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Ephesians 5:28 – Win-win Love

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Will

So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his own wife loves himself.

Truth to Learn

As we love ourselves, so a husband should love his wife.

Behind the Words

The word translated “ought” is opheilō, which means “to be indebted” or “to be obligated.”

All three occurrences of “love” in this verse are forms of agape, which refers to “self-sacrificing actions focused on the good of the loved one.”

“Bodies” is from the Greek noun soma, which can refer to “our physical body” or metaphorically to “any organized whole made up of parts or members.”

Meaning Explained

After a couple of verses of describing the love that Christ has for His bride (His body), Paul now returns to the subject of men loving their wives. He tells us that husbands are obligated to love their own wives as their own body. There are several nuances to this teaching that are all equally true.

Paul has used the example of Christ’s love for His bride, the church. However, the church is also referred to as the “body of Christ.” Thus, all that is described here about the love that Christ has for His bride is also love that He has for His body. In the same manner, the husband should demonstrate love for his wife as his own body, which takes us to the second nuance of this teaching. As Paul will tell us a few verses from here, quoting from the Old Testament:

For this reason, a man shall leave father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

Since the marriage union makes a man and a woman one flesh (one body), then a man really is showing love to his own body when he demonstrates love to his wife.

The third nuance of this verse, and the one I believe Paul is focusing on here, is based on the fact that each one of us loves his or her own self. It is a part of who and what we are. When we get hungry, we feed ourselves. When we get thirsty, we take a drink. When we get cold, we turn up the heat or put on warmer clothing. We do all these things, and many more, without thinking about them. In fact, we love our bodies and the life that God has given us so much that we go into a natural panic and frenzy when that life is threatened.

In taking a swimming and lifesaving class many years ago, I learned that when someone is on the verge of drowning, they panic and flail their arms and legs about because they so desperately want to preserve their lives.

Paul’s point here is that we love our own body and this life so much that we will do anything to preserve our own health, safety, and comfort. Husbands, that’s the kind of love you should have for your wife. You should be so focused on her health, safety, and comfort that you take care of her needs without having to even think about them.

Application

This is one of those areas where, by being obedient to God, we make it easier for someone else to be obedient to God. Men if you consistently demonstrate real love for your wife, she will actually want to submit herself to you. Your obedience to God makes hers so much easier. That’s called win-win!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:27 – No Blemishes or Wrinkles

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Will

that He might present the church to Himself in her glory, not having a stain or a wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Truth to Learn

Christ did everything in order to make us perfect for Him.

Behind the Words

“He might present” is from the Greek verb paristēmi, a compound word made up of para, meaning “beside” or “near” and histēmi, meaning “to stand” or “to place.” Thus, it literally means “to place something in the presence of someone else,” that is, “to present.”

Endoxos is the Greek word translated “in … glory.” It is made up of en, meaning “in” and a form of doxa, meaning “glory.” The root meaning of doxa is “favorable opinion” and in a secondary sense it means “praise, honor, splendor, or brightness.”

The word “stain” is from spilon, which refers to “a stain or an unsightly mark of any kind.”

“Wrinkle” is translated from rhutis, based on the verb rhumē, meaning “to draw together” or “to contract.” Thus, rhutis refers to that which has been drawn together, “a wrinkle.”

The words “without blemish” are from amomos. This word is made up of a, meaning “without,” and momos, meaning “fault, or blemish.”

Meaning Explained

In Paul’s teaching on how husbands are to love their wives, he set before us the example of how Christ loves the church, His bride. He loves His bride so much that He went through the torturous death of crucifixion to sanctify (set her apart spiritually) and cleanse her. The reason for the sanctification and cleansing is given in today’s verse, to make her perfect, without a blemish of any kind.

As we mentioned in yesterday’s verse, a king’s bride often went through an extensive cleansing and purification process in order to make her fit for the king. Our king, however, is more than just the ruler of a country. He is the Ruler of all creation. There is no king greater than our God and there is no one more deserving of a perfect, spotless, radiantly beautiful bride than Jesus Christ. The problem is that we Christians are sinners. We are defiled and unclean. In order for us to be a worthy bride for Christ, we have to be made perfect and cleansed from everything that defiles. The only way for that to happen was for someone to pay the penalty for our sins, a ransom that we couldn’t pay. Jesus Christ paid that ransom with His blood and that blood cleansed every blemish and stain of sin. When we believed in the gospel message, we were cleansed and we were credited with the perfect righteousness of Christ.

