Ephesians 6 [Author’s Translation]
 
1 Children, you are to listen to/obey the instruction of your parents in the Lord/LORD, for this is right/just. 
2 “Honour/revere your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promised blessing: 
3 “In order that it may be well with you and you may live long on the land.” [Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16; ref. Mark 7:10; Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9]
4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to rage, but bring them up in the training and exhortation of the Lord/LORD.
5 Servants, be obedient to your human masters, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart/core being kardia[G], as to the Messiah; 
6 not only while they’re watching, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Messiah, doing the will of the God from the spirit psuche[G] (ruach[H]), 
7 with kind enthusiasm, doing service as to the Lord/LORD, and not to humans, 
8 knowing that whatever good a person does, he will receive the same from the Lord/LORD, whether servant/slave or free.
9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, letting go of threats, knowing that your own Lord/LORD is in heaven (the highest heaven), and there is no partiality with Him. [Deut. 10:17]  
10 Hereafter, my brothers and sisters, be strong in the Lord/LORD and in the power of His strength. 
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand (στῆναι stenai: firmly fix your stance) against the schemes of the devil. 
12 Since our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world powers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heaven (first heaven: earth’s atmosphere ref. 2:2). 
13 Therefore (because of what has preceded) take up the complete armour of the God, so that you may be able to withstand (ἀντιστῆναι antistenai[G]) in the day of evil, and having done all, to stand (στῆναι stenai[G]: firmly fix your stance).
14 Stand (στῆτε stete[G]: in the presence of others) therefore (because of what has preceded), having your loins girded about with truth, and be clothed with the breastplate of righteousness, 
15 and your feet bound with the ἑτοιμασίᾳ hetoimasia[G] readiness/foundational understanding of the Gospel of the peace; [Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15] 
16 In all, taking the large door shaped shield (θυρεὸν thyreon[G]) of faith with which to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the wicked one. 
17 And take the helmet perikephalaia[G] of the salvation, and the large knife machaira[G] of the Spirit, which is the living spoken word rhema[G] of God; 
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, adding to this be watchful with all perseverance and entreating for all the holy ones kedoshim[H] (saints)— 
19 and for me, that word/essence logos[G] may be given to me, that I may open my mouth in boldness to make known the mystery of the Gospel, [Psa. 45:1] 
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; in order that in it (Word Essence: logos[G] of God) I may speak boldly, that which my bindings insist I speak.
21 So that you also may know my affairs and what I practice, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord/LORD, will make all things known to you; 
22 I’ve sent him to you for this purpose, in order that you may know how we are, and that he may comfort your hearts/core being kardia[G].
23 Peace/wholeness/well-being to the brothers and sisters, and all-encompassing love agape[G]  with faith, from God, Father and Lord/LORD Yeshua the Messiah. 
24 Grace be with all those who personally love agapao [G] the Lord/LORD our Yeshua the Messiah with incorruptible, perpetual, sincerity.
 
Line By Line
 
1 Children, you are to listen to/obey the instruction of your parents in the Lord/LORD, for this is right/just. 
 
This is a continuation of “Submit yourselves one to another, husbands love your wives, wives submit to your husbands.” With the subsequent inclusion of a message to servants and masters the entire first century Greco-Roman household is exhorted with a halakhah[H] (a way of practicing faith in the midst of changing societal norms: lit. “the walking”).
 
Both the Torah and the very nature of the Biblical family unit demand that children listen to and obey their parents. It is a command of Torah because God understands that children born into a sin affected creation will lean toward the yetzer hara[H] (evil inclination) and rebel according to the fallen nature of humanity. Therefore, while it seems an obvious necessity for a child to obey his or her parents in order to survive at very least the early years, it is nonetheless commanded as an instruction against rebellion. We note that the instruction of the parents is to be “in the Lord.” This command does not obligate children to obey a parental command that contradicts the moral standard set by God’s holiness. To rebel against rebellion is to obey, and to curse a curse is to bless.
 
Both Jewish and Greco-Roman societies of the first century agreed that children should obey parents. This seemed “right and just” in both cultural paradigms. In some cases though the Greco-Roman insistence on obedience leaned toward abusive beatings rather than toward godly discipline and instruction. Biblical Jewish discipline took its direction from Torah. Discerning application of discipline was expected (reasonable corporal punishment but not beatings). However, it should be remembered that in extreme cases of rebellion among adult children the Torah required a death sentence (Deut. 21:18-21). God takes the rebellion of wicked adult children very seriously because left unaccounted for it has the potential to breed an entire generation of rebellious people who tear down society from within.
 
“18 “If a man has a wilfully rebellious and bitterly contentious son who will not listen to and obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and having been chastened, will not heed them, 19 then his father and mother will take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. 20 And they will say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is wilfully rebellious and bitterly contentious; he will not listen to or obey our voice; he is a worthless squanderer and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you will put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.”
 
-D’varim (Deuteronomy) 21:18-21 [Author’s translation]
 
“Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death: he has cursed his father or mother, his bloodguilt is upon him.”
 
-Vayikra (Leviticus) 20:9 [Author’s translation] (Ex. 21:17)
 
“The eye of the one who mocks his father, who shows contempt for and refuses to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it.”
 
-Mishlei (Proverbs) 30:17 [Author’s translation]
“Whoever curses his father or mother, his light will be extinguished in a time of deep  darkness.”
 
-Mishlei (Proverbs) 20:20 [Author’s translation]
 
“For God said, ‘Honour your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses, speaks evil of, mistreats his father or mother shall be put to death.’”
 
-Mattityahu (Matthew) 15:4 [Author’s translation]
 
2 “Honour/revere your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promised blessing: 
 
“Honour your father and mother: so that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD YHVH your God Elohim (Judge) gives you.”
 
-Shemot (Exodus) 20:12 [Author’s translation] Ref. Matt. 15:4
 
Rav Shaul (Paul) is of course quoting the fifth of the 10 Words (Commandments). It’s worth noting that such is the importance of this commandment, that it is the last of the commandments that reflect the honouring of God. In other words, the father and mother are a foundational representation of the Person of God, expressing both His masculine and feminine attributes and being the head and origin of the family unit. Understanding this sheds light on why the punishment for a wilfully rebellious and unrepentant son is so severe. Such a son is rebelling against perhaps the most significant figurative representation of God Himself. This is also why the figure of marriage is used to convey Messiah’s relationship with the body of faith (5:22-32).
 
We note that Exodus 20:12 gives the positive outcome of long-life while inferring the negative outcome of death, which is explicitly stated in Exodus 21:17.
 
“But if any widow has children or nephews, let them learn first to express worship at home, and to give what is owed to their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.”
 
-1 Timothy 5:4 [Author’s translation]
 
3 “In order that it may be well with you and you may live long on the land.” [Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16; ref. Mark 7:10; Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9]
 
In its original context this promise refers specifically to the children of Israel inheriting the land of Israel and in obedience to God the Father, living long lives in that land. This was a commandment received only months after Israel’s escape from Egypt, soon after her sinful rebellion in worship of the golden calf. Therefore, it is both an admonishment and a promise of the reward that will result in and from obedience.
 
Here however, Paul does not quote the entire text but leaves out, “which the LORD YHVH your God Elohim (Judge) gives you.” He does this because he is using the command of Torah as a d’rash (comparative teaching), a principle for all believers in Messiah to follow, both Jew and Gentile. The “land” in the original command is specifically Israel, whereas the “land” here is intended to be understood as the “earth” which is in fact a legitimate alternate translation of both the Greek ge[G] and the Hebrew eretz[H].
 
Therefore, in both cases the principle promise concerning long life is the same, whereas the land in question differs between Jews and Gentiles. Having said that, in reality all believers will gather in Jerusalem in Israel at the descent of the New Jerusalem and the dwelling of God and the Lamb among Israel and all of redeemed humanity (Rev. 21:1-3).
 
“The following are the things for which a man enjoys the fruits in Olam hazeh this world while the principal remains for him in Olam Haba the world to come: Honouring one’s father and mother; The performance of righteous deeds; And the making of peace between a person and his friend; And the study of the torah is equal to them all.”
 
-Mishnah Peah 1:1
 
4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to rage, but bring them up in the training and exhortation of the Lord/LORD.
 
The way a father disciplines must not rely on taunting, provocation or injustice. Where punishment is necessary it must fit the crime. Where instructional conversation is necessary it must align with God’s word and be done in such a way as to respect the child’s worth and identity in God and within the family. A godly father starts with these things in mind and proceeds with the proactive aspects of parenting accordingly.
 
“Initiate, dedicate, train a young child upon the mouth, in the way he should go, also when he is old he will not be turned aside, or be removed from out of it.”
 
-Mishlei (Proverbs) 22:6 [Author’s translation]
 
“On the mouth” means teach through verbal repetition the Instruction (Torah) of the LORD. Repetition is employed throughout the TaNaKh (OT) because God is well familiar with our human propensity for forgetfulness when it comes to right action.
 
“The Way” in question is the Way of God’s redemptive instruction: of moral law, of atonement for sin, of the receipt of Messiah. The early body of believers, both Jewish and Gentile became known as a Jewish sect called “The Way,” הדרך Ha-derekh (Acts 9:2; 16:17; 18:25-26; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22).
 
From the cherubim who were placed to guard “the Way” to the tree of life in the aftermath of the fall of humanity (Gen. 3:24) to David’s plea to God for clear direction so that he might walk in “the Way” that is everlasting (Psa. 139:23-24), and in the fullness of time the revelation of “The Way,” Himself Yeshua (John 14:6), the LORD God of Israel has established redemption for all who believe and in repentance receive His Son our King Redeemer and Intimate Friend Yeshua the Messiah.
 
“bring them up in the training and exhortation of the Lord/LORD” therefore, means bring them up in the training of the Way of Yeshua Who is Lord/LORD, in God the Father YHVH, LORD.
 
If a child is truly trained in the moral laws of Torah those laws will point him to Messiah (Rom. 10:4), Who in turn will deliver him through atonement from the indictment of Torah unto eternal life.
 
“For the Torah of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has made me free from the Torah of sin and death (Torah of Moses).”
 
-Romans 8:2 [Author’s translation]  
 
5 Servants, be obedient to your human masters, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart/core being kardia[G], as to the Messiah; 
 
There is some debate as to the meaning of the Greek doulos, “Servant, bondservant, slave.” Both paid household servants and slaves in the Greco-Roman context are named using the same word.
 
Rav Shaul is not advocating for slavery but rather giving instruction to Messiah followers in all walks of life for the purpose of furthering the Gospel in the lives of those around them.
 
In the case of the believing slaves and servants of Ephesus and other Roman cities, Paul is asking that they consider their service to be in and unto Messiah, from a sincere heart. This is because in doing so they will have opportunity to share their faith with their pagan masters and, or, honour the households of their believing masters, who, in turn, will elevate them in wages and holdings to the position of equal members of the household according to Paul’s exhortation in verse 9.
 
This instruction is consistent with the meaning of the Hebrew word for a household servant שִׁפְחָה shiphchah, often mistranslated as slave (Gen. 16:1). שִׁפְחָה shiphchah is from the Hebrew root שפה shaphah, “wide sweep,” which forms the Hebrew word for family משפחה mishpachah, which essential means “swept together.” The relationship then between a Hebrew household servant/bond-slave and the blood born family members is one of inclusion into the wider family. This is the principal Rav Shaul is teaching to the Gentile believers of Ephesus.
 
