Ephesians 81-82_25a_Ephesians 5:9-21
Ephesians 1981-82 Corps Teachings. Lesson 22 Part 1: Ephesians 5:9-21.
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 5:9-21
April 14, 1982
Ephesians chapter 5 tonight. We open with verse 9 of chapter 9 14 tonight. King James
has a parenthesis here. And verse 9 reads in the King James.
Ephesians 5:9
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
It is…it, it…it’s not really a parenthesis. There’s another figure of speech, and I’m
going to spell this for you because you have perhaps not run into this as frequently as we
have a Parenthesis. It’s whenever, it’s…it’s a short parenthesis, something that isn’t a
complete parenthesis. It’s a little one, a baby parenthesis. And it’s called Epitrechon. It’s
spelled e-p-i-t-r-e-c-h-o-n. It’s a very brief explanatory remark.
Now [chuckles] this word “fruit”—“Fruit of the spirit” is King James. It’s a…it’s a
figure of speech too. It’s this figure, Hypocatastasis, that we’ve had so frequently in the
Book of Ephesians, where the main idea is replaced by an imported image, fruit of the
spirit. Reminds you of Galatians 5:22, doesn’t it? See.
The…the word fruit…ahh…“spirit” is really the word “light.” It should be the word
“light,” not “spirit.” How it ever…how they ever got the word “spirit” in here must have
been a—you know, somebody was thinking Galatians 5:22 and they just put it in. It’s the
word…it’s the word for “light,” see, in Aramaic and most of the critical Greek texts. It’s
the fruit of light.
The usage of the word “fruit” and that figure is to me real significant here, because the
fruit of light has goodness, righteousness and truth. See it? Now in order to have fruit,
you’ve got to someplace start, I think, with a bud, you know, like you have apples. Before
you can have an apple you’ve got to have a bud or something. And then as I was thinking
of this scripture here and how beautiful it was. If you’re going to have the fruit of light,
then you’ve really got to stay right on. You’ve got to have a bud, and suppose it freezes
and the buds are out, like here in Indiana. If you’re in the spring of the year and your buds
are out on your trees and stuff, if it freezes you will have no what? Fruit. And suppose the
worms get in the apples. You still don’t have fruit. And suppose the fruit is distorted or
deformed, you still don’t have good fruit. So when you look at this verse in the light of the
context that we’re dealing with, one true God and all these other whoremongers and
everything else, the fruit of light, the fruit of light is goodness, righteousness, truth. Then
you…in order to have that fruit of light, you’ve got to develop it. See. The manifestations
of the spirit produce what? the fruit. But if you don’t operate the manifestations and it
freezes, the buds gone, you have no what? fruit. Or if the worms get in it you still don’t
have good fruit. Or if it’s deformed, you still don’t have good fruit. This will all deal with
the walk of the believer.
Goodness—the fruit of light is in goodness, and righteousness and truth. Well, good-
14 Dr. Wierwille misspoke. He just stated chapter 5 in the previous sentence.
ness, you know what goodness is. I don’t have to explain it. Righteousness I’ve told you
many times is your God-given justification whereby you stand in the presence of God
without any sense of fear or guilt or condemnation or frustration. I’ve translated literally as
follows. Oh and by the way, the…the text is plural on “fruit,” and that’s why in my literal I
placed it in the plural.
Ephesians 5:9 Literal translation according to usage
For the fruits of light in all of them are goodness and righteousness and
truth.
That’s the literal. You see, it’s a carry on, it’s a little…a little figure of speech, a little
parenthesis following on verse 8 that I finished with…last week with you kids. Verse 8
closed with the word “light,” children of light, walk because you are the light, for the fruits
of light in all of them, children of light, all of them, are three things: goodness—fruits are
goodness, righteousness and what? truth.
Now I did an extensive expanded one so there would be a great understanding in the
Corps of this wonderful verse. And here’s the expanded one: For the fruits of the sons of
God are goodness.
Ephesians 5:9a Expanded translation
For the fruits of the sons of God are goodness…
Then I put a parenthesis.
Ephesians 5:9b Expanded translation
…(which serves to guard others from the Adversary)…
Now all of these parenthesis that I put in this expanded one explain the previous
verse…ah, word.
Ephesians 5:9 Expanded translation
…the fruits of the sons of God are goodness ([goodness] which serves to
guard others from the Adversary)…
Your sharing, your life, your heart, the knowledge of God’s Word as sons of God,
that’s goodness which serves to guard others from the Adversary. You understand?
