Lecture 1 — Exhortation to holiness

^4:1^ I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called: [n. 188]

^4:2^ With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity, [n. 191]

^4:3^ Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [n. 192]

^4:4^ One body and one spirit: as you are called in one hope of your calling. [n. 195]

187. The Apostle recalled above the divine blessings through which the Church’s unity has originated and been preserved. Now he admonishes the Ephesians to remain within this ecclesial unity.

Regarding this he does two things:

first, he cautions them to persevere in unity;

second, he instructs them how to remain in it, at **this then I say and testify in the Lord **(Eph 4:17).

The first section is again divided into two parts:

first, he cautions them to keep ecclesial unity;

second, he sets forth the pattern of this Church unity, at **one Lord, one faith **(Eph 4:5).

The first part has three divisions:

first, he offers certain incentives to maintain ecclesial unity;

second, he sets down an admonition, at with all humility and mildness;

third, he shows the purpose of his admonition, at careful to keep.

Three incentives are given for them to maintain the Church’s unity. First is the affection of Paul’s love, second is the remembrance of his chains, and third is the consideration of the divine favors.

188. The affection of his love is intimated by his entreaty. Therefore because you have obtained so many blessings from the Lord, I beseech you. I do not command you even though I could; on account of my lowliness I do not command but plead with you. The poor will speak with supplications (Prov 18:23). Charity is another reason, since it prompts men to action more than fear: wherefore, though I have much confidence in Christ Jesus to command you that which is to the purpose, for charity’s sake I rather beseech (Phil 1:8).

189. He stirs them by recalling his chains: I, a prisoner in the Lord. With these words he urges them to remain united, giving them three motives. First, a friend sympathizes with a suffering friend and more readily tries to fulfill his wishes so that be might thereby console him. A friend shall not be known in prosperity, and an enemy shall not be hidden in adversity. In the prosperity of a man, his enemies are grieved; and a friend is known in his adversity (Sir 12:8–9).

Second, the Apostle himself suffers imprisonment for their own utility. Hence he urges them to remember this, as though he wanted to put them under certain obligations. Now, whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation; or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation; or whether we be exhorted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which works the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer (2 Cor 1:6).

Third, as was mentioned previously at **my tribulations for you, which is your glory **(Eph 3:13), these sufferings were for the Ephesians’ own immense glory. For God exposed his own chosen friends to adversities in behalf of their salvation. Therefore he adds in the Lord which means, on account of the Lord. Or, he annexes in the Lord since it was the Apostle’s glory to be imprisoned, not as a thief or murderer, but as a Christian and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, in accordance with what is written: and you, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon you, and they shall bind you with them: and you shall not go forth from the midst of them (Ezek 3:25).

190. He also stimulates them by a consideration of the divine blessings: that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called. That is, you should be attentive to the dignity to which you are summoned, and you ought to behave in a way conformable to it. If someone had been chosen to a rank of nobility in a kingdom, it would be an indignity for him to perform peasant work. Hence the Apostle warns the Ephesians, as though he said: you are called to be fellow citizens with the saints and domestics of God (Eph 2:19); henceforth it is unworthy of you to engage in earthly affairs or worry about worldly matters, which is why he says worthy of the vocation. You should walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing (Col 1:10); let your conversation be worthy of the Gospel of Christ (Phil 1:27). And why? Because he has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9).

191. Subsequently, when he says with all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity, he expresses the way to fulfill his admonition, teaching them how they can behave in a worthy manner.

Four virtues must be cultivated, and their four opposite vices shunned. The first vice which he rejects is pride. When one arrogant person decides to rule others, while the other proud individuals do not want to submit, dissension arises in the society and peace disappears: among the proud there are always contentions (Prov 13:10). To eliminate this he says with all interior and exterior humility. The greater you are, humble yourself all the more in all things: and you shall find grace before God (Sir 3:20); let nothing be done through contention, neither by vainglory; but in humility, let each esteem others better than themselves (Phil 2:3). God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (Jas 4:6).

