Ephesians 81-82_23a Ephesians 4:17-32
Ephesians 1981-82 Corps Teachings. Lesson 20 Part 1: Ephesians 4:17-32.
Format: AUDIO
Publication Date: 1981-82
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
EPHESIANS 4:17-32
April 5, 1982
I’d like for you to take your Bibles and go to Ephesians please. I’m going to teach
Ephesians tonight beginning where I left off last Wednesday night. So Ephesians chapter 4
tonight we begin with verse 17.
Ephesians 4:17
This I say therefore [King James], and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth
walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Speaking of Gentiles, there are nine different states of the Gentiles mentioned in this
verse and the following verse…verses through verse 19. I will give you all nine of them.
Number one—this is the state of the Gentiles.
[1.] Number one: Vain in mind—verse 17.
[2.] Darkened in understanding, number two—verse 18.
[3.] Three, Alienated from God’s life—verse 18.
[4.] Number four: Ignorant of God—verse 18.
[5.] Number five: Blind in heart—also in verse 18.
[6.] Number six: Past feeling—verse 19.
[7.] Number seven: Lustful—verse 19.
[8.] Number eight: Homosexual—verse 19.
And finally…
[9.] Number nine is: Greed—in verse 19.
This word “vanity” describes any thought or action not directed toward pleasing God
or building the truth of His Word. Now that is a great definition of vanity. It’s different
than most likely Webster says or some of the rest, but that’s what vanity is. It’s any
thought or action, people, not directed towards pleasing God or building the truth of His
Word. The way out of, the way out of this bleak existence is beautifully and powerfully
and dynamically set forth in Ephesians 4:25-31 which we will be at, but it’s also given in
Ecclesiastes. And I’d like to go to Ecclesiastes with you in chapter 12 of Ecclesiastes.
That’s the last chapter. Verse 13 of the last chapter of Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Let us hear the [what?] conclusion of the whole matter: [reverence God,
respect,] Fear [love] God,…keep his commandments: for this is the whole…
of man.
This is the wholeness of man. Verse 14.
Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,
whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Now the literal translation according to usage of verse 17 is:
Ephesians 4:17 Literal translation according to usage
Therefore I say this and solemnly witness to it in the Lord’s name that you
quit walking as the unsaved Gentiles who walked by the egotistical perverseness
of their minds.
Once more: “Therefore I say this and solemnly witness to it in the Lord’s name that
you quit walking as the unsaved Gentiles who walked by the egotistical perverseness of
their minds.”
Now the expanded one. And I’m going to be moving along tonight {audience
laughter}, as you’ve already found out, right? {Audience laughter.} I hadn’t thought about
it yet. Now I’m thinking about it. So I know you got people that take short hand. Go see
them. I know you will have…have it on tape, you can play it back again, listen to it. So
being the night that it is and my being limited to the amount of time I have available, you
just have to move along. Here’s the expanded one.
Ephesians 4:17a Expanded translation
This [comma], including everything I have said before [comma], I am saying
further and I am bearing a solemn witness in the Lord as a sold out
doulos…
Honey, bring me some coffee, will ya?
Ephesians 4:17b Expanded translation
…that now you will no longer be walking as the unsaved Gentiles are
walking in the deceiving egotism of their minds without any profitable fruit.
Now push yourself to write fast next time. Got to always keep pushing yourself. Most
of you that just write long hand could write three times as fast as you do if you ever put
your mind to it. Write. Push your mind. Push your dumb pencil. That’s what you’ve got it
for. If you can’t spell a word, approximate it and fill it in later. You know, “it” usually is
spelled “t-i” or whichever way you spell it. See if you can’t spell it, just forget it, scratch it
in, go back to it.
Verse 18, King James.
Ephesians 4:18
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God
through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their
heart:
“Having the understanding darkness” is a figure of speech where the physical
illustration points up a spiritual reality with a greater clarity than it would if you just said it
plainly.
“…through the ignorance”—Those words, the Aramaic literal is “because that there is
no knowledge.” I can understand “through ignorance” because if there’s no knowledge, it’s
what? Ignorance.
