Ephesians 5
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Chapter 5
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God – Cf. 1John 3:16.
Fragrant Offerings: (Lev 1-3)
Burnt Offering: Pictures Christ’s Complete devotion to the Father
Meal Offering: Pictures Christ’s perfection of character
Peace Offering: Pictures Christ making peace between sinners and God
Sin & Trespass Offerings: (Lev 4-5) Picture Christ taking the place of sinners. These are not considered fragrant offerings. There is nothing fragrant about sin!
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people –
Sexual immorality – porneia - is a broad word that speaks of sexual sin.
Impurity – akatharsia – It is a more general term than porneia, referring to anything that is unclean and filthy. Jesus used the word to describe the rottenness of decaying bodies in a tomb (Matt. 23:27). The other ten times the word is used in the New Testament it is associated with sexual sin. It refers to immoral thoughts, passions, ideas, fantasies, and every other form of sexual corruption.
Greed – pleonexia – Every form of sexual immorality is an expression of greed.
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving –
obscenity (aischrotēs) is any talk that is degrading and disgraceful.
foolish talk (Mōrologia) is derived from mōros (which means dull, or stupid, and is the word from which we get moron). It is sometimes referred to as low obscenity; foolish talk that comes from the drunk or the gutter mouth.
Course joking (Eutrapelia) – “able to turn easily.” This is the person who turns anything that is said into something suggestive sexually.
12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret – Cf. Ex 23:13.
14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” – based on Isaiah 26:19; 51:17; 52:1; and 60:1.
16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil – has the idea of “buying from time” or “redeeming time.” The word “opportunity” is kairos, which speaks of a measured, allocated, fixed season or epoch.
“Who made thee? Lysippus made me. What is thy name? My name is Opportunity. Why hast thou wings on thy feet? That I may fly away swiftly. Why hast thou a great forelock? That men may seize me when I come. Why art thou bald in back? That when I am gone by, none can lay hold of me.”
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is – Cf. 1Thess 4:3.
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit – “be filled with the Spirit” is in the present, passive imperative form. Continuously be filled with the Spirit and this is not a manufactured experience and is a command.
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ – Submit hupotassō is a military word which literally means, “to be under in rank.”
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord – submit is not in the original but it’s carried over from the previous verse. Lit: Wives to your husbands as to the Lord. “as to the Lord” mean “as is fitting to the Lord.”
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her – Agape – sacrificial, giving, absorbing, love.
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word – The “Word” (rhēmati) refers to the “preached Word” of the gospel (cf. rhēma in Eph. 6:17; Rom. 10:8, 17; 1 Peter 1:25).
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies – That is, as part of their own bodies.
31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” – Gen 2:24.
32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church - the marriage is a model and representative of the relationship between Christ and the church. And Christ and the church are examples for the marriage.
33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband – “respect’ here is the Greek word phobeō – a reverence fear.
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