Eph 4:26-29 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 26. Be ye angry, and sin not . It has been remarked that the direction here is conformable to the usage of the Pythagoreans, who were bound, when there were any differences among them, to furnish some token of reconciliation before the sun set. Burder , in Ros.Alt, u. neu. Morgenland, in loc . It is implied here, (1.) that there may be anger without sin; and (2.) that there is special danger, in all cases where there is anger, that it will be accompanied with sin. Anger is a passion too common to need any description. It is an excitement or agitation of mind, of more or less violence, produced by the reception of a real or supposed injury, and attended commonly with a desire or purpose of revenge. The desire of revenge, however, is not essential to the existence of the passion, though it is probably always attended with a disposition to express displeasure, to chide, rebuke, or punish. Comp. . To a great extent the sudden excitement on the reception of an injury is involuntary, and consequently innocent. Anger is excited when a horse kicks us; when a serpent hisses; when we dash our foot against a stone; and so when a man raises his hand to strike us. The object or final cause of implanting this passion in the mind of man, is to rouse him to an immediate defence of himself when suddenly attacked, and before his reason would have time to suggest the proper means of defence. It prompts at once to self-protection; and when that is done its proper office ceases. If persevered in, it becomes sinful malignity, or revenge --always wrong. Anger may be excited against a thing as well as a person ; as well against an act as a man. We are suddenly excited by a wrong thing without any malignancy against the man; we may wish to rebuke or chide that , without injuring him . Anger is sinful in the following circumstances: (1.) When it is excited without any sufficient cause--when we are in no danger, and do not need it for a protection. We should be safe without it. (2.) When it transcends the cause, if any cause really exists. All that is beyond the necessity of immediate self-protection is apart from its design, and is wrong. (3.) When it is against the person rather than the offence . The object is not to injure another; it is to protect ourselves. (4.) When it is attended with the desire of revenge . That is always wrong, . (5.) When it is cherished and heightened by reflection. And (6.) when there is an unforgiving spirit; a determination to exact the utmost satisfaction for the injury which has been done. If men were perfectly holy, that sudden arousing of the mind in danger, or on the reception of an injury, which would serve to prompt us to save ourselves from danger, would exist, and would be an important principle of our nature as it is now, it is violent; excessive; incontrollable; persevered in--and is almost always wrong. If men were holy, this excitement of the mind would obey the first injunctions of reason, and be wholly under its control; as it is now, it seldom obeys reason at all--and is wholly wrong. Moreover, if all men were holy; if there were none disposed to do an injury, it would exist only in the form of a sudden arousing of the mind against immediate danger--which would all be fight. Now, it is excited not only in view of physical dangers, but in view of the wrongs done by others--and hence it terminates on the person , and not the thing , and becomes often wholly evil. Let not the sun go down . Do not cherish anger. Do not sleep upon it. Do not harbour a purpose of revenge; do not cherish ill-will against another. When the sun sets on a man's anger, he may be sure it is wrong . The meaning of the whole of this verse then is, " If you be angry, which may be the case, and which may be unavoidable, see that the sudden excitement does not become sin. Do not let it overleap its proper bounds; do not cherish it; do not let it remain in your bosom even to the setting of the sun. Though the sun be sinking in the west, let not the passion linger in the bosom, but let his last rays find you always peaceful and calm. (f) "not the sun"

Ephesians 4:26-29

Verse 26. Be ye angry, and sin not. It has been remarked that the direction here is conformable to the usage of the Pythagoreans, who were bound, when there were any differences among them, to furnish some token of reconciliation before the sun set. Burder, in Ros.Alt, u. neu. Morgenland, in loc. It is implied here,

(1.) that there may be anger without sin; and

(2.) that there is special danger, in all cases where there is anger, that it will be accompanied with sin. Anger is a passion too common to need any description. It is an excitement or agitation of mind, of more or less violence, produced by the reception of a real or supposed injury, and attended commonly with a desire or purpose of revenge. The desire of revenge, however, is not essential to the existence of the passion, though it is probably always attended with a disposition to express displeasure, to chide, rebuke, or punish. Comp. Mk 3:5. To a great extent the sudden excitement on the reception of an injury is involuntary, and consequently innocent. Anger is excited when a horse kicks us; when a serpent hisses; when we dash our foot against a stone; and so when a man raises his hand to strike us. The object or final cause of implanting this passion in the mind of man, is to rouse him to an immediate defence of himself when suddenly attacked, and before his reason would have time to suggest the proper means of defence. It prompts at once to self-protection; and when that is done its proper office ceases. If persevered in, it becomes sinful malignity, or revenge --always wrong. Anger may be excited against a thing as well as a person; as well against an act as a man. We are suddenly excited by a wrong thing without any malignancy against the man; we may wish to rebuke or chide that, without injuring him. Anger is sinful in the following circumstances:

(1.) When it is excited without any sufficient cause--when we are in no danger, and do not need it for a protection. We should be safe without it.