6 not only while they’re watching, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Messiah, doing the will of the God from the spirit psuche[G] (ruach[H]), 7 with kind enthusiasm, doing service as to the Lord/LORD, and not to humans, 
 
There is a lesson here for all believers. Put into today’s context Paul is essentially addressing the equivalent of the employer and employee relationship. As Messiah followers we are to give our best effort in the workplace whether our employer is watching or not. Whether he’s righteous or not. We are to honour our allotted break times and give reasonable notice when making leave requests. We are not to feign sickness in order to take days off etc. Why? Because ultimately we are working in, from, and unto Messiah in all things. We are exhorted to do all this with kind enthusiasm, as service to the LORD.
 
8 knowing that whatever good a person does, he will receive the same from the Lord/LORD, whether servant/slave or free.
 
Good, right action, righteousness, are the fruit of Messiah in us. Whatever good a person does in the LORD he will receive back in kind from the LORD regardless of social standing, position, honorifics, or the lack thereof.
 
When a godless prime minister and a righteous nobody stand at the judgement, the righteous nobody will enter the world to come in Messiah, while the godless prime minister will be thrown into the lake of fire. “God is no respecter of persons.”

“Kefa (Peter) opened his mouth and said: ‘I now understand clearly, that God does not show partiality, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does what is right is accepted by Him.’” 

-Acts 10:34-35 [Author’s translation]
 
9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, letting go of threats, knowing that your own Lord/LORD is in heaven (the highest heaven), and there is no partiality with Him. [Deut. 10:17]
 
This is not a command to those outside the body of believers but specifically to masters who are believers. In most circumstances this refers to masters of servants rather than slaves (in the modern sense). However, where it was the case that believers had come to faith as masters of slaves, they were on a journey toward disregarding the slave practices of the Greco-Roman world and toward offering their slaves freedom and then, if it was best for the once enslaved person, they would offer them a position as a paid household worker. A position many ex-slaves were grateful for in the same way an out of work person today is grateful for a paid house cleaning job.
 
At one time I was out of work and in great need and was grateful to righteous people for their willingness to employee me to do household chores, painting, repairs, even toilet cleaning, in order to support my family. I recall praising God as I cleaned the toilets. I was genuinely grateful and content in Him as I carried out menial tasks.
 
Therefore, we must be careful to properly contextualize Scripture and understand the historical implications of our interpretations so as not to draw a false equivalence between ancient definitions and current norms.
 
Believing masters, be they masters of servants or masters of slaves in the context of first century Roman society, are required to act in a godly way toward their servants/slaves. The believing masters were to put themselves in the shoes of their servants and act accordingly. While it was customary for Roman masters to beat, whip and threaten their servants, it was not an acceptable practice for a soul converted in Messiah.
 
Rav Shaul (Paul) concludes this verse with yet another reference to the Torah:
 
“17 For YHVH the Lord your Elohim God (Judge) is Eloheiy God (Judge) of haelohim  the gods and Adoneiy Lord of haadoniym the lords, HaEl Hagadol the great God (Judge), mighty and terrifying, Who shows no favour based on a person’s status (paniym: faces) nor does He take a bribe.”
 
-D’varim (Deuteronomy) 10:17 [Author’s translation]
 
10 Hereafter, my brothers and sisters, be strong in the Lord/LORD and in the power of His strength. 
 
“Hereafter” means “From now on” find your strength in the LORD in the power of His strength and not in exercising power (via human strength) over those who you deem to be lower in the societal construct.
 
What Paul does here, by the discernment of the Spirit, is profound. He has just addressed parents, children, servants/slaves and masters, all within the faith community and now calls all, “My brothers and sisters.”
 
Paul, their revered teacher, the one who by God’s hand brought the Gospel of Messiah to their city, a man in whom God performed great miracles by the power of His Spirit through Yeshua, is saying to slave and master alike, “In Yeshua, to the glory of God, we are co-heirs, siblings, equals.”
 
Notice Paul does not give credence to position, works, bloodlines, prestige, education, or any other thing esteemed by human society as elevating a person’s status. Rather, He makes God the Father the focus in Messiah, and faith in Him by grace alone the qualifier.
 
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand (στῆναι stenai: firmly fix your stance) against the schemes of the devil. 
 
Selah, pause, contemplate, receive, and understand, “The whole armour of God!”
 
Many debate the intended physical origin of the figurative armour of Ephesians 6. Foolishly they pit Priestly garments against Roman armour in a theological battle over whether this writing of Paul intends to utilize a symbol known to the Greco-Romans in order to convey these Messiah essential Gospel tools of protection, or on the other hand is he attempting to convey a Hebrew paradigm based in the priesthood of Israel. This debate is utter folly! A typically Christian tertiary false choice! And ironically, given that the fiercest proponents of an alternative view are so called “Messianics,” it is entirely out of character for Jewish scholars and thinkers to entertain false choices such as those posed by this unproductive argument.
 
The godly understanding guided by the Holy Spirit in Messiah accepts that Paul is doing both these things to some degree and neither of these things entirely. Added to this is the fact that armour is used here as a figure only. The armour is not the focus, God is!
 
Therefore, we examine the text carefully in Messiah. Here are some helpful things to consider as you approach understanding this section of Ephesians 6:
 
1.     The armour is “of God” (Eph. 6:11) and not of humanity. Therefore debating what Paul’s figurative language means based on ethnic or religious bias is in fact ungodly

2.     Paul is a Jew. (Rom. 11:1) A well-educated and wise rabbi, a Pharisee, (Acts 23:6) and a passionate Messiah follower, who has encountered Messiah Himself (Acts 9)

3.     Paul is committed to finding ways to effectively minister the Gospel to all ethnicities, cultures and people of a variety of religious backgrounds (1 Cor. 9:19-23)
 
This is the whole armour of God. Therefore, God informs the armour. The prophet Isaiah describes YHVH wearing armour:
 
“For He puts on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He puts on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was covered with zeal as a cloak.”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 59:17 [Author’s translation]
 
Paul, by God’s Spirit is inspired to use figurative language that both conveys a Hebrew paradigm drawing on the priesthood of Israel and a Greco-Roman paradigm drawing on the armour of a first century CE Roman soldier.
 
So does the armour described reflect the priesthood of Israel or the Roman soldier? The answer is yes!
 
“Put on the whole armour of God” God has given every believer armour as a gift of divine clothing. Like any gift of clothing, we must receive it and wear it. Not part of it, but all of it! Why? So that we might, “be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
 
The armour in question is essentially incorporeal, spiritual armour.
 
Who wears armour? A soldier of course, and therefore, a Roman soldier, and in one sense the High Priest of Israel wears symbolic armour as a spiritual soldier. Both the High Priest and the Roman soldier are warriors.
 
The Scriptures describe God figuratively as, “A man of war, a warrior.” (Ex. 15:3; Isa. 42:13; Psa. 24:8; Joel 3:9-11 etc.)
 
“YHVH The Lord will go forth like a mighty man (a Hebrew phrase that denotes a warrior of great strength);
He will stir up His zeal like a warrior (man of war).
He will cry out, yes, shout aloud;
He will prevail against His enemies.”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 42:13 [Author’s translation]
 
Because the armour is of God it is created and powered by Him. We clothe ourselves with it, but we do not empower it. Rather, we rely on His power at work through the armour.
 
The armour of God is not some mantra recited list that affords us extra power in any given circumstance, but a practiced rhythm of recalling the tools and power already available to us in Messiah. We are not wizards standing alone wielding spells in our armour, rather we are soldiers in an army who clothe ourselves with the armour given us by our Commander.
 
Take careful note, the armour is not only for the individual but is also for the sake of  the soldier standing on either side of us, and those behind and before us. We are together, clothed individually with the armour of God.
 
12 Since our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world powers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heaven (first heaven: earth’s atmosphere ref. 2:2). 
 
Why do we require spiritual armour rather than physical armour? Because the battle we’re in is ultimately a spiritual battle.
 
Yeshua speaks of blessing being manifest in the revelation of His identity to Peter:
 
“Shimon Kefa (Peter) answered and said, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Yeshua answered and said unto him (Peter), Blessed are you, Shimon Bar Yonah (covenant son of Jonah): for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father which is in heaven.”
 
-Mattityahu (Matthew) 16:16-17 [Author’s translation]
 
Jacob’s wrestling with the Man/Angel was both physical and spiritual (Gen. 32:22-32; Hosea 12:4).
 
Notice that we, “wrestle.” This denotes close proximity and ongoing struggle rather than a picture of armies facing off in shield walls. Ultimately, in Messiah, the battle is already won (outside of our time trapped perspective). The imagery Paul employees places us past the initial onslaught of battle and into the midst of the one on one struggle with enemy entities. The Satanic forces cannot un-save us, therefore, they attempt instead to make us as fruitless as possible. We are not doing battle for God but in Him and with His armour.
 
“our wrestling is not against blood and flesh,” does not mean it will never involve defending ourselves or our loved ones physically but that the primary forces at work are spiritual. Many pseudo-Christian and Jewish apostate teachers infer that because our battle is spiritual we should never act physically in self-defence, just warfare and so on. This is satanic nonsense that Ironically shows that those teaching it are not adorned with the armour of God, part of which is the belt/girding of Truth! Scripture teaches clearly the God appointed times of just warfare and the obligation of self-defence. Based on Scripture, God is either a pacifist and a hypocrite, or He is not a pacifist!
 
The following is the list of descriptors of the types of forces we wrestle with as believers in Messiah Yeshua:
 
1.     Principalities - … of the darkness of this age (ἀρχάς archas: means origin/beginning, and while it can refer to magistrates and even religious rulers, its ultimate meaning here seems to be “The original fallen angels/spirits who align with Satan.”

2.     Authorities - … of the darkness of this age (ἐξουσίας exousias: means the authority to permit, to do as one pleases. This is not freewill (which is a gift of God) but self-determination (a counterfeit of Satan). It’s ultimate meaning here is “Authorities that promote libertarian or hedonistic freedom as sub demons under the original sin embracing Angels.”

3.     World powers - of the darkness of this age (τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας tous kosmokratoras: means this world’s powers. חשוכי עלמא Choshuchiy olama Darkness of the age (Zohar on Lev. Fol. 19. 3.)That is, the fallen spiritual forces of heaven trapped beneath the first heaven and therefore permitted power in the sin affected world. “World powers” then means “Powers of the sin affected world.” This ultimately refers to “The prince of the permitted power of the lower air (Satan) and its minions.” The sages also call Satan שר של חושך Sar shel choshekh Prince of darkness (Pesikta in Ketoret Hasamim in Targum in Gen. fol. 9. 4.)

4.     Spiritual forces of wickedness in the heaven (first heaven: earth’s atmosphere ref. 2:2). (πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας pneumatika tes ponerias: simple means all the spiritual forces of evil operating in both the lower and upper air of the earth’s atmosphere. This is a summation of the aforementioned distinct descriptors of the entities at work in seeking to advance the Satanic goal (which will never be realised).
 
