CHAPTER 1
1. [From] Paulus, an envoy of Yeshua the Messiah through Elohim’s will, to those in Ephesos who are set apart and faithful through Messiah Yeshua:
Will: desire, preference, wish—His choice because He considered him likely to bring the most favorable outcome.
2. Favor to you and shalom from Elohim, our Father and the Master, Yeshua the Messiah!
He uses both common Greek and Hebrew greetings.
3. Blessed be the Elohim and Father of our master, Yeshua the Messiah, the One who has blessed us with every [kind of] spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Messiah,
Note that YHWH is also the Elohim of Yeshua, often overlooked by those who put them both on the same level (also emphasized in verse 17).
4. to the extent that He chose us, in him, before the foundation [plan] of the ordered world [was laid], so that we would be set apart and unblemished under His direct gaze,
in love
Unblemished: though we have been sinful, YHWH views as blameless those who have transferred their identity to the race of which Yeshua became the head when he passed all the tests that accredited him as our representative as Adam had previously been.
5. having determined in advance through Messiah Yeshua that we would [be placed] into adoption as sons, insofar as it seemed appropriate due to His desire,
6. [leading] to enthusiastic acknowledgement of the [splendidly-high] value of His favor, which He has freely bestowed on us [as included] in the [one who is] loved best,
7. through whose blood we have redemption—the release of obligation in regard to mis-steps—according to the abundance of His [empowering] favor,
Mis-steps: slips-ups, false moves or lapses that are not deliberate, for there is no offering for intentional rebellion once we know better. (Heb. 10:26)
8. which He lavished upon us with every [kind of] skill and practical insight,
Lavished: exceeded the extent that was either necessary or expected. Insight: a visceral, personal, detailed understanding that enables Him to apply it to us just as we need it in every particular situation.
9. having made known to us [the aspects] of His desire that had [previously] been hidden within him, according to His goodwill and [providential, predetermined] purpose,
10. in [preparation] to be administered when the occasion came to full readiness to bring all things into organization under [one] head in the Messiah—[both] things based in the heavens and things on the earth--
11. in him, in whom we have also been allotted a portion whose boundaries were predetermined [and delineated] according to the [specific] purpose of Him Who accomplishes all things according to the deliberate plan based on what He wants,
Accomplishes: specifically through providing energy to make them work. Deliberate plan: counsel, wisdom, decree, or purpose that arranges for physical circumstances to fall into place at the right time.
12. so that we can exist in a way that befits the honor He deserves, having previously put our trust in Messiah,
13. in whom also, having heard the message of truth—the glad news of your rescue—when you had put your trust in him, were also sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise,
"Sealing" with a signet ring, in the ancient world, served as a "legal signature" guaranteeing the promise (contents) of what was sealed. (Strong)
14. which is he earnest [guaranteeing] our inheritance, toward the redemption of the possession acquired--[leading] to enthusiastic acknowledgement of the [splendidly-high] value of His favor!
15. Because of this, I too, since I heard of the trust in Yeshua the Messiah among you, and the love that you have for all the set-apart [people],
Because of this: since you have chosen to be included in this once-unimaginable enterprise, which at present is merely “tasting the powers of the age to come” (Heb. 6:5), but which proves that they are there (v. 14) waiting to be tapped when all the right factors are in place for us as they already are for Yeshua (vv. 20-23).
16. have not ceased to give thanks in regard to you, making mention of you in my prayerful exchanges [with YHWH],
Exchanges: Prayer is not a one-way conversation; it includes listening for and expecting YHWH’s response.
17. so that the Elohim of our master Yeshua the Messiah, the [most] heavily-renowned Father, might grant you the spirit of wisdom and revelation through firsthand knowledge of Himself,
18. so that, the eyes of your heart being enlightened, you may [fully] know what the hope of His calling is, what is the varied and abundant wealth of the value of the inheritance He [has apportioned] to the set-apart ones,
19. and what is His far-more-than-vast ability to effect change, directed toward those of us who believe, as this comes down [to us] from His energy, which predominates and overcomes resistance,
20. which He effectively demonstrated in the Messiah, having raised him out of death and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly dimensions,
21. far above any principality or authority or powerful force or dominion, as well as any name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one that is coming.
Principality: i.e., that which comes first and is therefore chief or foremost, and which therefore takes priority or pre-eminence above the rest. Here it seems to be used of spiritual rulers as well as human potentates. Named: i.e., either given a name or mentioned. Coming: specifically, already in the process of beginning.
22. And He put all things into subjection under his feet, and granted that he should be head over all things to the assembly of called-out ones--
23. that which is his body, the filling-up of him who fills every part of each thing--
Every part of each thing: not only the whole, but individually every component.
CHAPTER 2
1. even you, who were dead through lapses and deviations from the target,
2. in which you once walked, according to the way things are done in this [present] arrangement, [which comes] down from the chief commander of the authority of the atmosphere, the spirit now operative in the sons of stubborn opposition to compliance,
Once: emphasizing that this is in the past. Arrangement: world-order, constitution, the Greco-Roman culture in particular, insofar as it functions in contrast to YHWH’s instructions. Atmosphere: not only this Gentile ambience of the empire, but, underlyingly, all that is now in place because of humankind handed over authority to another being that seduced us, and we thus lost the position we were meant to have in the order of the world and became one-sided, unbalanced creatures, emphasizing only the physical aspect (v. 3), which is meant mainly to be a vehicle for carrying out the deeper and nobler spiritual side. Yeshua (1:17-23) has restored that position to humanity, so that we are no longer “lower than the angels”, as we were for a comparatively short while (Psalm 8:5), but now again in our rightful place, if we choose to participate in that restored human race rather than remaining in the one that in contrast can only be classified as “death” (vv. 1, 5). Stubborn opposition to compliance: not those who try to obey but sometimes misstep, but those actively resisting His influence on them, not being willing to give up the power that was granted to them in the old order, whose paradigms are in the process of being done away with.
