Bite 76: Look Carefully How You Walk

The Plan

Our focus today will be on how Paul compares two ways of living. To regroup in the midst of his contrasts, he encourages his audience to look carefully how they walk (Ephesians 5:15). Like in the Proverbs: there is a call to ponder the path of your feet (Proverbs 4:26). In order to ponder the options for the paths, I think we need to know what the main paths are. Paul lays two paths out, therefore we must need to know what they are.

Pondering the Path of Hermeneutics

No, seriously. Before we head into our study today, I want to bring to our attention paths that are in front of us as students of the Word.

It is not my intention to throw anyone under the bus but actually pull people out from under it. You know how some Bible teachers will make the Bible all about you? All about man? What I’ve noticed is common are questions like, “How about you?” and “How does it go for you?”

Not all of the Bible is intended as “change your behavior” literature. As we approach the passage today, this is a concept I want to niggle the back of your mind. What kind of literature are we in? How does it affect how I read/study it?

And while those questions resonate back there, let’s bring the paths Paul laid out for us to the front of our minds.

Not This Path

Conveniently, I’ve already made lists for the two paths during the step of observation. First up, I will look at the wrong path. Because I want to end with the right path. Then it’s in my head more recently and I can mull it over more clearly.

Questions Arise

As I look over my sentence diagram, it seems like structurally we have zones, groupings of vices. Because there are groups, I have suspicions that there are reasons for the contents of each group. I don’t actually know, but as a point of hermeneutics, I am aware of the possibility. As a result, I have questions form in my mind like

• Why does Paul lump these sins together?
• How do they relate in his mind?
• Do they relate in his mind?
• Does the grouping inform the reader of definitions by virtue of association?

Like I said, I don’t actually know on this end of my study time. However, if I leave the possibility open, I might learn something I’d otherwise miss. A caution is to make sure I don’t press the text into similarities that Paul never intended. I only want to get out of the text what Paul meant (exegesis), not what I’d like it to mean (isogesis) especially for the sake of being neat-o (neat-o-gesis). You can get definitions here, if you wonder what I’m talking about.

The Vices in Ephesians 5:3-15

At first glance, when I read this passage I had the impression there was a lot of papyrus used on all that was wrong and bad to do. Now as I have my lists in front of me, I see that Paul specifically mentions only six more vices.

1. Sexual immorality Eph 5:3, 5:5
2. Impurity Eph 5:3, 5:5
3. Covetousness (idolatry) Eph 5:3, 5:5
4. Filthiness Eph 5:4
5. Foolish talk Eph 5:4
6. Crude joking Eph 5:4

Three of those are mentioned twice, as we previously observed, so I want to pay close attention to those. Repeated information is of import. You know how Paul elsewhere tells women repeatedly to guard against gossip and whatnot? Why does he do that? Because women are highly prone to such activity.

Why does Paul mention these three sins twice? Because PEOPLE are prone to such activity. If people are prone and saints are people, then saints can be prone as well. These things shouldn’t be named among us. And Paul has stern, terrifying warning for those who practice such. It is a reality that in Christ there is forgiveness, but don’t let anyone deceive you about how not-so-bad the bad is. There is God’s wrath for those who partake in these vices. These things shouldn’t be named among us.

Avoiding Pitfalls

One of the pitfalls I end up in is paying too much attention to the details in a passage. Specifically, I get hung up on definitions when I could look at the English words and say, “that is some kind of sexual sin, good enough” and focus on the big picture. So with caution I am opening my digital lexicons in order to unravel what Paul driving at with these seemingly similar vices, particularly in the second grouping.

I will list them by number as they appear in the text to remind myself that I’m getting the basic idea of these. Cliff’s notes, if you will.

Definitions

1. Sexual immorality-πόρνος (pornos)-The word group to which pornos belongs generally relates to any kind of illegitimate sexual intercourse: prostitute, fornicator, whoremonger, adulterer.¹
2. Impurity-ἀκαθαρσία (akatharsia)-Can refer to anything that is filthy or dirty (“uncleanness”), or figuratively to a state of moral corruption (“impurity”)²
3. Covetousness-πλεονεξία (pleonexia)-While pleonexia usually denotes a desire for material possessions, the NT often associates this monetary desire with sexual immorality. For example, in Eph 4:19 greed is a characteristic of “sensuality” (“lasciviousness” [KJV]); in Eph 5:3 and Col 3:5, it is associated with “sexual immorality” (“fornication” [KJV]); and in Mk 7:21 and 2 Pet. 2:14, it is closely associated with adultery. Thus, the desire for someone else’s property is not so different from the desire for someone else’s spouse or other kinds of illicit sexual behavior. ³
4. Filthiness-αἰσχρότης aischrotēs 1× obscenity, indecency, Eph. 5:4⁴
5. Foolish talk-μωρολογία mōrologia 1× foolish talk, Eph. 5:4⁵
6. Crude joking-εὑτραπελία eutrapelia 1× facetiousness, pleasantry; hence, buffoonery, coarse laughter, Eph. 5:4⁶