The “blindness” here in verse 18—The “blindness” is like a hardness of the heart. One
of the people translates it “paralysis of the heart.” [Chuckles.] When a girl has that, it’s
hard to inspire her, fellows {audience laughter}.
Also, the “blindness of the heart” is a figure of speech. Again, where a physical
illustration is used to represent a spiritual reality. The literal statement would be “blindness
of the eyes.” That’s where you got blindness.
Now the literal translation according to usage of verse 18 is:
Ephesians 4:18 Literal translation according to usage
Having the thoughts of their minds in darkness and alienated from the life…
…God gives…better put that “and alienated from the life of God.”
Ephesians 4:18 Literal translation according to usage
…from the life of God because of their refusal of knowledge and hardness
of mind.
Expanded.
Ephesians 4:18 Expanded translation
Having their minds blocked out and alienated from the life God gives
because of the calloused hardness of their idol worshipping minds.
That’s a beautiful expanded translation of that verse. Verse 19, who past feeling.
Ephesians 4:19
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to
work all uncleanness with greediness.
So many of you coughing, we better have the twig meetings afterwards tonight, huh?
The Aramaic for these words “being past feeling”—uh, really in my heart and real neat,
the literal of the Aramaic words are “who cut off their hope.” Past feeling, cut off their
hope. A very unique way of saying it.
“…have given themselves over”—The Aramaic has “and they surrendered themselves.”
That’s have given themselves over, surrendered themselves.
The word “lasciviousness” means unrestrained in their actions because their minds
have become calloused.
The word “uncleanness” deals in two categories. It covers unclean spirits and unclean
living in a moral sense including homosexuality.
The word “covetousness” means greedy, a desire far more than you need.
This…or these words “to work all uncleanness” the last part of the verse. The “to
work”—those words imply soliciting customers, and that would apply to soliciting
customers for idol worshipping as well as for homosexuality, lesbianism and all those
other things.
The literal translation of verse 19.
Ephesians 4:19 Literal translation according to usage
Who having cut themselves off from the hope having surrendered themselves
to unbridled lusts to practice all uncleanness with a covetous desire
for more.
Expanded.
Ephesians 4:19a Expanded translation
Have cut off their hope are insensitive to truth…
Then I put in a parenthesis just to clarify it in my mind.
Ephesians 4:19b Expanded translation
…(feel no pain in being wrong) [end of parenthesis] having surrendered
themselves to all moral and spiritual lusts to practice all uncleanness desiring
more and more.
See, if you’ll take that expanded one from the end of verse 18 their idol worshipping,
what? minds have cut off their hope of 19, are insensitive to truth having surrendered
themselves to all moral and spiritual lusts to practice all uncleanness desiring more and
more. And if you want to put a parenthesis, what did they desire more and more?
Uncleanness.
Verse 20, King James.
Ephesians 4:20
But ye have not so learned Christ;
[Chuckles with previous phrase.] So I just translated it literally as follows, verse 20.
Ephesians 4:20 Literal translation according to usage
But you learned living differently when you were taught about Christ.
Expanded.
Ephesians 4:20 Expanded translation
But you were not taught in that manner but differently when you were born
again by the power of God which is Christ in you.
Verse 21, King James.
Ephesians 4:21
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is
in Jesus:
“…heard” here, means to hear to the end of understanding. They understood Christ
through Paul’s teaching.
The word “as” sets the standard. The standard of the teaching was according to the
truth exemplified by Jesus, the humiliated one. That’s why in verse 20 you had Christ the
exalted one before the humiliated one.
The literal translation of 21. “Now, you stop your former behavior…” Am I in…where
am I? Twenty-one. Okay I’m in 22 on my script. Wrong place. Twenty-one.
Ephesians 4:21 Literal translation according no usage
In as much as you heard him with understanding and were taught by him
even as the truth is in what Jesus taught.
Expanded. In as much as you heard him…now wait a minute.