Then the next two words are:
Ephesians 5:9c Expanded translation
…and righteousness…
Then a parenthesis.
Ephesians 5:9d Expanded translation
…(the God-given justification to every believer whereby that believer stands
in the presence of God without any sense of sin, guilt or condemnation)...
End of parenthesis. Boy, kids, that’s really something too [taps on desk throughout this
phrase]. Fruits of the sons of God. Fruits—goodness and righteousness. And righteousness
is: that God-given justification to every believer whereby that believer stands in the
presence of God without any sense of sin, guilt or condemnation.
And then the final word in this verse: and truth. Then another parenthesis—which will
keep you, truth. See?
Ephesians 5:9e Expanded translation
…and truth (which will keep you from being deceived by the Adversary
and not to fall into the error of having more than one God) 15.
End of parenthesis. As I look at this whole section of Ephesians, I believe that we’re
still dealing basically with people who have more than one God in everything that came
out of it. This will show up more and more as I get further into these verses now. And
having checked all the different texts and so forth, there is no one that I have seen that has
handled it from the way in which I’m going to handle it with you tonight. I thought today I
had all of this stuff basically through before lunch, and then I heard our girl…ah…Jackson,
wasn’t it? Who shared at her birthday? {Audience replies.} Huh? Marge, right. And when
she was talking about what had happened to her life previous to coming to the Word, I
thought of this scripture. See? It is truth that keeps you from being deceived by the
Adversary. She didn’t have any truth, like she admitted to. She didn’t know God or the
things of God. And people, without knowing the Word of God, you’re never going to have
truth. You’ve got to come back to the Word and its truth that keeps us from falling into the
error of having more than one God. And wherever, people have had more than one God,
there’s always been all of these other problems that have developed. Well, that’s the
greatness of that wonderful verse 9 as far as I understand it tonight.
Verse 10 in the King James reads:
Ephesians 5:10
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Well…[chuckles], “proving”—“demonstrating” is a word that I will be using. As we
walk—as we walk in the fruits of the light of goodness, righteousness and truth, we will
demonstrate, we’ll make manifest. Do you understand? It will be declared, made evident.
The word “acceptable” here may be well pleasing. The Greek word implies the
establishment of a positive relationship between two factions—two factions establishing a
working…a positive relationship between two factions, which then is to make peace or to
reconcile the two factions. I translated verse 10 literally as follows.
Ephesians 5:10 Literal translation according to usage
Demonstrating what is well pleasing before the Lord.
And then the expanded one.
Ephesians 5:10 Expanded translation
And thus by your walk you continue to demonstrate that which is well
pleasing before and to our Lord.
Now I did another expanded one. This one I just did for fun. But if you ask me which
one I like better of the two, I like this one the better.
Ephesians 5:10 Expanded translation
And thus by your walk you continue to demonstrate that you are reconciled
to God and at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Ephesians 5:9 Expanded translation For the fruits of the sons of God are goodness (which serves to
guard others from the Adversary) and righteousness (the God-given justification to every believer whereby
that believer stands in the presence of God without any sense of sin, guilt or condemnation) and truth (which
will keep you from being deceived by the Adversary and not to fall into the error of having more than one
God).
And the reason I like that so much is because of the positive relationship that’s
established between two factions, making peace and reconciling, and that’s from that
Greek word, are…arestos, a-r-e-s-t-o-s, which the Research Department has here in the
script, and I thought that was just tremendous. Listen to that again.
Ephesians 5:10 Expanded translation
And thus by your walk you continue to demonstrate that you are reconciled
to God and at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 11 in King James reads:
Ephesians 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
reprove...
This “have no fellowship with” is have no partnership with. You can’t have a
partnership without a voluntary association, so don’t get voluntarily associated [chuckles]
with these dudes, have no fellowship with.
The word “unfruitful” is unprofitable works. It’s unfruitful, no fruit. If you don’t have
any fruit, you end up on the red side of the ledger, unprofitable.
Well, I don’t know what more to tell you about rest of it. You know works. Unfruitful
is a figure of speech. Works is a figure of speech. But…yeah.
The word “reprove” basically means to indicate to someone where he’s off so that he
may correct himself if he wants to.
I translated it literally as follows:
Ephesians 5:11 Literal translation according to usage
And have no participation with the bad fruit works of darkness but rather
reprove.
