Commentary on Ephesians

You, when you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the age of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who works in the sons of unbelief. This entire sense is to be joined together: both concerning the Ephesians, that they had been in sins; and concerning Paul himself, that he had been in the desires of the flesh and in carnal counsels. To all of these, I say, is to be joined that which follows: that God, who is rich in mercy, made all of them safe, both Paul himself and the Ephesians. For he concludes thus: by whose grace you have been saved, while you walked dead in trespasses; and you, when you walked dead in trespasses and your sins.

I have frequently noted that death is taken in two ways: the one well known, when at the end of living in the world the soul is separated from the body; the other, when, established in the body itself, it pursues the desires of the flesh and lives in sins. You, he says, when you were dead: and he designated the kind of death, by your trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the age of this world. He shows what the sins are, namely desires in the world, from the world—of riches, or of worldly will or knowledge, or of religion from the world, and the other things of this world which destroy the soul as it wanders from the knowledge of truth. But what he called the age of this world: for there are also higher things, and those eternal ages, how they are to be understood and what significance they have I have set out in other books.

But the age of this world is every worldly region, or the whole world, in which the movement of things in the world makes and envelops time. The age does not exist in the same way among eternal things: but that there are ages of eternal things, Paul himself declared, and all the prophets: since it is said, and frequently said, blessed is God unto ages of ages. For an age comes to an end; but ages of ages are both from eternal things and unto eternity.

According to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of unbelief.

He who walks according to the age of this world walks according to the prince of the power of the air, who is the spirit of the sons of unbelief. Since there are two things, light and darkness, truth and falsehood, good and evil—not as though they were equal; for it is not right that anything be compared to God even by way of contrast—let us likewise understand two spirits: one of faith, the other of unbelief. The spirit Satan and his devil has his substance from the air, that is from hyle and matter, and power over matter itself, or over those who think in a material way. He is therefore the prince of that power which is in the air, that is in matter: which prince is a spirit, but, as I said, of matter; and he now works in material things, in the sons of unbelief: that is, he holds their souls and dominates there.

Therefore he who lives according to the age of this world lives according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of unbelief. There is moreover a double reading: the spirit working, and the spirit who now works. Now we have spoken of the prince or spirit of the air as belonging to matter: yet the compelling reason is that he is himself the prince among the elements, namely air. For fire too is agitated air, and water is moistened air, earth is dry and solid air: which, if it holds all things together, is itself chaos, that is darkness, and the matter of darkness. But purer air and heaven is fire, which is air stirred up by agitation. For when the poet described the power of the winds, by which they could confuse all things unless they were governed, he said that all things would be converted into air if the winds had free power.

For they would surely carry off with them the seas and lands and the deep sky, and sweep them through the air.

The separation of each of these is the ordering of the world: just as Moses taught, who in the beginning separated the waters through the word of God; he separated also the earth, he separated also the spirit. Therefore rightly is the spirit of matter called the spirit of the air.

In whom also we all at some time had our conversation.

Lest he should do injury to the Ephesians, who had said when you were dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the spirit of the air; he added also himself and the rest; so that all had at some time their conversation according to this life, which he subjoins in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of our flesh and of counsels. These are the things about which the prince of the power of the air has his operation, but in the children of unbelief, that they may have the desires of the flesh, may do the will of the flesh, and the counsels of the flesh: whoever has cast these aside, now both knows God and follows him; thinking nothing of the works of the flesh. And we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Because also living by the counsels of the flesh and by desires; we were, he says, children of wrath by nature; that is, begotten according to the nature of the flesh and of matter: for that itself is nature. For we do not speak of the divine nature, but of that which is worldly: and wherever there is birth, there nature is spoken of. Therefore in higher things, because all things are unbegotten, when certain things are said to be begotten, they are understood to be begotten by a certain mystery, not in the manner in which it is so in the world: for where there is nature, there is generation: but generation is when something begins to be from that which was not; or something else begins to be from that which was otherwise; as a man from seed, or other shoots from seed, and other animals likewise.

But truly in eternal things, since whatever those divine things are, they begin to appear as it were by a certain distinction, they are therefore said to be as it were generated: yet since they are of the same power and the same substance as they were, they are therefore not generated as such. For when God made all things by nature, he did not make those things which he made eternal from eternal things, as he had them; but only as it were separated them, and established each individually: how great and of what kind they are, we understand from other books. Now we receive Christ, or angels, or souls, and all other things which are eternal, as if begotten among eternal things, since generation which is in the world is far otherwise. Therefore we were, he says, children by nature; that is, made through nature. But children of whom? Not of God, but of wrath: for the adversary himself, who is wrath, had claimed us for himself out of matter.

Thus, he says, we were children of wrath, even as the rest.

For they are properly children of wrath who are of this world: as he said of those like the rest as we, who being of that world live evilly; that is, we were living according to the flesh, as children of wrath; as children of wrath live, that is, even as the rest.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great charity has had mercy on us.

For truly great are the riches of God with respect to mercy. For when we had made ourselves strangers to God by our sins, when we were from the higher world, he, granting our sins by his grace, pardoning also our trespasses, redeemed us to himself through his Son; since he spared him not in order to free us, his riches are without doubt great, great also his charity. For how great is his love toward us, when he emptied his Son for our sake that he might redeem us by his passion? This therefore is charity.

when we were dead in sins, he quickened us together in Christ.

Because the charity of God, he says, abides. This, he says, is charity; these are the riches; that when our substance was from eternal things, and when we were dead in sins, he redeemed us through the passion of Christ, and made us safe. But since the passion of Christ is the putting to death of sins, and the resurrection of Christ is our resurrection; he says he quickened us together in Christ, that is, restored us to eternal life; but through Christ, by whose grace you are made safe. He concluded what was most necessary both for all and for the Ephesians, that we should receive nothing outside of Christ; since it is by his grace that we are saved. Therefore you also, Ephesians, made safe by the grace of Christ, ought to receive nothing outside, ought to hold nothing external in religion and faith.

raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavens.

This is a holy and full mystery, that we should have faith in Christ, not that we now merit the resurrection or the heavenly kingdoms; but that when Christ was raised, then we were raised together. For this is what he says: he raised us up together. Likewise also, and made us sit together in the heavenly places. For when he placed Christ, he placed together also those who are and will be in Christ. In the heavenly places,

That he might show in the ages to come the exceeding abundant riches of his glory, in goodness toward us, in Christ. For he did not render to us our merit: since indeed we do not receive this by merits, but by the grace and goodness of God. He raised us up together therefore in Christ for the sake of his goodness, and the grace which is in Christ, that he might show to future and coming ages his riches. What riches?

The grace of goodness toward us.

But all these things, as he often admonishes and I also point out, are in Christ. For there is the whole mystery of the resurrection, both ours and of all. For through Christ all things are reconciled: for he himself is the door, he himself the resurrection, he himself the life, and the way to the Father.

For by grace you are saved through faith. He explained openly that faith is owed by us: but it is owed only to this extent, that we believe in Christ. And if it is so, this alone is ours; we are not saved by our own merit, but by the grace of God. Then he adds accordingly: and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest perhaps any man should boast.

That we are saved, he says, is the grace of God: so also you, Ephesians, that you are saved, is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: neither is it of your works, but it is the grace of God and the gift of God, not our merit. That works are one thing, our merit another: whence he separated not of yourselves by saying not of works: for besides works, which are to be rendered daily in duties toward the poor, and other good deeds.

But even though there could be merit from duty and religion, from chastity and abstinence; for neither can it be by your works.

These are works. Therefore he concluded both: not of yourselves, nor of works, and added lest any man should boast. For I know not how he who thinks that merit is rendered back to him for his works wishes it to be his own, not the giver's: and this is boasting.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ. He himself by a certain mystery fashioned and formed us in Christ, that we might rise with him, that we might be able to be heirs with him, believing in Christ. Unto good works which God has prepared. God prepared, created, formed in Christ good works, he says: namely those which are to come, or these which we now do here? But whether we understand those which are to come, or those which now are, they are in any case good, they are witnesses in Christ. And it can be seen that he spoke of present works: since he subjoins accordingly that we should walk in them:

Mindful in those same, he says, works: that we may now live in the same manner, and do the same works, which are good.

Since now God has created us by his own fashioning in Christ, that we may be mindful: and therefore keeping the faith, we may now walk in those same works.

And you who were at some time Gentiles in the flesh.

Because he had said let us walk, he added that you also should walk in the good works which God has prepared. You, he says, who were at some time Gentiles in the flesh, that is, you thought in a Gentile manner; and therefore carnally, that is, doing the desires of the flesh. To which that is contrary, to be in Christ, that is, to live spiritually, and to think all things according to the spirit. This I have frequently expounded. That is certainly this: to think of God, to hope in God, to have the mind toward God, to tend toward the Father, to know Christ the way of our eternity, to believe that through his resurrection we have risen. Who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hand. You, he says, were Gentiles in the flesh, called by those who are circumcised, that is, by the Jews, which circumcision is made by hand.

By this circumcision therefore, that is, by the Jews, you are called uncircumcision; that is, those who are not circumcised.

But when he said that the circumcision which is made by hand calls you uncircumcision; he wished it to be understood that the circumcision which is made by hand was not given by God; but that there is another circumcision which is of the mind, and of all desires, and of all sins, so that it truly cuts away from itself what is unclean, and separates all the desires of the flesh. For what does it profit to circumcise the flesh, when all vice rather grows through souls from the flesh? Those things therefore which are sins from the flesh are to be circumcised: and this circumcision will not be made by hand, but by soul and spirit.

This was said moreover lest they should be ashamed that they are called uncircumcision: for neither is this outside the religion of God, nor is it truly so called; since it is said by the Jews, since it is said by the same circumcision which is made by hand: since the circumcision which the soul and spirit shall have made, circumcising all sins of the flesh, is better and truer.

Because you were at that time without Christ. For when you were Gentiles, you were certainly without Christ: and so Christ is always; but whoever shall have received Christ, shall have taken faith in him; then he is as it were circumcised, and then he will be in circumcision, but not made by hand. Therefore you were uncircumcision for this reason, because you were not with Christ. And he adds this, you were not true Jews, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel. For the true commonwealth of it is, if we think according to the spirit, and live according to the spirit, and are circumcised by Christ from carnal desires.

And strangers from the covenants, having no hope of their promise, and without God in this world.

This is: you were Gentiles; and because you had nothing to do with Christ, and were without Christ, therefore, he says, you were not in the commonwealth of Israel, therefore you were strangers from the covenants, that is, alienated from the covenant. What is the covenant? From the promise of the covenants; that is, having no hope of their promise of those things which God had promised through his covenants, that is through the prophets: namely having no hope of their promise. For when you were without Christ you did not promise yourselves the hope of the promise of those covenants: since you were strangers and aliens from these, and were without God, that is without Christ. For thus he said when you were without Christ. Behold, here also he called Christ God. Then it can be understood without God, because God is from Christ. But you were in this world without God.

He lives without God, and is a stranger from the promises of the covenants, and other than the true Israel, to whom heaven and the kingdoms of the heavens are promised in eternal life and the glory of God.

But now in Christ you, who were at some time far off, are made near in the blood of Christ.

Every discourse which holds exhortation, after general disputation, recalls its meaning to those to whom it writes the letter, namely to the Ephesians. Therefore, he says, you also who were at some time far off, that is, Gentiles, but now in Christ are made as it were near in the blood of Christ: since it is not our works, nor the Ephesians' own works, that they are near and are in Christ; but by the blood, he says, of Christ.

he expounds what that is, that through the blood of Christ we are in Christ, yet through faith. For he himself is our peace. For through his mystery we are reconciled to God and are no longer strangers nor adversaries. For when we were worshipping others and serving idols, we had as it were war with the Father, that is with God. But Christ in the middle, by his mystery and passion, reconciled us in himself. He is therefore our peace, who made both one; and breaking down the middle wall of partition of matter, the enmities in his flesh.