3. among whom indeed we all were once turned upside-down by the lusts of our flesh, carrying out the wishes of the natural senses and the imagination, so naturally we were children of impulse just like the rest.
4. But Elohim, being rich in mercy because of the great benevolence with which He loved us--
5. even when we were “dead” in the deviations [from truth]—made us alive together with Messiah (by [His] favor you are being delivered)
6. and roused us together [from this sleepy lethargy and lifted us up] and seated us together, in Yeshua [the] Messiah, above the [things of] heavenly [origin],
Things of heavenly origin: lower ruling spirits of the age, including that commander-in-chief of the authority of the atmosphere (v. 2), who was cast down from the “heavens”—not the sky but another dimension that is not normally seen, possibly operating according to a different level of physics.
7. so that in the oncoming ages He might demonstrate the surpassing riches of His bountiful supply through His kindness toward us through Yeshua [the] Messiah.
Kindness: remembering that it was our ancestors who willfully turned away from the covenant, and we were born already in exile.
8. Because [it is] by [His] favor that you are being rescued, by means of [trusting] confidence—and [even] that [does] not [come] from yourselves; it is the gift of Elohim,
9. not [as a result] of [your own] accomplishments, so that no one might boast--
We are all at the same disadvantage, so He bases our deliverance from this condition not on anything by which we can compete, but on something which only He can supply.
10. because we are the product of His craftsmanship, being founded through Yeshua [the] Messiah upon noble accomplishments which Elohim had prepared beforehand so that we could walk in them.
Craftsmanship: the same word from which we derive the English word “poem”. Founded: created, made habitable, or [completely] transformed. With all the attention verses 8 and 9 have received, this verse that immediately follows them puts it all into the right perspective, because the fact that our own accomplishments (misguided as they had to be because of our position as described earlier in the chapter) are not what brought us into favor with YHWH does not mean we should not be involved in noble works; on the contrary, noble works are the very things the Torah is made up of, and it is our guide. But the footing He has put us on is much firmer, and if we follow the works that He prescribed long ago rather than what we imagined might be what He would want, the result will be much greater effectiveness, no longer missing the target but actually pleasing Him. In other words, we are a work of art, and noble deeds are the only fitting base for such a beautiful masterpiece.
11. Therefore, remember that you [who were] formerly Gentiles as pertained to the flesh (those who were being described as “foreskinned” by those who are called “physical circumcision done manually”)
Formerly: this one word makes all the difference. Those who are “in Messiah” are no longer Gentiles, but are now part of Israel, and it is a sin to treat anyone who joins Israel as any different from one who was born into it. (Lev. 19:34; Num. 15:15-30) With “just scales”, the same laws apply equally to both. (Ex. 12:49) In fact, the ancestors of most believers in Yeshua were Israelites who willingly followed the ways of the Gentiles and were punished with the poetic justice of being counted as Gentiles by YHWH. (Hoshea 7:8 - 9:3) But He promised to again make us a people. (Hos. 1:10) Foreskinned: Greek, akrobustía, the term used in 1 Maccabees 1:15 for those who reversed the circumcision they once had (in our case, we had done so as a people, not individually), as opposed to aperitome, the negative form of the word for circumcision itself—never circumcised (as in Acts 7:51, where it is used figuratively with the sense that the excess “flesh” that blocks the core of the spoken message from reaching the “inner ears” and the “heart” has never been effectively removed after all).
12. –that at that time you were apart from [the] Messiah, being alienated from the rights of a citizen of Israel, strangers to the promised covenants, having no hope, and without Elohim among [the inhabitants of] the world.
Alienated: or estranged; again, see Hoshea 8:12. Strangers: foreigners, as well as being estranged--no longer familiar with Israel’s heritage that we had once known as a people. Promised: or, announced ahead of time—that is, the renewed covenant with both the House of Yehudah and the House of Israel. (Yirmeyahu/Jer. 31:31) Without Elohim: as abandoned or cut loose by Him to drift aimlessly to wherever we would end up.
13. But now through Yeshua [the] Messiah you, who were once “far off” have been brought near through the blood of [the] Messiah,
Far off: A direct allusion to Daniel 9:7, in which the prophet uses this term specifically in reference to part of Israel which was driven away by YHWH because of our transgressions. The blood: i.e., not just the blood shed at his death, but the blood connection that allowed him, as a Jew, to be a kinsman-redeemer for his long-estranged relatives of the Northern Kingdom, who had become these specific “Gentiles” being addressed here.
14. because he is our peace-concord, the one who is making both into one, having undone the middle wall which separated [us]
Both: the house of Yehudah and the house of Israel. An example of this is seen in Acts 11:9-18. Wall: There was a literal such wall in the second Temple, dividing the area non-Jews could enter from the area on Jews could enter. This was understandable; it prevented actions by foreigners such as had been experienced under Antiochus IV of Greece, as described in the book of First Maccabees and recounted at Hanukkah. However, now it was also screening out those who were returning to Torah and covenant from among the Gentiles, perpetuating a no-longer-warranted prejudice that now stood in YHWH’s way. (e.g., Acts 21:28-29) Separated us: kept the Israel and Yehudah from coming back together.