However, there’s still one problem. As long as we are on this earth, we are dying; that is, we are getting older and developing physical decay, like wrinkles. As long as we have this body, we are unfit to be the bride of Christ. Therefore, before we can be presented as the perfect bride of Christ, we must receive a new, perfect body, which is the future aspect of our salvation. By the time we are presented, we will be without spot or wrinkle.

Application

It is obvious that God did not save us simply on a whim. In order to present to himself a perfect bride, he had to develop a plan and carry it through to the last detail. He did it all Himself. Men, how much are you doing to show your love for your bride? Remember, agape love is action, not a feeling!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:26 – A Holy Cleansing

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Will

that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water by the word,

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ gave His life to sanctify and cleanse His bride.

Behind the Words

“He might sanctify” is translated from the Greek verb hagiadzō, which is based on hagios, which is based on hagos, meaning “that which inspires awe.” The basic meaning of hagios is “that which is set apart from common use to be used in the service of God.” Hagios is sometimes translated “holy” or “sanctified,” so hagiadzō means “to make holy,” “to purify,” or “to set apart for God.”

“Having cleansed” is translated from katharidzō, meaning “to cleanse” or “to purify.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it is translated as “having cleansed.”

The word translated “bath” is loutron, which refers to “a bath.” It is from the verb louō, meaning “to bathe” or “to wash.”

“Word” is from rhēma, which is derived from rheō, meaning “to speak.” Rhēma, therefore, refers to “a spoken word” or a statement. Here it probably is a reference to the Word of God.

Meaning Explained

This is one of those verses that has been hotly debated for centuries. Some believe that the expression “cleanse it with the bath of water” is a reference to baptism. The problem with this interpretation is that baptism is a symbolic act done as a witness to the cleansing which has already taken place. Also, keep in mind that this verse is a description of what Christ has done for His bride, the church. If we combine today’s verse with yesterday’s verse, we can see that Paul says:

… just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:25-26)

This is given as an example of how Christ loved His bride; He loved her so much that He gave His live for her. He died on the cross so that He might sanctify his bride, that He might separate her (us) from the family and world of Satan. And, He sanctified her (us), having already cleansed her (us) with a bath of water by the word. The cleansing that Paul is talking about occurred before the sanctification. He says that this cleansing is like a water bath, but it was performed by the Word of God. After all, it was the Word, the gospel message, by which we were saved and washed clean from our sins.

In ancient times it was quite common for the bride of a king to undergo a lengthy cleansing and purification period, including baths in perfumed water, before being presented to the king at the wedding ceremony (see Esther 2:12 and Ezekiel 16:7-14)

Application

Husbands, Jesus Christ loved us (his bride) so much that He gave His life to sanctify and cleanse us. Following His example, we should also be willing to do everything possible to protect and care for our bride, to keep her pure and holy.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:25 – Sacrificial Love

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Will

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

Truth to Learn

Husbands are to sacrifice for their wives.

Behind the Words

The word translated “love” is agapaō, which refers to “good will” or “benevolence,” that is, acts of goodness toward someone else. There is another verb translated “love” in the New Testament. It is phileō, referring to a “brotherly love” or “fondness” as expressed between good friends. It is based on feelings. Agapaō, on the other hand, indicates a love in action, not just feelings or emotion. It implies action which is directed toward the benefit of the beloved, even at the expense of personal sacrifice on the part of the loving one. Therefore, agapaō is often referred to as “a self-sacrificing love.” It is expressed in today’s verse in the imperative mood, indicating a command to husbands, not simply a suggestion.

“Gave up” is translated from paradidōmi, which is made up of para, meaning “to the side of” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Thus, paradidōmi literally means “to give to the side of.” The picture is that of someone surrendering something to someone else. The word is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicative mood. This implies action that was performed at a point in time in the past (not a continuous action, but a single act). Jesus Christ expressed the purest form of agapē love when He gave Himself up to be crucified in our place.