The law of commandments, abolishing it in decrees.

Christ, he says, is our peace: whom he also calls mediator elsewhere. For he interposed himself between divided realms, since souls born from the source of God are held or were held in this world: so that a middle wall intervened, as a hedge and barrier, through the enticements of the flesh and worldly desires. Christ by his mystery and flesh and passion and teaching dissolved that middle wall, that is, conquering the flesh and teaching that it must be conquered, and dissolving worldly desires and teaching that they must be dissolved, he removed the middle wall: yet in the flesh, he says, dissolving his own enmities. Therefore it is not the work of our labor, as I often remind, that we should dissolve them; but faith alone in Christ is our salvation. For he dissolved all enmities in his own flesh. Likewise he also dissolved the law of commandments, abolishing it in decrees, so that not through works nor through sabbaths.

For those decrees are in the law and those commandments themselves: now, I say, Christ abolished such precepts of observances, which were understood carnally. With these abolished, the middle thing that had intervened was removed: nor are souls any longer hindered as if by the world set before them, that is, by worldly desires, and by understandings, and by carnal longings, from seeing God, knowing him, following him, even when they are joined with him. For this is what he teaches: that he might create the two in himself, making peace in one new man. I have said who the two are: souls, and those higher things, namely the eternal and spiritual. When the Savior himself, who is spirit and the Holy Spirit, descended into souls, he joined the two—the higher spiritual things—and made souls to be spiritual, and created them in himself in one, he says, new man. But who is the new man? The spiritual man: for the old man is the natural man, and thence the carnal man.

Making, he says, peace

that is, for those who were torn apart and separated and fighting, that is, for souls that had slipped down to earthly things and were following earthly things, and therefore were fighting against those things that are heavenly and spiritual; he made peace, he says; while he reconciled the spiritual things and God; so that they might now think one thing in mind, worship one thing, be one thing, namely spiritual.

that he might present and reconcile both in one body to God. Joining, he says, as we said, both souls and spirit, he made peace: that he might present those two, once separated, now joined together, and reconcile them to God. In one, he says, body; that is, so that the soul itself, now that it was spirit, and the spirit itself, now that it claimed the soul for itself, might be one body, which had previously been separated. But here let us take body likewise as a union, as one substance; which is the heavenly body and in eternal things. How is it called body? Concerning our Lord Jesus Christ; because Christ is a bodily substance and a bodily majesty. Through the flesh slaying the enmities in himself. Now this is the mystery of the cross, that all things which are hostile to our souls and spirit might be taken away in punishment; that is, worldly desires, lusts of the flesh, and the flesh itself in some manner corrupted and vicious.

Through the flesh therefore Christ slew the enmities, that is, all things adverse to souls.

And where did he slay them? In himself. For this reason he assumed flesh, that in himself he might conquer the flesh; and so through the flesh he might benefit the flesh, by slaying the corruption of the flesh; and through the resurrection, by assuming the pure and eternal flesh and the whole body of deity; since all things become spirit, as Paul teaches in many places, and the matter itself has been made manifest. In which there is also that point which I would wish to show everywhere, that our Lord Jesus Christ conquered and overcame this very conflict, in some manner, of flesh and world. Almost nothing now remains for us, except only to believe in him who overcame all things.

For this is the full salvation: that Christ conquered these things, that Christ was therefore lifted up on the cross, that Christ therefore rose again, so that salvation, eternity, and the glory of the heavens might be prepared for us who believe in him.

coming he preached peace to us who were far off, and peace to those who were near.

He expresses every act and coming of the Lord Savior through those things which are done and are to be done. For the coming of the Lord preached peace, that is, that men might be reconciled, and the whole world, looking toward God through souls, might feel nothing adverse and might have peace. Now what he said, that God, that is the Savior, coming preached: everything whatsoever that is well and good he proclaims, is called gospel. For to announce God, and to teach that God may be known, and to announce conversion to God, is to preach the gospel: and this is to preach peace as the gospel, so that we do not, with souls discordant and depraved by error, while we serve even the hylic powers, wage war in some manner against God. This, I say, is to preach peace as the gospel.

Again, what he said, both those who are far off and those who are near, is to be referred to what concerns Jews and Gentiles.

For those who are near are the Jews, while those who are far off are the Gentiles. But since the Savior himself received the gospel to proclaim God among the Gentiles, he placed that first; so that truly Christ also coming proclaimed peace to those who are far off, that is to the Gentiles, as is shown by many things. For even those who come from the Gentiles to belief are called better sons than those from the Jews. Yet lest it be denied to those as well, there is added: and to those who are near.

Because through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. Both, as I said, both Jews and Gentiles, through Christ himself we have access to the Father. But how? In one spirit, for he is Christ: while we believe in him, he glides into us, and we perceive God, and we know God, and we worship God. Therefore in that spirit itself, that we may be able to come to the Father, through Christ both shall be able to come. And so Jews cannot come to the Father except through Christ; just as the Gentiles cannot through any other external thing, whether idol, or power, or any majesty, as they themselves name it.

Therefore you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God. He concludes with reference to the particular case, namely the Ephesians, that they are not even aliens nor sojourners nor strangers. For those who sojourn away from God, since they remain in the works of God, that is in the world, are strangers and sojourners so that they may be able to be members of the household. For even if they were sacrificing to demons, afterwards believing and following God, they are members of the household, but in the world. Now however those who do not believe, they are strangers and sojourners. Furthermore, what he concludes with respect to the Ephesians: if anyone has believed in God, and has recognized through Christ that he belongs to God, he is neither a stranger nor a sojourner; you are therefore, he says, Ephesians, fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God.

For into one city, that is that eternal city of the riches of the higher things, which they call Jerusalem, all come together, and they are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God: since in that same city God is as it were ruler and lord and prince. They are therefore likewise members of the household of God.

But what do we understand by fellow citizens of the saints?

As if those who are called fellow citizens will be one thing, and the saints are another. If this is so, who are the saints, and who are the fellow citizens? I think the apostle placed as saints the apostles and prophets and the rest, who either suffered for God or saw him; that is, those who, with the spirit dwelling in them, spoke divine things, or saw him present in some manner; in some manner, I say, either through the flesh or through the spirit, as Abraham, as the apostle, as the rest of those through the flesh and through the spirit, as all the apostles: these therefore are the saints. But those who believe in Christ without any of these things, they are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God.

Built upon the foundation of the apostles.

He himself has declared sufficiently that the saints are one thing and the fellow citizens another: since he said that these are built upon the foundation of the apostles. Likewise that they ought to observe either precepts, or things pertaining to the knowledge of God, or to worship and religion. Jesus Christ, and his precepts, are the foundations of the apostles: which foundations have their superstructure now from life and from conduct and from the manner of living and discipline. The first foundation, however, is for life: the rest, for adorning and building up. The first, he says, foundation is to believe in Christ, and to have hope in him, and to direct faith toward God. Now this the apostles teach; and this is also the foundation of the prophets: in good order, according to what I divided above, so that I might call saints both those who saw and those who bore the spirit. For the apostles saw, the prophets had the spirit.

According to the precepts therefore of the apostles and prophets (which are the precepts of Christ) there is the proclamation, and it is the foundation of all eternity and hope.

You are built up, he says, upon the same cornerstone Jesus Christ.

Every middle point placed between two things always either joins or separates them. But where there is separation for souls, there the world is called φραγμὸς, that is, a barrier. But where there is union for souls, there is Christ, and he is called the cornerstone, since he is truly the cornerstone: and he is the one placed first; truly a foundation placed at the corner, joining two sides. He called this stone ἀκρογωνιαῖον: for he is not merely a cornerstone, but the one who is first and highest, from which the foundation of the corner begins, which joins and binds two things together and makes them one. For the two, as we said, are either the higher souls, who were also with Christ; and those here who are holy and have Christ through the mysteries; or all those souls of Christ themselves, even the souls of the Gentiles, which are joined by that cornerstone Jesus Christ.

In whom the whole structure, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

For all souls gathered together, and all men rendered spiritual through Christ, are built up as a place where God may dwell, as a holy temple; so that since Christ is in all, and since God is in Christ, all may be a temple of God through Christ. In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. As I have often taught, he calls the matter with reference to the particular case, that is to the Ephesians, so that they too may be built in the same corner, that is in the spirit of Christ, so that they too may be a dwelling place of God. Now with great moderation, so that an exhortation might be made: for he does not say they are already made, but that they are still being built up: for something is lacking to them; and for this reason he admonishes and exhorts.

And when he calls them a dwelling place of God in the spirit, what else does he do but exclude everything else whatsoever from their souls, and say that Christ alone is still building souls together there, so that they may become a temple of God?

For this cause I Paul, a prisoner of Christ, on behalf of you Gentiles: if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God. It remained, after he had spoken of the matters—that all hope is in Christ, and that all are spiritually built together so as to be a habitation of God—it remained, I say, that he should teach who he himself was; whether he himself was fulfilling the building together through the gospel, and should give an account of his authority so that he might be believed. This therefore he adds: for this cause, he says, that is, so that you may be built as a habitation of God in the Spirit. For this was said not to the Ephesians alone, but to all, as you may hear.

Finally, he says, on behalf of you Gentiles, Paul a prisoner of Christ; a prisoner, either as one joined to the gospel of Christ, or as one who endured many labors and punishments, and would endure them on your behalf, proclaiming Christ: and let me be a prisoner of Christ; who, by proclaiming Christ, am bound; but on your account. That he might seem to prove that he was bound for the Gentiles as a prisoner of Christ, he added the testimony of the mystery held concerning him. If indeed, he says, you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God. That is, if it is known to you what grace has been arranged, that is, how through me the gospel has been ordered, so that God is proclaimed through Christ, and the power of Christ, which is the power of God. Which was given to me toward you according to revelation.

For indeed, as Paul himself records in many places, he received or learned the mystery not from men nor through men, but all things were revealed to him. For he said this, that grace was given to him, but through revelation. In which place it may be understood that a Christian can be made by revelation, and is most especially made so. Paul was indeed chosen, and was called a vessel of election; yet because the power of God ministers its grace in all ways, let us understand that there is that lawful discipline of the Savior's commandments, whereby a man is reborn through the Spirit and water, and so receives the Spirit of Christ. But that comes both from men and through men. Yet what befell Paul (although this, as is our estimation, he alone merited) nevertheless, as I said, a revelation of God of this kind or another similar kind can come about through the grace of God.

Wherefore he is not to be denied the grace of Christ to whom a revelation has been given through the grace of Christ, so that he might be filled with the Spirit; and, having obtained knowledge of Christ through revelation, might serve him.

The mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in brief; according as you are able, reading, to understand my prudence in the mystery of Christ.

Here also I note that the mystery of Christ can be known through revelations: and although in the case of Paul it seems to have been fulfilled by the Lord's election, yet since the Lord's election is free, it can also come about in others that the knowledge of the true and full deity comes not from men nor through men. Great indeed and singular is this condescension, and perhaps it may be granted that in part it happens today. For since he himself said, if some prophet and another concerning the same matter says that it was revealed to him, let him who prophesies sit down and take note, so that he who says it was revealed to him may be heard; therefore it can also be revealed; and what holds in part, holds in the same way also in the whole.

For the mystery of the Lord and the will of God extends its power to all things: and we must accept that he can do all things, and wills what he can; but let these be matters for another inquiry. Now he shows that the mystery was revealed to him; when Paul said that he had written this to the Ephesians, that is, the mystery itself; not the revelation, but what was revealed, that is, the mystery. I wrote, he says, but rather I say; and as you were able, he says, reading to understand, to the extent you were able, my prudence; prudence in the mystery of Christ. He used the word knowledge not for that which foresees by its own power what things are, which finds and comprehends by reasoning what things are to come: but here he named knowledge as prudence. For he did not attain it through prudence; but after he attained it, he began to have prudence.

