I'll add links to the catechism reference tonight or tomorrow afternoon.
Note: Noël Alexandre (1639–1724) was a French Dominican theologian and ecclesiastical historian. This commentary reflects Catholic exegesis of the late 17th century, combining grammatical-historical analysis with spiritual-moral application.] Translated by Qwen.
LITERAL COMMENTARY
Eph 5:8–10
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
Once you wandered in the darkness of infidelity and ignorance of God and of things to be done; you walked in sins like the blind (cf. CCC 1707, which teaches that sin darkens the intellect and weakens the will). But now, through the grace of Christ, you have been illuminated by the light of faith and righteousness (cf. CCC 1216, which calls Baptism illumination, and CCC 1996–1999, on sanctifying grace). Therefore, lead a life congruent with your calling, and let the interior light of faith shining in your minds produce good works outwardly (cf. CCC 1691–1696, on the new life in Christ flowing from Baptism).
“For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth.”
Moreover, the fruit which the light of faith produces consists in every kind of virtue and good works—whether they pertain to showing beneficence toward neighbors, or to rendering justice to them—not hypocritically, but with a right, sincere, and genuine affection (cf. CCC 1803, which defines virtue as a habitual disposition to do good).
“Proving what is well-pleasing to God.”
Diligently investigating which works are conformable to the divine law and will, and pleasing to God, so that you may do these alone (cf. CCC 1783–1785, on the formation of conscience so as to discern the will of God).
[Structural Note]: Thus, according to St. Jerome as interpreter, the connection of these three verses ought to be ordered as follows:
“Therefore, do not become 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, justice, and truth.”
Eph 5:11
“And do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
And do not be companions in the works of darkness, which produce no fruit except death (cf. CCC 1865, on sin producing further sin and spiritual death); but rather, reprove them by teaching and performing works of light—good, just, and holy works—which may manifest and openly convict the baseness of their deeds (cf. CCC 1829, which teaches that charity corrects fraternal faults).
He calls them “works of darkness” because:
(1) those who defile themselves with these sins seek darkness and flee the light (cf. CCC 2520, on purity and the rejection of impurity);
(2) they generally proceed from ignorance of God and blindness of heart (cf. CCC 1791, on culpable ignorance in moral matters);
(3) their instigator is the prince of darkness (cf. CCC 391–395, on the influence of the devil in human sin).
Eph 5:12
“For the things which are done by them in secret, it is shameful even to speak of.”
For the things which are done secretly by them, in the night when shame is laid aside, it is shameful even to speak of—how much more to have fellowship with them (cf. CCC 2521, on modesty in speech and conduct).
These words refer to the Gentiles living in the darkness of ignorance and infidelity, or to the “sons of disobedience” concerning whom he spoke above (cf. CCC 1859–1860, on deliberate sin and culpability). This is achieved by a somewhat extended hyperbaton (inversion of word order), which is characteristic of the Apostle, as St. Jerome observes.
Eph 5:13
“But all things that are reproved are manifested by the light; for everything that is manifested is light.”
All things that are to be reproved—dark works that flee the light—are exposed and manifested by the children of light, by upright Christians who, by the light of a holy life and integrity of morals, make their baseness manifest (cf. CCC 2044, which teaches that the witness of a Christian life reveals the power of grace), so that wicked men, ashamed and endowed with knowledge of their own turpitude, may be converted to the Lord and likewise become children of light (cf. CCC 1430–1431, on conversion of heart).
For everything that reveals things placed and hidden in darkness is light.
Eph 5:14
“Wherefore He says: ‘Arise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’”
In order to stir you to perform works of light, God, speaking through me His Apostle—as He once spoke through the prophets—says: “Awake, you who are oppressed by the heavy and deadly sleep of crimes; and arise from the death of sin, and Christ, the true light, will illuminate you” (cf. CCC 1695, which describes the Christian as called to awaken and live in Christ’s light).
One may say that the Apostle here employs prosopopoeia (personification) of the Holy Spirit for the exhortation to repentance—a device which St. Jerome does not disapprove.
Or alternatively: Just as the prophets of old used to speak in the assembly of the people, saying “Thus says the Lord” and “The Lord has spoken,” so the Apostle, filled with the Spirit, suddenly burst forth into words which Christ was speaking within him (cf. CCC 683–686, on the Holy Spirit inspiring the Church).
Someone may object: “He has brought these things forth from hidden prophets and those called apocryphal.” Indeed, as is manifest, he has done this in other places as well. Not that he approved the apocrypha—just as he also made use of Aratus, Epimenides, and Menander to confirm at the appropriate time what he wished to prove (cf. CCC 843, acknowledging that elements of truth may be found outside biblical revelation).
