The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 237

of our time, as we owe the firstfruits of our substance. From Christ we get the whole plan of our life. 'fhe right management of our time, then, is to understaml what the will of the Lord is, what Uhrist would hi.ve us to do. Seeking Christ's mind as to the employment of our time, we may expect that we shall obtain from him the strength necessary to conquer all the obstacles of our time, and to do the work of each day in its day, according as the duty of the day requires. II. WINE. 1. JJissuasive/romfalse excitement. "And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot." It is evident from the language which is here employed that the wine drank in those times was intoxicating. 'l'he apostolic advice must be regarded as even more applicable to drinks of stronger intoxicating qualities, which are manufactured now. It has its application to the intoxicating cup of the world in every form-to the intoxi- cation of novel-reading, to the intoxication of keenness in business, to the intoxication of political excitement. This advice is not inaptly connected with the previous advice as to the right management of time. For it is when time is not pr~perly filled up, when it is insipid, monotonous, or when it is filled up with wrong-domg, that there is the temptation to go after some form or other of earthly excitement. It cannot be said that the use of wine at all is forbidden by this precept. But there is certainly sounded in connection with it the note of alarm. There is put up beside it the red flag of danger. "Be not drunken with wine." Drunkenness is the feverish desire, the morbid craving,• for drink. The man with his noble powers becomes one huge, ever-seeking, never-satis- fied appetite. It is a vice into which all classes are in danger of falling. If the idle take to drinking to relieve the tedium of existence, the overwrought take to it to make up exhausted strength. The young take to it from a love of excitement, and the aged and debilitated take to it to get new tone to their system. Men of a coarse nature take to it because they are incapable of higher pleasures, and men of fine sensibility tako to it because it is a source of inspiration to the intellect. Men of social tendencies take to it because it helps good fellowship; and the saddest thing is that women take to it in private, because of a peculiarly sensitive frame and inequalities of feeling. It is a vice, then, which must be said to be of a peculiarly fascinating, dangerous nature. And let no one think that he is out of danger. Many of those who have fallen wero not like falling at first. They did not take drink at all for a time, and their friends had hope in them that they would prove temperate men. And when (with other social surroundings in some cases) they began to make any use of it, they seemed to be taking it in a perfectly innocent or needful way, until the liking W!l,S formed, and they could not do without a certain and an increasing amount of drink. Now, let it be observed on what ground the apostle condemns drunkenness, It is in the line of his thought that we are to exercise wisdom as to our manner of walk. Wherein, I ~ says, is ri-Ot. Drunkenness is a madness. There is a form of it to which this description is specially applicable, that which is known as delirium tremens. But even in its ordinary working it has a close resemblance to madness. It takes away from men the guiding power of reason, their self-possession, their self-restraint, and lclltls them to make such exhibitions of themselves as in their calm moments they would be ashamed of. "Riot," which is the word employed in the Revised translation, is defined by Johnson to be "wild and loose festivity." " When his headstrong riot bath no curb, When rage and hot blood are his counsellors, When means and lavish mnnners meet together." (1) The word "riot" points to the prodigal manner of the drur,kard. The drunkanl is prodigal of his means. " So senseless of expense That he will know neither how to maintnin it Nor ceese hie flow of riot." He spends on eelf-indulcrcnce what if saved, would not only increaso tho comfort of his home, but would do mu~h good be;ides. 'l'he drunkar~ is prodigal of hi~ time, and thus violates the previous precept. 'l'he golden opportumty, which ho might employ for informing his mind or instructing his chi\drcn, he ~astes in tho public-h?use. '~'ho drunkard is prodigal of the stuff of which Im frame is made. He wastes his 1ihys1cal  THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [en. v. 1-3S.