Ephesians 4:21a Expanded translation
In as much as you heard…
“In as much as you heard,” is the expanded.
Ephesians 4:21b Expanded translation
…to the end of believing Christ [pauses and exhales] and understood and
were instructed according to the truth of and in Jesus.
Verse 22, King James.
Ephesians 4:22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
The Aramaic translation is “but that you should rest.” That’s neat, because if you “put
it off,” you’re going to be at rest [chuckles]. That you should rest. The old man actions
have to be put off like you take off your clothes. You do it, not your grandma, unless
you’re a little grandchild. You do it, you put it off. It doesn’t say pray about it. Do it! Take
your clothes off, you change clothes, so this is a change of clothing.
From your former, or old man, way of life—“former conversation.”
And you would all know “the old man” has to be a figure of speech, Hypocatastasis
figure. See.
“…which is corrupt”—You could literally say “the corrupted old man.” I put down
here: the old man of former behavior corrupted according to the lusts of deceit.
The lust of deceit, and that is…those words “deceitful lusts” are a figure of speech, it’s
a Metonymy of Effect, in which deceit, the effect, is put for the cause, the Deceiver.
Literally, it is the passionate desires of the Deceiver, passionate desires, you know, got his
tongue hanging out, passionate desires. That ought to communicate to you young people
[audience laughter and Dr. Wierwille chuckles].
Twenty-two, literal.
Ephesians 4:22 Literal translation according to usage
Now you stop your former behavior of the old man corrupted according to
the passionate desires of the Deceiver.
Expanded.
Ephesians 4:22 Expanded translation
Now you lay aside strip off,…
Maybe I should just said “strip” huh? Tear off.
Ephesians 4:22 Expanded translation
…tear off and stop your former behavior and way of life which is still the
old man who is rotten according to all the deceptive desires [comma], passions
of the Deceiver, the Devil.
That’s a good verse for the Advanced Class [chuckles].
Verse 23, King James.
Ephesians 4:23
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
It’s interesting the Aramaic says “and you will become new.”
“…in the spirit” means the individual self, you yourself, the seat of the operation of
your life. Like “in the spirit of your mind” literally is “the life that is to say, your mind.”
Literal translation of verse 23.
Ephesians 4:23 Literal translation according to usage
And you will be renewed in your life that is to say your mind.
See, the mind is in control of your body [chuckles]. See.
Expanded. “And you will become a new person”—you can see I took that directly from
the Aramaic.
Ephesians 4:23 Expanded translation
And you will become a new person in your life because of your renewed
mind.
That ought to make a lot of sense to you.
Verse 24, King James.
Ephesians 4:24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness
and true holiness.
To put on is to clothe yourself. You unclothe yourself; now you put on, clothe yourself.
Again, it’s that figure of speech, you know, Hypocatastasis, where the main idea is only
implied from the context. Here it’s talking about putting on clothing. The same is true of
“the new man,” same figure.
Now the word “created” is singularly important in this verse because God had to
create. To create means to bring into existence that which has never been before, and
because man is dead in trespasses and sins, if he’s dead—now if he’s going to have to get
life, God has to use the word “create.” And that why…why this word “create” is so
dynamically true. The new man created according to God. [Sneezes] Excuse me.
This “true holiness” is holiness of truth. Pure truth. Would that make sense to you?
This really emphasizes the quality of that new man, that it’s holiness and that it’s
absolutely based on truth. It again is a remarkable verse, and here’s the literal.
Ephesians 4:24a Literal translation according to usage
And to clothe yourself with the new man...
To clothe yourself is works. The new birth is of grace, not works. So the clothing of
yourself, and to clothe yourself with the new man.
Ephesians 4:24b Literal translation according to usage
…clothe yourself with the new man which by God was created in righteousness
and pure truth.
Gosh, these records are just fantastic when you understand the Word. Born again with
God in Christ in you—that’s the new man, that’s by grace. Now you know you’ve got it
because you can speak in tongues and you know the Word. Then you put on the new man
according to the work…Word in your head and you walk it and you talk it.
