EPHESIANS 4:9-13 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Children Tossed To And Fro;
1 Peter 2:2-3 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Romans 16:18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
Children here, has the idea of immaturity; tossed is the kind of mindset that is unsettled, influenced, and agitated by one false teacher after another. signifies "to be tossed by billows" (kludon, "a billow"); metaphorically, used in this instance. The Greek word is κλυδωνίζομαι kludonizomai. Vines (def. Prime). Strong's G2831.
NSB* Children are gullible, vulnerable, and easily victimized. The church needs to work diligently to move babes to maturity in Christ.
My note: That is why children are so often the target of evil and purposeful confusion. They are easily manipulated and so are those who purport to care for them when they abandon truth for the "feelings" of children.
Carried About; The Greek word for "carried" here is περιφέρω peripherō to convey around, i.e. transport hither and thither. G4064.
Every Wind Of Doctrine; Wind here has the idea of "variable teaching". The Greek word is ἄνεμος anemos. Vine's (def. 1), Strong's G417.
The word "doctrine" here is διδασκαλία didaskalia. Denotes - "that which is taught, doctrine,". Vine's (def 2a), Strong's G1319.
Trickery Of Men; My Notes: Not as important, is the idea of "trickery" but the method. How? By/in cunning and craftiness which is the product of deceitful plotting.
Cunning Craftiness; craftiness is lit., all-working," i.e., doing everything (pan, "all," ergon, "work"), hence, "unscrupulous conduct, craftiness," is always used in a bad sense in the NT. The Greek word is πανουργία panourgia. Vine's (def A1), Strong's G3834.
Deceitful Plotting; Has the idea of someone or a group of people planning out deception. Deceitful has more the idea of "error" or forsaking doctrine for the moral of man, "fraud". The Greek word for "error" is πλάνη plane. It essentially means "to deceive". Vine's (def 1), Strong's 4106. Strong's direct definition is also pretty intense, it says objectively, fraudulence; subjectively, a straying from orthodoxy or piety.
Moving to Verse 15.
NSB - Speaking truth in love suggests that all that believers say or do should be honest and true, and said or done in a loving manner.
Truth; Signifies "to deal faithfully or truly with anyone" (cp. Genesis 42:16, Sept., "whether ye deal truly or no"), Ephesians 4:15, "speaking the truth;. The Greek word is ἀληθεύω aletheuo. Vine's (def B-1). Stong's G226.
Grow Up; To grow or increase. Growth of that which lives naturally or spiritually. