Translated by Claude.
LITERAL SENSE
Eph 5:1–2. Be ye therefore imitators of God, as most dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also loved us and delivered himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness.
You have received adoption; you call God your Father — imitate him, therefore, as it befits beloved children, in the holiness of life and in beneficence toward those even who have wronged you. Exercise the whole of your life in the affection and duties of charity — among which the forgiveness of injuries holds no small place — following the example of Christ, who first loved us all, Jews and Gentiles alike, and delivered himself up to death for us as a propitiatory victim most pleasing to God.
Eph 5:3–4. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints; or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose; but rather giving of thanks.
Every mixing outside of lawful matrimony — which encompasses adultery, prostitution, debauchery, and incest, and every kind of lust exercised contrary to the end of procreation — let it not even be named among you; for things that are frequently named affect and stir the senses. Nor let there be the insatiable appetite for tasting and experiencing every kind of wantonness, nor the immoderate desire to increase one's wealth by fair means or foul — a vice that reigns most especially in trading cities such as Ephesus. For these vices ought not even to be heard of among Christians who are called to holiness. Or: obscenity of touches, kisses, and gestures; the indecency and shamelessness of words; or jesting and witticisms composed to excite laughter, very many of which are grounded in some clever and ribald obscenity. Such scurrility, foolish talking, and filthiness of words do not befit the Christian profession; but rather let there proceed from your mouths and be heard the giving of thanks to God for all his benefits. Or alternatively: but rather gracious speech, or speech that is gracious and seasoned with honest wit.
Eph 5:5. For know you this and understand, 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.
Know that every fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous man — who is like an idolater, because just as the pagan places his trust in an idol, so the miser places his trust in silver and gold, and for their sake does all things — has no right to the inheritance of the kingdom of Christ and of God the Father. Or: the kingdom of Christ who is God. Or: the kingdom of God and of Christ as man, established by the Father, through whom alone, as Mediator, the way to the eternal kingdom lies open for the elect. Saint Jerome holds that this declaration of exclusion from the kingdom of God does not extend to obscenity, foolish talking, and scurrility; Saint Thomas teaches the contrary, because each had a different understanding of these sins. For Saint Jerome considers that obscenity here signifies a hidden thought when our senses are inflamed toward lust and the soul, kindled by the titillations of the flesh, is nonetheless restrained by fear and the judgment of the mind; and he refers scurrility and foolish talking to silly and inept fables, or to witticisms that move the hearers to laughter. These, by their nature, are not mortal sins. Hence he says: If foolish talking and scurrility were thus foreign to the kingdom of God, how would the sentence not seem cruel that specially separated those three, as if it could not pardon the weakness of human frailty — since even jests and witticisms would be condemned? For he who does not offend in word is a perfect man. And indeed, he says, in saying this we are not giving room for foolish talking and scurrility; for they are not excluded from the kingdom, but just as in the Father's house there are many mansions, and star differs from star in glory, so it is also with the dead. Although someone may be free from fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness, yet if he is a foolish talker and a buffoon, he will not hold the place he would have possessed had he not had these faults. Saint Thomas, however, considers that the name of obscenity signifies shameful touches, embraces, and lustful kisses; and by the names of foolish talking and scurrility, words that provoke to sin, or uttered with a lustful mind, or ordered toward mortal sin.
Eph 5:6–7. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them.
Do not allow yourselves to be deceived by the vain and deceitful words of seducers, who claim that the carnal sins mentioned above — together with avarice, fraud, and usuries commanded by it — do not exclude Christians from the kingdom of God; for because of these things, eternal punishment will rain down swiftly from an angry God upon the heads of stubborn men who persevere in these and similar crimes. Beware, therefore, lest you become partakers or companions of theirs in the sins mentioned above, lest the wrath of God crush you alike.
Eph 5:8–10. For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light. For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth: proving what is well-pleasing to God.
Once you were in the darkness of unbelief and ignorance of God and of what must be done; you walked in sins as blind men. But now you have been illuminated by the light of faith and justice through the grace of Christ. Therefore lead a life befitting your calling, and let good works outwardly manifest the inner light of faith shining in your minds. For the fruit of the light consists in every kind of virtue and good works, whether pertaining to beneficence shown to neighbors or to justice rendered to them — not in pretense, but with upright and sincere affection — proving what is well-pleasing to God, diligently searching out what works are conformable to the divine law and will and pleasing to God, that you may do those alone. Now the connection of these three verses, as Saint Jerome interprets it, should be ordered thus: Be not therefore partakers with them, proving what is well-pleasing to God. For although you were once darkness, now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light, showing the fruits of light in all goodness and justice and truth.