The expanded translation is:
Ephesians 4:24 Expanded translation
And put on your spiritual clothing once and for all which is the son of God,
the inner new man that which God created and this is righteousness which is
truth in all its purity.
Verse 25, King James.
Ephesians 4:25
Wherefore [put] away lying,…
Don’t pray about it, do it.
Ephesians 4:25
…speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of
another.
This “putting away” here is the same root as the one in 22 where it was talking about
rest. Same as putting off the old man in verse 22. Here, putting off clothing.
This “every man speaking truth with his neighbor” is a citation, it’s a Gnome, figure of
speech, taken from Zechariah 8:16. And this is the first figure of speech here in chapter 4
that highlights in a particular way the things to do in putting off the old man. The others
that are highlighted are: [1.] Number one: be angry and sin not; [2.] Number two: steal
no more; [3.] Number three: no corrupt communication, [4.] Number four: grieve not
the Holy Spirit; [5.] Number five: get rid of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil
speaking; [6.] Number six: be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving.
Now this word “members” in the verse—Again is that figure of speech, Hydocata…
catastatis, Hypocatastasis, where the imagery of the body is used, we talked about so much
in the last session [taps several times].
And the word “neighbor” in here is a…a believer who is a neighbor of yours, a
believing neighbor. Not unbelieving neighbors that live next door in the world to you. Not
talking about those.
Now here’s the literal of 25.
Ephesians 4:25 Literal translation according to usage
Wherefore put away the lie and everyone speak the truth with his neighbor
for we are members one of another.
Expanded.
Ephesians 4:25 Expanded translation
Because of this [comma], being created in righteousness and truly pure
[comma], you put away [comma], completely laid to rest [comma],…
The picture I have in my mind is a funeral service; put the dude in the ground, cover
him over, completely laid to rest.
Ephesians 4:25 Expanded translation
…the lie that you have been and were living [comma], each one of you
[comma], speak the truth using a quotation from the Word...
I think this verse is just fantastic in the expanded. You’re talking to a believer, trying to
help that believer; the only way the Word of God says you can really help him is to give
him the Word. Give him the Word, using a quotation from the Word.
Ephesians 4:25 Expanded translation
…with his believing neighbor, for we are members one of another in the
body of the Church.
I wish you’d work that down to a fine point in your head and heart and living.
Twenty-six, everybody likes.
Ephesians 4:26
Be ye angry, and sin not: [King James] let not the sun go down upon your
wrath:
I just thought of it now, too late to think about it I guess but still thinking. Uh…it’s
funny I didn’t think about that at 4:00 this morning, but I didn’t.
This word “angry” comes from the Greek word, orgē, o-r-g-long ē. I think it’ll be the
same root we get orgies from, orgasms, and that kind of word. I’m sure the Research
Department is making notes at International [laughter and chuckles]. In other words, be
real orgastic about it or something. I don’t know if that’s a word or not [chuckles].
Ahhh…Shoot! That’s sort of neat. [Laughter]. I’ve got a vivid picture in my mind that I
can’t describe momentarily {audience laughter}. Getting all lathered up being angry, you
know, “allll” excited. The only thing is it has to be righteous [laughs with audience]. Oh
shoot, it’s sort of neat when you think about it how many times we’ve become angry on
the unrighteous side. Somebody says something, it triggers something and we’re just hotter
than a little red hen in July. See, just that quick [snaps]. You know. You’re really
orgasming at that moment, you know. I…I…I think we’re going to have fun with the Word
when we get it put together. It’s a very vivid mind picture to me, see, very vivid [laughs
with audience]. Oh….[burst of laughter]. Research Department put in here: momentary
irri…irritation {audience laughter}. Oh, it’s beautiful! I love you Lord [chuckles]. Ahh…I
think the reason they did is it says don’t let the sun go down, but suppose you got irritated
at 4:00 in the morning and you don’t go…sun don’t go down until 6:00 that night. You’ve
got fourteen hours of…orgēs or something [laughs with audience]. Ohhhh….thank you
Lord. I tell you, it’s great {audience continues to laugh}. This, by the way, is a quotation
from Psalm 4:4. That’s why it’s a figure of speech, haha. The big key in here is don’t sin.
