1Let it then be your desire to be like God, as well-loved children; 2And be living in love, even as Christ had love for you, and gave himself up for us, an offering to God for a perfume of a sweet smell. 3But evil acts of the flesh and all unclean things, or desire for others' property, let it not even be named among you, as is right for saints; 4And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk, or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of praise. 5Being certain of this, that no man who gives way to the passions of the flesh, no unclean person, or one who has desire for the property of others, or who gives worship to images, has any heritage in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6Do not be turned from the right way by foolish words; for because of these things the punishment of God comes on those who do not put themselves under him. 7Have no part with such men; 8For you at one time were dark, but now are light in the Lord: let your behaviour be that of children of light 9(Because the fruit of the light is in all righteousness and in everything which is good and true), 10Testing by experience what is well-pleasing to the Lord; 11And have no company with the works of the dark, which give no fruit, but make their true quality clear; 12For the things which are done by them in secret it is shame even to put into words. 13But all things, when their true quality is seen, are made clear by the light: because everything which is made clear is light. 14For this reason he says, Be awake, you who are sleeping, and come up from among the dead, and Christ will be your light. 15Take care then how you are living, not as unwise, but as wise; 16Making good use of the time, because the days are evil. 17For this reason, then, do not be foolish, but be conscious of the Lord's pleasure. 18And do not take overmuch wine by which one may be overcome, but be full of the Spirit; 19Joining with one another in holy songs of praise and of the Spirit, using your voice in songs and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20Giving praise at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; 21Letting yourselves be ruled by one another in the fear of Christ. 22Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as of the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. 24And as the church is under Christ's authority, so let wives be under the rule of their husbands in all things. 25Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it; 26So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word, 27And might take it for himself, a church full of glory, not having one mark or fold or any such thing; but that it might be holy and complete. 28Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself: 29For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church; 30Because we are parts of his body. 31For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church. 33But do you, everyone, have love for his wife, even as for himself; and let the wife see that she has respect for her husband.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
Exhortation to brotherly love. (1,2) Cautions against several sins. (3-14) Directions to a contrary behaviour, and to relative duties. (15-21) The duties of wives and husbands are enforced by the spiritual relation between Christ and the church. (22-33) 1,2 Because God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you, therefore be ye followers of God, imitators of God. Resemble him especially in his love and pardoning goodness, as becomes those beloved by their heavenly Father. In Christ's sacrifice his love triumphs, and we are to consider it fully. 3-14 Filthy lusts must be rooted out. These sins must be dreaded and detested. Here are not only cautions against gross acts of sin, but against what some may make light of. But these things are so far from being profitable. that they pollute and poison the hearers. Our cheerfulness should show itself as becomes Christians, in what may tend to God's glory. A covetous man makes a god of his money; places that hope, confidence, and delight, in worldly good, which should be in God only. Those who allow themselves, either in the lusts of the flesh or the love of the world, belong not to the kingdom of grace, nor shall they come to the kingdom of glory. When the vilest transgressors repent and believe the gospel, they become children of obedience, from whom God's wrath is turned away. Dare we make light of that which brings down the wrath of God? Sinners, like men in the dark, are going they know not whither, and doing they know not what. But the grace of God wrought a mighty change in the souls of many. Walk as children of light, as having knowledge and holiness. These works of darkness are unfruitful, whatever profit they may boast; for they end in the destruction of the impenitent sinner. There are many ways of abetting, or taking part in the sins of others; by commendation, counsel, consent, or concealment. And if we share with others in their sins, we must expect to share in their plagues. If we do not reprove the sins of others, we have fellowship with them. A good man will be ashamed to speak of what many wicked men are not ashamed to do. We must have not only a sight and a knowledge that sin is sin, and in some measure shameful, but see it as a breach of God's holy law. After the example of prophets and apostles, we should call on those asleep and dead in sin, to awake and arise, that Christ may give them light. 15-21 Another remedy against sin, is care, or caution, it being impossible else to maintain purity of heart and life. Time is a talent given us by God, and it is misspent and lost when not employed according to his design. If we have lost our time heretofore, we must double our diligence for the future. Of that time which thousands on a dying bed would gladly redeem at the price of the whole world, how little do men think, and to what trifles they daily sacrifice it! People are very apt to complain of bad times; it were well if that stirred them more to redeem time. Be not unwise. Ignorance of our duty, and neglect of our souls, show the greatest folly. Drunkenness is a sin that never goes alone, but carries men into other evils; it is a sin very provoking to God. The drunkard holds out to his family and to the world the sad spectacle of a sinner hardened beyond what is common, and hastening to perdition. When afflicted or weary, let us not seek to raise our spirits by strong drink, which is hateful and hurtful, and only ends in making sorrows more felt. But by fervent prayer let us seek to be filled with the Spirit, and to avoid whatever may grieve our gracious Comforter. All God's people have reason to sing for joy. Though we are not always singing, we should be always giving thanks; we should never want disposition for this duty, as we never want matter for it, through the whole course of our lives. Always, even in trials and afflictions, and for all things; being satisfied of their loving intent, and good tendency. God keeps believers from sinning against him, and engages them to submit one to another in all he has commanded, to promote his glory, and to fulfil their duties to each other. 22-33 The duty of wives is, submission to their husbands in the Lord, which includes honouring and obeying them, from a principle of love to them. The duty of husbands is to love their wives. The love of Christ to the church is an example, which is sincere, pure, and constant, notwithstanding her failures. Christ gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify it in this world, and glorify it in the next, that he might bestow on all his members a principle of holiness, and deliver them from the guilt, the pollution, and the dominion of sin, by those influences of the Holy Spirit, of which baptismal water was the outward sign. The church and believers will not be without spot or wrinkle till they come to glory. But those only who are sanctified now, shall be glorified hereafter. The words of Adam, mentioned by the apostle, are spoken literally of marriage; but they have also a hidden sense in them, relating to the union between Christ and his church. It was a kind of type, as having resemblance. There will be failures and defects on both sides, in the present state of human nature, yet this does not alter the relation. All the duties of marriage are included in unity and love. And while we adore and rejoice in the condescending love of Christ, let husbands and wives learn hence their duties to each other. Thus the worst evils would be prevented, and many painful effects would be avoided.