Father Nicholas of Goran's Enarration on Ephesians 5:8-14

The following was translated by Qwen who notes: Based on my research, the author you're referencing is Nicholas of Gorran (1232–1295), a prominent French Dominican preacher and scriptural commentator born in Gorron, France. His biblical commentaries were highly regarded in the Middle Ages, though many of his works remain in manuscript form and have not been fully edited or translated into modern languages.

Eph 5:7-8: "Therefore do not become partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light."

Here he describes the present state of faith, wherein he implies a fourfold caution against the deception of the wicked:

First, rejection of their company;
Second, consideration of their contagion: "For you were once…";
Third, evidence of the opposing good: "But now…";
Fourth, diligence in adhering to the good: "And as children of light…"

He therefore says: "Therefore do not become partakers with them"—that is, by contending with them or imitating their works—"because if you are in fault, you will also be in punishment" (cf. Romans 1:32): "Who not only do such things, but also consent to those who practice them, are worthy of death." You ought not to be partakers with them.

"Because you were once darkness"—that is, darkened through ignorance, without the light of faith in the intellect, without the warmth of charity in the affections, without the color of good example in conduct (cf. Proverbs 4:19): "The way of the wicked is like deep darkness."

"But now you are light"—that is, working well through discernment and wisdom (cf. Matthew 5:14): "You are the light of the world"; and (2 Corinthians 6:14): "What fellowship has light with darkness?"

"Light, I say—and this not in yourselves, but in the Lord." For you are darkness in yourselves (cf. 1 John 2:8): "The darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines."

"And because you are light in the Lord, walk as children of light"—that is, advance from good to better, avoiding stumbling blocks—not like the blind, for "he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going" (John 12:35; cf. Romans 13:13): "Let us walk properly as in the daytime"; (Proverbs 4:18): "The path of the just is like a shining light."

Note: How People Are Deceived by Empty Words

It should be noted that people are seduced by empty words in multiple ways:

By false words, as the serpent seduced our first parents (2 Corinthians 11:3): "I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness…"; (Matthew 24:5): "Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many."
By flattering words, as the Sirens seduced sailors (Jeremiah 38:22): "Your peaceable friends have deceived you"; (Isaiah 9:16): "And those who call this people blessed are those who lead them astray."
By heretical words, as phantoms seduce the simple (Matthew 24:24): "False prophets will arise and deceive many."
By philosophical words, as magic arts seduce the immature (Colossians 2:18): "Let no one deceive you with philosophy and empty deceit."
By presumptuous words, as a mirror deceives by the moon's reflection (1 John 1:8): "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves."
By soothing words, as a bird is deceived by bait (Proverbs 5:20): "Why should you be led astray, my son, by a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of a stranger?"
By threatening words, as a tyrant seduces a virgin (Revelation 20:7): "Satan will go out to deceive the nations."

Eph 5:9: "For the fruit of the light is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth."

Eph 5:10: "Proving what is well-pleasing to the Lord."

Having described the present state of faith, he now describes the fruit of good conduct, saying: "The fruit"—as it were, truly you ought to walk as children of light—"for the fruit of the light" (that is, of wisdom and discernment) "is in all goodness" with respect to oneself, "and righteousness" with respect to one's neighbor, "and truth" with respect to God.

Or: "in all goodness" of hearts, "and righteousness" of works, "and truth" of words.

"Proving"—so that, as children of light, you walk, I say, "proving beforehand"—that is, discerning by reason—"what is well-pleasing to God." As if to say: Let your works be so circumspect that they please God. The works of the commandments please God, but the works of counsel please Him even more (cf. Romans 12:2): "Prove what is the will of God, that which is good and well-pleasing and perfect."

Note: The Properties of the "Children of Light"

It should be noted here that the good are called "children of light" both in the present life on account of the properties of grace, and in the future life on account of the properties of glory.

In the present life, after the manner of light, they are:

Clear/Resplendent through justice, diffusing themselves on all sides;
Agile through temperance, laying aside the burdens of the flesh;
Subtle through prudence, penetrating deep things;
Impassible through fortitude, bravely enduring all things for God.

Concerning these four, see Wisdom 8:7: "She teaches temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude."

In the future life, they will be so according to the four gifts of the glorified body:

Clear through the gift of clarity;
Agile through the gift of agility;
Subtle through the gift of subtlety;
Impassible through the gift of impassibility.

Concerning these four, see 1 Corinthians 15: "It is sown a natural body; it will rise a spiritual body."