Now I know that that’s all there is in the texts, but when you really look at this in King
James: have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove.
Reprove what? What, what’s it mean reprove? I did the same thing here on the literal
sticking by the texts. Have no participation with the bad fruit works of darkness but rather
reprove. Reprove what? That’s why my expanded one’s going to make more sense.
Ephesians 5:11a Expanded translation
And be not partaking or voluntarily associating with those who have more
than one God…
That’s what I believe this whole section’s still dealing with.
Ephesians 5:11b Expanded translation
…with those who have more than one God, their works are bad fruit of the
dark one, the Devil, but prefer to expose and bring them to the light of the
truth that they may believe rightly.
Now, Corps, that to me makes a lot more sense. It’s a little expanded, but what you’re
after is truth. If you have to expand it to understand it, you expand it. Have no participation
with the bad fruits…fruit works of darkness but rather reprove. Well, what’s the bad fruit
works of darkness? Context that we started last week shows they had more than one God.
That’s why I translated it, “and be not partaking or voluntarily associating with those who
EPHESIANS 5:9-21—April 14, 1982 255
have more than one God, their works are bad fruit of the dark one.” See, the word
“darkness” is in the King James, but it really refers to the dark one, bad fruit of the dark
one, the Devil. But, in contrast to that, but…(find my place here)…but prefer, prefer to
expose and bring them to the light of the truth that they may do one thing: believe rightly,
change. Understand? That’s why I translated it that way.
Verse 12, King James.
Ephesians 5:12
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in
secret.
Well, if it’s a shame, it must be pretty bad. Aramaic word is abominable. It’s
abominable. See? In the Greek word is closely akin to the word “filthy.” You see, with
their many gods and everything that issued from it, the mystery religions, like the one of
Bacchus in Rome, it was so shameful, so abominable, that even the Roman Senate closed
it. Then it had to be pretty bad for those dudes to do it. That’s why all of these things in
here still deal with one God, one true God, and then all these other gods, when they
introduce all these abominable things.
Well, I translated it literally as follows, verse 12.
Ephesians 5:12a Literal translation according to usage
For it is profanity…
Profane, profanity.
Ephesians 5:12b Literal translation according to usage
…even to talk about the things…
May I have a cup of coffee—that’s not in the text {audience laughter}.
Ephesians 5:12c Literal translation according to usage
…they do in worship in their mystery religions.
The expanded one.
Ephesians 5:12 Expanded translation
For it is an abomination even to mention how they worship many gods in
their mystery religions.
For it is an abomination even to mention how they worship many gods in their mystery
religions.
Verse 13 in King James reads:
Ephesians 5:13a
But all things that are reproved…
We had the word “reprove” in verse 11, in King James. Remember? Got it here in 13.
Ephesians 5:13b
…are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is
light.
Had they translated King James uhh…“for light doth make everything manifest,” it’d
be neat. But I’m not worried about it right now. I’ll give it to you later on the translation.
But—for whatsoever doth may mani…doth make manifest is light. Uh, another one of
these verses that just doesn’t make much sense when you read it on the surface. You
wouldn’t expect a young person or anybody to just sit down and understand this; it just
doesn’t make good sense. At least it doesn’t to my head. See.
Three things you’ve always got to remember:
[1.] Number one: God is light. And you ought to put this scripture with it and share it
with your children and the rest that you have here.—1 John 1:5: God is light, and
in him is no what? darkness. Right? See.
[2.] Number two: Jesus Christ is light—John 8:12 and John 12:46.
[3.] And number three: The Word is light—John 1:1 and verse 4.
That’s why here in verse 13 of Chapter 5 you have the word “light” which has to be
represented by God, by Jesus Christ and by the Word.
Lamsa translates it, and every—
Ephesians 5:13b Lamsa
…anything that is made manifest is light.
That’s not true. It’s the light that makes it manifest, but anything that is manifested is
not li—not light.
Revised Version says, “For everything that’s made manifest is light.”
New English says, “But everything when once the light is shown it up is illumined, and
everything thus illumined is all light.” That’s not true.
I wrote alongside of this on the…my notes, “no deal.” [Laughter.] Those two words I
understood. And really it’s…as I see it in all the different translations and stuff, it still left
me in a great deal of confusion. And having gone through all of this I translated it literally,
this verse 13, as follows.
Ephesians 5:13 Literal translation according to usage
For all things that are exposed are made manifest and revealed by the light.