Anger is the second vice. For an angry person is inclined to inflict injury, whether verbal or physical, from which disturbances occur. A passionate man stirs up strifes: he that is patient appeases those who are stirred up (Prov 15:18). To discard it he says and mildness; this softens arguments and preserves peace. To the meek he will give grace (Prov 3:34); the meek shall inherit the land (Ps 36:11). My son, do your works in mildness: and you shall be beloved above the glory of men (Sir 3:19).

The third is impatience. Occasionally, someone who himself is humble and mild, refraining from causing trouble, nevertheless will not endure patiently the real or attempted wrongs done to himself. Therefore, he adds with patience in adversities. Patience has a perfect work (Jas 1:4), in your humiliation keep patience (Sir 2:4). For patience is necessary for you; that, doing the will of God, you may receive the promise (Heb 10: 36).

An inordinate zeal is the fourth vice. Inordinately zealous about everything, men will pass judgment on whatever they see, not waiting for the proper time and place; and a turmoil arises in society. If you bite and devour one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of another (Gal 5:15). Hence he says supporting one another in charity, mutually bearing with the defects of others out of charity. When someone falls he should not be immediately corrected—unless it is the time and the place for it. With mercy these should be waited for since charity bears all things (1 Cor 13:7). Not that these failings are tolerated out of negligence or consent, nor from familiarity or carnal friendship, but from charity. Bear one another’s burdens; and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2). Now, we that are stronger ought to bear the infirmities of the weak (Rom 15:1).

192. After this, at careful to keep, he shows the purpose of his admonition which is to maintain unity among the faithful.

Concerning this he makes three points:

first, he sets forth the unity itself which is the goal;

second, he describes how the unity is kept, at in the bond of peace;

third, he expresses the reason for preserving this unity, at as you are called.

193. First of all he remarks: you ought to walk worthy of your calling and be careful to keep the unity of the Spirit. Two types of unity exist, one whose purpose is to commit evil; it is wicked and might be called a unity of the flesh. Of one spark comes a great fire, and of one deceitful man much blood (Sir 11:34). The other is a unity of the spirit; it is good and its purpose is to do good. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Ps 133:1). That they may be one, as we also are (John 17:11).

194. The way to preserve this unity is through the bond of peace. For charity is a union of souls. Now the fusion of material objects cannot last unless it is held by some bond. Similarly, the union of souls through love will not endure unless it is bound. Peace proves to be a true bond; that peace which is, according to Augustine, tranquility among measure, form, and order. This is achieved when each possesses what is proper to himself. For this reason he says **in the bond of peace. God has placed peace in your borders (Ps 147:14). Peace in its turn is maintained by justice: and the work of justice shall be peace (Isa 32:17). Be not grieved with her bands (Sir 6:26). Why? Because in her is the beauty of life: and her bands are a healthful binding (Sir 6:29).

195. Now in man there is a twofold unity. The first is the ordered structure of the organs among themselves, the second is the union of the body and the soul constituting a third substance. Because the Apostle speaks of the Church’s unity after the fashion of the unity found in man, he adds one body as if to say: be united in the bond of peace that you may be one body—regarding the first type of unity, that all the faithful should be ordered among themselves as members making up a single body. We, being many, are one body in Christ; and every one members one of another (Rom 12:5). And one spirit—referring to the second type of unity, that you might possess a spiritual consensus through the unity of your faith and charity.

Or: one body designates a unity with other men, and one spirit union with God; because he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit (1 Cor 6:17).

196. Next, when he says as you are called in one hope of your calling he points out the reason for this unity. We notice that when persons are called together to possess something in common and mutually enjoy it, they usually remain or depart together. Thus, in a spiritual way he says: because you are called to one and the same reality, namely, the final reward, you ought to walk together with a unity of spirit in the one hope of your calling, tending toward the one reality you hope for as a result of your vocation. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly vocation (Heb 3:1), consider your vocation (1 Cor 1:26).

Someone might ask: who will call us? And to what? The response is given: the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory in Christ Jesus (1 Pet 5:10) where your true happiness is. Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9).