“Now is the judgment of this world/kosmos: now the prince of this world (Satan) will be cast out.”
 
-John 12:31 [Author’s translation]
 
13 Therefore (because of what has preceded) take up the complete armour of the God, so that you may be able to withstand (ἀντιστῆναι antistenai[G]) in the day of evil, and having done all, to stand (στῆναι stenai[G]: firmly fix your stance).
 
Once again we are exhorted to take up the gift of the full armour of God and remind ourselves of our access to its elements in Messiah. In one sense, “Take up” means, “Don’t neglect what you’ve been given.”
 
Take note again, the armour is of God.
 
“For He puts on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He puts on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was covered with zeal as a cloak.”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 59:17 [Author’s translation]
 
“So that you may be able to stand firm” infers that if we neglect our God given gift of armour we will possess a shaky stance. We may even suffer spiritual injury. This does not mean we can loose our salvation but that we may unnecessarily experience harm that we might have avoided (from our time trapped perspective).
 
“the day of evil” is now and until the permitted conclusion of the sin affected world. And, it is also a specific day of an escalation of evil unto the final battle at the coming of the Messiah.
 
“and having done all, to stand.” Being in Him our doing is from Him and our obedience forms action that when completed leave us with nothing more to do but stand in Him in faith, and thus, in Him we are firmly fixed in eternity regardless of temporal circumstances and perceived losses or victories.
 
14 Stand (στῆτε stete[G]: in the presence of others) therefore (because of what has preceded), having your loins girded about with truth, and be clothed with the breastplate of righteousness, 
 
This is now the third time in quick succession (“stand” is used 4 times in total in this chapter) that we are told to “Stand.” The Greek follows this pattern in verses 13-14:
 
1.     ἀντιστῆναι antistenai: withstand, stand against, stand firmly against
2.     στῆναι stenai: stand, firmly fix your stance, establish, set in place
3.     στῆτε stete: stand in the presence of others
 
Therefore, verse 14 essential begins with, “Standing in the presence of others (brothers and sisters in Messiah, godly Angelic beings, the all present Messiah, the Spirit of God, in the Father).”
 
“having your loins girded about with truth” combines the idea of both the priestly undergarment (Ex. 28:42-43) and waste sash (Ex. 39:29), and the first century CE Roman soldier’s belt.
 
The combining of these ideas by Paul is clearly intentional. It bridges the gap between Hebrew and Roman thought in an illuminating figure of spiritual protection.
 
The girding of the loins indicates not only a firm binding of the waste by a belt or sash but also the protecting of the seat of fruitfulness/progeny. A protection of the sexual organs as a symbolic protection of generational faith (received by the individual within a godly family).
 
The predominant Jewish view is that the girded loins are a symbol of atonement for sexual sin, and the belt/sash a symbol of atonement for emotional sin.
 
“and a sash/belt made of fine woven linen of blue, purple, and scarlet, made by a weaver, as YHVH the Lord had commanded Moshe.”
 
-Shemot (Exodus) 39:29 [Author’s translation]
 
We note that so far is it might reflect the priestly sash, the belt of truth combines three symbolic colours.
 
1.     Blue – The heavens, a symbol of God’s dominion over all creation.
2.     Purple – Royalty, a symbol of the King YHVH God.
3.     Scarlet – A symbol of blood atonement.
 
The belt of truth thus denotes the work of God in securing the wearer in God, Who is the All Existing Creator, enthroned in the heavens, King over all things, and the One Who atones for sin by His own essence through the Messiah Yeshua.
 
Truth is defined by Truth Himself, Yeshua. His attributes are seen in every piece of armour/priestly attire.
 
Why is “Truth” represented in the girding of the loins? In part it is to do with the power of the Truth to govern the seat of emotion, which in Biblical Hebrew is the lower stomach. The middle of the body acts as a centre of gravity that helps to enable a firm stance (something the wearer has been exhorted to do three times already). In other words, Truth is the primary tool offered for empowering the firm stance of the believer.
 
What does that look like in practice? For one thing it means that a believer with His eyes firmly fixed on Messiah, Who is the Truth, being familiar with the whole of God’s Word, will not easily be swayed by the lies and distractions of this sin affected world and the dark spiritual forces that have already been alluded to. The believer will choose in Messiah not to allow his or her emotions to govern them or define truth, but will instead look to the Living Word, His Word essence and His written Word as the source for defining and acting on Truth.
 
We note that the Messiah Yeshua, the rod from the stem of Yishai (Jesse) is said to have His loins girded with faithfulness.
 
“Righteousness will gird His hips, and faithfulness will gird His loins.”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 11:5 [Author’s translation]
 
Therefore, the armour being of God and of God With Us (Yeshua), is revealed in the meta-narrative of Scripture which shows that faithfulness and truth go hand in hand. The belt of Truth protects and atones. Thus the wearer stands firm in both Truth and Faithfulness.
 
“be clothed with the breastplate of righteousness,” First and foremost this is a breastplate of God Himself.
 
“For He (YHVH) puts on righteousness as a breastplate…”

-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 59:17 [Author’s translation]
 
Once again there is also a beautiful convergence here between the imagery of the breastplate of the High Priest of Israel (Ex. 28:15-29) and by nature of Messiah’s Priesthood, a picture of His breastplate.
 
The breastplate of the High Priest atones for sins of error in judgement and carries the embedded stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. It denotes a practice of coming before God with atoning sacrifice and with the 12 tribes of Israel represented over the High Priest’s heart/core being in a petition for blotting out sin and atoning those the High Priest represents. In the case of Yeshua as High Priest over all peoples, He atones and represents both Jewish and Gentile believers before God, interceding for us in every moment.
 
Therefore, the breastplate of righteousness, so far as it reflects the priesthood, represents both an individual and corporate responsibility to stand before God atoned and with right action, which is righteousness. There is no such things as righteousness devoid of right action.
 
We further note that the אורים Urim (lights) and תמים Tumim (completions/perfecting) are kept in the breastplate (Ex. 28:30). These are used to determine answers from the LORD concerning direction. They were not used as many suppose. They are not like runes or dice or some other pagan occult technic for determining the future or seeking counsel from spiritual beings. To the contrary, the Urim (lights) would light up when the High Priest sought God’s council on a matter, and if the answer was affirmative the Tumim (complete/perfect) would light up as an indication that this was the right course of action.
 
Therefore, the breastplate of righteousness also concerns God’s direction imparted to the believer.
 
On the other hand, in reflection of the Roman armour the breastplate of righteousness is a figurative protection. It guards the heart (Hebrew seat of core being, where all aspects of soul converge), that is the centre of soul being, from a potentially deadly piercing blow in the midst of battle.
 
In summation, the breast plate of righteousness conveys a sense of both protection (Roman armour) and ongoing sanctification (Priestly breastplate).
 
15 and your feet bound with the ἑτοιμασίᾳ hetoimasia[G] readiness/foundational understanding of the Gospel of the peace; [Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15]  
 
Let’s repeat to ourselves again, “This is the armour of God, God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit!”
 
“What beauty upon the mountains the feet of him who brings news (Gospel), who publishes shalom peace, wholeness, wellbeing, who brings good news (Gospel) of happiness, who publishes yeshuah salvation, saying to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 52:7 [Author’s translation]
 
Feet bound with the readiness of the Gospel of peace are feet that reflect the feet of the Messiah as described in Isaiah 52:7.
 
Therefore, the clothing and footwear of Messiah (God with us) are the ultimate figure from which Rav Shaul gleans the illumination of the armour of God.
 
The High Priests of Israel ministered before the LORD barefoot (Ex. 3:5; 28; 39; Lev. 8; Josh. 5:15). It is likely, given the lack of Biblical and extra-biblical evidence to show otherwise, that the Priests of Israel who ministered before the LORD simply did not don footwear, probably not even while journeying from one camp location to the next. Why? Because the removal of footwear in the presence of the LORD was an established precedent (Ex. 3:5; Josh. 5:15), and the priests were essentially always in the presence of the LORD, even when carrying the articles and elements of the Tent of meeting from location to location during Israel’s wandering.
 
Priests ministering barefoot continued through the second Temple period:
 
“One should not enter the Temple Mount with a staff, or with shoes on, or with a money belt, or with dusty feet.”
 
-Mishnah Berakhot 9:5
 
“The Sages say that the importance of showing respect for the congregation is derived from here: The halakha is that the priests are not permitted to ascend the platform to recite the benediction in their sandals, as is taught in a baraita. And this halakha is one of nine ordinances that Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted.”
 
-Mishnah Sotah 40a:15
 
With this in mind it must be pointed out that those desperate to push a one sided view of the armour of God in favour of the Priestly garments alone, are left without a foot to stand on (pun intended). If priests of Israel did don footwear at all, it was not while ministering to the LORD. Priestly footwear therefore, can only be surmised through conjecture. This is not firm ground for an interpretive argument. We are called to be teachers of truth, and not of conjecture. Conjecture that refuses to submit to the right division of the Word of truth is error.
 
The Roman soldier of the first century CE wore a hobnailed military sandal that was bound to the foot leaving room for aeration on long marches and provided a reasonable amount of protection from blows while leaving the soldier agile enough to maneuver quickly in battle. The hobnails driven into the sole of the shoe gave firm grip in battles on various types of terrain (with the exception of stone streets within ancient cities) and added to the durability of the sandal throughout long campaigns.
 
In the case of God’s armour the feet are bound with the readiness of the Gospel of peace. An ironic phrasing given that armour is understood as being of use in war time and is then discarded in peace time. However, so far as it concerns the struggle against the evil forces at work in the sin affected world, peace establishes the steps of the believer just as truth strengthens the stance. As far as the armour of God is concerned, peace is a weapon of war. This affirms the fact that being a peacemaker requires action. In the entire history of this sin affected world there has never been a peace that has not resulted from a war fought against tyranny.
 
More specifically, the binding of the feet concerns readiness. It is reminiscent of the exhortation to “be ready to give and account of what you believe to all who ask…” (1 Peter 3:15)
 
The Greek ετοιμασια hetoimasia translated “readiness” conveys the sense of a “base”, or “foundation.” It’s used this way in the Septuagint translation of Zechariah 5:11. Here it represents a foundational knowledge of the Gospel.
 
To don the shoes of the readiness of the Gospel of peace means to intentionally rise and bind our feet with an eager preparedness to carry the Gospel of peace into the spiritual struggle of each day. This is to be done from a firm foundation of knowledge of the Gospel in Messiah.
 
It is in one sense an expression of our first response to Messiah’s love for us. Love God, love neighbour is seen here. When we arise from slumber in Messiah’s love the first part of the armour of God that we put on is the underwear/belt of loins girded in truth, the second, the breastplate of righteousness (Messiah’s righteousness in and over our hearts), and the third, are the bound feet of the readiness of the Gospel of Peace. “The feet of Him Who brings good news.”
 
16 In all, taking the large door shaped shield (θυρεὸν thyreon[G]) of faith with which to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the wicked one. 
 
Again, first and foremost this armour is of God. God Himself is a shield to the righteous.
 
