Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin
Chapter
Ephesians 4:1-6
Ephesians 4:1-6
1. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,) beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
1. Obsecro itaque vos, ego vinctus in Domino, ut digne ambuletis vocatione, ad quam vocati estis,
2. With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love;
2. Cum omni humilitate et mansuetudine, cum tolerantia sufferentes vos invicem in dilectione,
3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 3. Studentes servare unitatem Spiritus, in vinculo pacis. 4. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
4. Unum corpus et unus spiritus; quemadmodum vocati estis in una spe vocationis vestrae.
5. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 5. Unus Dominus, una fides, unum baptisma. 6. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
6. Unus Deus et Pater omnium, qui est super omnia, et per omnia, (vel, super omnes et per omnes,) et in omnibus vobis.
The three remaining chapters consist entirely of practical exhortations. Mutual agreement is the first subject, in the course of which a discussion is introduced respecting the government of the church, as having been framed by our Lord for the purpose of maintaining unity among Christians.
1. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord. His imprisonment, which might have been supposed more likely to render him despised, is appealed to, as we have already seen, for a confirmation of his authority. It was the seal of that embassy with which he had been honored. Whatever belongs to Christ, though in the eyes of men it may be attended by ignominy, ought to be viewed by us with the highest regard. The apostle's prison is more truly venerable than the splendid retinue or triumphal chariot of kings.
That ye may walk worthy. This is a general sentiment, a sort of preface, on which all the following statements are founded. He had formerly illustrated