next three form the second group, that of the Lord with faith and baptism that we may be joined to Him. The last of the seven forms the third group, the one God and Father, who is the Originator and source of all. The Spirit as the Executor of the Body, the Son as the Creator of the Body, and God the Father as the Originator of the Body — all the three of the Triune God — are related to the Body. The Third of the Trinity is the first mentioned in vv. 4-6 because the main concern here is the Body, of which the Spirit is the essence and the life and life supply. The course is then traced back to the Son and to the Father.

Christ abolished on the cross all the differences that were due to ordinances. In so doing He made peace for His Body. This peace should bind all believers together and should thus become the uniting bond. The uniting bond of peace is the issue of the working of the cross. When we remain on the cross, we have peace with others. This peace becomes the uniting bond in which we keep the oneness of the Spirit.

To walk worthily of God's calling, to have the proper Body life, we first need to care for the oneness. This is crucial and vital to the Body of Christ. Strictly, oneness differs from unity. Unity is the state in which many people are united together, whereas oneness is the one entity of the Spirit within the believers, which makes them all one. This oneness is a person, Christ Himself, who is the Spirit dwelling within us. It is similar to the electricity flowing within many lamps, making them all one in the shining. In themselves, the lamps are separate, but in the electricity they are one.

Or, safeguard, preserve by guarding. The oneness of the Spirit is the Spirit Himself. To keep the oneness of the Spirit is to keep the life-giving Spirit. If we act apart from the Spirit, we are divisive and lose the oneness. If we stay in the life-giving Spirit, we keep the oneness of the Spirit.

To be lowly is to remain in a low estate, and to be meek is to not fight for oneself. We should exercise these two virtues in dealing with ourselves. To be long-suffering is to endure mistreatment. We should exercise this virtue in dealing with others. By these virtues we bear (not just tolerate) one another; that is, we do not forsake the troublesome ones but bear them in love. This is the expression of life.

These virtues are not found in our natural humanity but are in the humanity of Jesus. The fact that the virtues are mentioned here, before the oneness of the Spirit in v. 3, indicates that we must have these virtues in order to keep the oneness of the Spirit. This implies that in the uniting Spirit there is the transformed humanity, the humanity transformed by the resurrection life of Christ.

Each one in v. 7 includes every member of the Body of Christ, each of whom has received a general gift; whereas the four kinds of gifted persons mentioned here are those who have been endued with a special gift.

This is not our own love but the love of God in Christ, which becomes the love of Christ in us, by which we love Christ and the fellow members of His Body. It is in such a love that we hold to truth, that is, to Christ with His Body, and are kept from being influenced by the winds of teaching and from bringing in elements that are foreign to the Body.

To be no longer little children (v. 14), we need to grow up into Christ. This is to have Christ increase in us in all things until we attain to a full-grown man (v. 13).

Head here indicates that our growth in life by the increase of Christ should be the growth of the members in the Body under the Head.

According to the grammatical construction, shepherds and teachers refers to a single class of gifted persons. A shepherd should know how to teach, and a teacher should be able to shepherd.

Or, equipping, supplying the functions.

Unto here means resulting in, for the purpose of, or with a view to.

The many gifted persons in the preceding verse have only one ministry, that is, to minister Christ for the building up of the Body of Christ, the church. This is the unique ministry in the New Testament economy (2 Cor. 4:1; 1 Tim. 1:12).

Unto here means resulting in, for the purpose of, or with a view to.

According to the grammatical construction, the building up of the Body of Christ is the work of the ministry. Whatever the gifted persons in v. 11 do as the work of the ministry must be for the building up of the Body of Christ. However, this building up is not accomplished directly by the gifted ones but by the saints who have been perfected by the gifted ones.

Or, attain to. This indicates that a process is required for us to attain to or arrive at the practical oneness.

The dividing teachings are organized and systematized by Satan to cause serious error and thus damage the practical oneness of the Body life. The sleight is of men, but the system of error is of Satan and is related to the deceitful teachings that are designed by the evil one to distract the saints from Christ and the church life.