“After these things הדבר Ha-davar the Word of YHVH the LORD came unto Avram in a vision, saying, No fear Avram! I Am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
 
-Bereishit (Genesis) 15:1 [Author’s translation]
 
“Every Word of God is pure: He is a shield to those who place their trust in Him.”
 
-Mishlei (Proverbs) 30:5 [Author’s translation]
 
“For You, YHVH LORD, will bless the righteous; with favour You will encompass him like a shield.”
 
-Tehilim (Psalms) 5:12 [Author’s translation]
 
“For YHVH the LORD Elohim God (Judge) is a sun and shield: YHVH the LORD will give grace and glory: no good will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
 
-Tehilim (Psalms) 84:11 [Author’s translation]
 
The shield described here doesn’t represent a physical shield associated with the High Priest. It can’t, because the particular Greek word for shield here describes a large almost door size battle shield used in the Roman shield wall and in other defensive applications as a means of shielding above the heads of an army unit while other shields interlocked around the century (approx.. 80 men) or contubernium (8 men).
 
Because this imagery essentially means that the shield/shields protect the entire length of the body and in combination, the heads of the soldiers as well, there is a place for pointing to the Gold shield/plate that adorns the High Priest’s turban/kippah (Ex. 28:36-39). That gold shield/plate is placed over the forehead and has the words קֹדֶשׁ לַיהוָה Kadosh l’Adonay (Holy unto the LORD) engraved on it. This is done so that the High Priest bears the iniquity for the defiling of holy things on behalf of the children of Israel. This plate is always on the High Priest’s head so that Israel might have favour before HaShem (YHVH).
 
“So it will adorn Aaron’s (High Priest) forehead, that he may bear the iniquity committed regarding the holy things, which the children of Israel set apart as all their holy gifts. It is always to be on his forehead, so that they may have favour before YHVH the LORD (Mercy).”
 
-Shemot (Exodus) 28:38 [Author’s translation]
 
Therefore, like the large Roman shield, the gold plate over the forehead protects the High Priest before the LORD as one who is atoned for and set apart unto the LORD. The positioning over the forehead denotes authority over the entire body and thus reflects the same figurative meaning as the large Roman shield, which protects the entire body of the soldier.
 
In the case of the Roman shield, which was made from wood and often covered in animal hide, soldiers would soak their shields in water prior to attacking an enemy like the Parthians, who relied heavily on their bows, and when laying siege to fortresses. This of course fits the imagery of extinguishing the fire darts of the enemy.
 
In the case of the High Priests gold plate/shield, which resided over the forehead, His identity in belonging to God also spiritually quenched the fire darts/lies of the enemy.
 
In both representations the entire being is protected and the identity of the believer established in the priesthood and army he or she belong to. The Master of which is YHVH.
 
17 And take the helmet of the salvation, and the large knife machaira[G] of the Spirit, which is the living spoken word rhema[G] of God; 
 
“And a helmet of salvation on His (YHVH) head…”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 59:17 [Author’s translation]
 
First, this helmet of salvation is representative of the headship of God the Creator and His Salvation in the Person of the Son Yeshua who’s name means Salvation. This is enough of an interpretation, and one established by Scripture.
 
As we have established, this is spiritual armour. Therefore, the High Priests Turban (Ex. 28:4), which represents kaparah atonement over His head (just as the modern Jewish kippah/yarmulke does today for all observant Jews), is like a helmet of protection of the assurance of salvation. Both as mental assurance, and as security of atonement over the whole being, represented in the head.
 
Likewise the Roman helmet protects the brain and the intellectual understanding of faith.
 
This should not be confused with consciousness, which in the Biblical Hebrew context resides at the centre of being and not in the intellect. Nor is the consciousness subject to physical death, though for the wicked it will be subject to the second death following the judgement.
 
“The large knife” reflects both the knife the priests of Israel used for sacrifice (מאכלת ma’akelet Gen. 22:6, מחלף machalaph Ezra 1:9, חרב chereb Eze. 5:2) and the short sword used by Roman soldiers in the midst of battle from behind the shield wall. We note that this knife/sword is of the Spirit, which is the living word Rhema[G] of God. As distinct from the written word כתבי ketvi[H] and the Word Essence דבר davar[H]/Logos[G]. The Rhema[G] is the present participatory Word of the Spirit of the Father and the Son.
 
The Jewish sages consider the Torah to be a sword חרב תורה chereb Torah (Bereishit Rabbah, sect. 21. fol. 19. 1.
 
We should remember that this spiritual armour is gifted us unto the culmination of all that is to be done (“and having done all, to stand.” 6:13), and thereafter we will have no need of armour. We will not be wrestling with evil in the Olam Haba world to come. This is why the helmet of salvation is over the head, the seat of intellect, because the fallen intellect is prone to disbelief and thus needs the protection of the helmet of salvation so as to maintain the certain hope of eternal life and the assurance of security in Messiah.
 
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, adding to this be watchful with all perseverance and entreating for all the holy ones kedoshim[H] (saints)— 
 
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,” includes but is not limited to intellectual prayer, emotional groanings, recited Scripture as prayer, and so on.
 
Notice “all prayer,” meaning that there are many ways to pray: sing, speak, think, know, look, receive, understand, to name a few. Added to this is “supplication,” which is seeking God and entreating Him for the sake of others. This reflects the role of a priest. We are all priests in Messiah under His Priesthood, which is over all people (Heb. 4:14-16; Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 20:6).
 
“adding to this be watchful with all perseverance and entreating for all the holy ones kedoshim[H] (saints)” In all our conversation in and with God we are to be diligent, to practice kavanah (intention) and be watchful. We are to persevere even when things are difficult or seem hopeless, being honest with ourselves before God Who knows our prayers before we pray them (Psa. 139:4). This is for our good. We are also to specifically entreat God for the good of all our fellow holy ones (saints). Once again, this is an act of priesthood.
 
19 and for me, that word/essence logos[G] may be given to me, that I may open my mouth in boldness to make known the mystery of the Gospel, [Psa. 45:1] 
 
Paul asks that the Ephesian community add to their prayers, prayers that specially uplift him before God.
 
Paul specifically asks that the Ephesian community pray in affirmation with the Spirit of God, the prayerful Psalm of the sons of Korah:
 
“To the Chief Musician. Set to the shoshanim, tune of ‘The Lilies.’ A maschil contemplation/meditation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love. My heart/core stirs with a good davar word; I speak of my work concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a skilled Writer.”
 
-Tehillim (Psalms) 45:1 [Author’s translation]
 
Paul is desiring that the Word Essence Himself (Davar[H], Logos[G], Yeshua: John 1) be given to him and upon his tongue in a manifest and powerful way in order that he might speak and make known the mystery of the Gospel with boldness. Note Paul’s selfless motivation and the fact that the Gospel mystery is not being hidden but is being made known.
 
The phrase, “that I may open my mouth” is rabbinical.
Our rabbis say, “When Moshe wrote the scripture, ‘let us make man in our image,’ (Gen. 1:26) he said before the Master of the worlds, ‘Why do You give פתחון פה, (pitchon pei: opening of the mouth), to heretics?’ That is, giving them occasion to object to us, and try to convince us of a plurality of persons in the Deity… The response is, ‘wherever you find פתחון פה, an opening of the mouth to heretics, you will find an answer by its side, or along with it.’” (Bereishit Rabbah, sect. 8. fol. 7. 1. & Vayikra Rabbah, sect. 21. fol. 163. 1. Megillat Esther, fol. 94. 1, 3.)

Therefore, Paul is asking that the Ephesian community join him in prayer that he might be given Holy Spirit appointed words with which to refute the heretics who seek to pollute the Gospel message of God in Yeshua, just as heretics in the past had attempted to defile the Torah message in regard to the creation account and the identity and character of God.
 
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; in order that in it (Word Essence: logos[G] of God) I may speak boldly, that which my bindings insist I speak.
 
Paul considers himself called to be a messenger of God dressed in the chains of earthly imprisonment for the sake of the Gospel. He notes that his bindings insist that he speak the Gospel boldly to those who otherwise would never have heard it.
 
Paul considers his chains to be employees of God, the King Messiah and even of Paul.
 
21 So that you also may know my affairs and what I practice, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord/LORD, will make all things known to you;
 
Paul, being considerate of those in the Ephesian community who are concerned for his wellbeing, lets them know that his trusted fellow worker Tychicus will give them the necessary details and updates concerning Paul’s wellbeing, suffering, and ongoing “criminal proceedings.”
 
Tychicus was a fellow believer from Asia Minor who accompanied Paul/Shaul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4). Paul sent him to the Ephesian believers with this letter (1 Timothy 4:12), and to the believers in Colossae with a letter addressed to them (Colossians 4:7).
 
22 I’ve sent him to you for this purpose, in order that you may know how we are, and that he may comfort your hearts/core being kardia[G].
 
Once again, Paul’s concern is not with promoting his pious suffering but with the comfort of those who care about him.
 
23 Peace/wholeness/well-being to the brothers and sisters, and all-encompassing love agape[G]  with faith, from God, Father and Lord/LORD Yeshua the Messiah. 
 
Paul concludes with a familiar Jewish blessing, adding the Messianic illumination that will one day be on the tongues of all Jews:
 
שלום עליכם אחים ואהבה עם אמונה מאלוהים אב ואדון ישוע המשיח
 
“Shalom aleichim achim, v’ahavah im Emunah m’Elohim, Av v’Adon, Yeshua haMashiach.”
 
24 Grace be with all those who personally love agapao [G] the Lord/LORD our Yeshua the Messiah with incorruptible, perpetual, sincerity.
 
Paul is careful to specifiy that his blessing is upon those who genuinely and “personally love the YHVH Yeshua, the Messiah,” those who bear fruit, “with incorruptible and continuing sincerity.”
 