Finally, he says prudence in the mystery of Christ

that is, in what I perceived, what was revealed to me, what was made known to me; that is, in this, that he was instructed in prudence, in what was revealed to him, whether by memory, or knowledge, or understanding. For these are the parts of prudence: so also prudence has its place here, and yet we cannot attain the mystery through prudence, but through revelation.

Which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men.

This can serve as an argument for prudence, that it was revealed to him by God because he was prudent and able to receive the revelation, the mystery; and he alone merited, on account of his prudence, to know the mystery which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations. What is meant by other generations? That is, before my times. For generations, as is read in the gospel, are as it were periods of time reckoned through men. To none, he says, of those who were sons of men before me in their generation; to none, he says, was the mystery made known. What the mystery is, which Paul says was revealed and made known to him, we have spoken of often.

But by adding to the sons of men, he perhaps shows that the mystery, before it was revealed to Paul, could have been revealed to angels

that is, not to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles. He fully teaches the harmony of the mystery, that it is one and the same, what was revealed to him and to the apostles. Lest it seem discordant and not the same—what was handed down to the apostles through the presence of Christ, and what he said was handed down to himself through revelation—he joins what was revealed to him with what was revealed to the holy apostles. That is not enough: he adds also to the prophets in the Spirit. Acutely and forcefully: for the prophet who spoke the mystery had it revealed to him in the Spirit; the mystery itself he did not know.

Because he said that the mystery had not been revealed nor made known to the sons of men; yet it was known also to the prophets, who are sons of men; he added: known, but in the Spirit; that is, when, being breathed upon by the Spirit, they spoke the mystery.

Yet to them it was not known, That the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and partakers of his promise in Christ through the Gospel.

This is what he said was made known to him as a mystery, and likewise also to the holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit: that the Gentiles also are fellow heirs in Christ and fellow members of the body, that is, of the same body as it were; which he so often records, that all holy and liberated souls, joined by the Spirit of Christ, are said to be one body. From that point therefore the Gentiles also are partakers of his promise in Christ. For not Israel alone, but also the Gentiles, who were incorporated in Christ through the gospel, are partakers of the promise; that they will merit eternal glory, that they will have life, remission of sins, and the rest, which both God and the Savior promised to those who follow him. Therefore all are partakers of the promise in Christ through the gospel.

Of which I was made a minister according to the gift of the working of God, which was given to me according to the workings of his power.

I was made, he says, a minister of the gospel itself, through which both Gentiles and Israel are partakers of the promise in Christ: of which gospel I am a minister, made so by the gift of the grace of God. For Paul everywhere records that we receive this not by our own merits, but by the grace of God; so that whatever grace is given belongs to the giver, not to the receiver. And what he added, according to the working of his power, he also attributes to God; so that if I work anything, it is the power of God. For it is not my own power that works in me, but God's. But how he joins both things and what follows must be carefully considered. For he adds: To me, the least of all the saints, this grace was given ...

If the working already belongs to one who acts, and the grace was given according to the working, then the merit of the one working comes first, and then the grace. But above he said that this grace was given according to the gift of the grace of God, so that he might be a minister of the gospel: but to him alone was given afterward that by which he now works, and he works by the power of God, and it is said that the grace was given on account of the working of the power of God. What then? Was the working given before the grace? Or was the grace given afterward? But since the working is said to be of the power of God, the grace has already been given.

And again, since it is said that Paul was made a minister according to the grace of God, we understand that the gift was given before the working, so that he might be a minister; and that the gift of God is the grace by which he is a minister. Now when, from the received grace of a minister, he works; that also is grace, so that his working is from the power of God. Thus, that he might be a minister was a gift of God; that the working of God's power might be in him was a grace of God. To me therefore, he says, the least of all the saints, this grace was given. What is that grace? According to the working of his power, to preach the gospel among the Gentiles. And what it means to preach the gospel he subjoins: not the least of the apostles, but of the saints, he says. For the apostles, holy both in faith and in spirit, are those to whom the gospel was entrusted.

The unsearchable riches of Christ.

For what riches can be such, or how can the riches of Christ be comprehended, which make us sons of God, bestow eternal life, take away all corruption, destroy death itself, cause us to be in the heavens, forgive all sins? Great riches therefore, both in the removal of evils through the forgiveness of sins, and in the giving of good things, and such great good things as I mentioned above, and others of the same kind.

to enlighten all men as to what is the dispensation of the mystery.

The order is: grace was given to me to preach the gospel among the Gentiles and to enlighten all. In what respect to enlighten? As to what the dispensation of the mystery is; so that he not only preaches the mystery but also enlightens, that is, opens up what the dispensation of the mystery is. And in saying to enlighten all, he included both Israel and the Gentiles. For he received the gospel for the Gentiles without doubt; but the Jews also can be enlightened, if they follow, if they obey. But what the dispensation of the mystery is must be explained; since Paul said that he enlightens. But he declared this in what follows: hidden from the ages in God. Grace was given to me, he says, among the Gentiles, to enlighten all as to what the dispensation of the mystery is. Of what mystery? That which has been hidden, he says, from the ages in God.

What is meant by from the ages, and what by in God; what is hidden; and how it is hidden; let us briefly explain.

From God, who is the first Father, Christ was begotten, who is light from light, and God from God, who is Jesus, who is God from God. Let no one suppose that I am speaking of another God; but the order of speech requires it. In this Christ, I say, who is God from God, all things are perfected, and through him, all things; but what is now necessary is that in him are all things. For it was said both through him and in him. If therefore in him are all things, although through him are all things, yet God has all things in him; this mystery also is in him and hidden in him. But hidden from whom? From the ages. For Christ is the only-begotten Son of God, and from him the rest were created: that is, through him the works of God, with God working through him.

All ages therefore are posterior to Christ; since they were made by Christ.

Nothing therefore before Christ, nor anything higher before Christ. Christ was born from God with no beginning of time. From these ages therefore, and likewise hidden from them in God, the mystery is hidden, to be revealed in its own times: that the Son of God Christ would come, put on flesh, come to the aid of man, free him, forgive sins, raise him to eternal and heavenly things, justify and glorify him, and the rest which he subjoins. In whom therefore is this mystery hidden? In God. In which God? Who created all things. For if through him the mystery hidden in him was revealed; but it was hidden before he came, and was revealed after he came. Who is this? Who created all things, he says. Therefore the creator, though he may be taken as God, is yet creator through Christ. For the title of creator does not belong to God in himself, but belongs to Christ, and so through Christ to God.

For he begot Christ: Christ created all things, with God himself working and creating through himself. So it is one thing that all things were created, and they were created from one. Since indeed all the works of God the Father were created through Christ.

That it might be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places through the Church, the manifold wisdom of God.

This is the mystery which was hidden in God, that is in Christ, which was afterwards revealed not to souls but to men, and not only to men but to all the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, and it was revealed through the Church, namely that through the mystery the wisdom of God exists. Moreover, when he said to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, one may understand that it was not revealed to those which are adversarial: for he says in the heavenly places. And what he said through the Church, that is through all the members of God, through the members of Christ, and through every soul clothed with his mysteries, and having hope in him. Thus, as far as it is given to man, one may understand.

For indeed it is not the principalities and powers in the heavenly places themselves who declare the wisdom of God to men; but through the Church, that is through those who are members of Christ, by sanctification in faith, the powers and principalities in the heavenly places come to know that the wisdom of God has been made manifest through man. That even the principalities and powers of the world should learn and come to know the wisdom of God will be easy to recognize, if they have learned and come to know where man is and where he has his beginning, through the prophet Ezekiel when he speaks of the cherubim; in which there is a vision, as the passage itself requires a precise exposition.

Briefly, therefore, he touched upon all the parts of the mystery, which we have set forth above, by saying the manifold wisdom of God: whether that he sent the Son, or that so great a majesty took on the form of a servant, or that so great signs were performed, or that so great promises were made, the forgiveness of sins, and the promise of the heavens. Likewise eternal life and glorification and inheritance together with Christ himself, and his resurrection after death, and his very death, and the rest of such things—this is the manifold wisdom of God.

According to the predetermination of the ages, which he made in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From this it is apparent what it means for the mystery to be hidden in God, since he added according to the predetermination of the ages. For with certain ages determined and concluded, the mystery was to appear through the presence of the Lord, in whom the mystery was hidden. For it was fitting that it be revealed through him in whom it was hidden. For he added this: which determination of the ages he made in Christ Jesus our Lord. At what time it would appear, at what time the mystery would be revealed, at what time salvation and liberation would be shown.

In whom we have freedom and access in confidence through faith in him.

Although in the mystery of the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ both redemption has been accomplished and salvation given, yet the highest thing, and truly (if we attend to it) this alone is the highest, certainly the greatest, is that freedom has been given to us. For pressed down by captivity we were not able to resist through the law, as he himself says that our weakness in the body was not able to resist. He came therefore to conquer the flesh, and death through death: which having been conquered, he made possible for us what we believed to be impossible. Freedom therefore has been given, and access to confidence has been given through faith in him, that is when we have faith in him. I have warned, and have often warned, that this is the door of our liberation, if we believe in Christ: for his mystery has freed us, if we follow him.

For his death and his resurrection will profit us only if we have faith in him; because all things he both did and suffered for our sake. Let us therefore be confident, as he goes on to say.

For which cause I ask that you do not faint at my tribulations on your behalf; which is your glory. The exhortation which he owes to all, in order to render them confirmed, he drew back to himself. For this reason, he says, namely because to me, the least of all the saints, this grace has been given to preach the gospel among the Gentiles, and the rest; for which cause, that is for that reason, I ask that you do not faint at my tribulations. For those who follow Paul could be greatly wearied in faith, when they heard that same Paul enduring tribulations. For if he who preaches, who proclaims the gospel, who has been chosen by God, endures many things, is worn out by dangers, labors, and many other tribulations; greatly, I say, are those deterred who follow him, and they begin to have faith that is almost not whole, because they themselves might also be endangered and labor grievously; since he who proclaims the gospel and preaches is of such great grace in tribulations.

Let it be therefore, I ask, he says, on account of what has been revealed to me, that you do not faint at my tribulations: which tribulations I suffer not by my own merit, nor for my own cause; but because you are either weak in faith, or still trembling, and in some way add other things. For this reason I endure tribulations, wishing to call you back to true discipline and observance, that you do not withdraw from Christ; that you add nothing to Christ, that you have hope from Christ alone. This is not your glory; mine, he says. Therefore since the tribulations are on your behalf; your glory, he says, it is, so that while I labor, work, and am exercised through tribulations toward glory, you may be able to come to your glory.

For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the cause of this, namely that I endure tribulations on your behalf. For this cause I bow my knees; that is I pray fully, and I pray to the Father of the Lord, to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. All operation indeed is through Christ and all action; but since, as we have often noted, the ministries belong to the Spirit of Christ; for he himself is the ministry of God, and all things are from God through him; for this reason, he says, I bow my knees to the Father. For he is the one to be besought, that he may have mercy, and come to our aid, direct our faith, work in Christ for us, so that we may follow Christ himself, and having faith in him may be able to arrive at the promises. The full posture of prayer and supplication is to bow the knees.

For we ought to bow ourselves in prayer not only in mind, but also in body, so that no part of us is raised higher, either in the semblance of loftiness, or lest we seem to have pride. Finally in another place: God kept for himself so many thousands of men who did not bow the knee before Baal.

From whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named.

