Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Ephesians 5

Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

followers

imitators. Cf. 1Co 11:1.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

walk in love

Law (of Christ). 1Pe 1:8, 22. (Gal 6:2; 2Jo 1:5).

sweetsmelling savour

Lev 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2.

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

nor foolish talking

2Ti 2:23; Tit 3:9.

which are not convenient

Rom 1:28.

giving of thanks

Eph 5:20; 1Th 5:18.

Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

an idolater

1Co 5:11.

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

children

sons.

Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

partakers

1Ti 5:22.

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

light in the Lord

1Th 5:5.

Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

the fruit

1Jo 2:9.

Spirit

light.

righteousness

See Scofield 1 John 3:7, note.

Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

no fellowship with…darkness

2Co 6:14.

Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

a shame even to speak

Eph 5:3.

Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

made manifest

Jhn 3:20-21; Heb 4:13.

Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Awake thou that sleepest, and arise

Isa 60:1-2.

Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Redeeming the time

Col 4:5.

Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

understanding what the will of the Lord is

Rom 12:2; Col 1:9.

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Spirit

Holy Spirit (N.T.). Eph 6:17-18. (Mat 1:18; Act 2:4.)

Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

singing and making melody

Psa 101:1.

Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Giving thanks always

Psa 34:1; Isa 63:7; Phl 4:6; Col 3:17; 1Th 5:18.

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Submitting yourselves one to another

Phl 3:13; 1Pe 5:5.

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Wives, submit yourselves

Cf. Gen 3:16.

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

the head of the wife

Col 1:18.

the church

Church (true). Eph 5:23, 25-27, 29-32; Col 1:18, 24. (Mat 16:18; Heb 12:23.)

saviour

Scofield Romans 1:16, note.

Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

subject unto Christ

Col 3:18; 1Pe 3:1, 5.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Husbands, love your wives

Col 3:19.

even as Christ

Christ's love-work for the church is threefold: past, present, future:

1. For love He gave Himself to redeem the church (Eph 5:25);
2. in love He is sanctifying the church (Eph 5:26);
3. for the reward of His sacrifice and labour of love He will present the church to Himself in flawless perfection, "one pearl of great price" (Eph 5:27, Mat 13:46).

the church

Eph 5:2; cf. Gal 2:20.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

sanctify and cleanse it

Sanctify, holy (persons) (N.T.). Eph 5:26-27; Col 1:22. (Mat 4:5; Rev 22:11.)

by the word

Jhn 15:3; 17:17.

Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

not having spot

Sng 4:7.

Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

the Lord

Christ.

Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

members of his body

Assurance. Eph 5:29-30; Phl 1:6. (Isa 32:17; Jde 1:1.)

Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

shall a man leave his father and mother

Gen 2:24.

Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

mystery

Scofield Matthew 13:11, note.

church

Bride (of Christ). Rev 19:6-8. (Jhn 3:29; Rev 19:6-8.)

Eph 5:30-31 are quoted from Gen 2:23-24 and exclude the interpretation that the reference is to the church merely as the body of Christ. Eve, taken from Adam's body, was truly "bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh," but she was also his wife, united to him in a relation which makes of "twain…one flesh" (Mat 19:5-6), and so a clear type of the church as bride of Christ (see Scofield 2Co 11:2-3). The bride types are

• Eve (Gen 2:23-24)
• Rebecca (Scofield Genesis 24:1-7, note);
• Asenath (Gen 41:45; note under Scofield Genesis 37:2);
• Zipporah (Exodus 2:21).

See Scofield Hosea 2:1-23, note.

Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

reverence her husband

1Pe 3:2.