You know. That one is where you’re going to have the opportunity. See, nobody makes
you angry. You allow yourself to get angry. So we’re dealing here with being angry with
sin but not with the sinner.
Well, it wasn’t too difficult to translate it literally. Twenty, uh…six.
Ephesians 4:26a Literal translation according to usage
You be righteously angry…
How’s that?
Ephesians 4:26b Literal translation according to usage
…and you will not be sinning; don’t go to bed even with a momentary
irritation.
Gotcha outta that one. Ahhh…you are wonderful. Now here’s the expanded one.
Ephesians 4:26a Expanded translation
You’ll always stay angry with an all out desire…
That “all out desire” is, you know, this stuff… orgē {audience laughter}.
Ephesians 4:26b Expanded translation
…to have them to change which anger will not be sin on your part even if it
is only a momentary irritation, when you go to bed go to sleep.
Verse 27, King James.
Ephesians 4:27
Neither give place to the devil.
That word “place” means any portion or space that’s marked off. I’ve watched T.J.,
he’s marked off his territory. It’s to the Devil, not a devil but to the Devil, diabolos.
The literal translation is:
Ephesians 4:27 Literal translation according to usage
Do not give any portion or space or an opportunity to the Devil.
To get the impact of the expanded one, you’ll have to pick up, you know, when you go
to bed, go to sleep.
The expanded one says:
Ephesians 4:27 Expanded translation
And you will not give a toe hold….
And people, the Devil can never get a foot hold in your life until he first gets a toe
hold.
Ephesians 4:27 Expanded translation
And you will not give a toe hold an opportunity or an occasion for the Devil
to eat you—
Then I put a note “John 10:10a” behind it—the thief cometh not but for to what?
{steal}. See? That’s the key. He can never do that until you first give him a toe hold. Once
you give him a toe hold, he’ll put his arches in and then finally his heel, whole foot.
Verse 28, King James.
Ephesians 4:28a
Let him that stole…
…pray about it {No.} Let him do what?
Ephesians 4:28b
…steal no more [quit it]: but rather let him labour, working with his hands
[the things…] the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that
needeth.
Yeah. In Eastern culture and I think it’s true today in many countries, and it’s
increasingly becoming more true in the United States that people just do not consider it a
sin or a shame to steal. I heard of a fellow had his whole basement full of stuff he brought
home from the shop or factory. That’s stealing, no shame anymore. But it has become a
part of their livelihood, this stealing.
This word “labor” in here means work which results in fatigue so you can go to sleep at
night [chuckles]. Had a person like that once in the ministry we brought to International
because she just couldn’t sleep at night, you know. She’s always worrying about stuff and
all that junk. So the second day she was there I put her on a hoe and a shovel. She hadn’t
had a hoe and a shovel in her hands for years and years. So I put her on a hoe and a shovel,
gave her a pair of gloves so she wouldn’t get blisters, said she’d…keep her awake at night,
and I worked the fanny off her all day. That night she went to bed {audience laughter} and
she slept. One day I taught her the great principle. If you mess around all day, nothing to
do, and you know, and you sleep until 11:00 in the morning. Then you get up and rest at
2:00 until 4:00 in the afternoon, you know. And then go out and have a dinner party, and
you know, get back in at 10:00, make love, go to sleep or try to, then you stay awake all
night. Can’t figure out why you can’t sleep. I’ve never found any trouble with sleep. All
you have to do is work people. That’s right. A lot of times the best way, especially for
people that are used to working their mind is to take them off of stuff working their mind.
Don’t let them work so hard in their mind, put them a…give them a shovel or a hammer or
a pick or something else totally different that will teach them very quickly that the human
body is made to go to sleep at night. So quit stewing about it. If you can’t ever sleep, just
join me. I’ll put you to work some place {audience chuckles} and we’ll get you to sleep.
