RSV ~ Ephesians 4 Notes

Eph 4:1-6 | ISB Notes

Paul completes his doctrinal exposition (chaps. 13) with moral exhortation (chaps. 4-6). The first half of the letter thus works in tandem with the second, showing how the standards of Christian belief are inseparable from the standards of Christian behavior (CCC 1971).

Eph 4:3 | ISB Notes

unity of the Spirit: The towering theme of 4:1-16 and of the letter in general. Because believers are baptized into one body (1 Cor 12:13), their union is displayed in the oneness of their faith (creed), life (code), and sacramental worship (cult). The Church is equipped to preserve this unity through the hierarchical leadership appointed by Christ (Eph 4:11-12). Paul’s vision of a unified Church mirrors that of Jesus in Jn 17:6-26 (CCC 172-73, 814).

Eph 4:7 | ISB Notes

given to each: Every baptized believer is given spiritual gifts or charisms to be exercised for the good of the Church (1 Cor 12:4-11; 1 Pet 4:10). In this context, Paul focuses on the varied graces connected with ecclesiastical offices (Eph 4:11) (CCC 913).

Eph 4:8 | ISB Notes

When he ascended: A reference to Ps 68:18. Although the wording of Paul’s citation differs from both the Hebrew and Greek versions of this text known to us, it approximates other renditions of the psalm in Aramaic and Syriac.

• Psalm 68 celebrates the triumphal procession of biblical history, when Israel, filing out of Egypt behind Yahweh, was led on its march to the summit of Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. The victories won by the Lord along the way earned him the right to distribute gifts and spoils of war to the Israelites. For Paul, the psalm points forward to the ascent of Jesus into the heavenly Jerusalem after disarming the forces of evil on the Cross (Col 2:15). The Church began to share in this victory when Christ poured out the gifts of the Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2:33).

Eph 4:9-10 | ISB Notes

A parenthetical explanation of how Jesus fulfills Ps 68. Interpretations differ over the meaning of lower parts of the earth. (1) Some view this expression as a reference to earth itself, to which Christ descended in his Incarnation (Jn 3:13). (2) Others take it to mean the underworld, to which Jesus descended on Holy Saturday before rising again on Easter Sunday. The second view is more likely correct in light of similar expressions in the Greek versions of Ps 63:9 and 139:15 that clearly refer to the underworld of the dead. In this case, Paul is stressing that Christ has charted the extremities of the cosmos, descending to its deepest depths in his Passion and rising above its highest heights at his Ascension. This is not simply a journey through space; rather, it is an expression of Christ’s supreme humiliation and exaltation.

• Several Church Fathers connected this verse with Christ’s descent to the dead, in which he released the captive souls of the righteous and led them up to heaven (1 Pet 3:18-19; CCC 632-33).

Eph 4:11 | ISB Notes

apostles . . .teachers: Ecclesial ministries associated with the proclamation of the Word. These positions are established to promote unity in the Church by (1) preserving doctrinal purity, (2) warding off false teaching (4:14), and (3) sanctifying people in truth (Jn 17:17-19). These spokesmen of the gospel build up the Body of Christ when they bring believers from immaturity to spiritual adulthood (Eph 4:15; CCC 1575, 2003-4). Other ministerial graces are listed in Rom 12:68 and 1 Cor 12:4-11. See note on 1 Cor 12:28.

Eph 4:15 | ISB Notes

speaking the truth: Or, “doing the truth”. By bracing ourselves with the truth, we can resist the wind and waves of false teaching that unsettle the faith of immature believers. Paul is urging readers to grow in their knowledge of Christ (1:17; 4:23; Rom 12:2); otherwise their minds will remain childish, underdeveloped, and vulnerable to dangerous novelties that are contrary to the gospel (Eph 4:14). Here and elsewhere Paul insists that love is the surest means to build up the Church (4:16; 1 Cor 8:1; 13:1-13).

Eph 4:16 | ISB Notes

joined … growth: The same Greek verbs, which here describe the unity and growth of a body, also appear in 2:21, where they describe the integrated construction of a temple. The double use of this language in Ephesians points to a close connection between “body” and “temple” in Pauline theology (see also 1 Cor 6:19). This connection originates with Jesus, whose human body was the temple of his divinity (Jn 2:1921). Applied to the living assembly of believers, it implies that the Church is a mystical extension of the Incarnation.

Eph 4:17 | ISB Notes

walk as the Gentiles walk: Believers must repudiate the behavior of pagans, whose minds are blind to gospel truth and whose wills are bent on evil rather than good. The same predicament of moral and intellectual depravity is outlined in Rom 1:18-32.

Eph 4:24 | ISB Notes

put on: Alludes to early liturgical practice in which catechumens were clothed in white robes immediately after Baptism. Metaphorically, Paul challenges us to put our baptismal commitments into practice by stripping off sinful habits (vices) and putting on the new garments of Christ (virtues) (Rom 13:14; Gal 3:27; CCC 1473).

Eph 4:25 | ISB Notes

putting away falsehood: Words should be spoken to help others and build them up, not to harm them or beat them down. Speech that is careless, slanderous, vulgar, or untruthful threatens the unity of the Church (4:29; Mt 12:3637; Jas 3:1-12). The Lord despises a lying tongue (Prov 6:1617) (CCC 2475-86).

speak the truth: An excerpt from Zech 8:16.

• The prophet is urging his people to reform their lives, beginning with a renewed effort to use truthful and reliable speech.

Eph 4:26 | ISB Notes

Be angry but do not sin: Not all anger is sinful or harmful. Righteous indignation is an appropriate response to offenses committed against God (Ps 119:53; Mk 3:5). In the case of personal insults, we should strive for reconciliation with the offender before the day’s end. Otherwise the rift will begin to widen as resentment, bitterness, and hatred consume us.

• Paul is alluding to Ps 4:4, where the Psalmist calls us to examine our hearts in silence before going to bed.

Eph 4:28 | ISB Notes

honest work: Generosity is urged as appropriate reparation for thievery. Reformed burglars should now work to provide for themselves and also for others in need (Lk 3:11; Acts 20:35) (CCC 2444, 2487).

Eph 4:30 | ISB Notes

grieve the Holy Spirit: A warning to avoid sin and the occasions that lead to it. Paul is thinking primarily of destructive speech that disrupts unity and fellowship in the body of Christ (4:29, 31). Theologically, this comment confirms the “Personhood” of the Spirit, since only a person can be saddened or insulted by the faults of another.

• Paul is alluding to Is 63:10, where the Prophet recalls how the Exodus generation of Israel grieved the Spirit by grumbling against the Lord and Moses in the wilderness.

day of redemption: i.e., the day when our bodies will be redeemed at the general resurrection (Rom 8:23).

Eph 4:32 | ISB Notes

forgiving: We thank God for his mercy by showing mercy to others (Mt 6:14-15; 18:23-35; CCC 2842).