Scholastic Questions and Responses

(Here the commentary addresses apparent difficulties raised by glosses on the text)

On "Walk in love" (gloss: "laying down your lives for the brethren"):

Objection: This belongs to perfect charity, for "no one has greater love than this" (John 15:13).
Response: To lay down one's life for brethren is twofold: either for the utility of their salvation—and this is a counsel; or out of necessity—and this is a precept. For everyone is more bound to love the soul of his neighbor than his own body.

On "An odor of sweetness" (gloss: "If Christ's death was a most sweet odor to God, therefore He willingly accepted His death; therefore those who crucified Him did not sin"):

Response: Christ's Passion was one event resulting from diverse actions—some good, some evil. The Passion, insofar as it resulted from good actions, was pleasing; but the evil action that inflicted it was not.

On "No fornicator or unclean person or covetous man…" (gloss):

Objection: Not every movement of uncleanness or covetousness is a mortal sin.
Response: He speaks of movements of lust and covetousness that are predominant and complete in their kind; these give the denomination, not just any movements.

On "Which is idolatry" (gloss equating avarice with idolatry):

Objection: Idolatry destroys the foundation of all goods, namely faith; avarice does not. Therefore it is not a greater vice.
Response: He speaks of equality in a certain respect, not simply. Avarice is equated [to idolatry] in this: that it prefers temporal goods to God—not in all respects.

On "Children of disobedience" (gloss: "Concerning whose salvation we despair"):

Objection: No one should be despaired of while on the way [of life].
Response: He speaks of the diffidence of fear, not of despair.

On "Do not become partakers with them" (gloss: "If you are companions in the work, you will be so in punishment"):

Objection: God is a companion in every work, according to John 15:4-5: "Without me you can do nothing."
Response: God is a companion in the substance of the work, not in the malice.

Eph 5:11-12: "And do not communicate with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret."

Having previously warned them not to be seduced to the point of committing the aforementioned evils, he now warns them not even to consent to those who do commit them, but rather to reprove them. He shows:

First, what they ought to reprove;
Second, for what reason: "For those things which are done in secret…";
Third, with what utility: "But all things that are reproved…";
Fourth, to what end: "Therefore He says, 'Arise…'"

He therefore says: "And do not"—so that you may walk as children of light—"communicate" by consenting to and approving "the unfruitful works of darkness"—that is, the works of wicked men, which are unfruitful (cf. Romans 6:21): "What fruit did you have then in those things of which you are now ashamed?"

"But rather reprove"—that is, not merely once, but again and again rebuke. Therefore sins are contagious: because they infect. Hence he says: do not communicate with things of darkness, because they infatuate. Therefore he adds: "unfruitful," because such works mortify; hence he says "unfruitful works." Damaging, because they condemn; therefore he adds: "but rather reprove."

Evil works are called "works of darkness" for three reasons:

Because they come from the darkness of error: "Every evil person errs, at least in choosing" (cf. Psalm 81:5): "They have not known nor understood."
Because they love darkness (John 3:19): "They loved darkness rather than light"; and verse 20: "He who does evil hates the light."
Because they lead to darkness (Matthew 22:13): "Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness"; (Job 10:21): "Before I go and do not return, to the land of darkness…"

Therefore: from spiritual darkness they come; material darkness they love; toward eternal darkness they tend.

"For those things which are done by them in secret"—that is, in a hidden place—"it is shameful even to speak of," and much more to do (cf. Ezekiel 8:9): "Enter and see the abominable wickedness that they commit here."

Or: "those things which are done in secret"—that is, in the heart and in thought—"for they are like tombs which appear beautiful outwardly, but within are full of uncleanness" (cf. Matthew 23:27): "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness."

Eph 5:13-14: "But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light. For whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: 'Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.'"

Here he shows the utility of reproof, wherein:

First, he touches on the reproof itself;
Second, the one who reproves: "by the light";
Third, the utility of reproof: "are made manifest";
Fourth, the explanation of the utility: "For whatever makes manifest…"

For these four things ought to be in correction:

Boldness in correcting, noted in "reproof";
Justice of the corrector, noted in "light";
Efficacy of correction, noted in "manifestation";
Evidence of efficacy, noted in "manifest light."

He therefore says: "But all things"—although it is shameful to speak of them—"nevertheless ought to be reproved." "For all things that are reproved by the light"—that is, by a just man reproving justly (cf. Psalm 140:5): "Let the just man correct me in mercy"—"are made manifest": either by someone just, recognizing his fault to him; or they are made manifest to another, namely through confession, because by this the wicked are sometimes induced to confess (cf. Job 20:27): "The heavens"—that is, heavenly men—"will reveal his iniquity"—that is, they will be the occasion of revealing.