Namely from God the Father, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: for he is the Father, he is the first Father, and from him whoever is a father is named father. And yet this name or power flowed down from God the first Father, as from a source. For Christ also is the father of all things that were created: for all things were created through Christ. Likewise also in the mysteries he is father. And Paul is in some manner a father: since he said you are my children: I, he says, in Christ Jesus through the gospel begot you. Finally, fatherhood in the heavens is Christ: fatherhood on earth belongs either to the apostles, or to whoever proclaims the gospel, or to whoever hands on the mystery. For in these ways and many others, those who receive the faith are called sons, and those who hand it on are called fathers. All fatherhood therefore proceeds from God the Father.

That he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his Spirit, in the inner man: that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts.

He set forth the sum of his prayers for the Ephesians, as I said; that he asks God that the Ephesians may obtain these things. In which it is to be understood that Paul prays this not for the Ephesians alone, but for all who believe in Christ. Beyond therefore those things which we have said above; he prays and asks that God grant to the Ephesians also this greatest thing, that they may attain knowledge, height, depth. He also prays that the Ephesians may attain the charity of Christ; which charity prevails above and surpasses knowledge, and profits more for salvation and for eternity of souls, if anyone receives charity toward Christ.

Thus when he has taught that three things fulfill the perfection of Christianity—faith, knowledge, charity—he has briefly encompassed all of them here; and declared that he holds them in his prayers, that God may bestow these things upon the Ephesians. For concerning faith he spoke thus: that you may have, he says, Christ dwelling in the inner man through faith in your hearts. Likewise concerning knowledge he spoke thus: that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints the breadth, the length, the height, the depth. Likewise concerning charity he adds thus: to know also the charity of Christ which surpasses knowledge. And he set down three things: and showed both the order and which is of greater worth. There are three: faith, knowledge, charity. The order is that faith comes first: for he who believes comes to knowledge. For thus it has been said: if you have believed, then you will understand.

After knowledge, charity of Christ is set above all things: for charity alone toward Christ—the desire, and love, and affection, and longing—elevates and liberates souls.

Therefore charity surpasses knowledge.

That you may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth.

To know also the charity of Jesus Christ which surpasses knowledge. He set forth the sum of his prayers, as I said; that he asks God that the Ephesians may obtain these things. Likewise concerning charity he adds thus: to know also the charity surpassing knowledge. There are three, faith, knowledge, charity. After knowledge, charity of Christ is set above all things: for charity alone toward Christ and desire, and love, and affection, and longing, elevates and liberates souls. Therefore charity surpasses knowledge.

Now as to his setting down four things which knowledge ought to comprehend; naturally there are indeed three: for the measure of a body has three dimensions, length, breadth, height. But height extends both upward and downward.

The long is that which is extended as it were against us.

The broad is that which stretches beside us on either side. The high, as I said, pertains to what is above and below. Here therefore he has set together height and depth. That very thing which we called high he divided into two; so that he might call high what is in the upper regions, and deep what is in the lower. Thus by dividing the high he placed two, and there came to be four, which are three by nature. Therefore this, as it were a bodily measure, must be instilled into and perceived by the inner man, so that these things may be observed in relation to God. For since God is through all things and in all things, and is all things, and is he from whom are all things, and through whom are all things, and above all things, there the labor of knowledge is to observe and to know what is the length, what the breadth, what the depth.

How all these things may be or may be understood according to that partition—and understood in God—is a loftier and different treatise.

Accordingly he prays that the Ephesians may understand these things; and lest there be despair that these things can in no way be understood, he added: that you may be able to comprehend, he says, together with the saints. Therefore the saints do comprehend, and these things can be expounded. But this, as I said, belongs to another work, and to an exposition great and arduous, namely to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. It must be attended to with great force and keenness, that Paul prays this in his prayers, that the Ephesians may also know this, that the love of Christ surpasses all knowledge. This he prays, I say, that they may know; for he who knows that love surpasses all knowledge fully fulfills love toward Christ. He does not therefore pray that they may do it, because that follows; but he prays that they may know it.

That you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

All these things which Paul prays for the Ephesians—to be strengthened in the spirit, to be strengthened in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell through faith, and to be rooted in love, to comprehend together with the saints the breadth, the length, the height, the depth; also to know that the love of Christ surpasses knowledge—this is the fullness of God, which the Greeks call πλήρωμα, that is, perfection, to which nothing is lacking: which fullness Christ works, fills, and has filled by his mystery; so that God may make that which is all things and through all things. For this is the fullness.

Now to him who is able to do above all things more abundantly than we ask or understand, according to the power that works in me, to him be glory in Christ Jesus, and in the Church, and unto all generations of the age of ages. The order of this sense is: but to him be glory in Christ Jesus, and glory in the Church, and unto all generations in ages of ages. But to whom be glory? To him, he says, who is able to do above all things more abundantly than we ask or understand. For we pray these things for you, that you may do these things and understand these things. But if anyone shall be able to do more and more abundantly and above all these things—above, that is, what we ask or understand—to him be glory.

Now he who shall be able to do above and more abundantly above, will certainly be able to do so according to the power that works in us, namely according to the power of God and of Christ our Lord, for according to that power I work. And he therefore works according to that power which is in us. Therefore to him who is able to do all these things above more abundantly than we ask or understand, let there be glory in Christ Jesus and in all ages, and in all the Church. Yet this whole passage can be referred to God. For he himself is able to do these things more superabundantly. And to him be glory.

I beseech you, I who am a prisoner in the Lord, that you walk worthily of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and meekness and patience.

This passage is one of exhortation and admonition, together with humble entreaties and commendation, so that they too might bear things, seeing that he himself is seen to bear many things patiently. I, he says, beseech you, a prisoner in the Lord, that—since I endure much (for he endured both chains and various other things and suffered)—since therefore, he says, I am a prisoner in the Lord, that is, on account of the Lord, I myself who admonish, being patient in many things, I admonish that you walk worthily of that calling, namely with which you have been called. For we have often said that men are called by the grace of God. Having now been called by this calling, because you already know God and Christ the Lord, walk worthily of this calling. He adds in what manner.

With all humility and meekness and patience.

And he sets down great forbearance, lest they be carried away, lest they be proud. First humility is placed, then meekness. Humility is the lowering of the soul. The bridle of pride and harshness is meekness. But the patience which follows pertains to what they endure, if any adversity should befall. In the former two, lest they fear to suffer, humility and meekness are placed. In what follows, if they have suffered, what they should be like—patience, he says. Then what he adds next: with all magnanimity. For this magnanimity consists in this, that you not only bear patiently, but are always of an upright spirit. Accordingly he adds this, that if you have suffered patiently, you may also bear with magnanimity, bearing with one another in love all things whatsoever may befall. This can also be referred to bearing with one another in love. Yet the sense that follows can stand complete: Solicitous to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

That you may keep the unity of the spirit, or keep one spirit, of peace to be kept and in the bond of peace, I exhort you to be solicitous. He gives reasons, however, why they ought to be solicitous for the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace: One body, he says, and one spirit. Because the whole Church is one body and one spirit. So also as you have been called in one hope of your calling. And this too is an argument for keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, that they also have been called in one hope: for they do not have a different hope, but all who have been called have one hope of the promises of God. What those promises are is known to all.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all of us.

This treatise is wide-ranging, yet simple; one Lord, that is, Christ; one faith, certainly in Christ and in God; one baptism; for it is not otherwise from others; nor, if it is otherwise from others, is it baptism; but that baptism which is given in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. Baptism given otherwise therefore is not baptism. Therefore one baptism, one God: for although the Son also is God, yet because God is in the Son, and the Father is God, there is one God. Likewise because the Son is in God, there is therefore one God. Which God? The Father, he says, is God; because he himself is through all things, and he himself is in all things, and above all; therefore one God, who is the Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all of us.

Let us attend carefully to the order as it is connected.

One Lord: he began from him, through whom all Christianity begins, and the entry into liberation. For when one has known Christ, it follows that there be faith in him, and the rest. One faith in Christ; then his consecration. One baptism; then union. One God, Father of all, above all, through all, in all. He set down four: for God, because he is the cause; Father of all, because beyond him there is nothing; above all, because of action; through all, because of union and connection in all things.

But to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

He added this: for from this impatience can arise or injury be done. And while he admonishes humility and patience and the rest, he gives the reason why each person ought to be patient and magnanimous, because according to the measure of the gift of Christ grace has been given to each one of us. Since therefore different things have been given to different people, neither must one envy, nor must one deny; nor must one grieve over what another has, nor must one refuse to give what one has. If therefore the gift of Christ is given to each according to the measure of grace, we all ought to receive one another in love, and to bear all things magnanimously and patiently with meekness and humility.

Therefore it says: ascending on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. This example has been given because he said according to the measure of the gift of Christ. He proves moreover that the gifts are Christ's, by giving an example from, in which he teaches that Christ our Lord Jesus ascended on high, and led captivity captive: that is, that captivity which made us captives he made captive, and he crushed it, and so gave us gifts. Therefore if gifts have been given to us by our Lord, who by his mystery led captivity captive, ascended on high, and having freed us and made captivity captive, gave gifts to men—through whom, having obtained his grace, we might do different things, all things divine; as he says afterward, that some should be apostles, others evangelists, others prophets, and the rest. These therefore are the gifts.

But since this grace has been given to each by Christ according to the measure of his gift, no one ought to envy either another's grace or his own; but all things equally to give and believe one another, and to bear all things humbly and with meekness and with patience and magnanimity, for the sake of preserving unity in the spirit of unity, in the bond of peace; so that we may have concord and keep peace, with no discord troubling our minds.

It is now necessary to pursue and complete the interpretation which we are now using in those words which Paul adds, and necessarily adds, because above by an example he taught that ascending on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. On account of this example, I say, he treats the matter, since he who ascended certainly also descended; which mystery indeed is wide-ranging, and has other treatises in that explanation. What it is to ascend, and in what manner he descended into the lower parts of the earth, and in what manner he ascended above all the heavens (which is more weighty), must be examined with all care and all diligence. He ascended, he says, that he might fill all things. What is the coming, and what is the return? As I said, this is a great treatise; and great also is that one, how he filled all things, and more so how in returning he filled all things.

And if I should wish to embrace and expound it, the greatness of the work does not permit that this part be placed in that section where we are making a simple commentary. I think that some book must be completed on this sense and this treatise, which with God's permission I shall now undertake, so that, free from the necessity of interpretation, we may be able to fulfill all things necessary for the understanding of this kind. Now therefore we shall say these things simply and briefly, by way of admonition only.

Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

It is set down in the psalm: ascending on high, from which word we take the understanding that he who ascended is he who descended. For the nature of the matter is such that no one can ascend into heaven unless he descended from there. This holds for heavenly things: for in other earthly matters of this kind someone can ascend who has not descended; but into heaven and into the heavens no one ascends except he who descended from there. For thus the Savior said in the Gospel: unless one has been reborn, he cannot possess the kingdom of God. Then he added, because what is born of flesh is flesh; but what is born of spirit is spirit. Now the spirit is from the higher regions; therefore the spirit returns to the higher regions.

For also when the resurrection shall have come, all things will be spirit; and the whole man, made spirit, will ascend into heaven, namely through the spirit. Therefore it was made necessary that he who ascended into heaven is himself he who descended. Christ therefore, of whom it was said that he ascended into heaven, is understood to have descended; and if he descended, he certainly descended into the lower parts of the earth; not only into the earth, but into the lower parts of the earth. For it has been read that the Savior descended into hell by that passion of the cross, so that he might free every soul, and redeem his members from all places.