“Her” is translated from the Greek pronoun autēs, which is singular and feminine. One reason for this is that in Greek the pronoun must agree in number and gender with the noun it refers to, and the Greek word for church (ekklēsia) is a singular, feminine noun. It is also significant, however, that Paul is equating the church with wives, which is also a feminine noun. Some translations use “it” in reference to the church, since the English word church is neuter and requires a neuter pronoun. However, in keeping with good Greek grammar and to preserve the comparison that Paul is making between the church and wives, we have translated it as “her.”

Meaning Explained

Having established the order of authority within a marriage relationship and the responsibility of a wife, Paul now talks about the husband’s position in a marriage. Wherever authority is given, there is also responsibility. This is especially true here where the Apostle commands all husbands to love their wives. As we pointed out in Behind the Words, this love that a husband is to have for his wife is not just a feeling, it is action. Men are commanded to be more concerned about the wellbeing of their wives than their own wellbeing. They are to sacrifice themselves for their wives.

In the previous two verses, Paul gave women an example of submission, that of the church’s submission to Christ as the head of the church. He now uses this same relationship between Jesus Christ and His church as an example of how husbands are to love their wives. Jesus Christ loves the church so much that He offered himself on the cross. He literally sacrificed His own life for the good of the church. Men, this is the type of love that we are to demonstrate for our wives. Men, if you are abusing your wife, either physically or emotionally, you are not demonstrating agapē love, you are demonstrating selfishness, which is just the opposite!

It is interesting to note that women are never commanded to love their husbands with an agapē love. In Titus 2:4 we find that older women in the church are to teach younger women to love their husbands. However, the word translated “love” in that verse is not agapaō, but phileō, an affectionate love. Women are not commanded to sacrifice themselves for their husbands, but husbands ARE commanded to sacrifice themselves for their wives.

One of the things that Paul is telling us men is that if we demonstrate true self-sacrificing love for our wives, constantly doing those things which demonstrate care, protection, and goodness for her, she will want to place herself under our authority. Doing so will not be a burden to her, but a joy.

Application

Men, the next time you have an argument with your wife, remember that God commands you to sacrifice your own wellbeing for hers. Therefore, making reconciliation is up to you. Always have her best interests in mind, not your own. Love her like Christ loves us!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:24 – A Submissive Witness

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Will

But as the church is subordinate to Christ, so the wives to their own husbands in everything.

Truth to Learn

Submission is part of what it means to be a Christian.

Behind the Words

The word “but” is translated from the Greek word alla, which implies an addition to what preceded. Generally, it means “but.”

“So” is from houtō, meaning “in this way” or “in this manner.” As in this verse, it is often coupled with alla to form a similitude between two ideas.

The verb “is subordinate to” is translated from hupotassō, which we saw a couple verses back means “to be under-ranked” or “to be in submission to.”

Meaning Explained

Throughout this chapter Paul has been talking about how we are to behave within the body of Christ. In verse twenty-two he changed his focus from our behavior within the church to our behavior within the family. First of all, he said that a wife is to submit to her husband; that is, she is to voluntarily place herself under the authority of her husband. In yesterday’s verse he told us that this is necessary because God designed the family structure with the man as the head, just as he designed the church with Christ as the head.

He now reiterates that point by saying that just as the church is ranked under Christ, so a wife is to be ranked under her husband. Nobody in the church would ever presume to place themself above Christ, so a woman should not presume to place herself above her husband in God’s plan. Now, let me say again that this does not mean that a woman is any less important within the family or within the church.

“But, what if my husband is not a Christian?” you might ask. The answer is that it doesn’t make any difference. In fact, a Christian woman has a greater responsibility if her husband is unsaved. Paul told the Corinthians that a submissive woman might even be the tool that God uses to bring her husband to faith:

For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? (1Corinthians 7:16a)

The Apostle Peter also wrote about how important it is for Christians to be submissive to authorities, even non-Christian civil authorities. He, too, commanded women to submit to their husbands, even those who aren’t Christian men:

In the same way, wives, be submissive to your own husbands, so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, as they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. (1Peter 3:1-2)

Let me stress again that a woman being submissive to her husband does not mean that she is to subject herself to abuse either physically or emotionally. Read carefully what tomorrow’s verse has to say to the husband.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, (Ephesians 5:25)

Application

God wants us all to be obedient servants and He will use those who are submitted to Him. Women, your position is extremely important within the family. It is especially so if others in your family are not saved. Your behavior may be what God uses to reach your family. If you have committed your life to Christ, then you have committed to being His obedient, faithful servant. Some day you may see how God has used you if you are faithful to Him. And God will get all the glory!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:23 – God Honoring Submission

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Will

Because a husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body

Truth to Learn

Submission is part of God’s plan and it honors Him.