15. having deprived the enmity (the injunction of prescribed rules through dogmatic decrees) of its force through his flesh, in order that he might in himself transform the two into one new man, producing harmony,
Decrees: “fences” added to preserve and protect the holy things from falling into profane hands, such as the ruling that no Jew should ever eat with a Gentile or enter his house—taboos exemplified in Acts 10:28. It is only through wishful wresting of Paulus’ words from the entire context of Scripture (see 2 Kefa 3:16) that many have misconstrued this as a reference to the Torah of YHWH itself. Man: a human being generically; the equivalent of the Hebrew term Adam--i.e., a restoration of the original image of Elohim that was lost, a first step in the return to Eden. Rico Cortes also points out that in the Roman context, “new man” (homo novus) had a special meaning in regard to the first in a family who was permitted to serve in the Senate or be elected as consul. But those who came from among Plebeians (commoners), though they had authority and recognition, were still treated as second-class citizens. Paulus is arguing against such treatment for non-Jews who were being restored to their ancestral position as Israelites and were fully forgiven from YHWH’s perspective, and thus should be accepted as equals by men:
16. and might bring both back, in one body, into [their former state of] reconciliation with Elohim through the crucifixion-stake, having by it abolished the [cause of] enmity.
Abolished: literally, killed off. Cause of enmity: the Jews were estranged from and suspicious of those from the Northern Kingdom because they had forsaken the Torah. But by providing amnesty that allowed any who wished to return to their heritage because of the price paid to redeem them, they could again become Torah-observant and therefore no longer odious to those who had continued to keep Torah to a greater extent.
17. And coming [forth], he announced the glad news of peace to you [who were] far off and to those who [were] near.
Peace: with the connotation of concord between the two estranged parties and the reunification of the divided nation of Israel. Those who were near: those of Yehudah who had not only stayed in the Land of Israel but remained close to YHWH and were therefore ready to hear the news that the Kingdom was being reestablished.
18. For through him we both have access, in one spirit, to the Father.
Access: the term includes the sense of being assured that we are in YHWH’s favor and accepted by Him.
19. So therefore you are no longer foreigners or aliens [living among us with no rights of citizenship], but fellow citizens with the holy ones, belonging also to the household of Elohim,
20. which has been built on the foundation of the delegated envoys and prophets, the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah himself,
21. in whom the whole building, being laid out and framed together, is growing into a holy Temple through the master,
22. through whom you also are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place of Elohim.
This is the house for which the physical Temple was meant to be a prototype.
CHAPTER 3
1. On account of this, I, Paulus, a captive of Yeshua the Messiah on behalf of you Gentiles,
2. since you have heard of the administration of the favor of Elohim which was entrusted to me to manage for your sake,
3. how by disclosure He made me recognize the underlying purpose (about which I previously wrote briefly to you)
Disclosure: revelation by means of a vision or other way of informing him of something that could not be ascertained by means of the natural senses.
4. with regard to which, when you read, you will be able to understand my thinking in regard to the hidden purpose of the Messiah)
5. which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it is now laid open to His special envoys and spokesmen through the Spirit:
6. that the tribes should be co-inheritors and belong to the same body and be joint participants in what He promised through the Messiah by means of the glad announcement
7. of which I was made an executor according to the gift of favor of Elohim given to me through the ability that He has effectively worked into me.
8. To me, who is less than the least of those set apart, is this favor given, that I should announce among the tribes the glad message, the incomprehensible abundance of benefits [in] Messiah,
9. and bring to light all that is the stewardship of the mystery which has been [kept] hidden since the ancient times within Elohim, the One who created all things,
Mystery: in Hebraic terms, more of a secret counsel, about which only those involved were “in the know” so that the plan would not be marred before it was complete. Hidden since the ancient times: or possibly, kept from the people of previous ages. The Hebrew word for an age as well as prehistoric eras actually means “hidden”—times so far back that they get lost in the mist of the horizon beyond which we cannot see—in either direction.
10. in order that the many-faceted wisdom of Elohim might be made known at the present time to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms through the called-out assembly,
Some of those rulers and authorities are hostile to human beings and toward YHWH because they are under a sentence of judgment, which has not yet fully gone into effect, because they influenced humans to go in the wrong direction. They would therefore need to have these purposes, which are beneficial to human beings, kept from their knowledge until it was an accomplished fact.
11. according to the predetermined purpose of the ages, which He accomplished through Yeshua the Messiah, our master,
12. in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through his faithfulness.
Boldness: freedom or openness, plain speech.
13. Therefore, I request that you not lose heart on [account of] the pressure I am [undergoing] on your behalf, which is to your honor.
14. For this purpose I bend my knees toward the Father of our Master, Yeshua the Messiah,
15. from within Whom every [tribal] lineage in [the] Heavens and on earth is given [its] name,
16. so that He might endow you, according to the abundance of His renown, with power to change, strengthened through His Spirit in the inner person
17. to let Messiah [settle in and] inhabit your hearts through the trust that is rooted and firmly established in love,
18. so that you might be completely able to comprehend, along with all the holy ones, what is the breadth and length and height and depth--
19. indeed, to experience the love of Messiah that [transcends and] surpasses knowledge, so that you might be filled to capacity unto all the fullness of Elohim.
20. Now to Him who is able to do far beyond what [already] surpasses anything we could desire or imagine, through the power to change that energizes us,
21. to Him may the honor be, throughout all generations for a never-ending age, among the ones being called out by Yeshua the Messiah!
CHAPTER 4
1. These things being so, I, who am the Master’s captive, beg you to [conduct your] walk in a manner befitting [the worth of] the calling whose [name] you are invited [to bear],
2. with all modesty [in a realistic appraisal of oneself] and gentleness, with patient endurance, putting up with one another in committed love,
3. being diligent to carefully guard the unanimity of spirit in the bond of [harmonious] peace.
