PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians
William Garden Blaikie [1820-1899] · 272,936 words · 299 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 241
lo Christ). But i~ it is within his right, and what he judges important, then (even when she cannot give her approval) she should be willing to fall in with his arrangement. II. DUTY OF HUSBANDS. "Husbands, love your wives." As the husband excels in the governing qualities, so she excels in the lovable qualities. "Fo…
876 wordsSECTION 242The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 242
is wbat we could not have dared to ha"o put before us of ourselves. It would hnve H'm11cd profanity to have conjoined things so far apart. llut thus it has been dictated for us by the Spirit of inspiration: "Husb.'\uds, love your wives, even as Christ also kn,i t'.le Church." The husband is to pvsscss, to cherish, a…
977 wordsSECTION 243The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 243
"And now, before the word we spcok That knits the bond mon must not break, Wo fa.in would know tby mind. Lorcl, be the sweet conviction given To both thot thou thyself in hca.ven The hallowed bond host twined." It is in that spirit that it ought to be contemplatecl. Without this there can be no ~ecurity for happin…
781 wordsSECTION 244The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 244
Churc-h, though cultured in intellect, chaste in feeling, and refined in manners, though an elCXJ_uent prl':icher of the go~pel of benevolence, he will find no admission into that world. He ~·ill be "without." With whom? Will he have a pince set apart for himself? No, with the common damned. JIJ. lT IS HERE CLASSED…
838 wordsSECTION 245The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 245
(Rom. xii. 2), The expression "well-pleasing" to God throws a light upwards on God and downwards on man. (1) It reveals God. It indicates (a) his moral suscep- tibility. He is not indifferent to the moral conduct of his creatures. It indicates (b) his forgiving mercy. Man, though a sinner, can, through his infinite mer…
849 wordsSECTION 246The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 246
identification with them-no thoughts, purposes, or feelin<rs alike. That, like Christ, they sre to he "S<'f':'rate from sinners." Morally detached"as tho lnmp from the dark- ness. "I have wntten unto you not to kPep company, if any man that is called a bn--ther be a fornicat~,r, or covet.ous, or an idolater, or a ra…
882 wordsSECTION 247The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 247
II. HoLY EXCITEMENT. "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess· but be fillc,l with the Spirit." 'l'his verso su!!gests several thoughts. 1. Man hr1s ;n instinctive craving for excitement. 'l.'he words evidently imply this. Paul assumes that his readers must have excitement, in telling them in what they shou~d and …
488 wordsSECTION 248The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 248
Vere. 22-33.-Ideal marriage. "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own hus- bands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the hcnd of the wifo, even ns Christ is the Ilead of the Church: and he is the Saviour of the body. Therefore ns the Church ie subject unto Christ, so lot the wives be to their own husbands iu everythin…
1,302 wordsSECTION 249The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 249
ought men to love their wives as their own bodies." If the wife is to be loved, she must be lovable, for it is as impossible for the human mind to love the morally unbeautiful as it is to believe a mathemntical contradiction. There are women who are morally hideous, and from whom all manly natures must revolt with d…
819 wordsSECTION 250The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 250
himself to us. We cannot imitate what we do not know. Mysteries of the Divine nature must <'Ve.r lie beyond our sight. Ne,·erthcless, something real about God we <',o know. For we b:u·e seen Christ, nnd he who sees Christ sees God (John _xiv. 9). II. I:s WHAT RESPECTS WE ARE TO BECOME IllITATORS OF Goo. \Ve cannot a…
885 wordsSECTION 251The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 251
propHiatory efficacy, was the willingness of the Sufferer who offered himself. God is not pleased with pain 1rnd death. What be ie plenscd with is the devotion, fidelity, nnd love tbnt endure pain and death in the fulfilment of an unselfish and noble mission. II. THE SACRIFICE OF CumsT WAS Ol'FEBED TO Goo. Christ was …
1,122 wordsSECTION 252The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 252