Behind the Words

“Head” is translated from kephalē, which means “the uppermost part of something” or “the head.” Thus, it is used both literally and figuratively to refer to the head of something.

The word “Christ” is from the Greek word christos, which is derived from chriō, meaning “to anoint.” In the Old Testament, a prophet or high priest anointed a person with oil as a symbol that the person was chosen by God for a specific purpose. The Jews believe that the anointed one (Hebrew Mashiach or Messiah) is God’s chosen redeemer who will come to rescue the Jews. Christos is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew title Mashiach.

The word translated “church” is ekklesia, which is a compound word made up of ek, meaning “out” or “out of” and a form of kaleō, meaning “to call.” Thus, this term refers to “the called-out ones.” Originally, this term was applied to any group of people called out to a public assembly. The Jewish equivalent of ekklesia is sunagogē (those who are gathered together). Since the church was often considered a sect of Judaism, a church body was initially referred to as an episunagogē. However, wanting to distinguish themselves from the members of the Jewish faith, early Christians referred to their assembly as ekklesia.

Meaning Explained

The previous verse introduced a topic that many Christian women today find troubling. They think that it is demeaning to expect a woman to submit to her husband. There are two important things to remember in this discussion, however. The first is that Christianity was directly responsible for raising up the position of women from that of a man’s possession to that of a man’s partner. The second thing to remember is that God expects more from a man because he is head of the family unit. “But, it’s not fair that it is always the woman who has to submit to the man,” you might say. However, it is no more unfair than that Jesus Christ, who is completely God, always has to submit to the will of the Father and that the Holy Spirit always has to submit to the will of the Father and the Son. It is the way that God determined the order of things to be.

In today’s verse Paul tells us that the reason that a wife is to voluntarily submit to her husband is because God designed the marriage relationship with the man as the head. It is God’s plan that a man be the head of the family just as it is His plan that Christ is head of the church. The church, also called “the body of Christ,” is elsewhere referred to as “the bride of the Lamb”:

Let us be full of cheer and jump for joy and we will give glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself. (Revelation 19:7)

So the picture of the church submitting to Christ is the same as the wife submitting to her husband.

Application

It is not demeaning for the church to submit to Christ, it is God honoring! Likewise, it is not demeaning for a wife to submit to her husband. It also is God honoring. Ladies, submitting to your husband is an act of obedience to God and He will bless you for it.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:22 – Sometimes It’s Difficult

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Will

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Truth to Learn

God has a perfect plan for the marriage relationship.

Behind the Words

The word translated “wives” is gunē, which means “a woman.” It also is used throughout the New Testament to indicate a woman who is engaged to, or married to, a man. This is the word used in referring to “the bride (woman) of the Lamb of God” (see Revelation 19:7; 21:9).

“Submit” is translated from hupotassō, which we encountered in yesterday’s verse, meaning “to under-rank oneself” or “to subordinate oneself.” It is expressed here in the middle voice, indicating something done by the subject (wives) to the subject (wives). The word hupotassō does not appear in the earlier manuscripts, but it is clear for the context that this is what Paul intended.

The words “your own” are from idios, indicating something that is private and personal (as opposed to public or common).

“Husbands” is from the Greek word anēr, which specifically refers to “an adult male person;” that is “a man.” It is also used throughout the New Testament to mean “a husband.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is one which causes a lot of women to bristle, particularly in this post-modern world of feminism. It has been misinterpreted and often misapplied, so let’s see what it says as well as what it doesn’t say.

Paul started out this chapter commanding us to be “imitators of God” and to “walk in love.” Then, throughout this chapter he has given us teaching on how to do that and how to behave within the body of Christ, teaching us what to do and what to avoid. In verse eighteen he said to avoid getting drunk, but to be filled with the Spirit. As we are Spirit-filled, we will exhibit three evidences of that filling: singing praise to God, being thankful, and submitting to one another within the church.

He now takes the remainder of this chapter to talk about the relationship between a husband and a wife. Since he has just been talking about submission, he starts off with this subject. He says that wives are to “under-rank themselves with respect to their husbands.” He is not saying that a husband is any better or more important than his wife. He is not saying that a woman is to be her husband’s submissive slave. He is simply stating that in God’s plan for mankind there is an order of authority. This is another area of life where our sin nature and the world system fight against what God says is right.