Analysis of Definitions

Two main things I notice from these definitions. One is the first grouping that is mentioned twice is a grouping of possibly similar sins according to the definition for covetousness Mounce gives. In case you missed it, go back to #3 particularly up there and see what I mean. In this first grouping, we have illegitimate intercourse, moral corruption, and desire possibly for illicit sexual behavior but definitely for possessions or power.

The second thing I noticed is that the Greek words Paul uses to describe the list of sins of the tongue are only used in this location in the NT. They are only used once. We remember that if a word is only used once, the definition is not as definite as if there are many times the word is used. However, we do have the opportunity to gain understanding here more than just the definitions the translators give us for these vices.

What is this opportunity? We see the opposite activity of letting there be thanksgiving instead. Taking a quick glance at this word, I see it is translated as thanksgiving 13 out of 15 times in the NT. That gives us a pretty rounded understanding of the opposing activity to the nonsense that can be the product of the tongue. Here is what Mounce tells us.

Thanksgiving-εὐχαριστία (eucharistia)-The noun is most often used by Paul in his epistolary thanksgivings, where he emphasizes the posture of gratitude in the life of the church. To neglect thankfulness to God is to forget his benefits and fall prey to the antithesis of covenantal faithfulness, namely, idolatry (cf. 1 Cor. 10:1–16).⁷

What Does Jesus Say?

Since I know that Paul has exegeted what Jesus taught him and is now exposing it for his audience, asking the question “What did Jesus say?” is the next logical step.

One of the places that Jesus is recorded as articulating a list of sins is Mark 7:14-23. He spent time explaining that what goes into the body from the outside is not what profanes the person. The heart of the matter is the heart. His list? I’ll bring it here. The first term is ESV, the second is NET, just so we can see a fuller idea of the terms from our scholarly friends. If I write one term, it was the same in both translations.

• evil thoughts, evil ideas
• sexual immorality
• theft
• murder
• adultery
• coveting, greed
• wickedness, evil
• deceit
• sensuality, debauchery
• envy
• slander
• pride
• foolishness, folly

He doesn’t seem to separate or categorize but simply throws them all out there. Evil thoughts, corruption of the marriage bed in all its forms, taking what doesn’t belong (possessions or life or power), lying, tongue-sin, thinking higher of oneself than is appropriate, and being dumb on purpose.

Now that we’ve seen some of the path we are not supposed to follow, let’s look at the path we are supposed to be on.

This Path

Conveniently, in my observations, I already made a list about what is proper among saints. Paul uses a number of monikers for the believers in his audience in this passage. Saints, children of light, light in the Lord. What does Paul call them to do?

Isn’t it interesting here that Paul gives generalities? For the sons of disobedience there are specifics. “Don’t have sex with someone who isn’t your spouse,” and “Having a potty mouth is not okay.”

But to saints?

What is Proper?

Isn’t that interesting? Paul does give examples and specifics elsewhere, but he also gives principles or paradigms. Why?

Reflection

Paul seems to give principles to his audience. Paradigms for life rather than exclusively listing out what are the good, right, and true activities. I’m going to spend some time exploring these from our passage as I reflect on what I’ve learned from these two paths I’ve been studying.

What is Pleasing the Lord?

Why does Paul give the principle of try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord? It isn’t because what doesn’t please the Lord is fuzzy, but all of what is pleasing isn’t able to be contained in the scriptures. Not all of the specifics.

An Example of Inversion

Although Paul doesn’t lay out every “do this” example (how could he?), I can utilize the tool of inversion in order to identify some definite specifics. Like covetousness in relation to power or possessions. If I invert that, it becomes a command to be genuinely happy when another guy gets a stripe on his belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu or a friend gets a new bike (Application for me, remember? You have to apply for you.).

A Non-Moral Example

As I consider what pleases the Lord, based on what I’ve learned from scripture so far, an example that comes to mind is the topic of homeschooling. Oddly, homeschooling has become more mainstream since we are in this panic-demic, but as Jeremy and I were raising our kids, this was not the case. We had folks around us who made this more or less a moral issue. They would take the paradigm that parents are to teach the children as the family walked along the way and press homeschooling into that paradigm as a command to keep children home.