Ver. 15.-The "alue of time. I. ALL TIME Is oF HIGH VALUE. They who kill time destroy one of the best talents God has given them and rob him of a sacred trust ho has lent to them. L Time ,·s nol our own pruperly. We are servants and have to account to our Master for our use of his hours. 2. Great roncerns have to be …
646 wordsSECTION 253The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 253
self-indulgence, bringing poverty and gloom, wretchedness and terror on the home, and giving to children a hideous inheritance of disease and constitutional tendencies to the same vice. 4 .. It opens t?e doo:r for other vices. Instead of pleading intoxication as an excuse for a crime committed ID the madness of drink,…
960 wordsSECTION 254The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 254
vIL Ir IS OONGREGATION.U.. "Speaking one to another." This is probably an allusion to antiphonal congre,,"11.tiona.l singing. But whatever be the method adopted, and though a choir may take its part in the service, it is plainly the intention of St. l'aul that all the people should sing, and that thus one should exhort…
693 wordsSECTION 255The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 255
Vers. 22-33.-Husbands and wives. I. CHRISTIANITY CONSECRATES AXD ELEVATES THE UNION m' BUSllAND AND WIFE. 1. Christianity sanctions marriage. St. Paul, though an unmarried man, casts no slight on marriage. It is trne that he discourages it under temporary trying circumstances (1 Cor. vii. 1), but it is also true that ~…
1,189 wordsSECTION 256The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 256
EXPOSJ'l'ION. the apostle lays down general rules, and CHAPTER VL does not complicate his exhortations with Ver. 1.--0hildren, obey your pa.rents in exceptions. '.rhe latter part of the verso the Lord: for this is right. The first duty contains a special reason for the precept; it of children is obedience, o.nd "i…
542 wordsSECTION 257The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 257
in tho fond whioh the Lord thy Goel giveth Ver. 5.-Bond-aervants, obey your master■ thco." While'the Decalogue was an expres- aooording to the flesh. There were many sion of the will of God on matters of moml slaves in the early Church, but, however nnd indefeo.siblo obligation, it had a local unjust their position, th…
966 wordsSECTION 258The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 258
l,roni?M in t0 snpplemc-nt t.hc more disinte- through foith is cmmmmiontcd to nil his restc-d n}(ltin\ such nddition being spccinlly people. To be stron~ is our duty; to be UsC'ful in the cnse of slaves (as of children, weak is our sin. Strong trust, strong TC'I-S. 2, 8). For the slave iho hope of courage, strong cn…
1,006 wordsSECTION 259The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 259
U.10 scone of our conflict with them. The of rightcousneu. Comp. eh. v. 24, for at Jnttcr seems more agreeable to the context, least one element of the righteousness- for "in heo.venly places" docs not denote a. righteousness wrought in us by tbe Holy geogro.phical locality here nny more than in Ghost after the image o…
1,036 wordsSECTION 260The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 260
@woro l'tipJ'lied by the Spirit, the Word boing gathered into the "one body" tbo Church, inspired by him, and employed by the Spirit; that they mny ho upheld and co.rriou on, in for he enlightens us to know it, applies it to warfare 11nd iu work, by mutual pmyer, kept us, and teaches us to use it both defensively fr…
996 wordsSECTION 261The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 261
that Paul directed Tychicue to make this love is coupled with faith, because faith is communication; but knowing how much the companion of love, they are in the closest they felt for him, he believed it would be o. relation to each other. Faith in Christ comfort to hear how he fared. To pagans receives him as he is off…
892 wordsSECTION 262The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 262
R-~nts. an,i their p.~nts bronght t.hem up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, ln.,i.'s b!,,,:sing would mit on their efforts and all wonld he well. But if the npostle did nN ~!'<'-'lk to children in the modern fushion, it is all the more importnnt to notice an,i. p,,:ider t.he m=-"6-.e which he actually give…
935 wordsSECTION 263The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 263
Vers. 10-20.-Tlie Olll'istiam, warfare. Even in common parlance we speak of ".the battle of life." Even for ordinary purposes we have to fi"ht ac,ainst indolence, ovil l_u~ts, ~ishonest tendencies, nnd many other things in o~rselv~s; and ngainst oppo~1t.1on, 111 _treatl!lent, temptation on the part of others, and the d…
914 wordsSECTION 264The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 264
