The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 153

for its nouri~hmcnt, love for its ntmosphere, wo.s and is something dreadful. Many of oJHl Cln'ist for its Head. them gave themselves to it o.s a business, V ers. 17-24.....:...CoNSl'RASTED PRINC!l'LES worked o.t it as o.t a trade or cmplovmcn t Oil' GENTILE AND CamSTI.AN CHARACTER. (seo Uhlmo.nn's • Conflict of Cl,ristianity Ver. 17.-This I BILY thorofore, and testify with Heathenism,' etc.). Details, such as in the Lord. 'l'hero is no sign of tho npostlo, even the walls of Pompeii furnish, are unfit when ho comes to tho pmcticnl part of his for the public eye. With greediness. Il,\w- Epistle, deeming it of less importance than v,!la. means the desire of ha,ing more, and the doctrinal. '!'he 'formula is ,very expres- be.a reference to tho ins'.,tiab!e character of sive; the npostlo sinks his personality, and sensual sins. Sometimes it is transln.tcd brings forward Christ as tho Exhorter. (A.V.) "covetousness," as eh. v. 3. That ye no longer walk as the rest of the Ver. 20.-Eut ye did not thus learn Christ. Gentiles walk. First, he indicates what "But" emphatic-a great contrast, that the.:ir are not to be. " Be not conformed to must come home to the conscience of every this world." In four particulars they are Christian, and to his whole heart and soul. te) be different from Gentiles. The first of The expression, "learn Christ," is e. preg- these is in the vanity of their mind. The nant one, corresponding to " preaching allusion is to their frivolous, empty aims in Christ" (Acts viii. 5)-all about ChrisL, life, and their unfixed, unsettled impulses. Christ in nil his offices, and in all his in- The Gentiles were chasing shadows, blowing fluence. He that lenms Christ appropriates bubbles, doing anything to mako time pass him in the efficacy of his atonement, in tho o.greeo.bly ; not considering or knowing power of his Spirit, in the force of his either what they were, or whence they lessons, an,1 in the spirit of his influence, came, or whither they were going. and finds tho whole to be diametrically Ver. 18.-Being darkened in their under- op~osite to the godless world. standing (second point of difference), and Ver. 21.-If so be that ye hee.rdhim. A wor,1 thus blind to Bll that is most vitnl-ignornnt ofcaution. We arenottoassumo too readily of God, of the way of salvation, of the that we ore in o. right relation to Christ. love of Christ. Even at best the natural We must look within and make sure of that. understanding cannot discover these things, To hear him, here, is to hear him llB his nnd when it is not only imperfect but dark- sheep hel\r his voice unrl follow him, ened-made more obscure than ever by sin recognizing the voico of the Shepherd, I\ (see after)-its guidance is altogether defec, voice to be implicitly obeyed. And wero tive. It bas been said truly thut the youngest taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. The scholar in e. Sunday school that has been peculiar force of this clause is the double taught the elements of the gospel has more lv, not given in thefirstclnuse in A.V., thereby light than tho wisest of the bee.then. Alien- obscuring the sense, which is, that all teurh- ated from the life of God because of the ing und all truth acquires n different huu ignorance that is in them, beoause of the and 11, different churactor when thero is a hardness of their helLl't (third point of personal rclQtion to Jesus. Truth apart difference). Two co.uses nre given for their from the person of Christ has little power; alienation, viz. ignorance, und hardness of ubatre.ct doctrines barn little influence; heart, this Inst b~ing the ultimate cause. tho very atonement ml\y bo n bo.rren dogma. 'l'hrough worldly living, their hearts hove But the utonemcnt to.ught "in Jesus," in become bard, cBlloue, insensible to spiritual connection with the living, loving, dying, influences, perceiving no beauty in Divine risen Saviour tells; the blood of rcdcmptin11 things, no preciousness iu Divine promises, in connection with tho Son of God inco.rnate no excellence in the Divine image; this thus loving us, and meekly, patiently s1l1Tcr- makes them ignorant, careless, foolish; and iog tbo agonies of the cross in our room, is such being their state of heart, they e.ro not only n power, but tho greatest morn! o.liena.ted from the lifo of God, can't bear power that cau movo tho henrt. vital religion, hate tbo very idcn of spiritual Ver. 22.-That ye put off, o.s concerning a.nd holy service. the former conversation, the old man. 'fho Ver, 19.-Who being past feeling. With- sum of Christ's practical lessons is given iu out sense of shame, without conscience, two particulars-putting off und putting on. ,without fear of God or regard for man, 'fho change is very decided und very com- without o.ny perception of the dignity of plete. It is empho.tic11lly personal; not n human nature, the glory of the Divine mere obnnge of opinions or of religious imo.ge, or the ~cgradation of sin. Have given observances, but of life, hubit, character: themselves , over to lasoiviousness to work not altering a few things, but tirst putting all unole~nness' (fourth point of diffe~enc?)· off the ma11 as we put off u garment. "It 'l'his is the climax:-heutbenism in its is o. change which brings the mind un,ler wo1·st and fullest development, yet by no the government of truth, aud gives to tho moons rare. Tbo scnsuulity of the heathen life e. new aspect of inte~rity uml ,lcvout-  162 THE EPISTLE 1.'0 THE EPHESIANS. [OH, IV, 1-82'