Fathers

Ephesians 4

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I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

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What the Fathers say

Ephesians 4:19

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Who being past feeling," saith he, "gave themselves up." Whenever then ye hear, that "God gave them up unto a reprobate mind," remember this expression, that "they gave themselves up." If then they gave themselves over, how did God give them over? and if again God gave them over, how did they give themselves over? Thou seest the seeming contradiction. The word, "gave them over," then, means this, He permitted them to be given over. Seest thou, that the impure life is the ground for like doctrines also? …

Homily on Ephesians 13 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Do you not see that of their own free will they became so insensible? "Having become callous," that is, having grown completely lazy, not wishing to do anything good, having reached complete insensibility and having become as if mad, "they gave themselves over to licentiousness." For what purpose? To practice uncleanness, because they made it (uncleanness) their occupation and constant activity, and not just one form of it, but every kind. …

Commentary on Ephesians ↗

Theodoret of Cyrus

At first their sickness was lawlessness. Then it became indulgence. Having slipped then into a lawless way of life, they gradually came to suffer from lack of remorse. Finally they ventured out toward every sin without fear, living the life of corruption beyond indulgence. This is what he means by "becoming greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness."

Interpretation of the Epistle to the Ephesians 4.19 ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Then the Apostle goes on to portray how their exterior manner of life was once they lost hope, a loss due to their alienation from life. "I have done with hope. I shall now live no longer" (Job 7:16). "And they said: We have no hopes; for we will go after our own thoughts and we will do everyone according to the perverseness of his evil heart" (Jer. 18:12). This is what follows in that they have given themselves up to lasciviousness unto the working of all uncleanness, unto covetousness. The text can be read in two ways. …

Commentary on Ephesians ↗

Bonaventure

The sixth judgment of God is the judgment of despair, namely when the Lord takes away hope from man, and man believes himself to be deprived of eternal glory. Of such it is said: "Despairing, they gave themselves over to lasciviousness, unto the working of all uncleanness, unto covetousness." This is the most terrible judgment. Into this judgment Judas fell; and this judgment is the greatest, such that in the present life no greater can be given.

Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2 ↗