and direct«! ~"1\inst the spiritual foe, all is in vain without a direct appeal to God. When Jacob, looking for an attack by E1111u, had completed his arrangements of hie family and flocks, the most important part of his preparations remained-another warfare had to be carried on, he must wrestle with the angel for h…
918 wordsSECTION 265The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 265
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vera. 1-3.-The duUes of children to parents. There is a beautiful and appro• priate simplicity in the counsel here addressed to children. Their duties are founded in nature. 'l'hey derive their being from their parents; they are fed by them ; they are trained by them for the duties of life…
1,061 wordsSECTION 266The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 266
\ers. 5-8.-.Duties of servants. It is interesting to reflect that the New Testament de,o.es more space to the instruction of servants than to the instruction of-either parents or children, husbands or wives. The servants, or rather slaves, were a large and interesting cle.ss in the citie.s of Asia Minor, often great…
567 wordsSECTION 267The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 267
our worship. It ie thus that the Lord has married the work of earth to the worship of heave11, 3, The rewards of this service : " Knowin" that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive, , .. whether h~ be bond or free." Whatever disap- pointment may mix itself with the service of men, the Lord will…
841 wordsSECTION 268The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 268
strength is not given at once and in full measure, but according to the desire, the capacity, the faith, the need, the duty, the trial. Our lowest powers, those of the body, we get by growth, and they grow by exercise. Such is the law of our physical child- h(\00, and no other is the law of our spiritual being. The …
841 wordsSECTION 269The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 269
satisfied every demand of Law, and is perfectly proof against all assaults from within or from without. Let us not show the bare breast of our right.eousness to the tempter, but rather the righteousness of God himself, imputed to us and received by faith. 'l'his breastplate was purchased by Christ at a dear rate; none …
1,126 wordsSECTION 270The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 270
Vers. 21, 22.-The errand of Tychicus to Ephesw. The apostle showed his affec- tionate concern for tl1e Church at Ephesus, not only by writing them an Epistle, but in despatching a minister to inform them concerning his condition and labours as a prisoner, and to comfort their hearts under their various trials. It wa…
572 wordsSECTION 271The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 271
Spirit;' for God the Father is nt once the God of peace and the God of love, and Jesus is our very Peace, in whom is fulness of grace and love. II. BLESSING TO ALL TRUE LOVERS OF CHRIST. The Epistle ends, as it begins, with grace and pence. The apostle implores God's favour upon all who love Christ in sincerity. 1. Gh…
1,060 wordsSECTION 272The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 272
Vers. 5-9.-Th.e Christian treatment of sla.very. The ireatment of slavery by Christianity is one of the most interesting of themes. Because Christianity did not preach a servile war, that is, did not propose emancipation by force, it was imagined that it was a conniver in the selfish plot against the liberties of ma…
569 wordsSECTION 273The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 273
account of personal distinctions so as to draw any line between bond and free, if the distinctions dwelt on by men were of no account with him the truth tended to annihilate the distinctions. Here was a great Leveller before whom high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, were absolutely undistinguishable. It is this …
842 wordsSECTION 274The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 274
free play. We are never so safe as when the safety of others has become our gret1t concern. IY. THE CHRISTIAN QUENCHES ALL ASSAULTS OF SAT.AN DY TlIE POWER OP FAITH, c,·er. 16.) Now, Satan's fiery darts belong to the region of seuse. He appeals to passion. He :....ssaults us through the appetites. But faith vanquis…
895 wordsSECTION 275The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 275
"For thie is right." , There is e. relationship founded deep in nature between parents e.nd those to whom they have given being. This is associated with an affection which is one of the most beautiful things in our nature. The strength of the parental affectio!l qualifies the parents for being placed in authority over …
928 wordsSECTION 276The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 276