Bond: specifically that which bundles together (as in a sheaf of grain, per the imagery used below) or ligaments which hold the different members of a body together.
4. [There is] one body and one spirit, just as you were also called with one hope of your calling,
Hope: or expectancy.
5. one Master, one conviction [regarding what is true], one immersion,
One immersion: While immersion was used for many different purposes, from ritual cleansing after a time of impurity to repentance to inauguration into the position of priest, here the emphasis is that we are all equally brought into the “one body” from outside it, buried to our past lives, and raised to a new identity which is actually part of this larger, collective identity.
6. one Elohim and Father of all, the one who is above all and through all and in you all.
7. But to each one of us is furnished a supply of capability according to the extent determined by what the Messiah provides.
Extent: limit or measure—a key concept during the Counting of the Omer--the seven weeks beginning the day after the Sabbath following Passover and leading up to Shavuoth. This is probably the season during which Paulus was writing this letter. An omer is a particular dry measurement used for foodstuffs.
8. That is why He says, “When he ascended into the height, he took captive [a multitude of] captives, and gave gifts to men.” [Psalm 68:18]
Gave gifts to men: Heb., received gifts for humanity.
9. (Now what is this “he ascended” if [it does] not [mean] that he also first descended into the lower parts of the ground?
A plant cannot grow upward until it sends its roots deep down into the earth, nor can a building stand tall if it does not have a deep foundation.
10. The one who descends is the very one who is also ascending further than above all the heavens, in order that he might fill all [kinds of] things.)
11. Now indeed he provided some [to be] delegated envoys, and some spokesmen, and some bearers of glad news, and some shepherds, and some teachers
Provided some: Note that the gifts and provisions are the people themselves. The Counting of the Omer is the countdown from the day designated to bring the firstfruits of the barley harvest to the designated day for the firstfruits of the wheat harvest—a 50-day span starting the day after the Sabbath following Passover. (Lev. 23:15ff; Deut. 16:9) On the final day two leavened loaves are presented before YHWH in the Temple. (Lev. 23:17) Yeshua said that in some cases (not at Passover), leaven represents the permeating influence of the Kingdom. (Mat. 13:33) Based on Midrash Menakhoth, Rabbi Micha’el Washer pointed out how the process of preparing a “loaf of bread” that consists of many unified individuals (1 Corinthians 10:17) correlates with the “giftings” listed here. Yeshua said he was the one who sowed the seed (the sons of the kingdom) into all the world. (Mat. 24:37-38) In Hebrew “sow” and “scatter” are the same word, so he is referring to the sowing of the northern kingdom of Israel into all nations, with the purpose of harvesting them back again. (Hos. 1:4, 11; 2:21-23; Psalm 126:5) Our exile is the season in which “YHWH causes the growth”. (1 Corinthians 3:6) The bearers of glad news that the way has been made to be a Kingdom again (“evangelists”, Nakhum 1:15ff) correspond to the reapers who inquire who is worthy to be harvested (Mat. 10:5ff), then separate the “crop” from the context in which it grew up. The shepherds (or “pastors”) do the job of threshing. It is done differently for each type of grain. (Yeshayahu/Isa. 28:24-28) With wheat the heads are beaten to separate the grain from the stalk, but gently and with a flexible rod to avoid bruising them. In other words, they identify the defenses that once protected us but now keep us from being useful to the body. They prepare us to let them go and acclimate us to the new standards of Torah. Next, the teacher is the equivalent of a winnower who tosses the grain into the air to let the wind blow away the loosened chaff. He elevates the student, putting him into a context in which the Spirit (ruakh=wind) of YHWH, the real Teacher, can take over. By exposing him to true knowledge, he does away with what is now useless, so that only what is useful is left. He prepares us for the next stage—parching the grain so it can be crushed. The moisture is removed, so the grain becomes lighter in weight. In ancient times this was done in a perforated pipe so that the grain would be roasted but not burned up. The spokesman (prophet) is the one who brings the fire of correction in season, burning away the self-importance that made us “weightier” than we need to be, and in the process preserves what is of real value. YHWH is the one who does the next step—crushing—because only He knows how to do so properly for each individual, but each must surrender to it, or the crushing will destroy him. (Mat. 21:42-44) The two tablets of the Torah are the stones between which we are ground. At this point the individual kernels are indistinguishable, and the birds can no longer snatch them away. All that can be seen is flour—which means bread can now be made. We are sifted as a test of how like-minded we are. In the Temple, the flour to be used for the Shavuoth loaves had to pass through 13 sieves until it was fine enough that the temple treasurer could plunge his hands into it and bring them back up with none of it sticking to his skin. The delegated envoys (emissaries or “apostles”) are the ones with this task. They discern which sieves one has already gone through and thus what his place in the Body is to be at present. Where he still adheres to the “flesh”, they send him back to the Torah for further training in selflessness. The Kingdom is on hold until this process is complete for all of us. When all the gifts are in place (the whole body is mature), the bread is baked and presented as a tribute to YHWH. Leviticus 2 prescribes that it is to be brought with oil (a picture of the anointing of the Spirit) and frankincense (which in Hebrew is the feminine form of the word for white, for this “bread” will then be a bride that is acceptable for the Messiah).
12. toward the complete equipping of those who are set apart for the task of the ministry —for the building up of the body of [the] Messiah
Ministry: service to a nobler task than our own self-preservation, fulfilling the orders given by another. In this case, the purpose is to forge a unified body out of two now-different groups which were once together but were separated because of selfishness. The repair of the world has to start with the repair of a broken Israel, for we have always been meant to be the prototype, and if we cannot make this work, it will never work anywhere.
