Ephesians 5

This chapter belongs to the practical exhortations in the latter half of Ephesians. Following the exhortation in Ephesians 4 to "put on the new man," it describes in concrete terms what that new life looks like.

Outline

• Verses 1–2 Believers are urged, as dear children, to be followers of God and to walk in love, as Christ loved them.
• Verses 3–7 Believers are told to avoid fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness. The passage warns that such people have no inheritance in the kingdom of God and cautions readers not to be deceived with vain words.
• Verses 8–14 Believers were once darkness but are now light in the Lord, so they are to walk as children of light and reprove the works of darkness.
• Verses 15–20 Believers are to walk wisely, redeeming the time. They are urged not to be drunk with wine but to be filled with the Spirit, living with songs and thanksgiving.
• Verses 21–33 After calling believers to submit to one another in the fear of God, the passage explains the relationship between wives and husbands in light of the relationship between Christ and the church.

Key Verses

• Ephesians 5:18 "And be not drunk with wine … but be filled with the Spirit" — the classic verse on being filled with the Spirit.
• Ephesians 5:21 "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God" — frequently cited as the key to interpreting the household instructions that follow.
• Ephesians 5:32 "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church" — explains marriage in terms of the relationship between Christ and the church.

People and Places

• Paul: Traditionally regarded as the author of this epistle, although some scholars hold that it was written by a disciple of Paul.
• Ephesus: A city in Asia Minor, traditionally identified as the epistle's destination.

Points for Reflection

• Interpretation of verses 21–33: Egalitarians treat the "mutual submission" of verse 21 as the governing principle for everything that follows and emphasize the mutual submission of husband and wife. Complementarians regard the husband's headship as part of the created order and emphasize the distinction of roles. In the Greek text, verse 22 is generally noted to lack a verb of its own and to depend on verse 21. Similar household instructions appear in Colossians 3:18–19 and 1 Peter 3:1–7.
• Being filled with the Spirit in verse 18: Pentecostal traditions tend to describe it as an experiential filling, while Reformed traditions tend to describe it as the ongoing governance of the Holy Spirit.
• Verse 14 contains a quotation whose source is unclear, and some regard it as part of an early Christian hymn.
• Verse 31 quotes Genesis 2:20–24.
• The "mystery" of verse 32: The Vulgate rendered the word as sacramentum, and the Catholic Church cites this verse as one of the grounds for the sacrament of matrimony. Protestants do not regard marriage as a sacrament.

In the Korean Church

Verses 22–33 are frequently used as the sermon text for wedding services. Verse 18 is often cited in sermons emphasizing the filling of the Holy Spirit, and it is also invoked as a proof text for abstaining from alcohol (see Alcohol and Tobacco).