age, children can render to their parents. 'l'hey should be pleased even to leavo their play to run an errand for them, They should not grudgo doing things about the house to relieve an overworked mother. Sometimes sick parents have been thrown on their children, and then it ~as been seen ~hat little hands can do. S…
925 wordsSECTION 277The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 277
sense of their ability to obey, and under compulsion are provoked to wrath. (2) By unreasonable blame. It is true of children that they need a great amount of encourage• ment. And where it is deserved it ought to be freely bestowed. To bestow it where it is not deserved is to encourage unreality. Faults (at least the m…
1,095 wordsSECTION 278The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 278
\ ers. 5--9.-.The duties of servants and masters. I. DUTY OF SERVANTS. " Servants ~ obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters." The Revise~ ha,e shomi good judgment in retaining" servants" here, and putting "bond-servants" ill the ma..--gin. For though" bond" (the same word) is in the eighth ver…
741 wordsSECTION 279The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 279
The workman ie to fear and tremble before his master, the domestic is to fear an,1 tremble before her mistress, not because the master or mistress is better born, or has more wealth, or has a title (for in that there is little to canse fear and trembling), but because he or she represents an authorHy in heaven that in …
963 wordsSECTION 280The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 280
platform 0f prhil%"8, would see to it that no smallest piece of work done to an earthly mast~r for his sake toverlooked here) would go unrewarded in heaven. And the same thing is t,, be said of the free servant; for he t\lso is particularized. It is true that if he is guilty of eye-sernce, if he" BCI\.Dlps" his work…
960 wordsSECTION 281The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 281
Master of his servants as well as his Master. And in the righting that is to take place, for every ad~antage that the master has taken of his servant, for every harsh speech and t~reatemng word he has used toward him, he will suffer everlasting losA. "And there 18 no respect of persons with him" (i.e. with Christ). The…
879 wordsSECTION 282The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 282
inveterate disposition is to seek to work our rnin. As to their haunt, as it was before hinted at (rather than dogmatically taught) e.s the air, so here it is the heavenly or sL1per-terrestrial places. The general effect of the description is that, man ourselves we arc unequally matched in having to fight against su…
940 wordsSECTION 283The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 283
took effect, and was fiery enough in its consequences. What the Christian combatant is to do, when he is thus assailed, is not certainly to under-estimate the force that is brought ag~inst him, but it is also by faith rightly to estimate the force that is placed at bis service. What can he do against the principalities…
893 wordsSECTION 284The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 284
ifwe keep k' our plan from a sense of duty (though our feelings are cold), and when tb.e time c0mes round fall on our knees before God, then may we e::tpect liberation from our un;:piritua.l moods. (3) Prager tnust ,wt be from sel,f. "Praying in the Spirit," it i~ "-'lid here, and t.here is the same association in J…
934 wordsSECTION 285The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 285
the ea.me ~ity (Trophimus 11.'lsociated with him Wll.'l an Ephesian), he belonged to the same province, ~s tho~e ~ whom he conveyed the Jetter. Of more importance than his country Wll.'l his Christian character, for which the apostle vouches. He limits his consideration to t?e Christian sphere (where Christ appoints an…
909 wordsSECTION 286The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 286
their c,mntry, t~c sac~ifice would be re,,oarded as greater on the part of the king than on the r-'lrt_ of his subject, There may be the _same patriotism; but there is something to}>_, r,:t_ c.own to the _rank. So all that Christ was and did is enhanced in proportion to the lmght from which he descended. It was not …
902 wordsSECTION 287The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 287
to fall into those habits of depravity which will render their life e. misery, and cut short their days on the earth, II. 'l'HE DUTY OF PARENTS, The duty of parents is here set forth in two forms, negatively and positively. 1. Negatively. "Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath." The temper of a child is of tr…
925 wordsSECTION 288The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 288
