Ephesians 4:24

4:17-24 The apostle charged the Ephesians in the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus, that having professed the gospel, they should not be as the unconverted Gentiles, who walked in vain fancies and carnal affections. Do not men, on every side, walk in the vanity of their minds? Must not we then urge the distinction between real and nominal Christians? They were void of all saving knowledge; they sat in darkness, and loved it rather than light. They had a dislike and hatred to a life of holiness, which is not only the way of life God requires and approves, and by which we live to him, but which has some likeness to God himself in his purity, righteousness, truth, and goodness. The truth of Christ appears in its beauty and power, when it appears as in Jesus. The corrupt nature is called a man; like the human body, it is of divers parts, supporting and strengthening one another. Sinful desires are deceitful lusts; they promise men happiness, but render them more miserable; and bring them to destruction, if not subdued and mortified. These therefore must be put off, as an old garment, a filthy garment; they must be subdued and mortified. But it is not enough to shake off corrupt principles; we must have gracious ones. By the new man, is meant the new nature, the new creature, directed by a new principle, even regenerating grace, enabling a man to lead a new life of righteousness and holiness. This is created, or brought forth by God's almighty power.

New man (καινὸν) See on Matthew 26:29. Created (κτισθέντα) See on Ephesians 2:10. In righteousness and true holiness (ἐν δικιαιοσύνη καὶ ὁσιότητι τῆς ἀληθείας) Rev., correctly, in righteousness and holiness of truth. See on Luke 1:75. Truth. Opposed to deceit, Ephesians 4:22, and likewise personified. Righteousness and holiness are attributes of truth.

And that ye put on; the same metaphor of a garment as before, to show the intimateness of the new man with us, and its being an ornament to us. The new man; i.e. a new disposition or constitution of the whole man, called the new creature, 2 Corinthians 5:17 , and a divine nature, 2 Peter 1:4 . Which after God; after God’s image. Is created in righteousness and true holiness; either righteousness may relate to the second table, and holiness to the first, and so both contain our duty to man and to God; or righteousness may imply that Divine principle in us, whereby we perform our whole duty to God and the creature, and holiness that which denieth all mixture of corruption in onr duty to God and man. True; sincere and sound. As righteousness and holiness are opposed to lusts, Ephesians 4:22 , so true here, to deceitful there.

Ephesians 4:24 . Τὸν καινὸν ) Τὸν νέον is used, Colossians 3:10 , of that which is native [the new man becomes natural, i.e. the true nature ] in believers; but here ἀνανεοῦσθαι has been used by him just before. [Therefore he does not repeat νέον , the conjugate]. Vice versa in the passage of Col. just quoted, ἀνακαινούμενον is subjoined [ νέον having gone just before] concerning the aims and pursuits of believers.[69]— κτισθέντα , which has been created ) at the beginning of Christianity. This new man is created in Christ: comp. ch. Ephesians 2:10 . [69] Νέος , recent , lately originated, in opposition to what was originated some time back. Καινὸς , new , not yet used, in opposition to that which has existed long and been in use: νέον οἶνον , but καινοὺς ἀσκούς , Matthew 9:16-17 . So νέος ἄνθρωπος in Col. refers to the ἀναγέννησις , whereas the καινος is one who differs from the former man: the νέος is one who is ἀνακαινούμενος κατʼ εικονα of God.—Tittm. Syn. Gr. Test. Καινὸς more applied to the results of renewal on the Christian character and walk . Νέος , the new nature of believers. Νέος is applied to persons in the sense young , which καινὸς is not. Καινὸς is what is fresh , as opposed to what is worn and trite . It is also said of what is strange and foreign .—ED.

24. put on the new man—Opposed to "the old man," which is to be "put off" (Eph 4:22). The Greek here (kainon) is different from that for "re-new-ed" (Eph 4:23). Put on not merely a renovated nature, but a new, that is, altogether different nature, a changed nature (compare Note,, see on [2369]Col 3:10). after God, &c.—Translate, "Which hath been created (once for all: so the Greek aorist means: in Christ, Eph 2:10; so that in each believer it has not to be created again, but to be put on) after (the image of) God" (Ge 1:27; Col 3:10; 1Pe 1:15), &c. God's image in which the first Adam was originally created, is restored, to us far more gloriously in the second Adam, the image of the invisible God (2Co 4:4; Col 1:15; Heb 1:3). in righteousness—"IN" it as the element of the renewed man. true holiness—rather, as the Greek, "holiness of the truth"; holiness flowing from sincere following of "the truth of God" (Ro 1:25; 3:7; 15:8): opposed to "the lusts of deceit" (Greek, Eph 4:22); compare also Eph 4:21, "truth is in Jesus." "Righteousness" is in relation to our fellow men, the second table of the law; "Holiness," in relation to God, the first table; the religious observance of offices of piety (compare Lu 1:75). In the parallel (Col 3:10) it is, "renewed in knowledge after the image," &c.