(2.) When it transcends the cause, if any cause really exists. All that is beyond the necessity of immediate self-protection is apart from its design, and is wrong.

(3.) When it is against the person rather than the offence. The object is not to injure another; it is to protect ourselves.

(4.) When it is attended with the desire of revenge. That is always wrong, Rom 12:17,19.

(5.) When it is cherished and heightened by reflection. And

(6.) when there is an unforgiving spirit; a determination to exact the utmost satisfaction for the injury which has been done. If men were perfectly holy, that sudden arousing of the mind in danger, or on the reception of an injury, which would serve to prompt us to save ourselves from danger, would exist, and would be an important principle of our nature as it is now, it is violent; excessive; incontrollable; persevered in--and is almost always wrong. If men were holy, this excitement of the mind would obey the first injunctions of reason, and be wholly under its control; as it is now, it seldom obeys reason at all--and is wholly wrong. Moreover, if all men were holy; if there were none disposed to do an injury, it would exist only in the form of a sudden arousing of the mind against immediate danger--which would all be fight. Now, it is excited not only in view of physical dangers, but in view of the wrongs done by others--and hence it terminates on the person, and not the thing, and becomes often wholly evil.

Let not the sun go down. Do not cherish anger. Do not sleep upon it. Do not harbour a purpose of revenge; do not cherish ill-will against another. When the sun sets on a man's anger, he may be sure it is wrong. The meaning of the whole of this verse then is, "If you be angry, which may be the case, and which may be unavoidable, see that the sudden excitement does not become sin. Do not let it overleap its proper bounds; do not cherish it; do not let it remain in your bosom even to the setting of the sun. Though the sun be sinking in the west, let not the passion linger in the bosom, but let his last rays find you always peaceful and calm.

(f) "not the sun" Eccl 7:9 Verse 27. Neither give place to the devil. This has respect probably to the exhortation in the former verse. "Do not yield to the suggestions and temptations of Satan, who would take every opportunity to persuade you to cherish unkind and angry feelings, and to keep up a spirit of resentment among brethren." Many of our feelings, when we suppose we are merely defending our rights, and securing what is our own, are produced by the temptations of the devil. The heart is deceitful; and seldom more deceitful in any case than when a man is attempting to vindicate himself from injuries done to his person and reputation. The devil is always busy when we are angry, and in some way, if possible, will lead us into sin; and the best way to avoid his wiles is to curb the temper, and restrain even sudden anger. No man sins by restraining his anger; no man is certain that he will not who indulges it for a moment.

(a) "place" Jas 4:7 (*) "place" "advantage" Verse 28. Let him that stole steal no more. Theft, like lying, was, and is, almost a universal vice among the heathen. The practice of pilfering prevails in probably every pagan community, and no property is safe which is not guarded, or so locked up as to be inaccessible. Hence as the Christian converts at Ephesus had been long addicted to it, there was danger that they would fall into it again; and hence the necessity of special cautions on that head. We are not to suppose that pilfering was a common vice in the church; but the cautions on this point proceed on the principle that where a man has been long in the habit of a particular sin, he is in great danger of falling into it again. Hence we caution the man who has been intemperate against the least indulgence in intoxicating drinks; we exhort him not to touch that which would be so strong a temptation to him. The object of the apostle was to show that the gospel requires holy living in all its friends, and to entreat Christians at Ephesus in a special manner to avoid the vices of the surrounding heathen.

But rather let him labour. Let him seek the means of living in an honest manner, by his own industry, rather than by wronging others.

Working with his hands. Pursuing some honest employment. Paul was not ashamed to labour with "his own hands," 1Cor 4:12; and no man is dishonoured by labour. God made man for toil, Gen 2:15; and employment is essential to the happiness of the race. No man, who is able to support himself, has a right to depend on others. Rom 12:11.

That he may have to give to him that needeth. Marg., distribute. Not merely that he may have the means of support, but that he may have it in his power to aid others. The reason and propriety of this is obvious. The human race is one great brotherhood. A considerable part cannot labour to support themselves. They are too old, or too young; or they are crippled or feeble, or laid on beds of sickness. If others do not divide with them the avails of their labours, they will perish. We are required to labour in order that we may have the privilege of contributing to their comfort. Learn from this verse,

(1.) that every Christian should have some calling, business, or profession, by which he may support himself. The Saviour was a carpenter; Paul a tentmaker; and no man is disgraced by being able to build a house, or to construct a tent.

