Ephesians 4:22–24

Context

Ephesians has traditionally been regarded as a letter written by Paul from prison, though some scholars hold that it was written by a disciple of Paul. In chapters 1–3 the letter speaks of salvation in Christ and the unity of the church, and from chapter 4 onward it exhorts readers to a life consistent with that salvation. Ephesians 4:17–21 contrasts the Gentiles' manner of life "in the vanity of their mind" with the life of those who have "learned" Christ. Verses 22–24 summarize this contrast with the image of taking off and putting on clothing. From verse 25 onward come specific exhortations to put away lying, anger, stealing, and corrupt speech.

Interpretation

Interpreters generally read the "old man" as one's existence and way of life in bondage to sin before conversion, and the "new man" as the new existence created in Christ. The phrase "after God is created" evokes the language of creation, and it is therefore often read as referring to the restoration of the image of God.

• Reformed reading: Chapter 4 of the Westminster Confession of Faith, citing this passage and Colossians 3:10, confesses that humanity was originally created after the image of God, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. This tradition holds that the old man has already been crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6) and that living as the new man is worked out through lifelong sanctification (the process of being made holy).
• Wesleyan and Holiness reading: Wesleyan theology understands salvation as a process in which the image of God is renewed. This tradition cites the passage as one of the grounds for holiness, in which heart and life are made holy.
• Lutheran reading: Luther's Small Catechism explains the significance of baptism in these terms: the "Old Adam" in the believer is to die through daily repentance, and a new man is to arise daily.
• Corporate reading: Some scholars connect this passage with the "one new man" made from Jews and Gentiles in Ephesians 2:15. On this reading, the new man refers not only to individual transformation but also to the church as a new humanity.

Debates and Issues

• Command or something already learned? In the Greek text, "put off," "be renewed," and "put on" are infinitives that follow the verb "learned" in verse 21. They may be read as commands to be carried out now, as in the Korean Revised Version tradition, or as an explanation of what believers already learned at their conversion. Colossians 3:9–10 expresses the same content as something that has already taken place ("have put on"). This difference bears on the question of whether the old man still remains in the believer.
• Tense: The verbs for putting off and putting on are in a form denoting a single action, while "be renewed" is in a form denoting continuing action. Many interpreters therefore conclude that the passage speaks of both a decisive change and an ongoing renewal.
• Translation: The phrase rendered in the Korean Revised Version simply as "in your spirit" is closer in the original to "in the spirit of your mind." Interpreters are divided over whether this "spirit" refers to the human spirit or to the Holy Spirit. The phrase "righteousness and holiness of the truth" is rendered in some translations as "true righteousness and holiness."

In the Korean Church

The expressions "old man" and "new man" derive from this passage and from Colossians and Romans. In Korean church preaching and testimonies, they are widely used to describe life before and after conversion.

Related Passages

• Colossians 3:10
• Romans 6:3–6
• 2 Corinthians 4:16
• Ephesians 2:14–17
• Romans 12:2