Efésios 4
Samuel Johnson · Citado em PreceptAustin
Efésios 4:30
Johnson has an interesting discussion of sealing - This was particularly significant for the Ephesians, because in Ephesus, there was a great deal of trading going on in timber. And it was a kind of center for that. And individuals in the harbor of Ephesus in those days, which was different from the Ephesus of the present time, the harbor would be filled with logs which had been brought down from that inner part of Asia Minor. And when individuals came from the other cities, round about, or the villages, round about, to buy lumber, because there was a good bit of industry in that area, they would buy some of the logs that were floating in the harbor, and they would take a seal. And they would make their particular mark on each of the logs that belonged to them which they bought. And later on, when the time came for them to take possession of these things, someone would come back with the seal, and then the particular logs that belonged to him would be identified, and then taken to the particular place where they were to be used. Well, it’s something like that with us. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption. So, the Holy Spirit has been implanted within us as a person who dwells within us permanently, and that is the sign, that’s the seal of our redemption. And the time is coming when the Lord Jesus shall come for our redemption, and he shall obtain his property, and each of us shall have the seal, the seal of the Holy Spirit. So, don’t grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption. I think that that expression, the day of redemption, in the light of the Apostle’s statements elsewhere, refers to the time when we receive our glorified bodies. (Ephesians 4:25-5:2 The Christian's Use of the Tongue) ‘The Holy Spirit is God’s personal mark of authenticity on us, His stamp of divine approval.’ -- John MacArthur Gregory Brown on sealed - When Christ was buried, the guards sealed the tomb to make sure his body couldn’t be taken out (Matt 27:66). A contemporary example is that of sealing food to preserve it. When we buy food or drink and the seal is broken, we know something is wrong with it. Similarly, God seals every true believer till the day of redemption—the redemption of their bodies. Jesus says that he puts believers in his own hand and in his Father’s hand, and that “no one can snatch them out” (John 10:28-29). God seals believers till the day of redemption. Interestingly, Paul uses the eternal security of a believer as an encouragement not to sin. Those who believe one can lose their salvation often teach the very opposite. They say, “Don’t sin because you will lose your salvation!” Paul says, “Don’t sin, because God eternally saved you.” Out of thanksgiving to God for his great eternal salvation, a believer should not grieve the Holy Spirit. Future looking should motivate present living. Paul emphasizes the great hope (absolute certainty of future good) of this future and final aspect of our redemption... And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly (apekdechomai in the present tense = should be our lifestyle) for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. (Ro 8:23+) Comment: This verse describes "future tense salvation" (see Three Tenses of Salvation) which Peter wrote was "ready to be revealed in the last time" {1Pe 1:5+, 1Pe 1:13+, Ro 8:30+} when we are finally freed even from the presence of Sin. Because believers are already new creatures possessing the divine nature, their souls are fit for heaven and eternal glory. They love God, hate sin, and have holy longings for obedience to the Word (not perfection, but definitely "direction!"). But while on earth they are kept in bondage by their mortal bodies (Gal 5:17+ describes the ongoing war), which are still corrupted by Sin and the flesh both of which are still present in our decaying bodies. Sealed (4972) (sphragizo from sphragis = seal, engraved object used to make a mark - denoting ownership, approval, or closure of something normally done by pressing into heated wax usually attached to a document or letter) means to set a seal upon, mark with a seal. In antiquity people used seals to authenticate documents (Jer. 32:10), and archaeologists have discovered more than 1,200 seals from Old Testament times. Seals indicated not only ownership, but also were used as a guarantee of the correctness of the contents. Jars, sacks of fruit, or grain were sealed In the secular Greek use of sphragizo, the sealing signified at least four results - (1) Finished Transaction (2) A Mark of Ownership -- Buyers of timber in the forests of Asia Minor would select trees which would be felled, stamped them with the buyer’s seal, and floated them downstream. At the port in Ephesus, the markings would identify the logs. God stamps us with His seal, indicating ownership. (3) A Bond of Security -- Both Daniel’s lions’ den and Christ’s tomb were sealed by royal decree. When we come to Christ, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, implying security. (4) An Imprint of Authenticity or of Identity -- In ancient times, everyone’s unique seal, when pressed into wax, imprinted his identity. Sphragizo - 15x in 14v - Mt 27:66; John 3:33; 6:27; Rom 15:28; 2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30; Rev 7:3ff, 8; 10:4; 20:3; 22:10. NAS = put...seal on(1), seal(2), sealed(9), set a seal on(1), set...seal to(2). Day (2250) (hemera) can describe a literal day, but in this context more likely is used figuratively to describe the period of time appointed for the final redemption. Redemption (629) (apolutrosis from apo = marker of dissociation or separation + lutroo = to redeem in turn from lúo = loosen what is bound, loose any person tied or fastened) describes the payment of a price to ransom (lutron = money for a ransom = ransom or price paid for a slave who is then set free by the one who bought him), to release (of someone from the power of someone else), to buy back or to deliver one from a situation from in which one is powerless to liberate themselves from or for which the penalty was so costly that they could never hope to pay the ransom price. In other words, the idea of redemption is deliverance or release by payment of a ransom. Redemption is the recalling of captives (sinners) from captivity (sin) through the payment of a ransom for them, i.e., Christ’s death. Related Resources: Word Studies on other words related to redemption... Redeem (1805) exagorazo Redeem (3084) lutroo Redemption (629) How to do Greek Word Study (See also) Redemption (3085) lutrosis
Efésios 4:32
Johnson comments on forgiveness writing "we should remember that we are to forgive one another, because God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you. Anyone who has been cleared of a crushing debt, should not exact payment of pittances of others. And so the Apostle reminds believers that they ought to forgive one another because God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven us. Just think about it. Are there people that you find it difficult to forgive? Are there people that you have, for a long time found it difficult to forgive? Some little thing that they’ve done, or some big thing that they’ve done – you think it’s big. And you allow this to go on for days and days and weeks months, and in some cases, even years. And this is lying in the back of your life for months, days, years. Now would you just for a moment measure the wrong that has been done to you by – and what it would cost to forgive –against the wrongs you have done to the Lord God, and the forgiveness that has been your experience? Forgiving one another as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven you. Well, listen, I’ve been forgiven a crushing, eternal debt. So, the little wrongs that someone may have committed against me, sometimes they’re not really wrongs, but I think they are. Those little wrongs that have been done to me, how small they are in light of what I have been forgiven. Forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven you. Many people bury the hatchet, but they leave part of it showing. In fact, I think you really could say, about a lot of people, when they speak about others – I’m speaking about the Christian church – you’re hatchet’s showing. (Ephesians 4:25-5:2 The Christian's Use of the Tongue) R C