13. until we all arrive at the unanimity of conviction and of the [precise] correct understanding of the Son of Elohim, aiming to be a complete man, attaining the [proper] measure of maturity of what brings [the] Messiah to [his] fullness,
Unanimity: or unity, agreement. (Compare 1 Corinthians 1:10.) Correct understanding of the son of Elohim: He is very misunderstood by many today. His very title, son of Elohim, which has led some to turn him into a god, when seen in Hebraic context chiefly identifies him as the descendant of David in the royal line, the heir to his throne. (Psalm 2: 6-7) Complete: finished, lacking nothing, consummate in integrity, fully of age. Man: He continues the imagery of “one new man” introduced in 2:15.
14. so that we may no longer be childish, driven about by any wind of doctrine through the sleight of men’s hands, [who act] with skillful craftiness for the purpose of tricking [people into] going astray,
Childish…any wind: always shifting according to what is popular or intriguing at the moment, often to the detriment of the long-range goals which are solid and established. Sleight: or underhandedness, from a term for dice-playing, since it connotes cheating and defrauding one’s competitors. Many doctrines are wrested from Scripture for the very purpose of gaining and guaranteeing a following by taking advantage of those who are not skillful enough to study it for themselves.
15. but [that], telling the truth with committed love, we may all grow up into him who is the head—the Messiah--
16. from whom the whole body, being laid out and framed together and caused to coalesce by means of every joint that assists according to the energizing through one standard measurement of each of the constituent parts, producing [for itself] the growth of the body into [something that can keep] building itself up through benevolent affection.
Caused to adhere: has the connotation of exerting force, as is necessary if a thing being connected together is to have the right amount of tension on it once the proper connection is completed. The imagery is of muscles and ligaments fitting properly over and through bones, holding them just tightly enough to be maximally useful, but it also describes a building with great stability as its frame is held in just the right balance by the tension from all directions, and the picture is the same. Assists: or supplies. Energizing: or efficiency, effectiveness. One standard measurement: An allusion to the manna in the wilderness, which was to be gathered by each person according to what he thought was an appropriate amount for one day, but then was pooled and redistributed using a standardized omer measure, and thereby no one came up short and no one had excess. (Ex. 16:16-18)
17. This I say, therefore, and I solemnly urge you through the Master, to no longer walk in the same way as the other nations indeed walk—in the fruitlessness of their mind,
Fruitlessness: being devoid of either a sense of purpose or the right facts, and who therefore cannot find an appropriate balance that turns out to be beneficial.
18. having their judgment darkened [due to their] being estranged from the life of Elohim through the ignorance that is in them through the callousness of their heart
Judgment: in the sense of mental or intellectual capacity to soberly reason and discern. Callousness: their perception being blunted and dulled.
19. who, having ceased to be sensitive, have given themselves over to unbridled, shameless lust, resulting in the perpetration of all [kinds of] impurity with a greedy eagerness for more.
Sensitive: either to pain or the weaknesses of others, therefore running roughshod over them, thinking only of their own gratification. Lust: excess, insolence, outrageous license.
20. But this is not how you have learned of the Messiah--
21. since indeed you have heard him and been taught by him, just as [was] in fact the case with Yeshua--
22. [that], as regards [your] former manner of conduct, you put off the old man, which is being [further and further] corrupted in accordance with the deceitful cravings for what is forbidden,
Put off: the imagery is of a soul that has dulled its senses by constantly making the wrong choices, until it is like a garment that is both worn out beyond repair and soiled beyond salvaging. The only thing left to be done with it is to replace it with something that now serves the purpose it has ceased to be able to fulfill.
23. be renewed in the disposition of your mind,
24. and put on the new man—the one [that is] in agreement with Elohim, being made habitable through righteousness and true undefiled piety.
Put on: i.e., clothe oneself with. Made habitable: this is only possible through the second stage (v. 23): the renewal—a shift in paradigms so that the new principles being introduced make sense. This is accomplished through acclimation to the Hebraic way of thinking as opposed to the Greek to which these people were accustomed. They may have fit in their present context, but they cannot work in the set-apart Land to which they are preparing to be returned.
25. Therefore, putting off what is false, everyone must speak the truth with his neighbors, because we are members of one another.
Members of one another: Reciprocally, each of us is part of his fellows, just as both DNA and the mind itself are spread throughout the entire body, not just one organ, all working together rather than in opposition; if we withhold the truth from each other, it is as if we are cutting off our own limbs.
26. Be provoked to anger, but do not cross the line [and go wrong]; do not let the sun set on your exasperation,
Some things about one another are bound to get on each other’s nerves, and we may have to let off some steam to regain our equilibrium, but we have to remember the big picture and put the irritations in perspective. By dealing with it quickly we can “nip it in the bud” so as not to let the initial emotion run freely to the point of becoming a bitterness that both eats away at our own inward parts and leads to hatred and inability to work together, thus leaving Israel as two entities instead of one, thus missing the whole point. That is where we have been for twenty centuries; we need to do better this time.
27. and thus not give any place to the one who accuses us.
One who accuses: anyone who would find cause to call into question the integrity of our undertaking. Give him no grounds or occasion; maintain the moral high ground so no one will take the accusations seriously, knowing that our character is impeccable:
28. The thief must no longer steal, but rather must labor hard, producing useful [gains] with his hands so that he may have something with which to supply one who has a need.
Useful: worthwhile, honorable, excellent, or distinguished. This is one example of how our value to not just Israel but the world at large will be proven so that no one will say we are a drag on progress because we are too heavenly-minded, and thus discredit us.