(2.) Christianity promotes industry. It is rare that an idle man becomes a Christian; but if he does, religion makes him industrious just in proportion as it has influence over his mind. To talk of a lazy Christian is about the same as to talk of burning water or freezing fire.

(3.) Christians should have some useful and honest employment. They should work "that which is good." They should not pursue an employment which will necessarily injure others. No man has a right to place a nuisance under the window of his neighbour; nor has he any more right to pursue an employment that shall lead his neighbour into sin, or ruin him. An honest employment benefits everybody. A good farmer is a benefit to his neighbourhood and country; and a good shoemaker, blacksmith, weaver, cabinet-maker, watchmaker, machinist, is a blessing to the community. He injures no one; he benefits all. How is it with the distiller, and the vender of alcoholic drinks? He benefits no one; he injures everybody. Every quart of intoxicating drink that is taken from his house does evil somewhere--evil, and only evil, and that continually. No one is made better, or richer; no one is made more moral or industrious; no one is helped on the way to heaven by it. Thousands are helped on the way to hell by it, who are already in the path; and thousands are induced to walk in the way to death who, but for that distillery, store, or tavern, might have walked in the way to heaven. Is this, then, "working that WHICH IS GOOD ?" Would Paul have done it? Would Jesus do it? Strange, that by a professing Christian it was ever done! See a striking instance of the way in which the Ephesian Christians acted when they were first converted, in Acts 19:19. Acts 19:19.

(4.) The main business of a Christian is not to make money, and to become rich. It is that he may have the means of benefiting others. Beyond what he needs for himself, his poor, and sick, and aged, and afflicted brother and friend has a claim on his earnings--and they should be liberally bestowed.

(5.) We should labour in order that we may have the means of doing good to others. It should be just as much a matter of plan and purpose to do this, as it is to labour in order to buy a goat, or to build a house, or to live comfortably, or to have the means of a decent burial. Yet how few are those who have any such end in view, or who pursue their daily toil definitely, that they may have something to give away. The world will be soon converted when all Christians make that the purpose Rom 12:11.

(b) "labour" Acts 20:35 (1) "give" "distribute" Verse 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed. 1Cor 15:33. The word rendered "corrupt" σαπρος means bad, decayed, rotten, and is applied to putrid vegetables or animal substances. Then it is applied to a tree is of a useless character, that produces no good fruit, Mt 7:17. Then it is used in a moral sense, as our word "corrupt" is, to denote that which is depraved, evil, contaminating, and may denote here anything that is obscene, offensive, or that tends to corrupt others. The importance of this admonition will be appreciated when it is remembered,

(1.) that such obscene and filthy conversation prevailed everywhere, and does still among the heathen. So general is this, that at almost every missionary station it has been found that the common conversation is so corrupt and defiling, that missionaries have felt it necessary to send their children home to be educated, in order to secure them from the contaminating influence of those around them.

(2.) Those who have had the misfortune to be familiar with the common conversation of the lower classes in any community, and especially with the conversation of young men, will see the importance of this admonition. Scarcely anything can be conceived more corrupt or corrupting than that which often prevails among young men--and even young men in the academies and colleges of this land.

(3.) Its importance will be seen from the influence of such corrupt communications. "The passage of an impure thought through the mind leaves pollution behind it!" the expression of such a thought deepens the pollution on the soul, and corrupts others. It is like retaining an offensive carcase above ground, to pollute the air, and to diffuse pestilence and death, which should at once be buried out of sight. A Christian should be pure in his conversation. His Master was pure. His God is pure. The heaven to which he goes is pure. The religion which he professes is pure. NEVER should he indulge himself in an obscene allusion; never should retail anecdotes of all obscene character, or smile when they are retailed by others. Never should he indulge in a jest having a double meaning; never should he listen to a song of this character. If those with whom he associates have not sufficient respect for themselves and him to abstain from such corrupt and corrupting allusions, he should at once leave them.

But that which is good to the use of edifying. Marg., to edify profitably. Greek, "to useful edification ;" that is, adapted to instruct, counsel, and comfort others; to promote their intelligence and purity. Speech is an invaluable gift; a blessing of inestimable worth. We may so speak as always to do good to others. We may give them some information which they have not; impart some consolation which they need; elicit some truth by friendly discussion which we did not know before, or recall by friendly admonition those who are in danger of going astray. He who talks for the mere sake of talking will say many foolish things; he whose great aim in life is to benefit others will not be likely to say that which he will have occasion to regret. Mt 12:36, Eccl 5:2, Prov 10:19, Jas 1:19.