He who descended, the same is he who ascended. He repeats the same sense because it binds itself together, so that he who ascended had descended, and again he who descended had ascended. But as the foregoing sense showed, because when our Lord descended he descended into the lower parts of the earth, he added again that the same is he who ascended, but ascended above all the heavens. Thus nothing is empty of Christ: since he both descended into the lower parts of the earth and ascended above the heavens. Which heavens? Many say three; others say more; but my opinion is that there are three. For Paul himself says that he was caught up to the third heaven. And so also some teach that above the earth there are waters as a first heaven, then the firmament itself, which is called heaven, then again other waters, a third heaven: concerning which treatment we have already said much in what has gone before. But what does it matter? Christ who ascended, ascended above all the heavens.

For there now is eternity, and that incorruptible life, and all things living from the Spirit. These things, however, were in a different state up until the descent of Christ: all of which, the mystery having been accomplished, after the passion of Christ in his ascension received salvation and were made perfect. For this is what he adds: that he might fill all things, that is, render them perfect and complete, so that nothing should be lacking. Therefore that passion of Christ and his resurrection and ascension is the perfection of all things, both those in the world that could be saved, and those in the eternal realm and above all the heavens. Which mystery we have treated most fully in the exposition of one book. Or do we understand this, that he might fill all things that were entrusted to him, so that he corrected nothing there, rendered nothing there perfect?

But he ascended above the heavens, that he might fulfil every mystery; and he descended, but that he might fill all things with his majesty and perfection and the light of God and charity. For his descent and ascent illuminated all things. But he illuminated them more when he ascended, perfect and sanctified by the Father. He makes all things holy through his return, both whence he returns and how far he returns.

he himself gave some indeed as apostles, but some as prophets. Here he begins to enumerate the various gifts, concerning which he said above that God gave gifts to men, so that all might have the gifts of God, which he was treating above; and let no one envy another. Now these gifts are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, ministers; all of whom he enumerates. Yet he placed apostles first, then prophets. It seems remarkable, however, that although it was said that prophets existed up until Christ, Christ himself also made prophets. After apostles he placed prophets and evangelists. What then do we understand? That prophets are not called only those who, having received the Spirit of God, spoke of Christ and of his coming, of whom it was rightly said that prophets existed up until Christ: because when he came, of whom the prophets spoke, there is without doubt no longer any reason for there to be prophets. Whom then do we understand as prophets?

Those whom he says are prophets by the gift of Christ; namely those who treat of God, and filled with the Spirit expound divine teaching.

This we have also said in the foregoing.

But others as evangelists, and others as pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministry, unto the building up of the body of Christ.

There are five kinds of speaking under the law of grace: to speak in tongues, to speak by revelation, to speak by knowledge, to speak by prophecy, to speak by doctrine. These are treated fully in the first letter to the Corinthians. But beyond these, it is another thing to be an evangelist, that is, to narrate what Christ did and to announce that Christ himself is to be worshipped; for this is what it is to be an evangelist. Therefore Christ by his gift made evangelists; he also made pastors and teachers, who govern the people of the Church. Those who administer he called pastors; teachers, however, are those who instruct. For pastors here is not to be referred to feeding, nor to food, but to governing, as they call bishops pastors; and Christ himself is the shepherd, because souls are reckoned as sheep.

Teachers, however, as we said (although even the pastors themselves are called teachers of the flock, as it were overseers), let us nonetheless understand teachers to be called doctors.

All these things, however, he said were established by the gift of God so that there might be the consummation of the saints

that is, perfection. I have often taught what saints signifies, namely those who have received faith and have been sanctified by the Spirit. So that these might be consummated, that is, perfected, such mysteries and ministries have been instituted by the gift of Christ, through which comes the perfection and consummation of all the saints. For although apostles are able to act and teach and evangelize, yet others too can do these things and yet are not apostles; therefore it is a distinct matter that some are apostles, others prophets, others evangelists, others leaders, and others teachers. But through all of these the perfection and consummation of the saints is accomplished, both through what they themselves do and through what others do. For mystery, that is, what we do; but the building up of the body of Christ, that is, what we do in relation to others.

Therefore all those things have been instituted through the gift of Christ for two reasons and with two effects: that they may preside over the mysteries, that they themselves may act, that they may be ministers, as above; and that they may build up the body of Christ, that is, the Church, and confirm all souls in faith: for this is the body of Christ.

Until we all meet in the unity of faith, and the knowledge of Christ, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ.

He has set forth the full mystery: what has been done, and for what purpose it has been done, and what is to come. What has been done: that Christ descended and ascended, and that he himself gave apostles and prophets and the rest. Then he added for what reason: unto the consummation, he says, of the saints. What is that consummation? What he subjoined: that with all the saints made perfect in the unity of faith, there may be one faith among all, and in the knowledge of Christ, that we may all acknowledge Christ: for there is all salvation. Then what is to come: that we may meet and come together unto a perfect man; for the soul made perfect through faith and through Christ known becomes a perfect man.

So also the prophet David, concerning the same perfect soul, set forth in the first psalm: blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly. And he said both blessed and man; and this is the measure of the age and fullness of Christ; when all the members have been gathered and the full man restored, in each one the whole fullness of Christ is restored.

That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro.

For when we are not perfect, we are children; and when we were children, we were tossed to and fro; but when we are confirmed in faith, we are not tossed to and fro. When we acknowledge Christ, we become men. And that we be no longer children carried about with every wind of doctrine, in the wickedness of men, in craftiness, unto the remedy of error. For when we are not perfect, we both slip and waver in faith, and many things disturb us; when, ranging through many doctrines, we are driven by a varying wind of understanding. Which doctrine is the wickedness and cunning and craftiness of men, and as it were certain remedies of error: so that what you think, you believe yourself to think by the sense and understanding of certain wise men; and the understanding of another becomes the remedy of your error.

All these things are to be set aside, so that refreshed by these two things we may complete the man, namely by faith and by the knowledge of Christ. Finally these two, as it were, namely faith in Christ, that is, in Christ, and the knowledge of Christ, make one blessed: which blessed man does not waver, is not carried about by doctrine, in the wickedness of men. These things the blessed prophet David touched upon in the same first psalm: for he says, blessed is the man—whom we say is made so by faith and the knowledge of Christ—who knows not doctrines, knows not wickedness and errors; which errors and doctrines David enumerates thus, saying: who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and has not stood in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of pestilence. To sit in the seat of pestilence is to teach heretical teachings; to walk in the counsel of the ungodly is to be occupied in the wickedness of men.

To be occupied in wickedness; to stand in the way of sinners is to be occupied in craftiness unto the remedy of error.

But doing the truth in charity, let us grow up in him in all things, who is the head, Christ.

This is an exhortation, because he wishes the Ephesians to be in charity and to do all things according to truth, and to increase further what they do. This is: let us grow up in all things, but let us grow up in all things unto Christ himself, so that nothing may be done outside of confirming faith in Christ; which Christ, he says, is the head. For since all the members are governed from the head, so the whole Church is governed by Christ; that is, every holy and faithful soul. Therefore Christ is the head, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together through every joint of supply, according to the measure of each individual part, makes the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in charity. We have said that he is the head, from whom the whole body is knit together and joined.

Therefore if Christ is the head and the beginning and the source and that from which all the members in the body are governed through every joint; this is to be understood acutely, so that just as the individual members, cohering through joints in their various functions, make up the measure of the whole body; so also in the Church, each individual member of the ministries, in relation to the sanctification of the mystery and in relation to faith in Christ, furnishes joints and binds together and builds up its body in charity: so also our members, as it were naturally knit together and cohering to one another by genuine love, furnish increase to the body through their parts: so also all the ministries which are in the Church are the body of Christ, if they shall love one another in charity, serving the head, that is, Christ.

This therefore I say and testify in the Lord, that you walk no more as the Gentiles also walk. As I have always taught, the exhortation is twofold: what is not to be done he said above; what is to be done he now subjoins. What is not to be done: walk not, he says, as the Gentiles. This, he says, I say and this I testify, and I testify in the Lord, that is, I call the testimony of the Lord to what I admonish. Here also there is a note of fear: for fear mingled with exhortation makes persuasion easy. Moreover when he said, that you walk no more, he shows that they had walked thus for a long time, and had lived as the Gentiles. In what manner as the Gentiles, he himself sets forth: in the vanity of their mind; darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, through the blindness of their heart.

He expressed what the life of the Gentiles is: that they are vain, he says, and are not wise in mind, and darken their own understanding: which is to think nothing of God with one's own understanding, to be led by sense and by the things of the world. For if the world is darkness, so also is whatever is understood from the world. Hence what follows: alienated from the life of God, which life is that of Christians who both worship and understand God. He speaks of the life of God which is owed to God by us. And he adds on account of understanding: for we are alienated from the life of God when we are ignorant of God; but when we know him, we live the life of God, and we merit from God that life which is truly the life of God, which Christ has promised us.

These things, however, he says, are in them through the blindness of their heart: when their heart has been blinded by darkness, it thinks and moves in darkness, and reckons that worldly wisdom, which is the wisdom of darkness, to be wisdom.

Then he shows what consequence follows from such understanding: Who having given themselves over in despair have delivered themselves up to lasciviousness, unto the working of all uncleanness and covetousness.

He speaks of the Gentiles, whose heart is blinded, and who hope for nothing, that is, they both confess and prove themselves to be mortal; nor do they believe anything concerning their own eternity: and therefore they seize upon the life of the world, as though wishing to enjoy it, and live licentiously, and practising what they believe to be pleasure with lasciviousness, greedy for having, and led in the use of living by all the most shameful pleasures.

But you have not so learned Christ; if indeed you have heard him and believed in him.

He teaches the Ephesians not to live as the gentiles do: since they have learned Christ: because Christ, in order to make us immortal, accomplished the mystery, was present in the flesh, taught us that we might know the Father, and have faith in him, and there is eternity for us who live according to his commandments. You therefore have not so learned, as the gentiles: since you have heard Christ (if indeed you have heard him), that is, you have understood and believed. For this is what he added, who have believed in him: because, as we have said and always say, to believe in Christ is to attain immortality, and to merit eternal life; for he himself is life, he himself is light, he himself is eternity, he himself who conquers death and has conquered it, and conquered it for us, through the mystery which he fulfilled.

As the truth is in Jesus; put off, according to your former manner of life, the old man, who is corrupted according to the desires of error.

Before the coming of Christ, all was error and vain wisdom—this worldly kind—to esteem worldly things as eternal; to live according to the flesh; to believe the ruler of this world to be God. This is the old man. Put him off, he says, as the truth is in Jesus; because in others there is no truth. But in Jesus is truth: what Jesus taught, those things are true: and this is the new man, according to whom we ought to live. Let that old man, therefore, and the former manner of life be put off: for he is corrupted according to the desires of error. For being wholly turned toward the body, he esteemed all things bodily and carnal.

Hence come errors and a kind of worldly wisdom, since all things that are in the world are not done according to the spirit: yet this was before the coming of Christ; but now, after he has taught us those eternal things, we are wise in the things that are spiritual. There, as I said, is the new man, who so lives and so is wise.

But be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who according to the spirit has been created in justice and holiness of truth ...

As I said, the new man is he who is wise according to the spirit. This is what he says: be renewed in the spirit of your mind ... Thus the soul is better, pure, whole; but the mind, which is stronger, is spirit. Be renewed therefore, he says, in the spirit of your mind; and put on the new man, that you may now live according to him; who is spiritual, since he is wise from the spirit; who, that same spiritual man, has been created according to God, that is, after the likeness of God: as it was said, let us make man in our image and likeness. Now God has neither form nor face: but just as God is spirit, so also we have been created according to God, that we may be wise according to the spirit; that is, nothing carnally, nothing in the world.

