Ephesians 4:3 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Ephesians 4:3

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We are talking about the local church here. This is not about ecumenical, inter-church unity, it is about the spirit of unity among true believers in an individual church. Every word is important. ‘Endeavouring’ translates a Greek word which really indicates ‘speedy’, and maybe it is a pity that ‘endeavouring’ loses the speedy element. ‘Endeavouring’ suggests to your mind striving, whereas the original has this element of speed or urgency in it, so that you could say, ‘endeavouring quickly’, ‘endeavouring speedily to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’. It means that if there is something disturbing the peace between two Christians, something that has got out of hand which is unreasonable, it needs to be mended speedily. ‘Endeavouring speedily’, that is in the Greek, to keep the unity of the Spirit. Then the word ‘keep’ could perhaps be a little sharper too. It translates the verb ‘to watch’. ‘Watching’ would actually be better and it fits well with the ‘endeavouring speedily’. So in the original you have got watchfulness and urgency. What is the unity of the Spirit? Well it is the unity that is created between us by the Spirit. We are to be guarding, maintaining the bond or the unity which the Spirit has given us and brought about between us. ‘In the bond of peace’ translates the Greek for ligament, the band which joins bones together, the connecting ligament of the joint. A ligament is something which is flexible and shock absorbing. It absorbs knocks, it tolerates, it forbears. And it is the bond of peace. Not just tranquillity, but peace as opposed to war. Again it comes from the Greek word ‘to join’. The bond of oneness, being joined by God in unity. That brings about mutual advantage. When two nations have been at war and the war ends, hostilities cease and there is peace, it leads to trade and cooperation and advance. We are reconciled and we help each other and we advance together.

Application

We are watching all the time, not the other person but ourselves, for hastiness, even bitterness of reaction or whatever. Am I in this discussion too fond of clinging to my view, my opinion, too proud of the conclusions that I have come to? I am watching myself. Is there something pompous or unreasonable about what I am saying or the way I am saying it? You can ruin it with gossip, critical spirit, indifference to others, unkindness, but you don’t have to ruin it. You can keep it and even develop it. Take steps and measures. Pray that you won’t hurt or hinder unity. Pray that you will appreciate other people. Pray that you will find ways of expressing affection and help and take yourself in hand when tempted to gossip, or to be critical.

There are things that husbands have to be firm about to wives and there are probably more things that wives have to be firm about to husbands, but still there is kindness, affection, respect, and humility of mind. Meekness, kindness, servant spirit – as in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and then you are so happily married and the Lord draws you so closely to each other.

We don’t stick to (to use an old-fashioned word) the same class of person, although we are nowadays largely a classless society; but people can still gravitate to their own likeness and that is wrong. Fellowship, peace, togetherness, oneness means that we go beyond these natural divisions. We go beyond our age group. Do you ever speak to the young? If you are young, do you ever move among those who are older? It is a wonderful thing to mix more freely and not just be drawn like a magnet to our own kind, almost in fear and dread of reaching beyond that. None of us should be lazy in these things.

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Ephesians 4:3 Commentary and Bible Study

Explain meaning of Ephesians 4:3