Now even that literal according to usage makes more sense. For all things that are
exposed are manifested. You see them. And revealed, shown to you, by the light. They
have twelve gods, three gods; truth, goodness, righteousness, truth, remember, it’ll show it
up. Revealed by the light. But here is the expanded one. And I think this is really…bless
your heart.
Ephesians 5:13a Expanded translation
For all the ways in which they worship their many gods are exposed by the
light of the truth…
And the light of the truth is God, remember, Jesus Christ and the Word.
Ephesians 5:13b Expanded translation
…by the light of the truth which brings everything to the light showing
what it really is.
Isn’t that wonderful? That makes sense. And in context I think we have an absolute
right to this because they are worshipping their many gods, and it’s a shame, it’s
abominable. But they keep doing it. That’s why:
Ephesians 5:13 Expanded translation
For all the ways in which they worship their many gods are exposed by the
light of the truth which brings everything to the light showing what it really
is.
There is no other way to ever see what something really is without applying the truth.
And the truth: God, His son Jesus Christ and the Word. They’re the light. They’re the
truth. That’s that wonderful verse.
Verse 14, King James.
Ephesians 5:14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and
Christ shall give thee light.
[Laughter.] Here you have another one of these verses, not as difficult perhaps to
understand as the previous ones, but still just doesn’t really hit a fellow in the eyeballs or
in the head heavy enough.
“…he saith”; “Wherefore he saith” or “it is said.”
The word “awake” is used of raising or arousing people who for one reason or another
ain’t awake. See. Didn’t set their alarm clock. The clock isn’t set. Didn’t set it. Didn’t
wake up. That’s this word “awake.”
“…thou that sleepest” is the sleeper. The one we have in Branded has “awakened.”
Greek word, “you who are sleeping” is the Greek literal of the Greek word.
The word “arise” is used of raising people up or getting them up who have the ability
to get up. They can get up by their own volition once the alarm goes off. That’s the word
“arise” here.
“…from the dead”—I think this is just terrific in the Aramaic, “out from the house of
the dead.” Have a whole house, like a worship center, temple, house of the dead, and
they’re worshipping all kinds of gods in there. Out from the house of the dead. The Greek
is “out from among the dead.”
And the Aramaic of “shall give thee light” is “and will be light to you.” Will be light to
you. I translated it literally, verse 14, as follows.
Ephesians 5:14 Literal translation according to usage
Wherefore it is said Wake up sleeper, get up and out from the dead and
Christ will be light to you.
You see, in that house of the dead there are still some that are not what? Dead. Others
in that house of the dead are never going to get out. They are dead. You can ring the fire
alarm. They’re going to stay. Nothing from the truth of God’s Word ever going to get them
out. But there are still some in that house of the dead that when the alarm is set, the truth is
spoken, they still have the ability to come up and out. Some of you were in that house [taps
four times]. When you heard the truth, the alarm went off, you came up and out on your
own ability.
Here’s the expanded one.
Ephesians 5:14 Expanded translation
Because of this light which is brought on the unfruitful works of darkness,
the many gods worshipped in the mystery religions it is plainly to be
understood, wake up man, you who are sleeping and get out of the house of
the dead and Christ will be light to you.
This is rather expanded, but it sure then makes sense. Because of this light which is
brought on the unfruitful works of darkness. I don’t like that “brought on.” I need a better
synonym. You know, it’s zoomed in on it. Understand? Because of this light which is—
ZZZZth—on the unfruitful works of darkness. {Focus.} Focused? That word “focused”
might be okay. Because of this light which is zoomed in on the unfruitful works of
darkness—the focused in on the wor…unfruitful works of darkness. The many gods
worshipped in the mystery religions. See, that’s what it’s focused in on. Then, you know,
“Wherefore it is said Wake up sleeper” it is plainly to be understood, plainly to be
understood, wake up man you who were sleeping, and get out of the house of the dead and
Christ will be light to you. As long as you stay there he cannot be light to you.
Well now verse 15, King James.
Ephesians 5:15
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as [what?] {wise,}
So apparently those who are in the house of the dead are sort of fools. They ain’t very
smart, not very sharp. But one of the reasons they aren’t is nobody’s given them the light.
Don’t you understand? Like when you were in the house of the dead, the reason you were
there, nobody had given you the light.