Paul’s teaching on submission within the family is not conditional, it is absolute. And, it is something that a wife does to herself; it is not something done to her. A husband is not to force his wife to be submissive to him. That’s abuse. Abuse within a marriage, whether physical or emotional, is contrary to God’s design. Anyone in such a relationship needs to seek out a counselor with appropriate social and spiritual training.

Also, note that Paul says wives are to submit to “their own husbands.” He is not saying that all women are to submit to all men. This voluntary act of submission is part of the private, personal relationship that a man and woman have.

Since this is such a potentially contentious teaching, Paul will spend several verses explaining it, along with a command regarding how husbands are to treat their wives.

Application

For some women, submitting to their husband is easy, for others it is very difficult. If you find it hard to do, prayerfully lay it before the Lord and He will guide you in love.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:21 – The Spirit of Submission

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Will

submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

Truth to Learn

The Spirit-filled Christian is humble and subservient.

Behind the Words

The word translated “submitting” is translated from the Greek verb hupotassō. This word is made up of hupo, meaning “under” or “beneath” and tassō, which means “to arrange in an orderly manner.” It is a military term that means to voluntarily place oneself in a position beneath the authority of someone else, that is, “to under-rank oneself.” This is the same word we will encounter in the next verse as it is applied to the marriage relationship.

“One another” is the plural reciprocal pronoun allelōn, meaning “each other” or “one another.” It is never used as the subject of a sentence and only appears in the plural. As used in this verse, it means “for one another” or “to one another.”

Phobos is the word translated “fear.” This word is used to express many nuances of fear including: terror, general fear, reverence, respect, or honor. In the New Testament, when this word is used of God (or Christ) it nearly always refers to a reverential fear.

Some translations end this verse with, “… in the fear of God.” The word God is translated from theos. However, the better manuscripts use the word christos instead of theos. Thus, our translation is “… in the fear of Christ.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous two verses, Paul has given us two evidences of being Spirit-filled: singing God’s praises and being thankful always for everything. In today’s verse he is identifying a third evidence of being filled with the Spirit of God, that of voluntarily submitting ourselves to others within the church.

Of the three evidences of Spirit-filled living that Paul gives us, this one is by far the most difficult. Both our sin nature and the world system that surrounds us would have us exalt ourselves. Therefore, our natural inclination and our conditioning cause us to want preeminence, not subservience. Fortunately we have a perfect example of what God expects.

On the day that our Lord Jesus was betrayed, before He introduced his disciples to the memorial we call communion, his followers had an argument among themselves regarding who would be greatest in the kingdom. They were focused on preeminence and power. They were focused on themselves. In response to this argument, Jesus removed his outer garment and, kneeling down before each one of His disciples, He washed their feet. This was not a demonstration of the superiority of the master, but the submissive act of a servant. Jesus, God in the flesh, gave this example of submission to them, and to us, to show the importance of submitting to one another.

In his letter to the Christians in the church at Rome, Paul said:

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; (Romans 12:10)

And, in his letter to the Philippians, Paul said:

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (Philippians 2:3)

Only a short time after washing His disciples’ feet, knowing the torture that was to come, Jesus also submitted to the Father saying, “Not my will, but yours be done.”

Application

When we are filled with the Spirit of God, our actions will be controlled by Him. We will give praise and thanks to God, and we will willingly place the good of others above our own. Jesus gave us a beautiful example of submitting to one another by washing His disciples’ feet. He was willing to submit himself to ALL of his disciples. Are you willing to submit yourself to everyone in your church?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:20 – Thankful for Everything

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Will

giving thanks always for everything to the God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

Thankfulness is an indication of Spirit-filling.

Behind the Words

“Giving thanks” is translated from the Greek word eucharisteō. This word is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of charidzomai, meaning “to give” or “to be gracious.” Eucharisteō means “to give thanks.” Because of the derivation of this word, when we give thanks at a meal it is known as “saying grace.”

Pantote is the word translated “always.” It is composed of a form of pas, meaning “all” or “every” and a form of hote, which is an adverb of time. Thus, pantote literally means “at all times” or “always.”