29. Don’t let any worthless word come out of your mouth, but only what is useful toward building up what is needed, so that it may supply strength to the ones who hear.
Not only should we refrain from saying things that would needlessly put us at odds with the societies in which we remain in exile, but we should not be so careless in what we say to one another that we accidentally provoke the kind of anger described in v. 26 and effectively prevent the reunification of Yehudah and Israel. I.e., do not make any enemies unnecessarily; “accentuate the positive” wherever possible.
30. And do not frustrate YHWH’s spirit of being set-apart, by which you are marked to prove your genuineness for the day [you will be] liberated by a ransom.
While our exile may take some time—even a generation or two—to end because of all the logistics involved, “store up credit” whether for yourself or your descendants so that when the return from exile is complete, the Israel that returns home will not be marred because of small irritations and obstacles along the way.
31. Let all bitterness and boiling anger and violent emotion and clamoring [for attention] and speech that injures [others] be removed from you, along with any desire to hurt [them],
32. and be useful to one another, with strong compassion forgiving one another [freely], just as YHWH forgives you through the Messiah.
The “whole man” has experienced YHWH’s amnesty because of Messiah’s merit; do not ruin it by having factions that needlessly set one part of the body at odds with another.
CHAPTER 5
1. In this way, be imitators of Elohim, being dearly-loved children,
2. and operate in commitment, just as Messiah was committed to us and delivered himself over on our behalf as an offering and slaughter that Elohim [finds] a pleasing aroma.
We could accomplish some semblance of a reunited Israel by cutting corners, making compromises, and forcing people to pretend to be united in order to slap together a minimally-acceptable house more quickly, but how much better and more effective in the long run if we take the time to beautify the building as well, so that it is not only functional but a magnificent work of art that befits the worthiness of not only YHWH but the man who gave up every earthly advantage to set the process in motion. We are all in this together, so let us not, like the other nations, harm some to cause advantage to others. Let us do what it takes to make this work.
3. But promiscuity, impurity of any kind, and a desire for [selfish] advantage should not even be named among you, as is appropriate for set-apart [people],
4. nor [should] obscenity, foolish talking, or crude joking, which are not fitting, but rather, thanksgiving.
5. You already know this, recognizing that no fornicator, impure or avaricious person (who is [really] an idolater) has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Messiah and of Elohim.
Avaracious…idolater: Someone who is willing to make compromises with his values or YHWH’s standards for the sake of making more money is actually worshipping the “gods of silver and gold”, though they may not be in the form of images, but only coins.
6. Don’t let anyone deceive you with pretentious words; because of these very things the vengeance of Elohim is coming upon the sons of stubborn unbelief,
Pretentious: vain, hollow, unreal, or empty.
7. so do not become partners together with them,
Partners together: or fellow partakers, sharers (in the vengeance that comes upon them, v. 6).
8. since, though you were once darkness, you are now light through the Master; walk as children of light.
Your position and status before YHWH have changed, so your actions must line up with that already-established reality.
9. Now the fruit of the light [is manifested] in every [kind of] goodness and justice and straightforwardness,
10. which proves [to be] what is well-pleasing to the Master.
Well-pleasing: or fully acceptable.
11. Also, don’t be an accomplice in the unfruitful acts of darkness; in fact, you should even expose [them] instead,
Expose: prove wrong, convict, rebuke, reprove, and/or discipline. Any of these is a clear actin designed to confront, rather than just avoiding them.
12. because it is shameful to even mention the things being done by them in secret,
13. but everything that is exposed by the light is made clearly visible, and indeed, everything that becomes visible is light,
Visible: or, manifest.
14. on account of which it is said, “Wake up, [you] who are [lying] down asleep, and rise out from among the dead, and Messiah will shine a light on you!”
The source of the quote is obscure.
15. So watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
16. redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Redeeming: making the most of every occasion to do the right thing, make a difference, and repair the world. Evil: full of annoyance, frustration, hardship, harassment, peril. We can use our "borrowed time" to nullify some of the worst effects of the "present evil age".
17. Because of this, do not be short-sighted, but gain insight into what the Master wants most.
Short-sighted: senseless, foolish, inconsiderate, willfully lacking the perspective to be able to act wisely. Gain insight: through a synthesis of knowledge on many levels. Wants most: i.e., would most prefer that you do with the time you have available.
18. And don’t be drunk with wine, which is a waste; instead, be filled with the Spirit,
Waste: literally, what cannot be saved. I.e., it is a loss of brain cells, a loss of time, a loss of dignity, and probably a loss of respect from others; there are many better ways to use the limited resources we have been given. If you want a “high”, he says, realize the awesome heritage YHWH has given us and the amazing power to do good He has already put within us, and you will indeed feel giddy, but in a way that can be useful and beneficial to many others, not just oneself.
19. speaking to each other in psalms, sacred songs, and [spontaneous] spiritual melodies, singing and making music in your heart to the Master,
Making music: includes singing along with accompaniment, and implies something impromptu, as inspired by the Spirit of Holiness at that same moment.
20. giving thanks at all times and in regard to all [kinds of] things to Him who is Elohim and Father, in the name of our Master, Yeshua the Messiah,
21. submitting yourselves to one another in respect for Messiah--
Submitting: subjecting yourself to others’ preferences, taking the lower position in order to avoid both arrogance and unnecessary conflict. Respect: i.e., keeping the focus on him and on His Master in turn, instead of drawing the attention to yourself and your own talents.
22. the wives, to their own husbands, as [they submit] to the Master,
23. since a man is the head of the woman, just as the Messiah is the head of the called-out assembly—himself being the one who delivers the body.