As at Colosse the danger was from false pretenders to knowledge, the true "knowledge" which flows from renewal of the heart is dwelt on; so at Ephesus, the danger being from the corrupt morals prevalent around, the renewal in "holiness," contrasted with the Gentile "uncleanness" (Eph 4:19), and "righteousness," in contrast to "greediness," is made prominent.

Verse 24. - And put on the new man. As the fruit of inward renewal, let there be outward renovation. A new object is clean, fresh, tidy; let your life have something of the same aspect - let your principles, aims, habits, be new, in the sense of being conformed to Christ, who is your life. Which after God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. "After God," equivalent to "after the image of him that created him" ( Colossians 3:10 ). Some think" the new man" equivalent to "Christ" ( Romans 13:14 ), constituted the Head of renewed humanity, as Adam of depraved. But this would not correspond with the exhortation to put off the old man, nor should we be exhorted to put on Christ after being exhorted to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. In what sense, then, has the "new man" been created? The idea presented itself to the apostle in the abstract - there has been a creation of a new man; but concretely, we have to conform to the Divine creation, in respect of righteousness and holiness; righteousness denoting personal uprightness and fidelity to all social duties; holiness, the state of the spirit toward God. The last words, "of truth," denote the relation of righteousness and holiness to the truth. The words are opposed to "of deceit" in ver. 22. Lust is bred of deceit, but righteousness and holiness of truth. They never deceive, never disappoint, are solid to the end. Ephesians 4:24

(24) And that ye put on . . . —But this effect of “the putting off of the old man” is at once absorbed in the stronger idea of “putting on the new man.” In the “new man” here is implied not merely youthfulness, but the freshness of a higher nature (as in Ephesians 2:15 ). To “put on the new man” is, therefore, to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” by that divine process of which we have the beginning in Galatians 3:27 , the continuation in Romans 13:14 , and the completion in 1Corinthians 15:53-54 ; 2Corinthians 5:3 . For He is “the new man,” “the second Adam,” “formed after God, in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Holiness (used only here and in Luke 1:75) is “purity” consecrated to God in His “Holy One” (Acts 2:27). It describes the “purity of heart” of which our Lord Himself speaks as a still higher grace, gifted with a higher reward, than even “hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matthew 5:6; Matthew 5:8). “Righteousness” is goodness shown to others, to man and to God: “holiness” is goodness in itself, as it is in “the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity.” Stress is laid upon it here in contrast with the lusts and uncleanness described above. Truth is similarly opposed to the “deceit” of Ephesians 4:22. Christ is Himself “the Truth,” as being the manifestation of “the fulness of the Godhead.” As the corrupting and beguiling lusts belong to the spirit of Deceit, so righteousness and holiness to the Truth.

24 . that ye put on ] See note on “put off,” Ephesians 4:22 . Here again is an aorist infinitive in the Gr.; and we may correspondingly paraphrase, “(you were taught) with regard to the fact that the new man was put on.” On the meaning of the phrase here, see notes on Ephesians 4:22 , where it is explained by contrast and implication. The “putting on the new man” is the inseparable converse to the “putting off the old man.” There is no neutral border; to step out of the old position and connexion, out of Adam, is to step into the new, into Christ. Meantime, what is in covenant and in principle a thing done, is to be in realization and application a thing doing, a thing repeated. So we have Romans 13:14 ; “ put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,” an exhortation to a new act of realization. And cp. Colossians 3:12 . The other side, the side (as we believe) of this passage, appears Galatians 3:27 ; “ ye did put on Christ.” the new man ] Practically, the new position and power (legal and moral, see note on Ephesians 4:22 ) of the regenerated self. In a deeper analysis, we trace (as above on Ephesians 4:22 ) a reference to the Second Man, the Second Adam, Christ. (See the quotation from St Ignatius, Introd. , p. 28. See also, for another aspect of this phrase, Ephesians 2:15 ).

By incorporation with Him His “members” become (in a sense needing reverent caution in the statement) repetitions of Him the glorious Archetype, as occupants of His position of Acceptance, and as “one spirit” with Him, and as enabled in Him to live a life whose principle is His—separation from sin to God. To come to be “in Him” is thus to “put on the New Man” in the sense of part and lot in the standing and in the power of the Lord as Second Covenant Head. But, we repeat it, the practical reference of the verse is to the “newness” of the believer’s standing and power, acquired in regeneration. which ] Better, in modern English, who . after God ] “Answering His great Idea,” His plan and will. is created ] Better, was created . This “creation” was accomplished, ideally, when the new Covenant Head of the regenerate Race was provided, in eternal purpose; historically, when He was “made Man,” in time; actually, for individuals, when each believer “put on Christ,” came to be “in Him.” Cp. on the thought of spiritual “creation” ch. Ephesians 2:10 ; Ephesians 2:15 ; 2 Corinthians 5:17 ; Galatians 6:15 ; and especially Colossians 3:10 , a close and suggestive parallel here. righteousness ] Of which the essential idea is willing conformity to Law; “the keeping of His commandments.” true holiness ] Lit., sanctity of the truth .