Or, truthing it. This is in contrast to the sleight and the error in v. 14. To be carried away by the winds of teaching in the sleight of men unto a system of error is to not hold to truth. Truth here means things that are true. According to the context, it must refer to Christ and His Body: both are true things. We should hold in love to these true things that we may grow up into Christ.

In v. 3 the oneness of the Spirit is the oneness of the divine life in reality; in this verse the oneness is the oneness of our living in practicality. We already have the oneness of the divine life in reality. We need only to keep it. But we need to go on until we arrive at the oneness of our living in practicality. This aspect of oneness is of two things: the faith and the full knowledge of the Son of God. As revealed in Jude 1:3, 2 Tim. 4:7, and 1 Tim. 6:21, the faith does not refer to the act of our believing but to the things in which we believe, such as the divine person of Christ and His redemptive work accomplished for our salvation. The full knowledge of the Son of God is the apprehension of the revelation concerning the Son of God for our experience. The more we grow in life, the more we will cleave to the faith and to the apprehension of Christ, and the more we will drop all the minor and meaner doctrinal concepts that cause divisions. Then we will arrive at, or attain to, the practical oneness; that is, we will arrive at a full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Verses Eph. 4:1-16 deal with the living and the function of the Body of Christ. Now, in vv. 17-32 our daily life is touched. Verses Eph. 4:17-24 give us the principles of our daily walk, and vv. 25-32 give us the details.

The Son of God refers to the Lord's person as life to us, whereas Christ refers to His commission to minister life to us that we, the members of His Body, may have gifts for functioning. See note Matt. 16:16^1a.

A full-grown man is a mature man. Maturity in life is needed for the practical oneness.

The fullness of Christ is the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:23), which has a stature with a measure. To arrive at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ is necessary for the practical oneness. Hence, from the oneness in reality we need to proceed to the oneness in practicality until we arrive at the three things mentioned in this verse — the oneness, a full-grown man, and the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Lit., infants. The same Greek word as for child in Gal. 4:1, referring to those believers who are young in Christ, lacking maturity in life (1 Cor. 3:1).

The waves stirred up by the winds of different teachings (1 Tim. 1:3-4), doctrines, concepts, and opinions are sent by Satan to entice the believers in order to carry them away from Christ and the church. It is difficult for the infants in Christ to discern these. The only way to escape from the waves that are stirred up by the winds is to grow in life, and the safe way to grow in life is to stay in the proper church life with Christ and the church as the safeguard.

Any teaching, even a scriptural one, that distracts believers from Christ and the church is a wind that carries believers away from God's central purpose.

The Greek word for sleight refers to the cheating of dice players. The word for craftiness denotes the trickery employed by gamblers. The teachings that become winds, carrying believers away from the central lane of Christ and the church, are deceptions instigated by Satan in his subtlety, with the sleight of men, in order to frustrate God's eternal purpose, which is to build up the Body of Christ.

See note Eph. 4:15^2a.

To grow in life is to grow into the Head, Christ, but to operate in the Body of Christ is to operate out from Him. First, we grow up into the Head; then we have something that is out from the Head for the building up of the Body.

Joined implies the thought of joining by fitting; knit implies the thought of interweaving.

Every joint of the rich supply refers to the specially gifted persons, such as those mentioned in v. 11.

In Greek the article here is emphatic. Hence, the rich supply must be the particular supply, the supply of Christ.

Most of the ancient MSS read, according to the operation.

Or, functioning. The same Greek word as in Eph. 3:7 and Col. 1:29, and of the same origin as operations in 1 Cor. 12:6.

Each one part refers to each member of the Body. Through the growth in life and the development of gifts, each member of the Body of Christ has its own measure, which operates for the growth of the Body.

The Body of Christ causes the growth of itself through the supplying joints and the operating parts.

The growth of the Body of Christ is the increase of Christ in the church, which results in the building up of the Body by the Body itself.

The apostle's word here was not only his exhortation but also his testimony. His exhortation was his living.