The word “everything” is from the Greek word pas, which we just learned means “all” or “every.” In the form that is used here it means “all things” or “everything.”

Meaning Explained

Paul is giving examples of what happens when a person is “filled with the Spirit.” The first example was given in yesterday’s verse:

speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your heart to the Lord,

In today’s verse he gives the second evidence, “giving thanks always for everything.” When we are filled with the Spirit we are thankful, not just one day a year on Thanksgiving Day, but at all times. Now, here’s the hard part of Paul’s teaching in this verse – when we are filled with the Spirit we are thankful “for everything.” Notice, he did not say, “for all good and pleasant things,” or “for all the things that make us feel good.” He said, “for everything.”

Being Spirit-filled makes us thankful for everything that God brings into our lives. Paul taught the same thing about thanksgiving in his first letter to the church at Thessalonica:

pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1Thessalonians 5:17-18)

And his teaching to the Philippian Christians was similar:

Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and by supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (Philippians 4:6)

So – being Spirit-filled causes us to be truly thankful for even the seemingly bad things that happen to us: thankful for heartache and pain, thankful for injury or disease, thankful for the loss of a loved one, thankful for persecution, thankful for being made the way we are, thankful for being too short, thankful for being too tall, thankful for being too skinny, thankful for being too fat, thankful for a mean boss, thankful for … You get the point.

Finally, notice that we are to give thanks to the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are not instructed to thank Jesus. We are to thank the Father in Jesus’ name.

Application

What are you thankful for? Careful, that’s a trick question. If we allow ourselves to be filled with the Spirit, then we will be thankful for ALL things at ALL times!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:19 – Sing to God!

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Will

speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your heart to the Lord,

Truth to Learn

Singing God’s praise is a sign of being filled with the Spirit.

Behind the Words

“Speaking” is from the Greek word laleō, meaning “to utter words,” that is, “to talk” or “to speak.”

The word “psalms” is transliterated from psalmos, derived from the verb psallō, meaning “to sing.” The words “making music” later in this verse are translated from psallō. Originally, psallō referred to the touching or plucking of a stringed instrument. Later it referred to the singing of a song accompanied by a musical instrument. A psalm tells a story of man’s deliverance or tells of God’s mercy to us.

The word “hymns” is transliterated from the Greek word humnos (hymnos), which is a declaration of praise regarding God’s greatness. According to the church father Augustine, a hymn had three characteristics: it was sung, it was praise, it was to God.

The words “spiritual songs” are translated from two words, pneumatikos and odē. Pneumatikos, derived from pneuma, meaning a spirit, refers to that which pertains to the spiritual world. Odē is the Greek word translated “songs.” Derived from the verb adō, it is a general term for a song.

“Singing” is from the Greek word adō. Throughout the Bible this word refers specifically to singing praises to God.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul commanded us not to be drunk with wine, allowing it to control our thoughts and actions. Instead he said, be filled with the Spirit of God, allowing Him to control our thoughts and actions.

Now you may ask, “How do I know when I am filled with the Spirit?” The Apostle answers that question with three different forms of evidence. The first is in today’s verse and the others are described in the following two verses. The first evidence of being Spirit filled is “singing and making music in your heart to the Lord.” When a person is filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit, he or she cannot help himself or herself. The Spirit within us will break out in song. This singing will usually be accompanied by musical instruments, and it will be songs of praise to God for who He is and for what He has done. These songs will be “spiritual songs” because they are the result of the Spirit of God bursting out through our voices.

What you may not realize is that the only singing that many early Christians heard before coming to Christ was singing that accompanied drunkenness and idolatry, but that’s not the type of singing we’re commanded to do. It’s interesting to note that Paul says that these songs are a form of “speaking to yourselves.” These are messages of praise and encouragement that church members sing to themselves and to other church members. Some people in church just sing the songs because they know they’re supposed to. Others sing these songs simply because they like to sing. And others sing the same songs as a form of worship. Paul, however, says that we should also be singing these songs to each other. I believe Paul intends this to be a form of encouragement and fellowship.

Application

When we realize what God has done for us, we are filled with joy. That joy is often expressed in the form of singing. How wonderful it is to join together with our brothers and sisters each week, lifting our voices up in song. So, be filled with the Spirit and lift up your heart with songs of praise to God and encouragement to others.

In God's service, for His glory,