have their branches lopped till their body be felled; and will let go none of their goods, a~ if it pre..saged their speedy death; whe1:eas it doth not follow that _he tha~ puts oft h!s cl0:1k must present)Y: go to bed. On his death-bed he bequeaths his blessmg to nll his children. Nor reJ01ceth he so much to leave …
883 wordsSECTION 289The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 289
faculties, but not their souls. "Consciences and souls were made to be the Lord's alone." 2. It is obedience honestly rendered. "With fear and trembling in singleness of your heart"-" not with eye-service." These expressions mean that there should be no duplicity, no double-dealing, but downright honesty in everythi…
826 wordsSECTION 290The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 290
hold." They are managed by force and frnud, all of them. Tho passage sui(gests that under his control they act: (l) Craftily. Hence the expression, the "wiles of tho dc,-il." All his movements are cunningly methodized, for such is the meanin" of the "w:l ". wiles." These eYil spirits attack us in ambush; they steal …
906 wordsSECTION 291The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 291
invasion; it ie to conquer all other 60uls to Christ, and the weapon is the "Word of God." '!'hie ie the sword by which the Christian soldier has to cut his way from soul to soul through the wholo world: "For the Word of Goo, is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword," etc. (Heb. iv. 12). God's Word i…
901 wordsSECTION 292The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 292
properly and successfully to pre11ch the g°!!pel. "That I may opan my mouth boldly, to make kn?wn the mystery of the ~os~l, that ~ the gospel that was once a mystery. :he preachm~ of the gospel ~ Gods grand instrument for restoring the world t-0 mtelhgence, d1gmty, and happiness, and because of that, he desired to d…
806 wordsSECTION 293The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 293
the Lord Jesus Christ." There is a peace that does not come from that source-a. peace that comes from the devil, a moral stagnation of soul, something like the stillness of that murky atmosphere that nurses and forbodes the thunder, the lightning, and the hurricane which spread devastation over sea and land. 'l'he p…
1,008 wordsSECTION 294The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 294
Vers. &--9.-Servants and masters. The early preacherR of the gospel were wise in 11ot provoking futile and fatal attempts at a social revolution by denouncing slavery. Nevertheless, they laid the foundation of that revolution and secured its peaceable and bloodless accomplishment. Slavery could not permanently surviv…
639 wordsSECTION 295The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 295
the later, and these several duties to the need of Divine strcn"th 0 wherewHh to dischar"e 0 them in face of the assaults of evil. I. CIIRIBTIANS ARE EXHORTED TO BE BTBONG, Spiritual strength is decision of character and forco of will. Religion centres in our will and character. Un less there is strength, fixity, d…
997 wordsSECTION 296The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 296
Vers. 13-17.-TM wAole annour oj God. L CmusTIANS NEED TO BE ARMED • ..\.ldershot csnnot dispense with Woolwich. The army must be equipped before it can r:J.e the field. 'l'he knight must don his coat of mail and draw his sword if he is to make any use of his martial skill and prowess. So the Church must be prepared …
691 wordsSECTION 297The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 297
intensity sounds through the apostle's words I Here is a man who believes in prayer and is greatly anxious to secure it. It would be wonderful if somo prayers were answered. When the prayer does not affect the heart of the suppliant how can it touch the heart of God? A half-hearted pray1ir can bring no blessing from he…
1,044 wordsSECTION 298The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 298
CHAPTER L TflE:lCB l'.lOB 'l'JlEJ[]I PAGB Pro.yer for the Holy Spirit 25 Address and Salutation ... ... 8, 36 Prayer for the Knowledge of God 25 The Thanksgiving 9 The ConnecUon beLween the Ilea.rt Adoption ... ... 9, 14 nud the Intellect 25 Redemption ... 9, 15 The Knowledge of God and its Outlets 26 Christ the Head o…
827 wordsSECTION 299The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 299
TRIID HOB TBJ<llB PA.OZ Ethics nfter Theology ··,.. 159 As the Truth is in Jesus 204 The Obligations of the Christian Anger ... 205 Calling 159 Grieving the Holy Spirit of God 206 Graces that promote the Harmony of Charity to tbe Undeserving 206 the Churoh 159 The Unity of the Spirit and the Mode of its Keeping ... …
702 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.