This is an allusion to Genesis 3:16, but he moves it from the realm of curse to blessing, seeing that this “ruling” need not be oppressive (any more than the sun’s “rule over” the day is, per Genesis 1:18), but a picture of the much more beneficent rule of the Man who did not fall like Adam, thus restoring the relationship of husband to wife to its proper footing. Delivers: a play on the fact that the head is normally the part of the body that is born first, leading to the delivery of the whole baby.
24. But just as the called-out assembly is subject to the Messiah, so also the wives [are] to their own husbands in everything.
25. The husbands [in turn should] give preference to the wives, just as the Messiah also showed preference for the called-out assembly, even giving himself up on her behalf
Giving…up: abandoning self, “delivering over with a sense of close (personal) involvement.” (Discovery Bible word study).
26. in order that he might set her apart, having cleansed her by the washing of the water in the promise [he spoke].
This was the erusin, the betrothal carried out by a definitive statement that she is to become his wife, which is as binding a contract as any we have today.
27. in order that he might present the called-out assembly to himself, dignified with high honor and reputable, not having a stain or a flaw or any such thing, but that it should be set apart and without blemish.
Without blemish: or, blameless—without moral defects either. This is the “living sacrifice” YHWH wants more than the slaughter of a spotless animal with no defects, though they set the standard for this deeper understanding of His deeper wish.
28. This is what husbands owe to their own wives—to love them as [they would] their own bodies; the one loving the wife [who belongs] to him loves himself.
What we love we do not damage, and this on many levels is the remedy for the abuse some fear on account of verses 22 and 23 because of bad examples or just earthly norms, but the cleansing of the husband by Messiah (v. 27) should preclude any grounds for worry, especially with these reminders.
29. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and comforts it, exactly as the Messiah [does for] the called-out assembly,
Comforts: literally, warms it up.
30. because we are members of his body, [being formed] out of his flesh and out of his bones.
Members: specifically meaning organs or limbs, or more literally, “working parts”. Out of his flesh and bones: a clear allusion to how Chawwah was formed out of the first Adam; Yeshua also has a counterpart which, because his fleshly body was offered up on our behalf, we can share his spiritual attributes now, but also partake of the kind of flesh he now has after our own resurrections. “Bones” in Hebrew also connotes “members of the same organism”.
31. “Because of this, a man will leave behind his father and mother and be made to adhere to his wife, and the two will be one flesh.”
He is quoting Genesis 2:24, further strengthening the Adam-Yeshua parallelism. He even uses anthropos (a human being, the equivalent of the Hebrew Adam) rather than andros (specifically a male), strengthening the emphasis that they are meant to function as one unit rather than one having any more than a final decision-making advantage over the other, when an impasse needs to be broken.
32. This mystery is great, but I am speaking [in particular] in regard to the Messiah and in regard to the called-out assembly.
Mystery: a fact that has deep underlying meanings which are not always evident until pointed out. Great: or important.
33. Nonetheless, each individual [among] you should love his wife just as [he loves] himself, in order that the wife may respect her husband.
Note that the husband must command, not demand, respect, earning it through his beneficial actions on her behalf.
CHAPTER 6
1. The children [attentively] listen to [and obey] their parents, in the Master; this indeed is proper:
In the Master: not doing their bidding if they insist that their children steal or cheat for their sake, for example. Alt., ‘parents in the Master”—those who, like the writer, labored hard to bring them into the Kingdom and therefore deserve respect.
2. “Honor your father and your mother”—which is the first commandment in [which there is] a promise:
Promise: in the legally-binding sense. Though the fifth commandment, it is indeed the first that is a condition for a particular blessing:
3. “in order that it may come to be well with you, and you may last a long time on the earth…”
Earth (ambiguous as a term also for a particular land): the whole original phrase is “on the Land that YHWH your Elohim is giving you”. (Exodus 20:12)
4. And parents, don’t exasperate your children; rather, train them up in the Master’s discipline and cautionary advice.
Exasperate: provoke or spur on to anger, by taking abusive advantage of the fact that they are required to obey you. Cautionary advice: warning, admonition, but always with the intent of teaching them the right thought patterns so that they can eventually make the right decisions without you having to tell them what to do.
5. The servants [should] obey the masters according to the flesh with respect and trembling, in sincerity of heart as [if] to the Messiah,
6. not only serving while being watched, as those [only out] to please human beings; rather, as servants of the Messiah, doing the will of Elohim from the soul,
From the soul: i.e., soulfully, with a whole heart, enthusiastically because “in the Master, your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58), because even if it has no earthly effect, the intent is to please Him, doing our best because it is the right thing to do, regardless of whether anyone else notices or rewards us, and He stores up our actions according to their intent.
7. with good will, rendering service as to the Master and not for human beings,
8. knowing that each one, if he has done anything good, he will recover it from alongside the Master, whether [he is] slave or free.
Recover: i.e., receive back with the justice he did not experience in this life, or did not receive from the source that should have paid him; we should therefore place our expectation on YHWH, not on any earthly source, which even in the best of times could fail us.
9. And the masters should act the same way toward them, leaving off the threatening, knowing that both they and you have the same master, who is in the heavens, and with Him there is no personal favoritism.
10. For the time that remains, [let yourselves] be filled by the Master with the power to change, and with the force [to overcome resistance] that His dominion exerts.
11. Put on the complete set of Elohim’s armor so that you may be able to stand firm against the [crafty] methods of the accuser,
Crafty methods: scheming, well-organized lies or well-crafted arguments using truth to frame us or undermine the position that Messiah made possible for us to stand in. Accuser: or slanderer, backbiter; the root for “diabolical”.
12. because our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the chief powers, against the authorities, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly realms.