Yeah. That’s wonderful. What verse am I supposed to be in? {28}. Twenty-eight.
The Aramaic for “corrupt” in this verse 28…is that corrupt in twenty, that’s 29. I’m
through with 28, ain’t I? {No.}Why am I not? {Some laughter.} Oh, I got to give you the
literal? {Yeah.} Is that right? You sure got me all excited but you’re right. I’m still
thinking about that orgē word, 28 {audience laughter}. Verse 28 literal now [laughter].
Ephesians 4:28 Literal translation according to usage
And he who was stealing quit stealing but work hard with his hands at good
things in order that he may have something to share with that one who
needeth.
And this is the expanded one, if you bring me a cup of coffee {audience laughter}.
Ephesians 4:28a Expanded translation
And he who was habitually stealing…
Gets to be a habit, habitually stealing.
Ephesians 4:28b Expanded translation
…doesn’t need to steal any longer for a livelihood but work hard with his
hands…
(It’s getting darker.)
Ephesians 4:28c Expanded translation
…at good works in order that he will have something to share with the ones
who have a need.
Verse 29, King James.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is
good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
That word “corrupt” in the Aramaic is the word “hateful.”
The word “communication” in Greek is the word logos. The Aramaic has the word
“saying” s-a-y-i-n-g for it. And I put them both together in the light of hateful word or
words. A hateful word or words. Words is sayings. Understand?
This word “corrupt” in the Greek associates itself with corrupted fruit, fruit that we
would speak of as being rotten, bananas that have the black spots on them or something.
We’ve got some on the coach {audience laughter}. I like them when they get that way, but
when they get too black then I object. Ahhh…{audience laughter}. You’re a joy to have
tonight, honey.
“…that which is good” in the Aramaic is “that which is pleasing.” I think that’s a nice
word, pleasing. You know. If I am pleasing to you, I’m good to you, but I think pleasing
communicates more of my heart, more of yours, if you’re pleasing to someone rather than
to say well I’m good to you.
“…to the use of building up”—The Aramaic again is very wonderful, and fitting—and
fitting, fitting for edifying. [Chuckles.] And I have a picture again in my mind of a
building, remember fused together, fitting? I think it’s neat.
Well, the literal according to usage of 29 is:
Ephesians 4:29 Literal translation according to usage
Let no impure word come out of your mouth but that which is pleasing
building up the believers in order that your word may minister grace to the
hearing ones.
Don’t you just love that? Grace, unmerited favor. No impure word come out of your
mouth but that which is pleasing. Maybe they don’t deserve it but you’re still giving it to
them because it’s like grace, unmerited. It’s a tremendous verse of scripture.
Here’s the expanded.
Ephesians 4:29 Expanded translation
Let not even one piece of putrid fruit or a single word come out of your
mouth…
Gosh, I wish I were the man I know to be.
Ephesians 4:29 Expanded translation
…but only that which is pleasingly good fruit wholesome words profitable
for building up the believing of the other believers in order that your word
and words will express your heart of grace to those believers who hear you.
Boy, don’t you see how the renewed mind fits in here? Man, when you really renew
your mind, you have a heart of grace toward others. Well, isn’t that wonderful?
Verse 30, King James.
Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day
of redemption.
The Aramaic puts it in this fashion, “and you should not be grieving.” Yeah.
“…grieve” again is a figure of speech, this Anthropopatheia. Grieve not the holy
spirit…God…of God. See, whenever we do that we break the unity of the spirit. This
perhaps will come to my mind at the Rock of Ages this year. I may handle it then again.
The unity of the spirit is broken when you grieve the holy spirit of God.
“…ye are sealed” in the Aramaic again is beautiful, “that by him you were sealed.”
“…the day of redemption” is the gathering together of the Church.
The literal translation is:
Ephesians 4:30 Literal translation according to usage
Do not offend or grieve God who is Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed
until the day of redemption.
The expanded one.