Finally, what it is to have been created as man according to the Lord, he himself declared in holiness and justice and truth

that is, that one be just, that one be holy, and true: for he who is wise in worldly things is wise according to the flesh: he who is wise according to the flesh is not wise in what is true, nor in what is just, nor in what is holy. Therefore, since the spirit sanctifies, the spirit gives life and justifies, the spirit which truly is, and always is, and is more truly alone, is itself truth. Those therefore who understand all these things thus put on the new man, renewed in the spirit of their mind.

Wherefore, putting away lying, speak truth every man with his neighbour, because we are members one of another.

He concludes the exhortation covering all the foregoing matters, in which he both taught the distributed gifts, and that every man ought to bear with another as a companion, and to be patient with all long-suffering, and bearing with one another in charity. Therefore here he says, put away lying: let no one deceive another: speak truth; and let every man with his neighbour act, do, and speak what is true: nothing through fraud, nothing through deceit. And he who said with his neighbour added, because we are members one of another. So also above: one body, and one spirit, and the rest likewise. For since the Church is one body, and all in the Church make one body, individuals are parts of the Church.

Therefore one is a member of another, and thus one body is formed, as he himself says, of the Church: of which Church, that is of all souls having faith in God, of this, I say, Christ is the head. Therefore we are the body; and individually members of the body; therefore we are members one of another.

Be angry, and sin not.

He subjoins admonitions which are many; taking, however, as an example, what is set down in the fourth psalm, taking the beginning of the precepts. But he divides these, so that he first admonishes the man of the Church, that is the Christian, what is to be done and what is not to be done: then he admonishes what husbands and wives are to do toward one another; then what fathers and sons are to do toward one another; then what servants and masters are to do: and after that comes an exhortation concerning what is to be done generally by all. But as the order has woven itself together, so also shall we, in each place, both enumerate the admonitions and render the reasons and meanings proper to each. And first to the ecclesiastical man, the Christian, he gives these admonitions: that he not be angry; or if he has been angry, that he not sin through anger.

Then that he not hold anger long, but bring his anger to an end within the day.

Then that he not live by theft and devote himself to thefts, but rather work with his hands for sustenance, and from that also come to the aid of others in need. Then that he utter no evil words, but rather good ones; and that he build up another, and not sadden another: that there be no bitterness in the soul: no anger, no indignation, no clamour, no blasphemy: that they love one another kindly; that they be merciful; that they forgive one another their sins, just as God in Christ has forgiven us our sins; that they love one another; that they be chaste; that they be strangers to all things of the world, and to avarice, and to filthiness, to foul speech, to buffoonery; that they rather give thanks: for such manners, that is, those set in vices and sins, shall not have the kingdom of Christ, nor an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ.

Then he warns lest they be led astray by others through words

that is either by heretics, or by the irreligious, or by those whom he calls sons of temptation and unbelief; whom he frightens with the fact that the wrath of God is coming upon them. Then that we not share in the evil unfruitful works of others: but rather that they rebuke those who sin and live in evil ways, and make their sins manifest; and that they live as wise men, not as imprudent, that they abstain from wine, that they speak rather in the spirit, in psalms, in hymns, in canticles, and that these things be done rather in the heart: that they give thanks to the Lord, and give thanks for all things in the name of God and our Lord Jesus Christ: that they be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. These are all the precepts given to the ecclesiastical man. After this he subjoins what is to be observed by women, that is by husbands and wives.

Now let us return to the individual points.

Be angry, and sin not. If God is angry, as it is said: for the wrath of God is revealed, wrath from heaven, against all impiety. And likewise in many places. Rightly therefore anger is also given to man, that is that he be angry: but he sins in anger who is angry not to correct, but to punish. Therefore be angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your anger. He shows both the measure of anger and the time: that anger conceived within the day ought to be laid aside.

Many imitate this precept and place it among their own precepts.

For if every day has its own care and evil, it is sufficient for itself; nothing from the past day ought to be added to another day. Therefore.

Let not the sun go down upon your anger, neither give place to the devil.

For if anger remains, he finds occasion to lead us into sins, and we do something that ought not to be done; which is to sin by the will of the devil. Thus it is shown from this precept that it is in our power both to be angry and not to be angry; and that the devil injects anger, but has occasion so that when we are angry he may cause us to do something. This is to be considered in all the affections of the soul and in every act of the devil: that he can do nothing against us, except when we ourselves through ourselves also give him occasion. Thus we are also masters of our own will, and we have good merits from good deeds, and penalties from evil acts, because by our own fault occasion is given to the devil.

Let him that stole steal no more.

It is not altogether to sin that is sin, but to persevere in sin: for place is given for repentance, place is given for correction. Therefore let him that stole steal no more. But we ought not to take this as applying to this sin alone, but to all; so that whoever was sinning in any matter whatsoever, let him sin no more. For every sin, when it is committed secretly, is a theft: but since God knows everything that is done, one must not sin, thinking that we steal our sins; since all things are manifest. But rather let him labour, working with his own hands. From this it may be understood that he truly spoke above of the simple case, that no one should steal any more, when he added but rather let him labour, working with his own hands. For he who labours by working with his hands has wherewith to live: let him therefore not steal.

Let us observe moreover that it is said simply, when we labour working with hands; the rest comes from skill, from talent, or by speech, or by any other means. Where there is no work of hands, those things are more thefts than sustenance sought by labour; which is good, that he may have wherewith to share with one who has need; that from the works of his own hands he may obtain what he himself has, and share it with him who has need; and that from his works, whatever advantage he has obtained, he may bestow it.

Let no evil word proceed out of your mouth.

This precept also concerns what is not to be done. But I noted that there are two kinds of precepts: what is to be done. Let no one, he says, utter a word from malice. For from this comes great sin; as it is said, not what enters into the mouth, but what comes out of the mouth, harms most. But if any good word tends to the building up of faith, so as to give grace to those who hear. That a word may go forth which is good. But what is a good word? One that tends to the building up of faith. For it will give grace to the hearer when what is spoken builds up faith.

grieve not the Holy Spirit of God: either your own, which is in you, or that which is in another; which will be grieved by your evil word.

Grieve not, he says, the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you are sealed: in which spirit you are indeed sealed with the sealing through the Holy Spirit: and grieve him not, either in yourselves, when you speak an evil word, or in those who hear. In the day of redemption. The order is: you are sealed in the day of redemption: for through him your redemption was accomplished; which redemption has a fixed day, namely the day of God's judgment. For we are sealed in the Holy Spirit, on the day on which we are redeemed and set free.

Let all bitterness and indignation and clamour and blasphemy be put away from you with all malice.

He has briefly summed up five things: bitterness, anger, indignation, clamour, blasphemy. Although he has also added the genus with all malice. For bitterness exists both in envying, and in speaking evil, and in other actions. And likewise anger is a movement of the soul with the desire of avenging and punishing. Indignation is a fervent and exalted movement of the soul beyond what is deserved. Clamour is a voice uttered in some frenzy. Blasphemy is already a voice or wicked thought directed against God, injuring God.

All these things, he says, let them be put away from you: in place of what would be, put them away from you: but the meaning itself is also thus, let them be put away from you: which he truly said with all malice: because it can happen that certain things are done without malice, as that we may be in blasphemy through ignorance, that we may cry out in ignorance, that we may be indignant without malice. Let all these things be put away with all malice. For thus, as we spoke above, be angry, but sin not.

Be ye therefore kind to one another.

Those former things, as I said, are not to be done; these are what are to be done: that ye be kind to one another; not one toward another, but each toward each, so that all are toward all. And merciful, forgiving one another. And in the foregoing he placed "one another," be ye kind to one another. He also said forgiving one another; whence we ought also to hear "merciful one to another"; forgiving, that is, sins. Finally, that this was said concerning sins he makes clear from what is subjoined: even as God in Christ hath forgiven you; namely sins: in Christ, however, as we have frequently said, because Christ died for us: therefore sins have been forgiven us in Christ. For that mystery, as we have frequently said, is on account of our sins: because we were unable to conquer sins, our Lord came, who would conquer sin, and so would forgive us our sins, since believing in him we are freed from sins.

Be ye therefore imitators of God, as most dear children of God.

In this, namely, imitators of God, when ye also forgive one another your sins, as God forgave us our sins in Christ.

Live therefore as imitators of God, and so live as children of God and most dear children. For indeed if he spared not his own Son for your sake, and gave him over to sin for your sins, that he might conquer sin; as the mystery is understood.

walk in love.

A great commandment and one certainly to be held fast, for it encompasses all things; and charity suffices, in which the whole law is; and the whole mystery of Christianity is love and charity. Even as Christ also loved you. This is what was said above, that as imitators of God ye also love one another, even as Christ also loved you. But what is it that he loved and gave himself up for you? The same substance, one both in will. And likewise I and the Father are one. Here he gave himself up for you; that is, for another, he spared not his Son; so that in this manner we also in turn give of our own for you; and even to this extent, that is, after the manner of suffering for another, we love one another. And gave himself up for you an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. He offered himself to God, so that through this mystery all things might become spirit and sacrifice.

For this is the odour of sweet fragrance; of which he said that the substance is spirit, and the odour of sweet fragrance: concerning which matter there is a definite book expounding this, what spirit is, and what understanding it has, so that its substance may be understood.

But fornication and all uncleanness and covetousness, let it not be so much as named among you, as becometh saints.

These also are commandments concerning those things which are not to be done, that fornication, uncleanness, covetousness be absent; which three are to be so excluded from souls that they have not even a name or mention among themselves, especially those who are saints. For even to name these things is a sin; how much more to have or to commit them? For the name and mind and conscience of saints requires that the tongue also be pure. For if one who is pure in conduct names vices, he nevertheless has sin, since in what he speaks he shows that he knows those very vices.

Or filthiness, or foolish talking, or jesting.

He subjoins also three other things, which differ from the foregoing. For fornication is far different from uncleanness. Where there is no shame, there is fornication; not straightway filthiness: for filthiness is a wicked deed and sin; but fornication is when shame is lacking. Likewise uncleanness, which can exist both in speech, and in life, and in conduct. Now covetousness is the desire of having. Far different therefore are these three which follow: filthiness, foolish talking, and also vain speaking. Although when it does no harm, you speak; yet if it be foolish, and neither savours of wisdom nor profits, it is foreign to saints. And so jesting is playful speech, wounding another for the sake of a joke, and therefore insulting. Which does not pertain to the matter. For jesting also can be placed in the manner of reproof arising from foolish talking. But if they pertain to the matter, these things are to be admitted. Those are sins if they are done when they do not pertain to the matter.

For if they either admonish or correct, when they pertain to the matter, they are to be fulfilled. But rather thanksgiving. Having stated what things ought to be, he subjoins what ought rather to be, that is, this: let us give thanks—without doubt to God; although also to men; and therefore it is stated simply.

For know ye this that no fornicator or unclean person or covetous man, which is the service of idols, hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. When he had set down the three aforesaid things and had subjoined three more, he binds this commandment so as to teach that the three former are most grave. Indeed even though he had spoken thus, that those three should not even be named among saints. Therefore they are grave. How grave? Know ye, he says, that these—namely fornication, uncleanness, covetousness—have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Now he called covetousness idolatry, either because one who is covetous serves idols, believing that the things which are in the world are furnished to him by them, in which he is covetous. For God furnishes those things which are in the future; one who is covetous is covetous of the present life; and therefore serves idols. Or is it said for this reason, that covetousness is the service of idols?

Because since God is one, it is covetousness to worship many, and to adore others, and to wish to serve others. He therefore has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. For Christ has a kingdom in the heavens: and he who follows Christ will have inheritance in the kingdom of Christ. The kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of God. Neither therefore in the kingdom of God has he inheritance who serves idols.

Let no man deceive you with vain words.