Wrestling: or struggling, but with a definite, though negative or reversed, allusion to Yaaqov’s contest with a “man” (if that is all he was) who was more powerful than he, but could still be prevailed against. Even when human beings are our accusers or oppressors, our real conflict is with the prevailing attitudes that drive them. This world: the aspects of it that are, consciously and by choice, not in subjection to YHWH. Wickedness: includes the idea of spreading pain, toil, and drudgery.
13. Because of this, take up the complete set of Elohim’s weaponry in order that you may be able to withstand in the day of trouble, and when [in] everything [you] have worked your way down to the end-point, to remain standing.
Trouble: includes the ideas of both pain-ridden misery and evil.
14. Take your stand, therefore, having put on truth like a belt around your waist, and having clothed yourself in righteousness like a coat of mail,
The two of these together would cover all of the vital and reproductive organs, symbolizing keeping both ourselves and our progeny safe from the attacks of the evil one. Truth includes both a keen sense of reality and sincere straightforwardness in our words and actions. Righteousness connotes both justice and YHWH’s approval. The allusion is to Yeshayahu/Isa. 11:5.
15. and having put the preparation of the glad news of total well-being on your feet like shoes,
Preparation: the sense is having a firm foundation to gain the necessary footing, because all things are in readiness. The news that all will be well after YHWH has completed His work gives us confidence to hold firm and steady in a “fire-fight”. This is an allusion to Yeshayahu/Isa. 52:7 and Nahhum 1:15, where it is pointed out how “fitting” are the feet of the one who brings glad news that makes “shalom” heard on the mountains—that is, the places where YHWH has met with Israel, in particular Sinai and Moryah. Though His presence can seem frightening, when we are on His right side through alignment with Messiah against the sin inherited from Adam, there is nothing to fear either from Him or from anyone else who would dare to attack, because “if Elohim is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
16. having taken up along with everything [else] the full-body shield of confidence, with which you will be able to extinguish all of the flaming arrows of the malicious one.
Confidence: both trust and faithfulness, both of which result from being fully persuaded of what is true and not wavering. Portraying this as a shield puts together the concepts in Psalms 28:7, 91:4, and 115:9-10.
17. Also, readily accept the helmet of deliverance and the spiritual sword, which is the [decisive spoken] word of Elohim.
Accept: welcome to yourself the gift that is freely offered to you, though you neither did nor could pay for it, because this completely protects the mind both from doubt and arrogance. This “panoply” is based partly on what YHWH said He Himself would put on when there was no one else taking the initiative to stand in the gap when others were vulnerable to evil predators. (Yeshayahu/Isa. 59:17)
18. With all [kinds of] interactive prayer and petition, be praying in the Spirit in every season, and unto this [same purpose], stay alert [and watchful] with all perseverance while making petition for all of the holy ones,
Perseverance: includes the concept of prevailing as Yaaqov did while wrestling with the “man” at the Yabboq, a major turning point in his life which earned him the name Israel. (Gen. 32:28)
19. and in regard to me as well, that clear reasoning might be given to me whenever I open my mouth [so I can] freely [and confidently] communicate he mystery of the glad news,
20. for which I am an elder statesman with a chain, that in regard to it I might speak as boldly as I must.
Elder statesman: thus being well-respected for his experience to the point of being a spokesman and ambassador for the cause. Chain: or manacle, handcuff. Must: need to, am required, behooved to, as it is proper, or as it is my duty.
21. On the other hand, so that you yourselves might know the things concerning me—what I am accomplishing—Tükhikos, the beloved brother and faithful administrator in the Master, will let you know everything;
22. I have sent him to you for this purpose—so that you might be aware of everything about us, and so he may encourage your hearts.
Apparently he was the one who delivered the letter for Paulus.
23. Shalom to the brothers, as well as love with confidence from Father Elohim and [the] Master, Yeshua the Messiah.
24. [May] the favor that never perishes be with all of those who love our Master, Yeshua the Messiah.
Never perishes: the kind that cannot decay or become corrupt—that which can come only from YHWH through His only servant who has never fallen into sin, and who can therefore grant us guidance on how to escape the pitfalls of earthly life in this sinful age.
THE LETTER OF PAULUS
TO THE
Ephesians
Background: Ephesos was an Anatolian settlement colonized by Ionians around the time of David and Shlomo. It was conquered by Croesus around 560 B.C.E., and he glorified it with great artistry. 16 years later it fell to the Persians and became part of the Kingdom of Pergamum, which Attalus III bequeathed to Roma in 133 B.C.E. It was now the principal city in the Roman province of Asiya on the west coast of what is now Turkey. Situated at the mouth of the Caÿster River between the Coressus Mountains and the sea and at the end of a major land trade route, it was an important export center. The shoreline has since been silted in and the city is now 10 miles from the coast. Its ruins are still plentiful and well-preserved. Paulus (Sha'ul) visited here on at least two occasions (Acts 18:19; 19:1), and sent for the elders of the congregation there to meet him at his port of call in nearby Miletos on a later occasion. A significant number of Jews lived here (19:17), despite its being the headquarters of an imperial cult, and for a long time they enjoyed a privileged position under Roman rule. (Josephus, Antiquities, 14:10:12, 25) However, they were skeptical of the “Gentiles” who were responding to the message of Paulus, Aküla, and Priskillah. Paulus wrote this letter to assure them that they were no longer Gentiles if they belonged to the King of Israel, and to guide them into a lifestyle that would prove to the Jews that they too were true Israelites, though they did not convert to Judaism as such. Ephesos would later become the headquarters of Yochanan the Envoy, and by a generation after his time, the congregation here was still well-known and faithful, according to Ignatius, a contemporary writer.
