ACC ~ Ephesians 5 v3a

FORNICATION AND IMPURITY DISTINGUISHED. ORIGEN: Fornication in the strict sense is consorting with prostitutes. Impurity is the generic name, in the maelstrom of our bodily existence, not only for adultery and pederasty but also all the other inventions of sexual licentiousness in all their many and diverse practices. Greed can be taken either straight-forwardly or, as I have established [with regard to 1 Thess 4:4-6], in the sense of “adultery.” EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.

COVETOUSNESS NOT TRIVIAL. AMBROSIASTER: What a grave sin is covetousness, though we gloss over it when compared with fornication and uncleanness. We treat covetousness as a minor fault when in fact it is a grave matter. No one can be a saint in whom is found any of these things that he forbids. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 5.3.

MURDER AND ADULTERY DISTINGUISHED. CHRYSOSTOM: He has already spoken of the bitterest affection, which is wrath. Next he passes on to lust, which comes after wrath, as we see in the law of Moses, who first says “You shall not murder,” which springs from wrath, and then “You shall not commit adultery,” which springs from lust.For just as bitterness, clamor and every evil, including blasphemy and the like, belong to the anger-prone, passionate nature, so do fornication, impurity and covetousness belong to the lust-prone, appetitive nature. Just as he earlier prohibited clamorous disorder because it is a vehicle of anger, so he now prohibits filthy and loose talk, because it is a vehicle of lust. HOMILY ON EPHESIANS 17.5.3.

Eph