For because of these things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of unbelief. This also is among the commandments, of which I told you, which are not to be done. For many by their words urge both the advantage of the world and the worship of idols, that is, the desire of having. But these are vain words. Now what he said, for because of these things the wrath of God cometh, is on account of this, namely, that men of this sort have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Because of these things, he says, they also have punishment, so that they both lack the goods of eternal life, and wrath comes upon them. Whom did he call children of unbelief? For many, thinking vain what is promised—kingdoms in heaven—say, who of men hath ascended into heaven? They therefore distrust and do not believe. Therefore upon the children of unbelief the wrath of God cometh.

Now unbelief is that devil whom those serve who distrust, and therefore they are his children.

Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

Whereas above he treated in general terms, he returns to the commandment, and to the Ephesians, that they be in every way strangers from men of this sort and share nothing with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord. Therefore, that they may separate themselves in every way from the children of unbelief, he says what they were before when they lived as Gentiles. Darkness, he says, ye were. But he who follows Christ is light: for whoever has been baptized in Christ receives light. Walk as children of light. Therefore since ye are light and in the Lord (for ye are not light, but ye are light in the Lord); therefore since ye also are children of light, so live as those ought to live who are children of light. But what it is to live as a child of light, he himself sets forth: For the fruit of light is in all goodness and justice and truth.

For this is both to be light and to be a child of light: to excel in goodness, to excel in justice, to excel also in truth. These three are themselves light: for against them are the darkness of malice, injustice, falsehood: all of which belong to the devil: but these belong to light, because Christ is light. Therefore also goodness and justice and truth. Live therefore by these ways.

prove what is pleasing to God, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.

I said that through the same commandments he turns back, which are to be followed and which are not to be followed; that one live in goodness and in justice and in truth. This also likewise; prove, he says, those things which please God. Then he subjoined what is not to be followed: Have no fellowship, he says, with the unfruitful works of darkness; which are covetousness, fornication, and the rest of this kind, and idolatry: which works bring back no fruit: for nothing follows for him who pursues these things; and therefore they have no fruit; and therefore they are darkness; because they show nothing of light, nothing of fruit. But rather also reprove them. That not only do we separate ourselves from evil conduct, nor have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; but also that we reprove and accuse those same works, that is, those men who so live.

For the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. He has spoken almost plainly of what is done by them, when he showed that it is shameful to speak of those things. Therefore be not partakers: therefore rather reprove.

But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light.

Because he gave the commandment that they also reprove evil-doers, he added how great a gift reproof is: since those sins in secret are, as it were, made manifest by light when they are reproved. For he who reproves shows how great an evil that is which he reproves: and while he shows it, he as it were illuminates the evil: which when he who commits it has understood, he scatters the darkness and draws near to the light. For everything that is made manifest is light. He himself shows what we have expounded. For whatever is understood is both made manifest, and is light, and is seen, and is open.

Wherefore he saith: Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and thou shalt touch Christ.

He gave an example of how one who is reproved in his sins receives light and understands that he sins: and when he understands that he sins, he is illuminated, that is, he rises from the dead; that is, he puts away darkness, and touches Christ; that is, he receives light, and begins now both to avoid sins and to have hope of eternal life.

See therefore how ye walk circumspectly, not as unwise, but as wise.

With one commandment he has encompassed both; admonishing how they should walk: not as unwise, but as wise; with that wisdom, namely, which is of God, not, he says, with that which is of the world. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. All these days which are in the world are evil: evil, in what is in them, they work against us: and everything that is good is of the future. This time, he says, let us redeem; that is, by our virtue, patience, obedience, let us make the time our own, and as it were purchase it by our labours and patience. Let this time, which is against us, be ours. This is redeeming the time.

Therefore be not ye unwise, but understanding. By the same admonition again we are warned toward understanding, both of the world and worldly things. In which we were unwise; but let us be, he says, understanding. But what it is to be understanding, he subjoined thus: what the will of the Lord is. That we understand this: what the Lord has willed, what he wills; that is, that we live with integrity and justice and faith, and have hope placed in him, and think of nothing else but God. This, he says, is the will of the Lord.

be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury.

This also is among the things not to be done, that we use much wine, from which come many vices. Then he subjoins what is to be done: But be filled with the spirit, speaking to yourselves. This is a great commandment: for all those things are in our will and in our labour—not to be drunk with wine, not to walk unwisely, and then the things said above. But this would be understood as coming from God's will alone, unless here he admonished us that it is of our will to be filled with the Spirit. For thus we cleanse the soul from all vices and sins, if we are filled with spirit, so that we make the Spirit our own, and are filled with spirit.

Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles.

That they should speak to one another nothing other than psalms, hymns, canticles. What the difference among these may be, we shall say in the proper place: yet all resound with the praise of God, and declare that hope in God is to be held by man. For these things, if they are such, will truly be spiritual. Let us therefore sing these things, and let us sing them in our hearts; as he himself adds, singing and making melody.—Giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the Father and God. Singing, refers to what is brought forth by the voice; making melody, that is, striking and moving either the cithara or other instruments: which also the prophet David sets forth, with strings and with cymbals. But these things, he says, doing in your hearts, giving thanks, and always giving thanks, and giving thanks for all things: for not only for ourselves, but also for others, whom we see corrected.

And to whom shall we give thanks?

To the Father and God; but to the Father and God let us give thanks in the name of the Lord. For then we give thanks rightly, if we give thanks to God not in our own name, but in the name of Christ. For it is necessary that both for this very thing, that we have been set free, and for the fact that we receive the Spirit, we give thanks to God: but then rightly, if we give thanks to God in the name of Christ.

Submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

To one another, that is, one for another: in the fear of Christ, in that we fear Christ: as it is said, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of understanding.

Let wives be subject to their husbands as to the Lord.

Precepts are also given to women, what they ought to do and in what manner. For what they ought to do, he said: let them be subject to their husbands. In what manner? As to the Lord, or as to Christ: so that their husbands may be to them as their lord. And that this is so, he renders a reason. Because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ also is the head of the Church: he himself the saviour of the body. So also the husband is the head of the wife. And as the Church is subject to Christ, so also let wives be subject in all things, modest and restrained in all things.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church, and delivered himself up for it, that he might sanctify it, cleansing it in the washing of water by the word.

He passes on to husbands, to prescribe in like manner to husbands what is to be done with their wives. Love, he says, your wives. He renders the reason from the same example; as, he says, Christ loved the Church. For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ is the head of the Church: and just as Christ delivered himself up for the Church that he might sanctify it, so also here the husband ought to bear all things patiently for her, that he might sanctify her. He persists, however, in showing what Christ has accomplished, namely that he delivered himself up, that he might cleanse the Church in the washing of water and in the word.

Let us certainly understand the Church to mean every believer, and everyone who has received baptism: for one is taken up in faith, namely in the washing of water and in the invocation of the word. How these things are to be referred back to the husband in relation to the wife is not entirely clear: yet it could seem that what was given by way of likeness in the upper part pertains to this part, which is completed in the narration of the mystery. Nevertheless, if we also refer this to the patience of the husband, so that he delivers himself up for the woman, and bears all her burdens and endures even her sufferings with patience, she will be cleansed by washing and by the word; that is, she will have purification before the Lord; since he renders her pure, and by patience makes her fit to be sanctified by washing and by the word.

That he might present to himself a glorious Church. For the Church, he says, Christ gave himself, that he might make his Church glorious for himself; also pure, and without spot and without wrinkle: for these things bring deformity, and spot, and wrinkle; when the body is free from these, it is vigorous, flourishing, comely. But beyond these he added something of this kind, that is, if there is anything such that it also has a name; but that it may be holy and without blemish. This Christ accomplished, that the Church might be both holy and without blemish. Thus holy in this, that is, in that it is cleansed by the washing of water and by the word: without blemish, in that it is without spot and without wrinkle.

So also husbands ought to love their wives as their own body.

Equal precepts are also given to the husband, that he should love his wife; as his own, he says, body. For so also the history of creation shows, that the woman was made from the rib of the man. Therefore let him love his wife as his own body. He who loves his wife loves himself. He repeats the same: for if the wife is from our body, he who loves his wife loves himself. And thus he afterwards adds the example: and the two shall be in one flesh.

For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it. He confirms that this love is according to nature, that we love our own flesh. But if our flesh is the woman, and the first woman was from the flesh of the man, and the woman was such that she was also his wife, since no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it; he ought therefore also to love his wife thus, as his own flesh, just as Christ loves the Church. And concerning the husband the same precepts apply as concerning the wife. For so the religious duty and the awe have been given, that the wife should serve the husband because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is of the Church: so now also this precept is given to the husband, that he should love his wife, just as Christ loves the Church.

Because we are members of his body. And above it was said thus: the Church is all the holy faithful, who are members of Christ, and the Church becomes one body of Christ, whose head is Christ. Of his flesh, and of his bones. We are members, he says, all of us, of his own flesh and of his bones. This is not to be understood here as though we have a share in that flesh which he put on and in which he appeared, and of his bones, which were the bones of that flesh in which Christ appeared: but let us understand the whole deity of the same, which is in the spirit, where in all things above heaven and in the heavenly places he has the power of his deity, with respect to the spirit, with respect to the mind, which the Greeks call nous, mind, and with respect to the soul.

Since therefore we also have these same things, it is to be understood thus, that we are members of Christ, that is, in spiritual substance; and of his flesh, that is, of the soul; and of his bones, that is, of what is called nous, mind in Greek. For all these things by the power of God in the higher regions are spirits; just as the same Paul also says in the first epistle to the Thessalonians: and may the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; that your spirit and soul and body may be preserved entire.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall be in one flesh. This example is from Genesis, by which it is proved that love ought to be so great, or that a man holds his wife so dear, that he even forsakes father and mother, and cleaves to his wife, and the two are in one flesh. In many ways he teaches that the husband is joined to the wife; and sets forth that it ought to be so, that both the husband should love the wife and the wife the husband. This, as the matter is simply, has been said both by us and by Paul: yet in what is subjoined, he shows that this saying opens more deeply: for he adds,

This is a great mystery: but I speak in Christ and in the Church.

Beyond what the simplicity itself indicated, Paul shows that there is something more, when he says this is a great mystery, and yet he did not make clear what he wished to be understood: he only subjoined another interpretation himself, that husband and wife, here should be understood for the time being as Christ and the Church. But since he said a great mystery, it is to be understood more deeply. What then do we suppose? I think this is to be taken, that husband and wife are the spirit and the soul joined to one another. For this is Adam and Eve; so that the spirit is Christ, and the soul is the Church. But Paul has interpreted this as needing to be understood of the Church and of Christ, provided that the same is spirit and soul. But this is more accessible and what would reach the people well. I, he says, speak in Christ and in the Church: but he did not say, Christ and the Church, but in Christ and in the Church.

For Christ also has the Church in his members, and the Church has Christ as head in its members. Therefore in Christ is the Church; in any one flesh let the two be.

Nevertheless let each one of you also love his wife as himself.

Although above he gave precepts to husbands generally concerning wives, and to women concerning husbands; now he turns the same precepts specifically to the Ephesians: and you, he says. This is because he had expounded through a figure that the great mystery had been spoken, namely that both wife and husband were in one flesh. And he wished this to be understood of the Church and of Christ. Therefore he added nevertheless, so that, although he wished that in truth the former should be understood as Christ and the Church, as being in one body; yet, do you also observe and imitate this very thing, that each one should love his wife. And he likewise adds concerning wives: but let the wife fear her husband. Here both love is in fear, and affection is preserved with honour, so that husbands love their wives, and women fear their husbands.

He likewise passes on to other persons, those of children and parents. Afterwards he is about to add those of servants, and they teach how greatly they avail, yet how they entangle the mind rather than set it free and bind it within the world; all of which I have set forth, handed down, and taught with full reasoning there, showing that spiritual wickedness of worldly power operates even to heaven, chiefly when it promises to wretched souls that they shall become, as it were, certain names.