Copyright 2025 Yaakov (Brown) Ben Yehoshua

​Ephesians 5 [Author’s Translation]
 
1 Therefore (according to what preceded) you are to be imitators of the God as dearly loved children. 
2 And walk in all-encompassing love agape[G], just as also the Messiah has loved agape[G] us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to the God for an aroma, a fragrant scent (alt. a quieting aroma).
3 But sexual sin and all impurity or greed, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for kedoshim holy ones (saints); 
4 not obscenity, nor foolish talk, nor vulgar jesting, which are not fitting, but rather greater thankfulness. 
5 For this you see, knowing that no sexual sinner, unclean person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and God. 
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these the wrath of the God is on the sons/children of disobedience.(2:2) 
7 Therefore do not be co-participants with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now light in the Lord/LORD. As children of Light walk 
9 (for the fruit of the Light is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 
10 examining, proving what is well pleasing to the Lord/LORD. 
11 And don’t be co-participants with the unfruitful works of darkness, but to a greater degree refute them. 
12 For it’s shameful to even speak of those things done by them in secret. 
13 But all these things are refuted by the Light, in order that everything be exposed by the manifest Light.  
14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead, [ref. Jonah 1:6]
And the light of Messiah will shine on you.” [ref. Isaiah 9:2, 26:19, 60:1]
15 See to it that you walk diligently, not as fools but as wise ones, 
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Because of this do not be foolish, but understand what is the will of the Lord/LORD. 
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is debauchery; but be filled in the Spirit, 
19 speaking to one another in psalms of strings and songs of praise and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your heart to the Lord/LORD, 
20 Be thankful always in/beyond all things in the Name of our Lord/LORD, Yeshua the Messiah, the God and Father, 
21 Submit yourselves equitably one to another in the fearful awe of Messiah.
22 The wife to her own husband as to the Lord/LORD.
23 Because a husband is to be head, first (in order), of the wife, like also the Messiah is the head, first (in order) of the gathered believers. He the Saviour, Deliverer, Preserver of the body.
24 Nevertheless in the same way the gathered believers submit to the Messiah, in this manner also the wife, the husband, in place always each one.
25 The husband is to love agape[G] (fully in every way) the wife, as also the Messiah loves (fully in every way) the gathered believers, indeed, giving Himself (Messiah) for her (gathered believers).
26 In order that He (Messiah) might separate, acknowledge, dedicate, hallow, cleanse by the washing with the water of the living voice, spoken word rhema[G].
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious assembly, without stain or wrinkle or any such thing, in order that she should be holy and blameless, without spot or blemish. 
28 So husbands owe a debt of all-encompassing love agape[G] to their own wives as to their own bodies; he who fully loves agape[G] his wife fully loves agape[G] himself. 
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cares for it, just as the Messiah does for the assembly of believers. 
30 Since we are members of His body. 
31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” [Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5; Mark 10:7] 
32 This, the mystery is great, but I speak concerning Messiah and toward the assembly of believers. 
33 However, let each one of you himself in the same way, fully love agape[G] his own wife as himself, and let the wife show reverent awe for her husband.
 
Line By Line
 
1 Therefore (according to what preceded) you are to be imitators of the God as dearly loved children. 
 
Because in Messiah, God has forgiven us in all-encompassing love (4:32), we are to imitate Him according to the overflow of His love poured out upon us as treasured בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ (b’nai HaElohim) children of the God.
 
In short, because we are secure in His love we are to express that love to one another. This is especially important in the context of marriage, and is part of the reason for the exhortation of verses 25-29.
 
The love of God expressed to others is therefore the overarching force in all our relationships.
 
“Speak to all the congregation of the B’nai Yisrael (children of Israel), and say to them: ‘Become kedoshim (saints) holy ones, because Holy Am I YHVH (Mercy) your Elohim (God, Judge).”
 
-Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:2 [Author’s translation]
 
Here Paul exhorts believers (predominantly Gentile) to be imitators of God, Who is holy. He is teaching a now predominantly Gentile Ephesian faith community one of the core instructions of Biblical Jewish faith. Elsewhere Paul, John and Barnabas (Author of the book of Hebrews), exhort all believers to be imitators of Messiah (1 Cor. 11:1; Philippians 2:5; 1 Thess. 1:6; Heb. 12:2; 1 John 2:6), thus the unity of the Godhead is reflected in the New Testament exhortations to imitate the character of YHVH.
 
Jewish tradition teaches that humans should be merciful in imitation of God’s mercy:
 
“Abba Shaul says: Ve’anveihu should be interpreted as if it were written in two words: Ani vaHu, me and Him [God]. Be similar, as it were, to Him, the Almighty: Just as He is compassionate and merciful, so too should you be compassionate and merciful.”
 
-Talmud Bavliy, Shabbat 133b:6
 
It’s interesting to note that the rabbi quoted in this Talmudic passage is a תנא Tana (founding interpreter: teacher) of the Mishnaic period (200 CE), and shares his name with Paul the Apostle, who’s Hebrew name is Shaul. Additionally, Abba Shaul of the תנאים Tannaim, a disciple of Rabbi Akiva, was known for his unique perspectives on certain halakhot and traditions, in which he differed from his contemporaries.
 
2 And walk in all-encompassing love agape[G], just as also the Messiah has loved agape[G] us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to the God for an aroma, a fragrant scent (alt. a quieting aroma).
 
The love we walk in is to reflect the love of Messiah. Note that His love is sacrificial, in fact the love of God displayed in this sin affected world is made manifest through sacrifice.
 
Many in the modern faith community are happy to take the love of God but reticent to exhibit the same sacrificial love to others. The false gospel lacks the accountability required to inspire selfless love in the believer. Like Messiah we are to love (in and from Him) by giving ourselves up for the good of others, which is a sweet smelling aroma, an offering pleasing to the Father.
 
The TaNaKh (OT) speaks of sacrifices, both animal and grain offerings as being “an aroma of quieting.” This is in fact what Paul is quoting when he refers to Yeshua’s atoning death as a “Fragrant scent.” In the context God’s post flood promise following the sacrifice offered by Noah we read:
 
“And the LORD smelled an aroma of quieting. Then the LORD said in His core being, ‘I will never again curse the ground (ha-adamah) because of humanity (ha-adam), although the inclination (yetzer) of the heart of a human is evil (ra) from youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I’ve done.’”
 
-Bereishit (Genesis) 8:21 [Author’s translation]
 
(Ref. Gen. 8:21; Ex. 29:18, 25, 41; Lev. 1:9, 13, 17, 3:16)
 
The Hebrew phrase in Genesis 8:21 is וַיָּ֣רַח יְהוָה אֶת־רֵ֣יחַ הַנִּיחֹחַ֒ vayarach Adonay et-reiach haniychoach and translates literally as, “And YHVH smelled an aroma of quieting,” that is, an aroma that quiets the just wrath of God. This is why many English translations render the Hebrew “a pleasing aroma.” The translators are attempting to convey the idea that God is pleased by the aroma because it comes from a blood sacrifice that atones for sin, or an associated offering connected to the Sanctuary rites, and therefore satisfies His just wrath and makes way for forgiveness, repentance and reconciliation.
 
Ezekiel speaks of a future time when, in true repentance, all Israel will be accepted in a quieting aroma, and as a result God will be worshipped as holy among the Jewish people in the presence of the Gentile nations. This is exactly the message Paul is relaying in affirming that the Gospel makes way for the inclusion of the Gentiles into the commonwealth of Israel.
 
“39 ‘As for you, O house of Israel,’ thus says Adonay YHVH: ‘Go, serve every one of you his idols. But afterward you will certainly listen to Me and no longer profane My Holy Name with your gifts and idols. 40 For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel,’ says Adonay YHVH, ‘there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the first fruits of your tributes, together with all your holy things. 41 In an aroma of quieting I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be worshipped as holy in you before the Gentiles.’”
 
-Ezekiel 20:39-41 [Author’s translation]
 
Therefore, Messiah’s sacrifice has become an all effective aroma of quieting to God the Father and makes it possible for us to become a quieting aroma in Him.
 
It's important to recognize that the love described throughout this chapter, including between husband and wife, is agape[G] (all-encompassing love). It does not concern sexuality except as part of a godly marriage. Sexuality is to do with knowledge יָדַע yada[H], not love אהבה ahavah[H].
 
3 But sexual sin and all impurity or greed, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for kedoshim holy ones (saints); 
 
Both Paul and John include lists of vices in their writings as indictments against such acts. This was apparently common practice among some forms of ancient writing. (Rom. 1:29-31; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 21:8)
 
Sexual perversions and greed of many kinds were prevalent in Greco-Roman society and in reality, have and continue to be prevalent among humans of all tribes and tongues.
 
Sexual sin was clearly also a significant problem among people of Messianic faith in Greco-Roman society. It remains a significant problem in the modern body of believers.
 
Sexual sin includes all sexual acts forbidden by Torah:
 
Adultery, premarital sex (defiles the wedding bed), the homosexual sex act, the lesbian sex act, intercourse with animals, sexual intercourse with close relatives, and, as Yeshua illuminates, sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman (Mark 10:11-12).
 
Sexual sin is linked to all forms of impurity and greed, and is therefore the practice of idolatry (the worship of something other than God). This is why the TaNaKh (OT) often uses sexual immorality as a metaphor for idol worship.
 
Paul admonishes the Ephesian believers not even to discuss these things in social conversation, not casually, not at all.
 
4 not obscenity, nor foolish talk, nor vulgar jesting, which are not fitting, but rather greater thankfulness. 
 
This is a concise list of the type of talk that comes to the tongue from a heart that is intent on engaging in illicit practices. This is associated with a broader meaning of לָשׁוֹן הָרַע lashon hara (wicked tongue/slander/gossip) as a unique aspect of its literal meaning “tongue of evil.”
 
Obscenity of the mouth נבול פה nebul peh, is a familiar phrase in Rabbinical commentary.
 
“א. מִי שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר נִבּוּל־פֶּה, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁלִּבּוֹ חוֹשֵׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת אָוֶן.
 
Whoever speaks obscenities clearly has been thinking sinful thoughts.
 
ב. עַל־יְדֵי נִבּוּל־פֶּה בָּא חֲנֻפָּה.
 
Obscene language leads to flattery.
 
ג. בַּעֲווֹן נִבּוּל־פֶּה צָרוֹת וּגְזֵרוֹת מִתְחַדְּשׁוֹת, וּבַחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵתִים, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וִיתוֹמִים וְאַלְמָנוֹת צוֹעֲקִים וְאֵינָם נַעֲנִין.
 
Because of the sin of obscene language, suffering and harsh decrees are renewed; the young men of Israel die, God forbid; and orphans and widows cry out, but are not answered.”
 
-Sefer HaMiddot, Obscene Language 1-3
 
Pornographic content was prolific in Roman cities and throughout the Greco-Roman world. Pornographic images were drawn on the walls of inns depicting the various acts a prostitute might engage in with a prospective customer and the prices for each respective act.
 
Sexually explicit joking and innuendos were prominent in all forms of entertainment, specifically in the mimes and comic novels of the first century Roman culture.
 
The same can be said of popular media, entertainment, and everyday conversation in the Western world today (which is in fact the progeny of Greco-Roman Empire).
 
Thankfulness in greater amounts is a practical solution for combatting sexual immorality and impurity of every kind. A tongue engaged in thankfulness toward God is born of a heart focussed on Messiah. When our parts are employed in worship of God there is no room for them to be misused.
 
5 For this you see, knowing that no sexual sinner, unclean person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and God. 
 
This describes perpetual and unrepentant sin practice. No one who continues to wilfully engage in a lifestyle of intentional sin will inherit the Kingdom of God.
 
“19 Now the works of the flesh (evil inclination) are manifest, they are these: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, shamelessness, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostility, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, drunken carousing, and the like; concerning which I warn you beforehand, just as I also warned in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
 
-Galatians 5:19-21 [Author’s translation]
 
“But those who practice cowardice, the faithless, disgusting souls, murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
 
-Revelation 21:8 [Author’s translation]
 
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these the wrath of the God is on the sons/children of disobedience. (2:2) 
 
Empty words refers to false doctrines that deceive. The phrase also refers to words that are technically correct but are not reflected in a person’s actions.
 
As in the first century CE, so too today in the modern body of believers (church) there are those who teach a compromised pseudo-moral gospel that allows for the aforementioned sin practices to be syncretised with a “Christian” or “Jewish” faith lifestyle.
 