MORAL SENSE
Eph 5:1. Be ye therefore imitators of God, as most dear children.
Nothing is more worthy of children than to imitate the perfections and virtues of their father. All ought to strive toward this with all their efforts, especially if they see that they are loved by their father and wish to make themselves more lovable to him. By adoption we are sons of God; he loved us so that he gave us his only-begotten Son. By imitating him we shall win for ourselves a greater love from the Father toward us. Let us therefore imitate our heavenly Father in holiness, charity, mercy, and beneficence; and just as he is clement and sends rain upon the good and the evil alike, so also let us pour out our goodness upon all men. When we have done this, we shall be beloved children of God. What answer shall we give to this, or what excuse can we have? If someone were to say to you that you must imitate the virtues which the Lord performed, your excuse could be just, because it is not given to all to perform virtues and miracles. But to live justly and chastely and to preserve charity toward all — this is readily possible with the help of God. The Lord did not say: Learn to raise the dead or to walk upon the waters with dry feet, but: Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart, and: Be ye perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.
Eph 5:2. And walk in love, as Christ also loved us and delivered himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness.
Christ came to us through love; through love we must return to him. His love for us shines forth most especially in his Sacrifice, in which he offers not extraneous victims but himself; he immolates not a part of himself but himself entirely; he submits not as an inanimate offering but as a living victim; he delivers himself to death not by being immolated by another but by immolating himself — at once Priest and Victim; not of necessity but of charity; not to foreign gods but to God, his true Father; not for friends but for enemies; not for the holy but for the impious; not as a victim of execration but as a pure, holy, immaculate host worthy of God. Let us offer ourselves and through him to God as a sacrifice — as a holocaust to be consumed in the fire of his ardent love on the cross. Let us imitate his love not in one or two acts but in a continual tenor of life, always advancing and growing in it. And walk in love. He who fights against sin for the salvation of others even to the shedding of blood, so as to give his very life for them — he walks in charity, imitating Christ who loved us so greatly that he endured the cross for the salvation of all. For just as he delivered himself up for us, so also such a man, willingly dying for those for whom he can, will imitate him who delivered himself as an offering and sacrifice in an odor of sweetness to the Father — and he himself also shall become an offering and sacrifice to God in an odor of sweetness.
Eph 5:3–4. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints.
A body defiled by fornication and every kind of impurity, and a heart corrupted by the desire of earthly goods, are unworthy to be offered to God as a single victim together with the most sacred body and heart of Jesus Christ — which is, however, the very purpose of baptism: that, incorporated into Christ and made his members, we should be immolated to God together with him. By our profession we are holy; let us therefore abhor sins, especially carnal ones — and this not only in mind and body, but also in speech. Let it not so much as be named among you. Be altogether pure. For words pave the way to deeds. Therefore, if you are holy, let your tongue also be holy; let eyes, ears, mouth, and all the senses be kept by the most vigilant chastity from every defilement. To defile vessels sacred to God and to put them to profane uses — as King Belshazzar did — is a sacrilege to be punished most severely by God. How much greater a crime is it to defile the mouth and ears, consecrated to God in a far more sacred manner, with immodest speeches, amorous poems and songs, with the obscene words of actors and comedians exciting profane love and lust? Or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose; but rather giving of thanks. Filthy talk and witticisms are the vehicle of fornication. A Christian called to holiness ought neither to speak nor to hear what does not conduce to sanctification. What have penance and jesting in common? What have the contest and jokes and buffoonery in common? What have thanksgiving and fables, trifles, and ridiculous speeches in common? This is not the time for laughter and witticisms, but for mourning and combat. The enemy circles round gnashing his teeth against you, and you play and provoke others to laughter. It is difficult for you to conquer him even if you strive earnestly — how much more so if you play? Even pagan philosophers will condemn Christians, for they taught that obscene speech should be banished from the commonwealth. The legislator, says Aristotle, ought altogether to root out obscenity of speech from the city. For by speaking shameful things, men are led to do those things that are akin to them. A Christian — born for nothing but penance, prayer, and giving of thanks — ought not to open a mouth consecrated by the Body of Christ, or ears sanctified by the Word of God, to silly and inept fables, or to obscene and witty speeches. These things are to be driven away by holy men, as all Christians ought to be; it is more fitting for them to weep and mourn — as we read also in the Hebrew Gospel, where the Lord says to his disciples: And never be merry, except when you have seen your brother in charity. It does not befit a Christian to be a foolish talker and buffoon. But it does befit him that his speech be seasoned with salt, so that it may have grace with his hearers.
Eph 5:5. For know you this and understand, 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.