Verses Eph. 4:22 and Eph. 4:24 show us what we have been taught: that we put off the old man and put on the new man. Our putting off of the old man and putting on of the new man is a manifestation of our having learned Christ.

Verses Eph. 4:25-32 give a description of our practical daily living in learning Christ.

The lie refers to anything that is false in nature. Because we put off the old man, we also put off everything that is false in nature. Hence, we speak truth, that is, we speak the things that are true.

To be angry is not a sin, but with it there is the possibility of committing sin. We should not continue in anger but should relinquish it before the sun sets.

Or, vexation.

According to the context, to continue in anger is to give place to the devil. In nothing should we give any place to him.

Even in a book of such high revelation, the apostle still touched certain low, practical things, such as stealing and anger.

Stealing is due mainly to slothfulness and greed. Hence, the apostle charged him who steals to labor instead of being slothful, and to share with others what he gains instead of being greedy.

In baptism we put off the old man. Our old man was crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6) and was buried in baptism (Rom. 6:4a).

The former manner of life is a walk in the vanity of the mind (v. 17).

The old man is of Adam, who was created by God but became fallen through sin.

The article here is emphatic, and the deceit is personified. Hence, the deceit refers to the deceiver, Satan, from whom come the lusts of the corrupted old man.

Our being renewed is for our transformation into the image of Christ (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18).

This is the regenerated spirit of the believers, which is mingled with the indwelling Spirit of God. Such a mingled spirit spreads into our mind, thus becoming the spirit of our mind. It is in such a spirit that we are renewed for our transformation.

It was in baptism that we put on the new man (Rom. 6:4b).

The new man is of Christ. It is His Body, created in Him on the cross (Eph. 2:15-16). It is not individual but corporate (Col. 3:10-11). In this corporate new man Christ is all and in all — He is all the people and in all the people. See note Col. 3:11^9d.

This book reveals first that the church is the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23), the kingdom of God, the household of God (Eph. 2:19), and the temple, the dwelling place of God (Eph. 2:21-22). Here it reveals in addition that the church is the new man. This is the highest aspect of the church. The church is an assembly of the called-out ones. This is the initial aspect of the church. From here, the apostle went on to mention the fellow citizens of the kingdom of God and the members of the household of God. These are higher than the initial aspect, but not as high as the church as the Body of Christ. Yet the new man is higher still than the Body of Christ. Thus, the church is not just an assembly of believers, a kingdom of heavenly citizens, a household of God's children, or even a Body for Christ. It is in its ultimate, uttermost aspect a new man to accomplish God's eternal purpose. As the Body of Christ, the church needs Christ as its life, whereas as the new man, the church needs Christ as its person. This new corporate person should live a life like that which Jesus lived on earth, that is, a life of reality that expresses God and causes God to be realized as the reality by man. Hence, the new man is the focus of the apostle's exhortation in this section (vv. 17-32).

I.e., in the Holy Spirit as the element. We were sealed in the element of the Holy Spirit. This shows that God has sealed us with the Holy Spirit as the sealing element.

The old man was created outwardly according to the image of God but without God's life and nature (Gen. 1:26-27), whereas the new man was created inwardly according to God Himself and with God's life and nature (Col. 3:10).

The Gentiles are the fallen people, who become vain in their reasonings (Rom. 1:21). They walk without God in the vanity of their mind, being controlled and directed by their vain thoughts. Whatever they do according to their fallen mind is vanity, void of reality.

When the mind of fallen people is filled with vanity, their understanding is darkened regarding the things of God. Thus, they are alienated, separated, from the life of God.

This is the uncreated, eternal life of God, which man did not have at the time of creation. After being created, man with the created human life was placed before the tree of life (Gen. 2:8-9) that he might receive the uncreated divine life. But man fell into the vanity of his mind and became darkened in his understanding. Now, in such a fallen condition man is unable to touch the life of God until he repents (has his mind turned to God) and believes in the Lord Jesus to receive God's eternal life (Acts 11:18; John 3:16).

Ignorance denotes not only a lack of knowledge but also an unwillingness to know. Because of the hardness of his heart, fallen man does not approve of knowing the things of God (Rom. 1:28). Therefore, his understanding is darkened so that he does not know God.