Among those who teach such things today are theologians, pastors rabbis and so on. We are not to allow them to deceive us or those we shepherd. Those who teach that God is okay with adultery, pre-marital sex (which defiles the wedding bed), homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderism etc, who say, “Love is love” in an attempt to camouflage perversity, are apostate and according to Scripture, “the wrath of the God is on” them. Not “will be on them,” but “is on them.”
 
The “Children of disobedience” refers the reader back to chapter 2 and those who under the influence of “the prince of the permitted power of the lower air.” They are in wilful disobedience and therefore under wrath.
 
“in which, in the past, you walked according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the power permitted over the lower air, the spirit who is now active in the children of the disobedience/obstinate opposition/wilful rebellion,”
 
-Ephesians 2:2 [Author’s translation]
 
(Ref. Rom. 1:18; Col. 3:6; Rev. 19:15)
 
7 Therefore do not be co-participants with them.
 
Those who abide the aforementioned false teachers, who, knowing what they teach, nonetheless allow them to continue in the community of faith, dine with them, consider them friends, are walking in disobedience. We are not to participate with such false teachers in any way.
 
“But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother or sister in Messiah, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or a swindler—don’t even to eat with such a person!”
 
- 1 Corinthians 5:11
 
(Ref. 1 Cor. 5:9-14, 7:12-16; 2 Cor. 6:14; 2 Peter 2)
 
We live in a sin affected world where deceivers abound and their theories and empty words permeate our media and places of education. Paul does not say “remove yourselves from the world” but, “do not be co-participants with them.”
 
This reflects the principle present in Yeshua’s prayer for believers (John 17:16-26).
 
8 For you were once darkness, but now light in the Lord/LORD. As children of Light walk 9 (for the fruit of the Light is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 
10 examining, proving what is well pleasing to the Lord/LORD. 
 
“This is the message we have heard from Him (Yeshua) and announce to you, that God is Light (all existing), and in Him there is no darkness.”
 
-1 John 1:5 [Author’s translation]
 
God has called Israel in Messiah to be a “light to the Gentiles,” manifesting this calling in the fullness of time through the King Messiah Yeshua (Isa. 42:6, 49:6, 60:3). Therefore, the inclusion of certain Messiah essential Gentiles into the commonwealth of Israel according to the Gospel of Yeshua means that those Gentiles saved by grace through faith, who join the commonwealth of Israel are also called “children of Light” just as the God fearing Jews of every generation have been known throughout Biblical history and to this day.
 
The writers of the New Testament use light and darkness in a figurative sense to represent good and evil. The Scriptures teach that God is all existing Light but not that created light is God. The Scriptures teach that darkness as a figure for evil has no place in the manifest presence of God, however, the created darkness, like all things, exists in God the Creator.
 
In Rabbinical literature the Gentiles are considered to be as darkness. Rav Shaul is once again emphasizing the fact that the Gentile believers in Ephesus were once alienated from the covenants of God and were under wrath. They were, “darkness, but are now light in the LORD.”
 
“ויבדל אלקים בין האור ובין החושך "and G'd separated the light from the darkness."...This is an allusion to the separation between the Jewish people and the Gentile nations, the former always looking forward to the Messiah and redemption, whereas the Gentiles are content to remain in spiritual...darkness.”
 
- Rabbeinu Bahya, Bereshit 1:2:5
 
Our identity is informed by the one we worship. We were darkness (figuratively speaking) before we received Messiah, but now in Him Who is the all existing Light, we become light (figuratively speaking) in YHVH. Therefore, we walk as children of the Light in His goodness, righteousness, and truth. We test, examine and prove all things according to His Spirit in us and present to God that which pleases Him.
 
Yeshua says, “I am the Light of the world!” (John 8:12), and also calls His disciples “the light of the world,” in reflection of His all existing Light (Matthew 5:14-16).
 
Yeshua also refers to those who belong to God as “sons of light” (Luke 16:8; John 12:36).
 
Elsewhere Paul refers to believers as “sons of light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5).
 
This figurative language was also common to the Essenes and certain priests of the intertestamental and first century period (cf. Milhamah Scroll [Qumran Cave 1] and Serek Hayahad [Qumran Cave 1] 3:13-4:14).
 
“the fruit of the Light,” albeit a mixed metaphor, denotes the productive power of light. For example, in the growth of a plant. Those who receive God’s all exiting Light produce righteousness, the actions of light reflecting the character of God. Those who live in darkness, like seeds planted in darkness, produce nothing good, decaying and rotting away unto death.
 
“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no torah (indictment).”
 
-Galatians 5:22-23 [Author’s translation]
 
Compare John 1:4-5, 8-9, 3:19-21, 12:36.
 
11 And don’t be co-participants with the unfruitful works of darkness, but to a greater degree refute them. 
 
We note that there is, “fruit of the Light,” but that the works of darkness are, “unfruitful.”
 
The ancient initiations into Greek mystery cults normally occurred at night and often involved immoral sexual acts. Nocturnal banquets that involved orgies were also practiced in ancient Roman cities. All these acts were fruitless in both the physical and spiritual sense.
 
To the Corinthian community of faith Paul writes:
 
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? and what communion does light have with darkness?”
 
-2 Corinthians 6:14 [Author’s translation]
 
To the Corinthian believers, as to the Ephesians, Paul is making a d’rash (comparative teaching) concerning mismatched things that cannot work together:
 
“You shall not plow with an ox and an ass yoked together.”
 
-D’varim (Deuteronomy) 22:10
 
Our rabbis write:
 
"(Deut. 22:10) intimates that a righteous man, שלא ישתתף, "should have no fellowship" with a wicked man;''
 
- Baal HaTurim on D’varim (Deuteronomy) 22:10
 
Not only are we not to be co-participants with the unfruitful works of darkness, we are tasked with actively and intentionally refuting them, and to do so to a greater and greater degree. We are not only to refuse to associate with false teachers, we are also to refute them. The false gospel of “nice” doesn’t allow for this, but the Scripture demands it in Messiah.
 
“Therefore, to he/she who knows the good he/she should do and does not do it, to him/her it is sin.”
 
-Yaakov (James) 4:17 [Author’s translation]

Light exposes darkness. Therefore, in Messiah we who are children of Light will by nature of our identity, expose the darkness in the lives of those around us.
 
12 For it’s shameful to even speak of those things done by them in secret. 
 
Paul reinforces for emphasis the fact that it’s shameful even to speak of the wicked things done by the wilfully disobedient in secret.
 
Paul, by the Holy Spirit, is calling those things that Greco-Roman society prided itself in, shameful. As then, so today, many in the body are praising things that God has called “wicked,” even, “abomination.” Paul’s instruction to the believers at Ephesus leaves no room for this kind of pseudo-Christian compromise. We should take note and walk accordingly.
 
13 But all these things are refuted by the Light, in order that everything be exposed by the manifest Light. 
 
The Light Himself, Yeshua, Who lives in us by His Spirit, refutes the immoral things so that all the deeds done in secret/darkness are brought into the Light. This is a process of sanctification that is at work among believers in order to purify the Bride of Messiah.
 
Sin is exposed in the community so as to bring us to repentance. Those who refuse to repent prove that Messiah is not in them and should therefore be put out of the community of faith. This applies specifically to those who claim to be Messiah followers but prove by their fruit that they are not.
 
“9 I wrote to you in my letter that you should not keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly didn’t mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother or sister (In Messiah), who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a mischievous brawler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—don’t even eat with such a person. 12 For what do I have to do with judging those also who are outside (the body of believers)? Are you not to judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Therefore “remove the evil person from among yourselves.”
 
-1 Corinthians 5:9-13 [Author’s translation]
 
14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead, [ref. Jonah 1:6]
And the light of Messiah will shine on you.” [ref. Isaiah 9:2, 26:19, 60:1]
 
While most scholars attribute this quote to an early Messianic prayer or hymn, I am inclined to understand it as a quote from the scroll of the prophet Jonah. The preceding verse refers to the Light Himself, Yeshua Who refutes and exposes all things by His resurrected glory and eternal majesty.
 
The phrasing “Therefore it is spoken,” also translated, “Therefore He says,” could be interpreted as referring to a saying of the early church inspired by the Holy Spirit. However, it seems more consistent with Paul’s style of writing to attribute what follows to Scripture. Given that elsewhere when Paul uses this introductory phrase it is to introduce a Scripture quote. 2 Timothy 2:11 uses the phrase, Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος Pistos ho logos, “This is a faithful word,” to refer to a saying of the early body of believers, whereas the present text reads, διὸ λέγει Dio legei, “Therefore it says.” Notice that 2 Timothy allows for the understanding that what follows is a truth from a common saying among believers, whereas Ephesians 5:14 allows only for an understanding synonymous with, “It is written.” A clear reference to Scripture. The only question then is, “Which scripture or scriptures is Paul alluding to?”
 
As a result of hyper literal interpretation many have concluded that the words that follow do not exactly match a Scripture text, and therefore can’t refer to Scripture. This position fails to consider the Targums and Midrashim that paraphrase Scripture and therefore often word the text in a slightly different but consistent way. I believe Paul is quoting the scroll of Jonah 1:6.
 
 וַיִּקְרַ֤ב אֵלָיו֙ רַ֣ב הַחֹבֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ מַה־לְּךָ֣ נִרְדָּ֑ם ק֚וּם קְרָ֣א אֶל־אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אוּלַ֞י יִתְעַשֵּׁ֧ת הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים לָ֖נוּ וְלֹ֥א נֹאבֵֽד׃
 
“So the great pilot (captain) approached him (Jonah), and said to him, “How is it that you sleep? Arise! Call on your God; perhaps your God will shine (yit’asheit) on us, so that we may not perish.”
 
-Yonah (Jonah) 1:6 [Author’s translation]
 
The Hebrew יִתְעַשֵּׁ֧ת yit’asheit, from the root עשת ashat, means, “to be smooth, shine, gleam, and to think.” All these are correct English renderings for the text. Therefore, I have translated it as follows: “perhaps your God will shine (yit’asheit) on us.”
 
Messiah has already been established as God with us and is called in this letter of Paul “Yeshua the Messiah, the God and Father.” (v.20)
 
Therefore, “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead (sleep)” equals, “How is it that you sleep? Arise!” And, “the light of Messiah will shine on you,” equals, “your God will shine (yit’asheit) on us.”
 
It seems that Paul is in fact making a d’rash (comparative teaching) on the text of Jonah. Jonah being a prefigure for the King Messiah.
 
The captain and crew of the boat carrying Jonah were sailing away from Israel, the place where God had placed His Name. Nonetheless, in the storm they repented and turned to God through Jonah, whom they asked to awake (Yeshua also slept in a boat), and arise (resurrection), and ask that God (in Messiah) shine on them.
 
Paul, by the Holy Spirit appears to be saying (based on the preceding verse) that the believers of Ephesus (and indeed all believers), should arise from their sleep (lack of diligence) and allow Messiah to raise them from the death of the fallen world, so that His light will shine on them in their redeemed state and therefore expose the evil deeds kept secret in the community of faith.
 