Ephesians 4:30 Expanded translation
And you will not be grieving, distressing or making God sad who is the
Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed until the day of the gathering together
of His Church.
Thirty-one, King James.
Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be
put away from you, with all malice:
The word “wrath” in Aramaic is the word “passion.” And it’s passion in the sense of
being like venom. That’s the poison of a snake, I think. Some people’s tongues are just like
that. You ever met them? They have a real passion just to hurt people. That’s this word
[taps twice].
One of the Bible scholars called it “fermenting of the mind.” He must have been in the
hill country of North Carolina or some of those places. Bullinger says it’s the
demonstration of strong passion.
“…clamour” is the word tumult or controversy.
“…evil speaking” is bla…like blasphemy.
All of these words, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil speaking are the figure of
speech, Synonymia, s-y-n-o-n-y-m-i-a, where you have a repetition of words from different
roots with similar meanings.
It’s sort of neat that the texts start with that inner thought of bitterness and manifesting
itself in the last one, evil speaking. And they are all under the category of things you put
away, clothes you lay off.
There are a lot of “ands” in here which makes it Polysyndeton.
Here’s the literal of 31.
Ephesians 4:31 Literal translation according to usage
All bitterness and venom and anger and making an uproar and blasphemous
speech be put away from you with no intention to hurt.
Isn’t that beautiful? There are just some people who always want to hurt.
Expanded.
Ephesians 4:31a Expanded translation
All bitterness and fermenting of the mind and impulsive anger and making a
scene and blasphemous railings…
Will be cleanly swept.
Ephesians 4:31b Expanded translation
…will be cleanly swept away from you together with every intention to hurt
anyone.
And now the closing verse of this chapter, 32.
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even
as God for Christ’s sake hath [what?] {forgiven you}.
I think Ephesians is great on this night when the Twigs do communion. From
everything we’ve handled tonight, closing it out with this great verse. Anytime I’ve ever
met an individual that had trouble forgiving anybody else, I’m talking believer, it was that
they forgot what God forgave them for. If you just remember what kind of stinker you
were, you won’t have any difficulty forgiving other stinkers {some laughter}. If we just
remember what God redeemed us from and for and what we’re living for, because I never
saw a man or a woman yet wearing a halo before they got saved. So let’s just put our three
Lincoln pennies in the basket and forget it.
Verse 32, this “forgiving” is in the sense of where you treat that individual graciously,
with grace, remember? Well, I don’t know what else to say about it. You see, this
forgiving, is—they’ve got it in here too in this manuscript—is to the measure that each
believer has had his sins forgiven by God. And the Word of God says that it’s love that
covers a multitude of sins. And if God in Christ Jesus covers the multitude, for us, then the
least I can do with God’s grace upon my life where I got saved and the love of God in the
renewed mind in manifestation is be forgiving, loving and gracious to my brothers and my
sisters.
The literal according to usage of this wonderful verse is, 32.
Ephesians 4:32 Literal translation according to usage
And be ye gentle one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other in the
same manner as God also in Christ forgave you.
And the expanded one is:
Ephesians 4:32 Expanded translation
And become pleasingly gentle so you will be pleasingly tenderhearted to
each other and be forgiving of each other in such a manner even as God also
in Christ Jesus forgives you.
And Corps, I think this is a tremendous section of God’s Word on this particular
Monday of the last week of Christ’s life historically, and a beautiful Monday when we
open the Advanced Class at all the different locations. And my prayer and my desire for
the hearts of all our people is that we may have ears to hear, eyes to see and the
understanding of the greatness of God’s Word to live it.
[Prayer] Thank you Father for allowing me to open this Advanced Class on Power for
Abundant Living tonight, to be here in Emporia, and around the country, at Headquarters,
and the Indiana Campus, and Gunnison, with our people. And I thank you Father for
making this the most wonderful Advanced Class to the end that we will have eyes to see
and ears to hear and gain an understanding of the greatness of your Word so that we may
graciously, and pleasingly and lovingly help others. Thank you Father, in the name of
Jesus Christ, our lord and our savior, Amen.