The word “walk” here is how you should walk, how you conduct yourself, conduct
one’s life. And you see, that’s why the word “walk” is a figure of speech. It’s an Idiom,
because the walk actually is used for the conduct of life, one’s general behavior.
Now this word “circumspectly”—I love the Aramaic translation of that word,
“honorably.” Greek “accurately.” Accurately in the sense of preciseness. It’s…the word is
used in the climbing to the summit of a peak, and for those of you who have done
climbing, maybe L.E.A.D., I don’t know. It’s the precise step, the precise movement, just
doing it just right that takes you to the tip of the summit. That’s the word [taps on desk].
Reminds me of the scripture, he makes my feet like hind’s feet and setteth me upon the
high places, just perfect. That’s the word “circumspectly.” Boy, you talk about accuracy
and detail, that…that’s really neat, isn’t it?
Now when it talks in the Bible about Paul says he belonged to the—he was the
Pharisee of the Pharisees, belonged to the strictest sect. That’s precise; that’s
circumspectly. That’s this word. [Chuckles.]
Aquilla and Priscilla when Apollos instructed them more perfectly, it’s this word, more
precisely, more honorably. It brings us to walking accurately with precision with a view to
the very top. You don’t cop out when you’re half way up on the walk, else you keep
tumbling down like Jack or Jill or something. It is to walk accurately with precision, with
detail, very honorably with a view to reaching the very top.
[Pauses and chuckles.] I had a letter from Pat Sabel today, bless his heart, one of our
cowboys, bareback riders. See. Reading his letter, and you know, other stuff I know that
one of the cowboys was a W.O.W. and left the field. See. I got to thinking, shoot, I’m
tougher than any cowboy. See. Do you know it’s more difficult to walk [taps] for the Lord
[taps] than it is to ride a bull [taps]? {Few laugh.} That’s right. And I know riding a bull is
interesting, but you see, we’re athletes of the spirit, and I want to tell you it’s more difficult
to be an athlete of the spirit and win than to ride a bucking bull or a bare-bare bronc or a
saddle bronc or do steer wrestling. [Taps several times on desk.] Take a look at the Word.
It tells you that, see. Because apparently the pressure of W.O.W. is too much, so we’d
rather go back and ride a bull. It takes…to be an athlete of the spirit, people, takes more
commitment, more dedication, and more knowledge than any other athletic sport I know,
and you are Corps. You’re supposed to be playing in that top league. Well, welcome
aboard. [All laughter.]
Verse 15, literal, bless your heart. [Laughter.]
Ephesians 5:15 Literal translation according to usage
Watch then that you walk honorably with precise accuracy not unwise but
wise.
Here’s the expanded one.
Ephesians 5:15 Expanded translation
Be constantly alert…
Boy, that’s just terrific. To be alert. You don’t go to sleep at the switch. To be an
athlete of the spirit takes a constant alertness. The last alert thing you do before you go to
bed is thank the Lord for taking care of you. Being alert, going to bed is neat. Then you
just turn it over to Him and go to sleep. When you wake up in the morning the first thing
you do is alertness, speak in tongues. You know, you can go to the bathroom and speak in
tongues. Boy—
Ephesians 5:15 Expanded translation
Be constantly alert regarding how you walk and conduct yourself honorably
with precise accuracy not stupid but as the wise believer walks.
Now verse 16, King James.
Ephesians 5:16
Redeeming the time, because the days are [what?] evil.
This word “redeeming” is real neat. It means buying up or buying out. Buying up fits
my head the best, because it’s used in buying the stuff before it gets to the public market.
In other words, if you could buy a dozen oranges from the fellow that raises oranges before
it gets to the public market, that’s redeeming the time, that’s buying up. Redeeming the
time refers to believers who are to walk circumspectly to take advantage of time by seeing
it as an opportunity for profit, not as time to idly pass by sleeping.
“…days are evil”—The figure of speech is a Metonymy of Adjunct, which puts the
emphasis on the brevity of the time that’s available to get them out of the house of the
dead.
Literal translation of verse 16 is follows.
Ephesians 5:16 Literal translation according to usage
Redeeming every opportunity because the days are evil.
The expanded one.
Ephesians 5:16 Expanded translation
Buying every opportunity to get people out of worshipping more than one
God like they do in the mystery religions because the times in which we
live are evil because of the many gods worshipped.
Verse 17, King James.
Ephesians 5:17
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Understanding the word of the Lord. The Aramaic of “unwise” means empty of mind
[chuckles], nothing in the head, everything goes clean, clear through. Signifies without any
reason.