The inheritance of the heavenly kingdom is promised to the sons of God alone, to the members of Christ alone, and has been purchased by the blood of Christ. From it are excluded those who, taking the members of Christ, make them the members of a harlot, and who through illicit pleasures violate and corrupt the temple of God within themselves. Hence certain ancient Churches removed the impure from Communion forever if, after having done penance, they relapsed into the same sins of impurity. Those who after penance have committed adultery, says the Council of Elvira, it hath pleased us that Communion be given them no more, lest it seem that they have made sport of the Lord's Communion. Christ, the spouse of our souls, execrates and repudiates the impure. It is to be lamented that Christians are not deterred from impurity by these words: Every fornicator or unclean person hath no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. But shall the covetous, akin to idolaters, be admitted to that heavenly inheritance? Or covetous man, which is the service of idols. The covetous man and the idolater worship one and the same thing: gold and silver — the one in statues, the other in coins. The miser places all his hope in money; from it he expects all help; he directs all the labors and thoughts of his entire life to heaping up riches; he establishes in them his highest good and ultimate end; he guards his coins carefully as something sacred and divine; he holds them in reverence; he delights in their appearance; he dares not consume them in use; he serves money and worships it. For what one loves, that one worships. O miser, you worship your coins — not with the spirit of some most vile stench, but with your own spirit; not at the cost of the soul of some beast, but of your own soul. To them you sacrifice your intellect; to them you pour out your sweat as a libation; to them you kindle your prudence. You are more than a priest to them. Diligence in their service is your very name. To them you yield a fatter, a more gilded, a greater victim — your own salvation. No man can serve two masters. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Therefore the covetous shall have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6–7. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them.
He who willingly listens to heretics, the impious, false teachers, and corrupters of Christian morality — who through smooth speeches seduce the hearts of the innocent — loves to be seduced and deceived. Those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Upon both the teachers and those who willingly hear them — flattering their own lusts, who do not beware of false prophets according to Christ's precept — upon them, I say, falls the wrath of God, because they hate the kingdom of truth and love error and falsehood, and insofar as it lies in them, establish and confirm it. The words of seducers are empty, hollow, and fraudulent. They seem to have a certain flower of eloquence and to flatter sinners. But while they give them confidence, they lead them all the more swiftly to eternal punishments, because there is nothing over which God is so angered as when a sinner grows proud and, stiff and rigid, does not bend to weeping nor implore mercy for his sin.
Eph 5:8–10. For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light. For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth: proving what is well-pleasing to God.
Consider what you were and what you have become — that from darkness you have been made light. Formerly, both in doctrine and in conduct, you were in reality darkness; now, however, you are light, inasmuch as you know God through faith and perform works of light through charity. But this has come about for you not by your own virtue, but in the Lord — that is, through grace. For it is in each person's will whether he be darkness or light; but darkness is in himself — that is, in his own proper sins — while light is not in himself but in the Lord, by whom he is illuminated, so that, as Isaiah says, his darkness may be as noonday. Hence in the Psalms it is said: My God, enlighten my darkness. But it is not enough to be illuminated by the light of faith unless we use it to walk and advance in the way of salvation. Walk as children of the light. Otherwise we shall be like travelers who sleep by day and, overtaken by night, cannot reach the journey's end, or stray from the road and fall into precipices, or fall among thieves by whom they are stripped, wounded, and slain. The traveler does not arrive at his homeland by light alone, but by the use of light. The Christian man does not arrive at the kingdom of heaven by faith alone, but by the fruits of faith — by good works according to their substance and kind — and according to the intention of the one performing them, namely from a soul that seeks to please God alone and to merit him. Proving what is well-pleasing to God. Let a man conduct himself rightly toward himself through goodness, toward his neighbor through justice, toward God through the knowledge, confession, and defense of truth. The fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth. The fruit of light in the heart is through goodness; in the mouth through truth; in action through justice. Goodness is opposed to bitterness and anger; justice to avarice and its offshoots — theft, fraud, and usury; truth to the false pleasure of impurity. Proving what is well-pleasing to God — proving, I say, not on the scales of probable opinions, but on the scale of the Word of God, examining by the light of faith — not of philosophical quibbling — what pleases God and what is conformable to his law, after the manner of the most prudent money-changer who tests a minted coin not only by eye but also by weight and by its ring. All things must be done with counsel. Before all thy works, let a true word go before thee, and before all action, stable counsel. To prove things belongs to the perfect, who are capable of judgment. It is therefore the mark of an imperfect and depraved mind not to choose and not to desire what pleases God. In matters of conscience, seek counsel from a learned, wise, and holy man. Set up a good counseling heart for yourself, for there is nothing more valuable to you than it. And in all these things, beseech the Most High that he may direct your way in truth.
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