Paul may also be collecting together the following passages from Isaiah 9:2, 26:19, 60:1:
 
“1 (2) The people (ha-am: people of Israel) whose walking's (Haholchim) are in darkness (Choshek: Genesis 1:2) have seen, (perceived and understood) great light (Or gadol: Genesis 1:3-5); those living (dwelling, remaining) in the land (B’eretz: Land of Israel) that lies in the shadow of death, light has enlightened (rested upon) them.”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 9:1 (2) [Author’s translation]
 
“Your dead will live; my dead body will arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust; for your tal dew (night mist) is oraot lights, talecha your night mist, vearetz and the land/earth will cast forth the dead.”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 26:19 (2) [Author’s translation]
 
“Kumiy Get up (arising), Oriy shine; kiy va oreich for your light is come, uchevod and the glory of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) alayich upon you zarach rises, breaks out.”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60:1 [Author’s translation]
 
The Mishneh Torah links the awaking of sleeping ones to repentance
 
“Even though the sounding of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah is a decree, it contains an allusion. It is as if [the shofar's call] is saying:

‘Wake up you sleepy ones from your sleep and you who slumber, arise. Inspect your deeds, repent, remember your Creator. Those who forget the truth in the vanities of time and throughout the entire year, devote their energies to vanity and emptiness which will not benefit or save: Look to your souls. Improve your ways and your deeds and let every one of you abandon his evil path and thoughts.’”
 
- Mishneh Torah, Teshuvah
 
There is a sense of urgency in Paul’s exhortation that connects it with his exhortation to the Roman community of faith:
 
“11 Do this, knowing that at the present time (olam hazeh), it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; For now, salvation (Yeshua) is nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 The night (olam hazeh, the present world subject to wrath) is almost gone, and the day (olam haba, the world to come) is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the hoplon (Greek shield) of light (Hebrew: Or, to illuminate, expose, lay bare, unhidden, revealed, shine, luminous). 13 Let us walk (halakh) properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy. ”
 
-Romans 13:11-13 [Author’s translation]
 
15 See to it that you walk diligently, not as fools but as wise ones, 
 
Walking well means being diligent, not swayed by the winds of false doctrine and conspiracy like fools, but instead living in the wisdom of God, which is imparted by His Spirit to every believer.
 
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
 
The time in question is sin affected. Time and space as they exist in the fallen creation, are by nature sin affected and in need of redemption. Thus, in Messiah our every moment is a journey of redemption. His work in us, overflowing to others.
 
Time that was once used for impure acts must, in Messiah, be employed for acts of righteousness.
 
In Hebrew, right actions that redeem the time are collectively seen in the practice of תיקון עולם Tikkun Olam (repairing the world). Sadly, the modern rabbinical form of Tikkun Olam concerns our efforts to repair rather than being a practiced outworking of God’s work. It is therefore a false gospel of works for God rather than the true Gospel of right action in and from God. We cannot save ourselves or our world. Salvation is in and from God alone. We receive it or we don’t, anything else is a false gospel.
 
(Ref. Acts 2:40; Gal. 1:4)
 
17 Because of this do not be foolish, but understand what is the will of the Lord/LORD. 
 
Because the days are evil we are tasked with turning our backs on vile thoughts and actions and in Messiah understanding what the will of God is.
 
What is the will of God?
 
“12 ‘And now, Israel, what does YHVH (Mercy) the Lord your Elohim (God, Judge) require of you, but to fear YHVH (Mercy) the Lord your Elohim (God, Judge), to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve YHVH (Mercy) the Lord your Elohim (God, Judge) with all your core being (heart) and with all your soul, 13 and to keep YHVH (Mercy) the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?’”
 
-D’varim (Deuteronomy) 10:12-13 [Author’s translation]
 
“He has told you, human, what is good;
And what YHVH (Mercy) the Lord requires of you
But to act justly, to love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your Elohim (God, Judge)?”
 
-Micah 6:8 [Author’s translation]
 
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to obtain and provide for his own vessel in sanctification and honour, in in lust chasing sinful desire, like the Gentiles who do not know God;”
 
-1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 [Author’s translation]
 
“Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful unto repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not be damaged in anything through us. For godly sorrow produces repentance unto salvation without regret, but the sorrow of this world produces death.”
 
-2 Corinthians 7:9-10 [Author’s translation]
 
“Who gave Himself  (Messiah) for our sins so that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of the God and Father of us,”
 
-Galatians 1:4 [Author’s translation]
 
“to whom (kedoshim: saints) God willed to make known what are the riches of the judgement of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Messiah in you, the hope of glory.”
 
-Colossians 1:27 [Author’s translation]
 
“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Messiah Yeshua.”
 
-1 Thessalonians 5:18 [Author’s translation]
 
“For this is the will of God, that by righteous actions you make silent the wilful ignorance of foolish people.”
 
-1 Peter 2:15 [Author’s translation]
 
“Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit the guarding of their souls to Him doing what is right according to the faithful Creator.”
 
-1 Peter 4:19 [Author’s translation]

“7 But the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire by His Word, reserved for the day of judgment and destruction of those people who hate God. 8 But beloved, don’t be ignorant of this one thing, that with the Lord/LORD one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord/LORD is not slow in fulfilling His promise, as some assess slowness, but is longsuffering toward you (Jewish believers, the original recipients of Peter’s works), not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.”

-2 Peter 3:7-9 [Author’s translation]
 
Therefore God’s will is:
 
1.     To fear God and walk in His ways (Deuteronomy10:12-13)
2.     To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8)
3.     That we be sanctified (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5)
4.     That we be made sorrowful unto repentance and salvation (2 Corinthians 7:9-10)
5.     That Messiah die in order to deliver us from the present evil world (Galatians 1:4)
6.     To make known to the holy ones (saints) the riches of His glory in the inclusion of the Gentiles (Colossians 1:27)
7.     That we give thanks in all things in Messiah Yeshua (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
8.     That by right actions (in Him) we shut the mouths of wilfully ignorant, foolish people (1 Peter 2:15)
9.     That in suffering we trust ourselves to God the Creator and do what is right (1 Peter 4:19)
10.  The destruction by fire of the wicked (2 Peter 3:7)
11.  That none among the believing Jewish community should perish eternally (2 Peter 3:9)
 
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is debauchery; but be filled in the Spirit, 
 
Biblical Jewish faith tradition despises drunkenness.
 
“Sexual immorality, wine, and new wine take away the heart (core being, inner person).”
 
-Hosea 4:11 [Author’s translation]
 
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink a roar of rage,
And whoever is deceived by them proves unwise.”
 
-Proverbs 20:1 [Author’s translation]
 
“19 You listen, my son, and be wise,
And guide your heart (core being) in the way.
20 Don’t hang out with heavy drinkers,
Or with gluttonous eaters of flesh;
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will be overcome with poverty,
And a hangover will clothe a person in rags.

-Proverbs 23:19-21 [Author’s translation] (ref. 29-35)
 
Ancient Greco-Roman religion and philosophy gave licence for drunkenness and the use of substances for inducing spiritual experiences.
 
Drunken debauchery was common in the Mediterranean culture of the time, and was practised at late night banquets/sex parties predominantly attended by the upper class. The poor too had access to such immoral opportunities. Local taverns provided ample alcohol and bar maids that offered sexual services to patrons.
 
Intoxication induced by alcohol and other substances was employed for pagan religious rites and used for inspiration. One such practice invoked possession by the Greek god of wine Dionysus. Rites like this often also included sexual promiscuity and violence.
 
Wine is not the problem, Yeshua drank wine. Intoxication is the problem, in all its forms, because it weakens the integrity of the intoxicated person by impairing their mental faculties and it defiles the sound reason of the mind, leading the one who is intoxicated to lose control. Thus it heightens the human propensity toward evil which ends in debauchery and death.
 
We note that, “Be filled with the Spirit,” is an exhortation to trust God to fill us with His Spirit.
 
“Be filled with the Spirit,” is in the Greek present tense and denotes an ongoing and repeated filling of the Spirit of God unto inspiration in spiritual matters. This does not discount the mark/seal of the Spirit upon every believer as an established sign of salvation unto eternal life (Eph. 1:13-14), nor does it discount the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is received by grace through faith and in immersion (John 14:16-17; Romans 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19). Nor does it refer to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is a one-time event that is part of the baptism commanded by Messiah. The exceptions in Scripture occur during the early growth of the church and the progression of learning about the various baptisms. In all cases where a genuine believer receives the baptism commanded by Yeshua, that person is baptised in and receives the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
 
The text does not say, “Be drunk with the Spirit,” as some false teachers say. This misrepresentation is satanic, abhorrent to God, because it impugns the character of God’s Spirit. Have nothing to do with people that teach this practice. They are being made drunk by a spirit, and not by the Spirit of God.
 
19 speaking to one another in psalms of strings and songs of praise and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your heart to the Lord/LORD, 
 
This is said to all. It’s something that is done individually and corporately. Even one who is not talented musically can make music in his heart (core being).
 
Why does Paul specify so many types of psalms, songs? I believe he is alluding to the various types of Psalms recorded in the scroll of Tehillim (Psalms).
 
“Speaking to one another in psalms מִכְתָּם Miktam (a sacred psalm), of strings נְגִינוֹת Negiynot (psalm played on a stringed instrument), and songs of praise הלל Hallel (Psalms of ascent), and spiritual songs משכיל Maschil (a thoughtful or instructional psalm), שִׁגָּיוֹן Shigayon (a lament or passionate song)…”
 
By making a list of specific types of Psalms Paul is educating the Gentile Ephesian believers in the ways of Israel’s faith history and the use of the Biblical Psalms in praise and worship.
 
In one sense, Paul is saying that every Spirit filled believer, can, like David, make music in their heart (core being) to YHVH.
 
20 Be thankful always in/beyond/above all things in the Name of our Lord/LORD, Yeshua the Messiah, the God and Father,  
 
The Greek ὑπὲρ hyper, translated “for” in many English versions, means, “above, beyond, more than, in, for” respectively. This is why I’ve chosen the translation, “Be thankful always in/beyond/above all things,” which is more consistent with the context of Paul’s writing and establishes the truth that in Messiah we can be transcendently thankful in the midst of any and every circumstance. In short, Paul is not saying “be thankful always for all things,” but “be thankful always in and beyond all things in the Name of our LORD, Yeshua the Messiah, the God and Father.”
 
Therefore, this does not mean that we are to be thankful for evil things. At best it may include being thankful for deliverance from evil things. The key to understanding this is the phrase, “in the Name.” We are to be thankful always in all things in the Name of our LORD YHVH, Yeshua the Messiah, the God and Father. Meaning, in His character, nature, being, identity, deity.
 
Thankfulness in and of itself is not godly. Many today as part of the so called mindfulness movement, teach thankfulness mantras as a means for wellbeing in and of themselves.
 
Thankful for what and to whom? Unless thankfulness is to God in Whom we exist and have life, our thankfulness is empty. Any peace derived from vain thankfulness is empty temporal peace. The thankfulness Paul speaks of here is “in the Name of our LORD, Yeshua the Messiah, the God and Father!”
 
Note that the Greek text when translated literally reads, “in the Name of our LORD, Yeshua the Messiah, the God and Father.” Yeshua is God. He is God the Son and the manifestation of God the Father in Human form (Col. 2:9).
 