The word “understanding” means thoughts flowing together. Remember, like rivers
flowing together, sunesis.
And the word “will” is thelēma, meaning intense desire.
“…of the Lord” here in the Aramaic is the word “God.” And that’s why I have used
that word “God” in some of my expanded translations as I have gone through here.
The literal of 17 is as follows.
Ephesians 5:17 Literal translation according to usage
On account of this don’t be senseless but understand the intense desire of
God.
You see—that’s the literal, and I’m supposed to stick to the texts on the literals, which
I endeavor to do, for the most part, to the best of my ability. On account of this.
Immediately I read that and I say, this what? Oh, days are evil. Yeah, but it’s further than
that. Worshipping other gods. That’s why here’s the expanded one.
Ephesians 5:17 Expanded translation
On account of these many gods worshipped don’t you be stupid and empty
headed but thoroughly comprehensive in your understanding what the
intense desire of God is.
Now verse 18, King James.
Ephesians 5:18
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
“Excess” of course is lack of self-control. The Greek word that’s associated with this
literally means one who by his manner of life destroys himself.
Now the literal of verse 18 is as follows.
Ephesians 5:18 Literal translation according to usage
Do not get drunk with wine which is intemperance for you are filled with
the spirit.
And here’s the expanded one.
Ephesians 5:18a Expanded translation
And be not intoxicated with the wine dedicated to the gods they worship
until they are drunk and into debauchery…
That’s spelled d-e-b-a-u-c-h-e-r-y; it’s a good English word.
EPHESIANS 5:9-21—April 14, 1982 261
Ephesians 5:18a Expanded translation
… until they are drunk and into debauchery of every kind for you are
constantly full and overflowing with spirit.
And the reason I put overflowing with spirit, because of the next verse, is the proof of
it which is verse 19, in King James it reads.
Ephesians 5:19
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual [what?] songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
“Psalms” are songs to God or for God.
“Spiritual songs,” songs sung in the spirit.
See, the…this, these words, “psalms, hymns, spiritual songs” all three of those are
figures of speech. There synonyms, Synonymia, synonymous terms are used to emphasize
the tone of the thoughts that are flowing. Different words but have similar meaning. They
have different—different roots, of course but similar meaning—that’s what I should have
said, maybe.
“Singing and making melody” emphasizes the importance of doing this by the
thoughtful believer. See, if you’ll do this within, it will be manifested without.
This is one of the great verses of scripture in the great Ephesians epistle that has
consistently carried the dynamic in my soul for Way Productions. This verse basically is
one of the key verses for my guidance, the light that I have and my reason for Way
Productions and putting up with them all of these years. That’s right. Because they are
filled with the spirit, and they do this within, and therefore, it’s got to be made manifest in
the senses world, in the hymns we write, the songs we write, the…the hymns…psalms,
hymns, spiritual songs we write. I don’t think Way Productions understands half of what
goes on in my soul but—Do you see it? It’s got to be in here. Right? If it’s in here, why not
get it out there. That’s Way Productions. You do it within and then you manifest it on the
outside in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Here’s the literal of 19.
Ephesians 5:19a Literal translation according to usage
Speaking in tongues with yourself…
(May I have some coffee, honey?) In songs to God. Speaking in tongues with yourself
in songs to God, worship…uh, wait a minute that ain’t right. Speaking in tongues with
yourself, this is the literal. I was over in the expanded one. Sorry. Speaking in tongues with
yourself...too much concerned about a cup of coffee.
Ephesians 5:19b Literal translation according to usage
…in psalms and hymns of praise and spiritual songs making a joyful noise
in your heart to the Lord.
Joyful noise, I like that. Want me to give it to you again, cause I got screwed up.
Ephesians 5:19 Literal translation according to usage
Speaking in tongues with yourself in psalms and hymns of praise and
spiritual songs making a joyful noise in your heart to the Lord.
(Thank you. What are you nervous for? Bye, bye. {Audience laughter.} You’re beautiful. Thanks.)
Here’s the expanded one. Boy, just think of the blessing people have missed
through the centuries ‘cause they stayed in the house of the dead ‘cause nobody taught
them the manifestations of the spirit. Born again of God’s spirit but can’t operate anything
because they don’t know how to operate it. Nobody taught it to them. Matter of fact, they
didn’t even know what they had. Can’t operate what you don’t know you got. [Chuckles.]