The hardness of fallen man's heart is the source of the darkness in his understanding and the vanity of his mind.

Feeling here refers mainly to the consciousness of one's conscience. Hence, being past feeling means not caring for one's conscience. After man fell, God ordained that man should be under the ruling of his conscience. But instead of regarding his conscience, fallen man gave himself over to lasciviousness and greedy lust.

Christ is not only life to us but also an example (John 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:21). In His life on earth He set up a pattern, as revealed in the Gospels. Then He was crucified and resurrected to become the life-giving Spirit that He might enter into us to be our life. We learn from Him (Matt. 11:29) according to His example, not by our natural life but by Him as our life in resurrection. To learn Christ is simply to be molded into the pattern of Christ, that is, to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).

The reality is in Jesus refers to the actual condition of the life of Jesus as recorded in the four Gospels. In the godless walk of the nations, the fallen people, there is vanity. But in the godly life of Jesus there is truth, reality. Jesus lived a life in which He did everything in God, with God, and for God. God was in His living, and He was one with God. This is what is meant by the reality is in Jesus. We, the believers, who are regenerated with Christ as our life and are taught in Him, learn from Him as the reality is in Jesus.

Or, that which is good. See Titus 3:8, 14.

Stealing is due mainly to slothfulness and greed. Hence, the apostle charged him who steals to labor instead of being slothful, and to share with others what he gains instead of being greedy.

Lit., rotten; signifying what is noxious, offensive, or worthless.

Our conversation should not corrupt others but should build them up.

Grace is Christ as our enjoyment and supply. Our word should convey such grace to others. The word that builds up others always ministers Christ as grace to the hearer.

The apostle's exhortation in vv. 17-32 took grace and reality (vv. 21, 24, 29) as its basic elements. The apostle wanted us to live, as Jesus did, a life full of grace and reality (John 1:14, 17). Grace is God given to us for our enjoyment, and reality is God revealed to us as our reality. When we live and speak reality (vv. 21, 24), we express God as our reality, and others receive God as grace for their enjoyment (v. 29).

To grieve the Holy Spirit is to displease Him. The Holy Spirit abides in us forever (John 14:16-17), never leaving us. Hence, He is grieved when we do not walk according to Him (Rom. 8:4), that is, when we do not live according to the principle of reality with grace in the details of our daily walk.

The apostle's exhortation in vv. 17-32 not only takes grace and reality as the basic elements but also takes the life of God (v. 18) and the Spirit of God as the basic factors on the positive side, and the devil (v. 27) as a factor on the negative side. It is by the life of God in the Spirit of God, and by not giving place to the devil, that we can live a life full of grace and reality, as the Lord Jesus did.

Righteousness is to be right with God and with man according to God's righteous way, while holiness is godliness and devoutness before God (see note Luke 1:75^1a). Righteousness is mainly toward men, and holiness is mainly toward God.

The article here is emphatic. As the deceit in v. 22, related to the old man, is the personification of Satan, so the reality here, related to the new man, is the personification of God. The deceit is the devil, and the reality is God. This reality was exhibited in the life of Jesus, as mentioned in v. 21. In the life of Jesus, righteousness and holiness of the reality were continuously manifested. It was in the righteousness and holiness of this reality, which is God realized and expressed, that the new man was created.

See note Eph. 1:13^1b.

From the time that we are saved, the Holy Spirit as the seal in us seals us continually with the element of God that we may be transformed in nature until our body is completely transfigured and redeemed. Hence, this verse says that we were sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the day of the redemption of our body.

See note Eph. 1:14^4c.

The Greek word has the same origin as moved with compassion in Matt. 9:36 and inward parts in Phil. 1:8. Only by enjoying Christ as grace and reality can we be tenderhearted and thus be able to forgive one another.

Or, showing grace to.

In his exhortation in this section (vv. 17-32), the apostle presented God as the pattern of our daily life. In the Spirit and by His life, we can forgive as God forgives.

Or, showed grace to.