Ephesians 4:1–6

4:1 Paul begins the second half of Ephesians with a general exhortation to live a life worthy of our calling. The conjunction “therefore” refers back to the entire first half of the letter (chs. 1–3), providing the theological foundation for the ethical injunctions to follow (cf. Rom. 12:1; Col. 3:1; 1 Thess. 4:1). Paul further identifies himself as “a prisoner for [or “in”] the Lord,” which adds emphasis and authority to the following exhortation. The main thrust of this entire section is found in the phrase “I . . . urge you to walk.”

Paul strongly appeals to the Ephesian believers “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling” to which they were called. The theme of “walking” continues throughout the letter (cf. Eph. 4:17; 5:2, 8, 15) and is a metaphor for one’s conduct or way of life. Believers have the obligation and duty to live in accord with their calling. But notice the order here: behavior is always subsequent to being born again. Or, to put it differently, conduct always follows calling. It is only after the experience of new life or regeneration that God’s people are able to follow his commands faithfully and worthily. The phrase “you have been called” contains a divine passive, indicating that God is the one who sovereignly calls. The repetition of the idea of calling (“the calling to which you have been called”) emphasizes its importance.

4:2–3 These verses expand on the previous verse by identifying the manner and means by which believers are to “walk in a manner worthy of [their] calling.” First, Paul lists three virtues describing the manner (i.e., the attitudes) in which we are to walk: “with all humility and gentleness, with patience” (v. 2). The first two virtues (“humility and gentleness”) are closely related, as Paul does not repeat the preposition “with” as he does before the third virtue. In addition, the use of “all” underscores the importance and necessity of those two ethical qualities. In light of the emphasis on unity in this section, Paul stresses the need for humility, since pride is destructive of community life. Indeed, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5, citing Prov. 3:34). Paul lists “gentleness” as one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23) and emphasizes that it is needed when restoring someone who has sinned (Gal. 6:1) or correcting someone who is in error (2 Tim. 2:25).

The third virtue, “patience,” is a characteristic of God mentioned repeatedly in the Bible (e.g., Ex. 34:6). His patience is what leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4), as he wants no one to perish (2 Pet. 3:9). Patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23), a defining quality of love (1 Cor. 13:4), and a characteristic Christians are to display to one another (Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Tim. 4:2).

Paul also includes the means by which believers are to conduct their lives. First, walking in a manner worthy of our calling is done by “bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2). The verb translated “bearing” (anechō) is often used in contexts of enduring persecution or suffering (1 Cor. 4:12; 2 Cor. 11:20; 2 Thess. 1:4). But Paul is not simply suggesting that believers tolerate each other. Rather, he adds that we must bear with each other “in love” (i.e., lovingly; cf. Col. 3:13).

Second, walking in a manner worthy of our calling requires us to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit” (Eph. 4:3). “Eager” adds a sense of urgency to Paul’s appeal. Normally, this term (spoudazō) is used by Paul to communicate the intense effort and labor involved in making a trip or journey (1 Thess. 2:17; 2 Tim. 4:9, 21; Titus 3:12) and is also used by Peter to designate earnest effort (2 Pet. 1:10; 3:14). Notice that Paul is not exhorting his readers to create unity but rather to maintain the unity that already exists because of the finished work of Christ (cf. Eph. 2:11–22). This “unity” (cf. 4:13) is something that comes from or is produced by the Holy Spirit. Believers are exhorted to maintain the unity secured by Christ and given by the Spirit. Finally, this unity is established in or by “the bond of peace.” That which binds Christians together is nothing other than peace itself.

4:4–6 After summoning his readers to walk in unity, Paul now provides the grounds or theological basis for that unity through the sevenfold repetition of “one.” First, Paul writes that there is “one body” (v. 4)—a reference to the church as the body of Christ (1:22–23). Paul mentions this reality first because it is his primary concern (2:16). This phrase is used several other times by Paul as a reference to the church (Rom. 12:4–5; 1 Cor. 12:12–13, 20; Col. 3:15). Although there are many members of the church, with individually different gifts, together they form one body.

Second, Paul adds that there is “one Spirit” (Eph. 4:4; cf. 1 Cor. 12:11; 12:13). Up to this point in Ephesians, Paul has indicated that believers (1) are sealed with the Spirit (Eph. 1:13), (2) have access to the Father through the Spirit (2:18), (3) are a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (2:22), (4) are strengthened in the inner man through the Spirit (3:16), and (5) are graced with the unity of the Spirit (4:3).

Third, believers are called to “one hope” (4:4). The expression Paul uses here breaks with the pattern he has established. Instead of merely proclaiming that there is “one hope,” he makes a comparison with his previous statements: just as there is one body and one Spirit, similarly there is one hope, which accompanied our call. The “hope” to which Paul refers is not the subjective feeling of a confident expectation, but its content.

Fourth, there is “one Lord” (v. 5), which clearly refers to Jesus Christ, since Paul mentioned the Spirit in verse 4 and will mention God the Father in verse 6 (cf. 1 Cor. 8:6). The claim that Jesus alone is Lord served as a polemic against Caesar or the cult of Artemis in Ephesus, both of which were called “lord” in that culture (cf. Rom. 10:9; 1 Cor. 12:3; Phil. 2:11). This declaration also identifies Jesus with the God of the Jewish Scriptures: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deut. 6:4).

Fifth, there is “one faith” (Eph. 4:5). The referent of “faith” here is not the subjective act or attitude of believing but the objective content of that which is believed (cf. 4:13; Rom. 10:8; Gal. 1:23; 3:23; Col. 1:23; 2:7; 1 Tim. 3:9; 4:1, 6).

Sixth, there is “one baptism” (Eph. 4:5; cf. Rom. 6:4). Although many commentators attempt to determine whether Paul is stressing water baptism or Spirit baptism, the two cannot be separated in the apostle’s thinking. As F. F. Bruce explains, “It is beside the point to ask whether it is baptism in water or the baptism of the Spirit: it is Christian baptism—baptism ‘into the name of the Lord Jesus’ (Acts 8:16; 19:5; cf. 1 Cor. 1:13–15)—which indeed involved the application of water . . . , but . . . was closely associated with the gift of the Spirit.”¹

Last, Paul climactically concludes the sevenfold basis of unity by declaring that there is “one God and Father of all” (Eph. 4:6). Again, Paul’s statement is reminiscent of Deuteronomy 6:4. In this verse, Paul affirms God’s “supreme transcendence” (he is “over all”) as well as his “pervasive immanence” (he is “through all and in all”).² Although it is not clear whether the repeated use of “all” refers to (1) all believers or (2) all of creation, the latter seems more likely. Paul is declaring God’s supreme sovereignty, omnipotence, and presence in his creation. Finally, it should be noted that the divine Trinity is central to Paul’s discussion on unity. The Spirit is linked with the one body or church, which is called to one hope. The Lord is linked with the one faith the church professes and the one baptism it receives. Finally, God the Father is the one who supremely rules over all his creation and yet is intimately involved in it, working in and through all things.