Ephesians 5:19 Expanded translation
Speaking in tongues, with yourselves in songs to God worshipping and
praising God in songs of the spirit by singing in your heart to the Lord.
I love that, beautiful. Speaking in tongues with yourselves in songs to God worshipping
and praising God. God is spirit, can’t be worshipped any other way, right? Praising God
when you do this. Worshipping and praising God in songs of the spirit by singing in your
heart, the innermost part of your being, to the Lord. [Taps desk.] Now doing that spiritually
translated it into the senses realm into manifestation and it becomes Way Productions.
That’s my heart.
Verse 20, Kings James.
Ephesians 5:20
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ;
Gosh, that’s wonderful.
“…for all things” has been misunderstood. This means on behalf of all believers.
“…to God the Father”; one God. He is also Father, just…you know, like Jehovah,
Lord, these words.
The literal translation of this verse is as follows.
Ephesians 5:20 Literal translation according to usage
Giving thanks all the time for every believer to God the Father…
I suppose “all the time,” I could have translated “continually,” but it’s not in the text so
I had to go with all the time. It cannot be continuously, because there’s not a one of us who
can continuously speak that all the time, so it has to be continually. Well, this is the literal
according to usage.
Ephesians 5:20 Literal translation according to usage
Giving thanks all the time for every believer to God the Father in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now here is the expanded one which I believe will give you a greater understanding
and accuracy.
Ephesians 5:20 Expanded translation
And keep giving gracious thanks on and in behalf of every believer in the
name of our Lord Jesus the Christ to God the Father.
And now this section closes beautifully with verse 21, King James.
Ephesians 5:21
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
The Aramaic for “submitting yourselves” is “to be subject.” And that’s the extensive
form of that verb, and when I work it down and we work it down, it means to absolutely
serve, to be a doulos to, not as a slave without a will but by the freedom of the will to make
that commitment. It means to make the proper arrangement. See. I think the word “submit”
it’ll come up in verse 22 the next time we do Ephesians again, and I think sometimes men
that don’t know what the Word really—thinks, they say, “Well woman, you do what I
damn say or else.” That’s not at all [pounds on desk] this thing. That’s not the husband and
wife situation at all. A woman is not made for a man to walk over the top of it. She got
taken out of him a lot higher than his feet {audience chuckles}. So good heart, see. We’ll
get to that one, because we’re going to straighten you men out next week or sometime [all
laughter] or us men or something. See. That’s right. Because, you know, I know some
religious groups that the wife is just nothing. Basically all she is is a sex machine and a
baby machine. Well hell, if that’s what God wanted just for that, I think He could have
arranged a different method. He’s God Almighty. I think it says someplace she’s supposed
to be a companion—ha! A few other little things it says about beautiful women. So here,
you’ve got to get this word, “submitting yourselves” accurate. It literally means loving
obedience under proper arrangement by deliberate decision. [Claps hands together once.]
That’s what it means. Loving obedience under a proper arrangement. So all you have to do
is define proper [taps on desk and chuckles]. Next week. By deliberate decision, and a
deliberate decision is a decision of the will, not possession. See.
The word “fear” in this verse 21, in the Aramaic the word is “in love.” In the Greek it
goes with respect or awe, and it’s always used of…in the Greek it’s used as respect and
awe for God as a doulos would respect his master.
The word “God” here has to be changed to Christ. Aramaic has “Christ,” and most of
the critical Greek texts have, and then it will…will fit because we closed out with verse 20
with our Lord what? Jesus Christ. He’s our Lord Jesus Christ, and I willingly, properly,
decided he was my Lord, so I take my orders from him, not in a dictatorial way where the
Lord Jesus Christ sits on top and says do this or else, but because of the love. That’s why
the literal translation of verse 21, I think is wonderful.
Ephesians 5:21 Literal translation according to usage
Absolutely be serving one another in the love of Christ.
In the fraternity of which I was president once, I would have preferred sorority
{audience laughter}, but our motto in the fraternity was “God first, others second, I’m
willing to be third.” Ain’t bad.
Here. Absolutely be serving one another in the love of Christ. And here’s the literal; I
mean expanded one.
Ephesians 5:21 Expanded translation
A slave lovingly but absolutely obedient by his own deliberate decision of
his will to each and every other believer in the same love wherewith Christ
loved.
Well, that’s the end of Ephesians for tonight.