Eph 5:8 "Indeed, you were once wholly shrouded in darkness in paganism, and were darkness itself — but now, enlightened by the grace of Christ through faith, you are light. Therefore, live as children and followers of the light, and show by your conduct and your life that you are children of the light."
Eph 5:9 – “For the fruit of the light…”
By way of a parenthesis he shows what the works of light are, so that by their works they may show themselves to be children of light.
He sets the fruit of light in opposition to the works of darkness mentioned above:
goodness against anger, justice against the frauds of avarice, and truth against falsehood.
Eph 5:10 – “Proving what is pleasing to God.”
This tenth verse must be connected with the eighth: “Walk as children of light, proving…”
The first concern of the Christian person should be to know the will of God concerning himself so that he may fulfill it. For the will of God ought to be the rule of our life. To it we must refer all our actions; toward it we must always direct ourselves; toward it, as toward our center, all things belonging to us must flow.
Therefore Christ taught us, when praying, to say: “Fiat voluntas tua” (“Thy will be done”).
Let it be done through me, concerning me, within me, around me, in life and in death, in time and in eternity.
Eph 5:11 – “And do not communicate…”
He intends and implies more than he expresses in words.
First, “do not communicate” includes many things:
do not commit such deeds, do not praise or approve them, do not consent to those doing them, do not even recount them in jest, nor speak of them in conversation—indeed not even think of them. These points are evident from what was said in verses 3 and 4.
Second, “unfruitful.”
They produce no fruit of life. This is expressed by the word unfruitful, but besides this he also wishes us to understand the eternal death which they produce; for their fruit is eternal death, as is clear from verse 5.
Third, “but rather reprove them.”
That is, on the contrary, condemn them, rebuke them, and expose their shame.
From this learn that it does not suffice for you to do good works if you consent to the evil works of others through flattery or complacency. You must instruct, rebuke, and correct. You must at least show disapproval—if not by words, then by sadness of countenance—and by the light of good works reveal deeds contrary to them.
Eph 5:12 – “For the things that are done in secret…”
Greek: “For the things done secretly by them it is shameful even to speak of.”
Syriac: “What they perpetrate in secret is dreadful even to say.”
He gives the reason why one must not associate with those sons of darkness, whether they be idolaters or Simoniani (followers of Simon Magus), as many think after Epiphanius of Salamis.
In presenting this reason the Apostle himself observes what he commanded in verse 3: “Let not even impurity be named among you.”
Imitate this when the nature of the matter requires it: light ought to illuminate.
Whatever things are reproved and, through that reproving, are manifested as evil—these are manifested by the light.
Eph 5:13 – “But all things that are reproved…”
Greek: πάντα δὲ τὰ ἐλεγχόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ φωτὸς φανεροῦται — “All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light.”
Syriac: “All things are reproved by the light and are revealed.”
He gives the reason why the children of light ought, by the light of their works, to reprove the works of darkness and show them to be evil.
“For everything that is manifested…”
Greek: φανερόμενον (phanerómenon — “being manifested”), a middle verb capable of both active and passive meaning: “manifesting” and “being manifested.”
Hence our Vulgate reads manifestatur (“is manifested”), while the Syriac says: “Whatever is visible is light.”
According to the Vulgate:
“Everything that is manifested is light,” that is, it is flooded and illuminated with light.
Or:
“Everything that manifests is light,” whose proper function is to reveal.
Therefore, since you are light in the Lord (v. 8), you must by the light of your doctrine and by the example of good works reprove and make manifest the works of darkness.
See the paraphrase: just as Christ, who is the light of the world, enlightens every person, so proportionally the Christian—who is a son of Christ’s light and thus light in the Lord—ought at least by the example of his life and by the light of good works to enlighten his neighbor, instruct him, and correct him.
How blameworthy, therefore, is that Christian who, on the contrary, by evil deeds and impious or obscene words is like a smoking brand, darkening everything with its smoke and scandalizing all by the foul stench of his example.
“From my hidden faults cleanse me, O Lord, and spare thy servant from those of others.”
Eph 5:14 – “Wherefore he says…”
What Isaiah proclaims to the Jews in Isaiah 60:1 — “Surge, illuminare Jerusalem” (“Arise, shine, O Jerusalem”), because your light has come, namely Christ — this Paul the Apostle adapts to sinners, as Thomas Aquinas explains.
Others think it was taken from some canonical book which through the negligence of the ages has perished. Whatever the case, these words are not found in any present place of Scripture.
CONTINUE
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