DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS

Ephesians 4:25-32       (10/5)       Epistle for Monday of the Eighteenth Week after Pentecost

 

The Seal of the Spirit I ~ Imparting Grace: Ephesians 4:25-32, especially vss. 29, 30: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”  In Holy Chrismation, the Priest applies the Holy Anointment to the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands and feet, as well as over the heart and on the back.  As he applies the Chrism, he says, “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

In the present Epistle, the Apostle Paul reminds us that the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit essentially works within to help us not “grieve the Holy Spirit” (vs. 30) Who resides in our hearts, but, rather, to let the Spirit of God seal our senses solely in order to receive grace that we might impart blessings to others.  Thus, the Apostle’s exhortation is two-sided: 1) attain godly control of sensory life, and 2) impart God’s grace to others.

First, then, Saint Paul focuses on our speech.  He contrasts lying with truth-telling, the latter of which imparts grace to others.  He quotes from the Prophet Zechariah (vss. 25,26), a passage in which the Prophet declares God’s commandments.  The prophetic pattern and the Apostle’s exhortation are parallel: “...I have prepared and purposed to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah....These are the things you shall do: speak the truth, each man to his neighbor...” (Zech. 8:15,16).  There are three areas where truth-telling needs to be practiced: 1) in judging, 2) in forming policy, and 3) in giving oaths (see Zech. 8:16,17).

The Apostle emphasizes the spiritual reason for truth-telling - “...we are members of one another” (Eph. 4:25).  Saint John Chrysostom, building on the Apostle’s recognition that we are members of a common body, employs a concrete simile: “If the eye were to spy a serpent or a wild beast will it lie to the foot?  Will it not at once inform it, and the foot thus informed by it refrain from going on?”  Continuing with concerns about speech (vss. 29,31,32), the Apostle adds, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers,” and let “...clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you...And be kind to one another....’”  Our control of speech is the prelude to God imparting His grace to us.  And this message of self-control applies to all the passions.

Thus, Saint Paul commands us to control our anger - “...do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (vs. 26).  Then he gives the reason: uncontrolled anger gives “...place to the devil” (vs. 27).  Similarly, he warns against the urge to steal, commending honest work instead (vs. 28).

Later in this passage, the Apostle considers several forms of anger: bitterness, wrath, and clamor (vs. 31).  Saint John Chrysostom notes a progression in these.  “Observe the progress of mischief.  Bitterness produces wrath, wrath anger, anger clamor, clamor railing, that is, revilings; next from evil-speaking it goes on to blows, from blows to wounds, from wounds to death.”  Self-control is urgent!  The most profitable approach, as the Apostle shows, is to combine self-restraint with positive efforts to impart grace to others.  We are to “...be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (vs. 32).  Self-control opens the way for the imparting of grace to others.

The primary obstacles on the way are defiled passions.  Therefore, our effort should be toward inward restraint, remembering the words of Saint Diadochos of Photiki: “Only the Holy Spirit can purify the nous.”  Let our efforts be Spirit-led, made in response to His promptings with the aim of not grieving Him in Whom we are “...sealed for the day of redemption” (vs. 30).

All-Holy Spirit, cleanse, save, and sanctify all those who know Thee as God.

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