For this reason take up the armour of faith, that you may be able to resist in the evil day. Since in all the things said above there are great difficulties, both against the rulers of this world and of these darknesses; and, what is greater, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places; since, I say, to resist all these things is of great virtue, it had to be added by what means this could be done: take up, he says, the armour of faith. For faith alone in Christ fortifies us, so that no temptation of those powers of the world may prevail against us. Thus what seemed difficult to resist has been made easy, if it is within our power whence we may resist: but it is within our power; for to have faith in Christ, and to have full faith, is no labour, there is no difficulty, it is only the will of the soul that is accommodated and believing. Therefore it becomes easy to resist so many evils, if we have faith.

Faith alone suffices, faith alone withstands, faith alone fortifies; but full faith.

Although he himself also said: if we have faith as a grain of mustard seed, we can command even mountains. Therefore sincere and pure faith, faith, I say, in Christ, and faith in God, will furnish us arms against all those powers. Take up now, he says, the armour of faith, that you may be able to resist. When to resist? When temptation shall have come, when something shall have begun to tempt you. This is what he says: in the evil day. But the evil day is when we are tempted.

having accomplished all things, to stand; having girded your loins in truth.

He knows that he has above admonished many things to be done; either through individual persons, as to masters and servants, husbands and wives, fathers and sons; or through the very things that are to be done, or that are not to be done, as: be not drunk, and do all things in the name of the Lord, and the other things said above. Therefore he says, and having accomplished all things which I have commanded and enjoined above; stand, he says, having girded your loins, that is, prepared and equipped. For every effort either falls upon the loins, if there be labor; or, that there may be labor and effort, it comes from our loins. For from there comes all strength and all material for the blood; hence we speak of the nerveless and the loin-less. Therefore, that fortitude may prepare itself both of body and of mind, he says, having girded the loins.

Stand, he says, in truth: for this which we admonish you is truth; but the rest in the world are false things, which are taught and disputed from the wisdom of the world. And having put on the breastplate of justice. He adds another precept, besides faith, that we should preserve justice. Although that which was said above, that is, faith in Christ, is the head of all things: for indeed justice does not avail as much as faith; for the just man lives by faith; yet because this disposition also must be fulfilled, that one be most just; for then faith will profit us, and then faith will be true if one is most just; and justice will profit if faith be added. Therefore he added after faith: put on the breastplate of justice.

Above he said, put on the arms of faith, the breastplate of justice: since in arms there is understood both that which defends and also that which resists and overcomes the adversary, but in a breastplate there is nothing other than that we be defended; faith, however, also resists: and therefore he said the arms of faith. But how does faith resist? Namely, if when the enemy begins to tempt, we do not follow, and with faith preserved in God and in the Lord Christ, we are not moved from our conviction. Resist therefore, as one resists who has weapons, swords. Therefore, he says, put on the arms of faith, that you may resist. But on the other hand, justice is only in deeds; it does not resist the adversary, but presents itself as good and gentle. Therefore, he says, the breastplate of justice; by which, pursuing the good, one shows a good mind and a good heart.

your feet shod in the preparation of the Gospel of peace, because the Gospel is carried and preached among the nations.

Wherever therefore it is preached, it must be heard. But that we may hear, we must go, hasten, make haste. Therefore, he says, your feet shod in the preparation of the Gospel. Of which Gospel? Of peace, he says: because he who hears the Gospel and who is prepared in the Gospel becomes the Lord's, believes in Christ, receives the promises, bears confidence, is enemy to no one. Therefore the Gospel of peace; that is, of peace which is for souls. That we may receive this, therefore, our feet must be shod, that is, prepared to run forth, to fly about, to hear. By all these things, then, what is achieved? We shall easily resist the powers, the rulers of spiritual wickedness.

In all things, having taken up the shield of faith.

He returns to that chief thing which concludes all, which fills up everything: for otherwise we are not able to fight bravely, to resist so many powers, unless fortified with a shield, so that we repel all the blows and assaults of all the powers by the protection of faith. Then he added: whereby you may be able to quench all the fiery arrows of the most wicked one. We read arrows placed very frequently both in the Gospel, and in Paul, and in the prophets, and in David; which we understand to be disputations and words and discourses; but the arrows of the most wicked one, that is, those that persuade evil and evilly wound our understanding, soul, and spirits; therefore he called them fiery, burning, all of which the shield of faith extinguishes, that is, faith itself, so that they avail nothing against it.

For when faith is present in souls, that fire which is sent through the tongue, persuading all evil worldly things, will be extinguished and grow cold. For all that persuasion of the evil one, since it speaks carnally and insinuates carnally, prevails through the blood: therefore it stirs up the blood itself through new impressions: but the blood when stirred up becomes fiery. Those arrows therefore become fiery, which faith suppresses and extinguishes, because faith receives all things spiritually. But the spirit is light, not fire. Hence neither is the spirit, while it imitates light, fire: but all fire harms. Therefore neither does the spirit harm: but while faith is in Christ, it receives light from the light in Christ: thus the light of faith conquers fire, because fire avails and operates around the flesh, and is itself worldly, and from matter is matter. But it does not avail against the eternal light of God Jesus Christ.

Thus by that light this fire is extinguished: which fire I said is chiefly stirred up by words; which words

because they run forth and fly, have been called arrows.

the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

Because above he said put on the breastplate of justice, here also it must be heard: put on the saving helmet and the sword of the spirit. Whether the sword of the spirit is to be taken by itself, and the saving helmet is to be joined by itself—it is the helmet of the saving spirit, and put on the sword. But if the sword is truly and certainly referred back to what is the word of God, it is separate: put on the sword of the spirit. What then will it be: put on the helmet of salvation? Christ indeed, in that he descended hither and redeemed us by his mystery, is saving: he himself is our head: for he guards the head of the Church; whence he is the saving helmet. Moreover the word, by which the adverse powers are conquered and overcome; as it is said: he will destroy the devil with the spirit of his mouth.

Therefore Christ, who is the word of God, was therefore sent that he might conquer all corruption and all malice and death itself. Therefore it is said: the sword of the spirit is the word of God.

By all manner and observance praying, in all, all time, in the spirit.

For the expelling of those things which were said above, that is, for conquering the powers of the world, the rulers of darkness and the spiritual wickedness, he adds this also, that we pray daily and make supplication, and by every supplication pray in all time in the spirit. How many and how hidden are the precepts here about what we ask! First, what he said, by every prayer; which are many: now for ourselves, now for others, now for the things of the present life, now for those of the future, now for those of the soul, now for those of the body, that we may desire certain things.

By every prayer, he says, let us pray in the spirit and at all time: let us pray in the spirit

that is, let us not merely say or utter or recite certain words, praying as if from things meditated, as if from things written; but in the spirit, he says, let us pray at all time: that is, that we also bring affection; and the interior spirit, that is, the inner man, ought to have and hold prayer with full desire at all time: so that even when he does not pray, he prays in the spirit. What then of that which he says, by every prayer and supplication? I think this is the distinction: that prayer is both when we speak the praises of God, and when we recount his great works, and when we give thanks, and when we do other such things: but supplication is when we pray to God either on account of pardon and our sins, or on account of grace, that he may bestow it upon us.

This, I say, is supplication: and provided these two modes be present when we pray to God, that we have both prayer and supplication. By every prayer therefore, he says, and by every supplication. Let us not be content to bring forth as it were certain words by custom, but from the inner soul and from the mind; and, to speak plainly, from the spirit itself and in the spirit itself: so that even when prayer or supplication is absent in words, we pray in the spirit.

And watching in it always in all prayer.

He added also a definite time: for when he said at all time, it could be taken as the time given to man, that is, the day. But to add more fully to at all time, what did he add? Watching always. Yet this, watching always, can be taken with reference to the intention of the mind, so that in all prayer we be not as it were sleeping, which those suffer who recite, or read, or pronounce from memory things that are known; they scarcely perceive what they say and in what manner they say it. Therefore he says: watching always in prayer for all the saints.

for me. This also is a great admonition and we have touched upon it frequently and said it must be noted: for we ought to pray not only for ourselves but also for others. In which matter I admonish both in many places and here, because this precept is twofold: that both those saints themselves, and bishops, and apostles, and those of higher rank ought to pray for the faithful and catechumens and for all others of lower rank, just as this same one frequently enumerates here that in all his prayer he makes mention also of all his own. So also here in turn those who are of lower rank should pray in all their prayer both for the saints, and for the bishops, and for me, he says: which is to be attended to and held as a wonder, that from those whom he himself admonishes, whom he instructs, to whom he proclaims the Gospel, he seeks as it were assistance, that he may obtain something by their prayer.

But what it is that he says must be sought for himself, he himself adds: that there may be given to me in the opening of my mouth a word in confidence to make known the mystery. He admonished the Ephesians to pray both for the saints and especially for himself. But what they should pray for him, that is, for Paul himself, he subjoined: not salvation, not any desires, but that the same Paul might be able to have speech and open utterance, that is, confidence in the exposition of the Gospel and of the mystery. For truly it must be sought also by the prayer of those to whom this can be of profit; so that since Paul proclaims the mystery and the Gospel, those who are to receive it may pray that speech may abound, and the mouth speak more openly, and confidence without any trembling expound the mystery.

For which I perform an embassy in a chain. That, a legate from Christ, though placed in a chain, yet lay open the mystery and the Gospel: in which he shows what he suffers, and how he perseveres, so as not to be deterred by adversities, nor overcome by pain, but to fulfill the duty of the apostolate enjoined upon him. That in it I may act with confidence. Well also here he says with confidence and in confidence. For what else against terrors, against imposed punishments ought he to pray for or promise, except that he might have confidence in expounding? That to me, he says, speech in the opening of my mouth may be given in confidence; that is, in acting, that in it I may act with confidence; in it, that is, in the Gospel and the mystery.

So as it is fitting for me to speak; for this is the very thing for the evangelist to act, to speak, and to speak as is fitting

that is, with confidence; lest I fulfill it less, or the chains have wrought something in my mind, and I do not fulfill as is fitting in expounding the mystery.

But that you also may know what things concern me; what I am doing, Tychicus the most dear brother and faithful minister in the Lord will make known to you.

Well did he wish to give nothing to the letter about what he suffers, but only through a messenger, that the Ephesians might know what he has charged, or what he is doing, or what things concern him. For there are two things: for both the chains and other injuries concern him; but what he is doing: that he perseveres, that he lays open the mystery, that he evangelizes and opens it. He commends the person: Tychicus, he says, most dear brother, and faithful minister in the Lord: for not a minister to me, but a minister in the Lord concerning the Gospel and the mystery.

Whom I sent to you for this very purpose.

For it was not that when he himself was setting out, I gave him a charge; but for this purpose I sent him. So also I take care of you, and I wish you to know all things. For this very purpose therefore, that you might know, I sent him; that you might know what things are done concerning us. And that he might console your hearts. Here already more fully, since of the two he has joined one here, what things are done concerning us, that is, what punishments we endure, what chains: therefore he added, and that he might console your hearts: lest you labor with care and anxiety on my account, let him himself be a consolation to you when he has set forth in what spirit I am and with what confidence.

Peace to the brethren and charity with faith.

Grace with those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in eternity. Amen. The final part of the epistle is a prayer, and he prays and wishes peace to the brethren: likewise charity, then faith. For above he had said that there was discord among them. Then he added grace to those who render faith and love our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus all things are brought together: peace against discord, charity for concord, faith toward God; and from faith grace is bestowed, the grace of the Lord upon those who have charity among themselves and peace, and faith in him. Moreover, that he added in eternity, lest the wishes be only for the present life, but also for the future, which is in the hope and promise of Christians. Amen.