21 Submit yourselves equitably one to another in the fearful awe of Messiah.
 
This speaks of everyone in the body of believers and therefore speaks to both husband and wife as an equally important exhortation.
 
Paul need not begin this section of his letter with an exhortation to, “love one another” because that has already been well established in chapter 4 and verse 2 of the present chapter. Therefore, the love of God at work in us is the foundation for the instruction unto submission in fear of Messiah.
 
Notice that Messiah is placed in the phrase “fearful awe of Messiah” where God would usually be placed “fearful awe of God.” Fear of Messiah is fear of God. Without fear of Messiah the believer is incapable of godly submission to another believer in any relationship.
 
Verse 21 begins a Messianic code of conduct for household relationships. In God’s love mutual submission to one another in Messiah is rule one. Therefore, the following instructions must submit to rule one. This is something that misogynistic leaders fail to realise.
 
As early as the fourth century BC Greek philosophers codified household conduct that established protocol for how the male leaders of wealthy families should manage the relationships and affairs of the home. These household codes taught the male head how to rule over the subordinate members of the household, wives, children and slaves.
 
Romans were suspicious of the Biblical Jewish family and the way it valued members of the household as equal and uniquely gifted contributors to the wellbeing of the family unit. In ancient Biblical Judaism as today, the women of the Jewish home were honoured as carriers of faith tradition to be passed on to children generationally. Jewish rituals such as the Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony pay special attention to the honouring of women. These aspects of Jewish practice made Roman men uncomfortable.
 
On the other hand, certain Greco-Roman cities practiced a Matriarchal societal norm which often demeaned men and established another kind of inequity within households.
 
Paul brings a Messiah essential Jewish code of conduct that, having been established in love begins with mutual submission. He establishes his teaching in the teaching of Yeshua the King Messiah, Whom he has personally and transcendently encountered (Acts 9).
 
“42 But Yeshua called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones wield power over them. 43 But, it will not be so among you; rather whoever desires to become great among you will be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first will be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
 
- Mark 10:42-45 [Author’s translation] (Ref. John 13:14-15)
 
When counselling married Christian and Messiah following Jewish couples my wife and I first remind each one that in Messiah they are fully loved and secure, therefore, having been filled with Messiah’s love they are tasked not with seeking what they can get out of the marriage but with allowing the overflow of the love of God to minister to the other. Once again, this emphasises self-sacrificial love. Next, we remind each person in the marriage that the Scriptures written to men are to be the focus of the man, and the Scriptures written to women are to be the focus of the woman. In short, stop using Scriptures written to your partner as ammunition, instead concentrate on your obligation according to Scripture.
 
Pastors, teachers, Rabbis and laypeople would do well to remember this when teaching these Scriptures to their communities.

22 The wife to her own husband as to the Lord/LORD.
 
It was not uncommon in Greco-Roman society and therefore in Ephesus, for a man to have a wife and a consort, or for a wife to have sexual relations with a favoured male servant, and so on. Paul has just admonished the community to turn away from sexual immorality, and so he continues to detail what that means here.
 
The wife is to submit herself (her sex) to her own husband and to no other, just as she and all believers are to submit to One God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
 
Paul has established mutual love (Eph. 4) and mutual submission (Eph. 5:21). He now focuses on the respective areas that women and men struggle to excel in.
 
Women are inclined toward love and devotion, whereas men are more inclined toward conquering and ruling.
 
Women find submission difficult primarily based on the fruit of the first sin of humanity. And men take rule for granted based on that same sinful fruit.
 
“Your desire will be to usurp your husband’s authority,
And yet he shall rule over you.”
 
-Genesis 3:16 [Author’s translation]
 
God created the man and the woman to be partners with unique roles who submit one to the other in Him. Sin left this ideal unbalanced and opened the way for an ungodly power struggle between the man and the woman.
 
Paul’s exhortation first teaches Gentile believers the Biblical Jewish ideal and then focusses on those areas each partner will struggle with. For the woman that area is submission and for the man that area is all-encompassing love agape[G] (not sex).
 
It’s important to note that a wife’s submission to her husband is premised on mutual submission, as previously stated, and that the wife is not required to submit to abuse or participation in sinful practices, which would contradict the Torah and the context of Paul’s teaching. (Ref. 1 Samuel 25)
 
““For YHVH the Lord Elohim God/Judge of Israel says That He hates divorce, and one who wears violence as a garment,” Says YHVH the Lord Who goes warring (of hosts). “Therefore practice self-control over your spirit, That you do not deal faithlessly.”
 
-Malachi 2:16

23 Because a husband is to be head, first (in order), of the wife, like also the Messiah is the head, first (in order) of the gathered believers. He the Saviour, Deliverer, Preserver of the body.
 
The husband is first in order as a reflection of Messiah being the Origin, first in order over the body of faith (the Bride). When a husband performs his role well he has no need to demand submission from a godly wife. Seeing Messiah in him she is willing to submit to his God appointed role.

24 Nevertheless in the same way the gathered believers submit to the Messiah, in this manner also the wife, the husband, in place always each one.
 
Look carefully husband. There is a great weight of obligation on you unto purity. After all, if the wife is to submit to the husband in order of authority she does so providing the husband is submitted to Messiah in that same order.
 
Therefore, know your place and walk in humility.
 
Wife, you also be warned. Failure to submit to a husband who is endeavouring to honour Messiah and lead the household in a godly way is an equally weighty obligation. A wife who won’t allow her husband to lead, sins against the LORD, her husband, and herself.

25 The husband is to love agape[G] (fully in every way) the wife, as also the Messiah loves (fully in every way) the gathered believers, indeed, giving Himself (Messiah) for her (gathered believers).
 
The believing husband’s love for his wife must reflect the self-sacrificial love of the King Messiah.
 
A husband that makes only demands and is concerned only with his own rights and what he can get from his wife is not exhibiting the love of Messiah.
 
In truth, a godly wife longs for a Messiah-like husband who through self-sacrificial love leads his household in righteousness. The wife of such a husband willingly submits to his God given authority. The wife that does not, proves herself to be ungodly.

26 In order that He (Messiah) might separate, acknowledge, dedicate, hallow, cleanse by the washing with the water of the living voice, spoken word rhema[G].
 
The “He” here is the Messiah, Who gave Himself for all believers so that in His resurrection power He might separate out sin from us, dedicate His love in us, hallow the set apart nature of us in Him, and by the water of His living voice, wash us, sanctifying us within time and space on our journey toward eternity.
 
The washing of the water of the living voice of Messiah is reflected in the ancient (and modern orthodox) Jewish betrothal קידושין kiddushin (sanctifying, setting apart) rite of טבילה במקווה tevilah b’mikveh (immersion in the mikveh). This is entered into by both the bride and the groom prior to the wedding ceremony. We note that Yeshua was immersed by John, not because of a need for cleansing but as High Priest and Groom, in preparation for the fullness of His role. We in turn, having agreed to His proposal, enter immersion (baptism) in preparation for the wedding feast of the Lamb.
 
For more detail on the ancient Jewish betrothal and wedding customs, please read my article titled Eternal Security in the Ancient Jewish Art of Betrothal & Marriage 

​27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious assembly, without stain or wrinkle or any such thing, in order that she should be holy and blameless, without spot or blemish. 
 
The Mishnah Ketubot draws a corelation between blemishes that make a priest unfit for marriage and blemishes that make a woman unfit for marriage:
 
“If he betrothed her on condition that she has no blemishes, and it was subsequently discovered that she did have blemishes, she is not betrothed. But if he married her without specification, and it was subsequently discovered that she had blemishes, she may be divorced without payment of her marriage contract. The mishnah clarifies what qualifies as a blemish: All of the blemishes that are listed in tractate Bekhorot involving significant physical deformities that disqualify priests from service similarly disqualify betrothal of women, as a mistaken transaction.”
 
- Mishnah Ketubot 7:7b
 
Messiah prepares us through His blood and by His Spirit, insuring that every blemish is removed from our wedding garments by His precious blood atoning work.
 
“You are complete in beauty, my love,
There is no blemish in you.”
 
-Song of songs 4:7 [Author’s translation]
 
See my article on the Jewish wedding rites:
 
https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/eternal-security-in-the-ancient-jewish-art-of-betrothal-marriage-revised-updated
 
28 So husbands owe a debt of all-encompassing love agape[G] to their own wives as to their own bodies; he who fully loves agape[G] his wife fully loves agape[G] himself. 
 
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”
 
-Genesis 2:24
 
Rabbinical tradition teaches that a man’s wife is כגופו kegufo, “as his own body” (Talmud Bavliy Berakhot 24a:6; Hilchot Bechorot c.2 sect. 7; Tzror HaMor 18:2 ).
 
“The Sages taught: One who loves his wife as he loves himself, and who honours her more than himself, and who instructs his sons and daughters in an upright path, and who marries them off near the time when they reach maturity, about him the verse states: And you shall know that your tent is in peace.”
 
-Talmud Bavliy Yevamot 62b
 
This practical example is also a beautiful promise. Messiah is Groom to the body of believers (v.32) and thus loves us as His own body.
 
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cares for it, just as the Messiah does for the assembly of believers. 
 
There is an allusion here to the kind of fasting that pleases the LORD.
 
“Is it (the fasting God requires) not to divide to the hungry your bread, and the poor that are wandering  bring in to thy house; when you see a naked one, and you cover him; and from your own flesh, do not hide?”
 
-Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 58:7 [Author’s translation]
 
The bar for the husband is set in the highest heaven according to the Messiah’s care for the body of faith. A husband with His mind on Messiah has little time to complain about his wife’s performance.
 
30 Since we are members of His body. 
 
This is both an assurance of security and an exhortation to purity.
 
31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” [Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5; Mark 10:7] 
 
Paul quotes Genesis 2:24, a passage authored by and quoted on the lips of Messiah (Matt. 19:5; Mark 10:7) in emphasising the purity that God demands must be present in marriage. Why? Because of what follows.
 
32 This, the mystery is great, but I speak concerning Messiah and toward the assembly of believers. 
 
Just as God is Husband to Israel, Yeshua is Groom to the body of believers. This is not a mystery hidden but one that is being revealed in Messiah unto the fullness of all things. It is now and not yet fully revealed to us.
 
Marriage between a man and a woman reflects the love relationship God desires to have with humanity. This is why the Torah requires the death penalty for adultery. The defiling of the marriage bed (both adultery and premarital sex) is an affront to the redemptive, reconciliatory love relationship established through Messiah between God and humanity.
 
33 However, let each one of you himself in the same way, fully love agape[G] his own wife as himself, and let the wife show reverent awe for her husband.
 
To the men first, love your wives, and second, to the wives, show reverent awe for your husbands.
 
When either partner refuses to obey God’s instruction by the Holy Spirit upon the pen of Paul, the marriage relationship descends into a sinful war set on domination, each one seeking to rule over the other.
 
When we seek to rule over our marriage partner we prove that we are not submitted to God in love. The man who refuses to love his wife sacrificially is in rebellion toward God and the woman who refuses to submit to her husband is equally in rebellion toward God (abuse and infidelity notwithstanding).
 
Therefore, “Submit yourselves equitably one to another in the fearful awe of Messiah.”
 
Copyright 2025 Yaakov (Brown) Ben Yehoshua