And not uselessly are they made manifest: "For whatever is made manifest"—in this way or that, that is, either to the sinner himself through recognition (cf. Psalm 50:5): "For I know my iniquity"; or to another through confession (cf. Psalm 31:5): "I said, 'I will confess my injustice to the Lord,' and You forgave the impiety of my sin"—"is light"—that is, is in a certain way converted into light and into good (cf. Romans 8:28): "All things work together for good for those who love God." Or: "light"—that is, it becomes known, and thereby inexcusable.

Note: Seven Ways One Communicates with Evil Works (Which Ought Not to Be Done)

It should be noted that one communicates with evil works in seven ways, which ought not to be done:

By advising (cf. Ecclesiasticus 8:5): "Do not communicate with an unlearned man, lest he speak ill of you"—namely, by revealing the evil counsel you gave him. Hence Genesis 49:6: "Let my soul not come into their counsel."
By applauding and praising (cf. 2 John 1:11): "He who says 'Greetings' to him communicates with his wicked works." But alas, since "the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul, and the unjust man is blessed" (Psalm 10:3); (Isaiah 9:16): "Because those who call this people blessed lead them astray; those who are blessed are cast down."
By favoring or secretly helping; hence Psalm 140:4: "Do not incline my heart to words of malice, to make excuses in sins, with men who work iniquity." This is rebuked in 2 Chronicles 19:2: "Should you help the ungodly?"
By consenting (cf. Ecclesiasticus 13:1): "He who touches pitch will be defiled by it"; (Romans 1:32): "They who practice such things are worthy of death."
By cooperating (cf. Ecclesiasticus 13:2): "He who associates with one more honorable than himself takes on a burden"; (Proverbs 1:11): "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood."
By being silent, because "he who is silent seems to consent" (cf. 1 Timothy 5:22): "Do not lay hands suddenly on anyone, nor be partaker of other men's sins"; (Ezekiel 3:18): "If, when I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' you do not warn him nor speak to turn him from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand."
By defending (cf. Job 41:6): "His body"—that is, the devil's—"is like molten shields."

Eph 5:14 cont.: "Therefore He says: 'Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.'"

Here he touches on the end/purpose of reproving the wicked, wherein:

First, he implies who is to be reproved: "you who sleep";
Second, to what: "arise";
Third, for what purpose: "that you may be illuminated": "And He will give you light."

He therefore says: "Therefore"—because, namely, light is that which is thus made manifest—"He says" (supply: the Holy Spirit through me; cf. Matthew 10:20): "For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."

"Awake through interior penance"—namely, contrition—"you who sleep"—that is, you who are sluggish in sin (cf. Psalm 40:9): "Shall he who sleeps rise again no more?"; (Romans 13:11): "It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep."

"And arise"—that is, rise outwardly through exterior penance—"from the dead"—that is, from the twofold death, namely of guilt and of eternal damnation.

"Christ will illuminate you"—or "will give you light"—in the present through faith, and in the future through vision. For He is the true light "that enlightens every man coming into this world" (John 1:9; cf. John 8:12): "I am the light of the world."

Note: Why the Sinner Is Compared to One Sleeping

It should be noted here, on "Awake, you who sleep," that the sinner is compared to one sleeping on account of six impediments, which are touched upon in order in Psalm 115:

The sinner has his eyes impeded from the act of seeing (Psalm 115:5): "They have eyes, but do not see."
His ears from the office of hearing (Ps 115:6): "They have ears, but do not hear."
His nostrils from the office of smelling—that is, of foreseeing future goods (verse 6): "They have nostrils, but do not smell."
His mouth from the act of confessing (Ps 115:6): "They have a mouth, but do not speak."
His feet from the act of walking (Ps 115:7): "They have feet, but do not walk."
His hands from the act of working well (Ps 115:7): "They have hands, but do not feel."

Note: How Christ Illuminates Men with Light

Note on "And Christ will give you light" that Christ illuminates men with light:

With the light of natural intelligence (Psalm 4:7): "The light of Your countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us."
With the light of wisdom (Ecclesiasticus, final chapter, verse 1): "In His wisdom, my soul has shone, and He has illuminated my ignorance."
With the light of grace (Isaiah 9:2): "To those who dwell in the region of the shadow of death, a light has risen upon them."
With the light of life (John 1:4): "And the life was the light of men."
With the light of joy (Psalm 96:11): "Light has risen for the just, and gladness for the upright in heart."
With the light of glory (Revelation 21:23): "Its lamp is the Lamb, and the nations shall walk in His light."

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