MORAL COMMENTARY
Eph 5:8–10
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
What you were, and what you have become: that from darkness you have been made light. Once, both in doctrines and in conduct of life, you were truly darkness; but now you are light, inasmuch as you both know God through faith and perform works of light through charity (cf. CCC 1812–1813, on the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity).
Moreover, this has happened to you not by your own power, but in the Lord—that is, through divine grace (cf. CCC 1996–2001, on the primacy of grace). For it lies within the will of each person whether he be darkness or light (cf. CCC 1730–1733, on human freedom). But when one is darkness, it is in himself—that is, in his sins, which are properly his own; whereas when one is light, it is not in himself but in the Lord, from whom he is illuminated (cf. CCC 1999, on sanctifying grace as participation in God’s life).
However, it is not enough to be illuminated by the light of faith unless we use that light to walk and advance on the way of salvation: “Walk as children of light.” Otherwise, we shall be like travelers who indulge in sleep by day and, overtaken by night, cannot reach the goal of their journey (cf. CCC 161, which teaches that faith must be lived through obedience).
The traveler does not reach his homeland by light alone, but by using the light. The Christian does not reach the kingdom of heaven by faith alone, but by the fruits of faith—good works according to their substance and kind (cf. CCC 1815, CCC 2008–2010, on the necessity of cooperation with grace through good works).
“For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth.”
And according to the intention of the one acting—namely, from the heart, desiring to please God alone and to merit Him (cf. CCC 1752, on the intention in moral acts).
“Proving what is well-pleasing to God.”
Let a man order himself rightly: toward himself by goodness; toward his neighbor by justice; toward God by the knowledge, confession, and defense of truth (cf. CCC 1807, CCC 2468).
The fruit of light is in all goodness, justice, and truth:
in the heart through goodness;
in the mouth through truth;
in the work through justice.
Goodness is opposed to bitterness and anger (cf. CCC 2302–2303);
Justice, to avarice and its offshoots—theft, fraud, usury (cf. CCC 2408–2411);
Truth, to false pleasure and impurity (cf. CCC 2337–2338, CCC 2464–2468).
“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 (cf. CCC 1783–1785, on forming conscience according to God’s word).
All things are to be done with counsel (cf. CCC 1831, on the gift of counsel of the Holy Spirit). In matters of conscience, seek counsel from a learned, wise, and holy man (cf. CCC 1785). And in all these things, beseech the Most High that He may direct your way in truth (cf. CCC 2670, on prayer to the Holy Spirit for guidance).
Eph 5:11
“And do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
He who becomes a partaker in the sins of others—by connivance, approval, counsel, consent, flattery, assistance, or patronage—exercises himself in good works in vain (cf. CCC 1868, on cooperation in the sins of others).
Those possessing authority—father, master, teacher, magistrate, pastor, director of consciences, friend—must not only disapprove of evil but also admonish, teach, reproves, and correct sinners while observing due prudence (cf. CCC 1829, which includes fraternal correction among the works of charity).
Always be disjoined in heart from the wicked; but for a time, cautiously associate with them in body. Yet do not be negligent in correcting those who belong to your care in any way (cf. CCC 2447, on the spiritual works of mercy, including admonishing sinners).
Therefore, admonishing us, the Apostle says: “Do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.”
And because it would be little not to consent if negligence in discipline followed, he adds: “But rather reprove them.”
Eph 5:12–14
Those who speak or do shameful things must be corrected with charity, prudence, and meekness (cf. CCC 1828, which teaches that charity bears all things and corrects faults). In reproving such things, the greatest circumspection must be employed, lest those who reprove appear shameful themselves (cf. CCC 2478, on interpreting others’ actions with charity).
Yet sinners must be suffused with a salutary shame, that they may be amended (cf. CCC 1431, on interior repentance).
No exhortation is more effective, no correction sweeter and more modest, than the light of an exemplary life (cf. CCC 2044, on the witness of Christian life).
“For everything that is manifested is light.”
Just as a wound, if covered, receives no cure, so too with sin. When it has been manifested, the darkness is dispelled; and the sinner, led to repentance by salutary corrections and good examples, becomes light in the Lord (cf. CCC 1425–1429, on conversion and reconciliation).
However, it is proper to the divine light and grace to seek out those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death (cf. CCC 736, on the transforming grace of the Holy Spirit), to awaken sinners from the sleep of forgetfulness of God and of their own salvation.
It is proper to grace to raise up sinners from sin, to give them life and spiritual operation (cf. CCC 654, on Christ’s Resurrection as the source of new life).
“Wherefore He says: ‘Arise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’”
For we must not despair of mutable human nature (cf. CCC 982, which teaches that there is no offense beyond the mercy of God).
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