I personally believe that it was right for my family, but I do not believe it is right for every family. Families that send children to public school have opportunities to walk out the teaching along the way just like homeschool families. Different opportunities does not make one right and one wrong necessarily.

Staying home with children and homeschooling when that is not the calling God has placed on a family’s life is actually not pleasing to the Lord. How do we know the difference between one calling and another? I’m not sure. But I know that for sure I can’t tell what the calling on another’s life is for them. In any area. No one can. This example of homeschooling is not a sin or a moral choice in itself. It’s a decision that needs to be made by individual families as they use the paradigms in scripture to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

Take No Part in Works of Darkness

As I cogitate on what it looks like to not participate, I don’t even know. But this is a paradigm to use. A framework within which to walk. Daily, moment-by-moment, there are options to choose from. As someone in Paul’s audience by extension, I have to ask the question of those options, “Is this a part of a work of darkness?”

Questions I’ve Faced

If I’m on Facebook, is that taking part in a work of darkness? I don’t know.

When I think about buying something from China where, among other violations of human rights, they exploit children as workers, is that taking part in a work of darkness? How do I function without buying something from China? I don’t know.

Hearing the owner of a restaurant in town had stacks and stacks of money and little piles of white powder on his coffee table at his house, if I buy his Stromboli, am I taking part in works of darkness? I don’t know.

See? Options swirl. There are mundane options and life-altering ones. And then there is the command to expose the darkness to the light. If you recall from my plan that I talked about earlier, my next study activity is to analyze the imperatives in this passage. Both take no part and expose are imperatives.

Look Carefully How You Walk

Looking, pondering like in Proverbs 4:26, involves keeping the questions in front of my mind, I think. If I walk without looking…well, there is the saying “look before you leap” for a reason. I will be considering this command extensively since it will be the point of contact between what I see as the first half of the actual passage and the second half. The second half has some specifics like being sober, being filled with the Spirit, and speaking to each other the truth of scripture contained in poetry and song. Looking how I walk would include these.

Wrap Up

As we studied today, did you let that question I asked at the beginning gnaw at your thinking at all? It’s fine if it didn’t. Learning a new way to think takes time. Even learning to think at all…which at the beginning of this year, I’m not sure I was very good at it either. But isn’t that the goal? Growth? If we think we’ve arrived, we are not eligible to learn.

For the Bible Study Bite today, I want us to put in our toolboxes that there are different genres of literature. We’ve talked about this a little previously. There are a couple of Basics I’ve written like this one and this one. Since we are in Ephesians, that is what I’m most concerned about right now. Ephesians is an ancient letter by genre-type. Recognizing the type of literature we are reading will help us to understand how to interpret it. Failing to interpret it according to its rules for interpretation may lead us not only to wrong thinking but may discourage us in our walk. Or it might make our walk infinitely more difficult than God ever intended.

Consulting an Expert

By way of review, an ancient letter, according to Dr. Stein’s textbook on hermeneutics, has a typical form, usually containing a greeting, words of thanksgiving/prayer, the body, some exhortation and instruction, and a conclusion.⁸

We are currently studying in the exhortation/instruction section. Therefore interpreting with a mind toward “I should learn and grow in such and such area of life” is good and right. If we interpreted the body of the letter where Paul was talking about our redemption through the blood as “I need to do _____ in order to be saved” then we are treading on dangerous ground. Misinterpretation that has potential for eternal consequences. And like I said, it would make our walk infinitely more difficult than God ever intended. Because we could be interpreting and then making the crazy application that I need to do something to be saved. You cannot be your own functional savior.

This is just a Bite. I wanted us to revisit the idea that the entirety of the Bible cannot be interpreted using the same principles. It is one cohesive library of texts but that does not make all the texts uniform nor should they be homogenized. There are different rules to the “games,” like Stein talked about in his book.

We will certainly be dialoguing more about this important topic of hermeneutics over time. Thank you for studying with me today! If you found anything useful here, would you help a fellow student of the Word out and subscribe and share with other students? I’m still looking for my tribe of other students. See you next time!

1. Mounce, W. D. (2006). Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (p. 639). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
2. Mounce, W. D. (2006). Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (p. 355). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
3. Mounce, W. D. (2006). Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (p. 310). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
4. Mounce, W. D. (2006). Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (p. 1074). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
5. Mounce, W. D. (2006). Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (p. 1215). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
6. Mounce, W. D. (2006). Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (p. 1161). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
7. Mounce, W. D. (2006). Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (p. 722). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
8. Stein, R. H. (2011). A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible: Playing by the Rules (Second Edition, pp. 190–191). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.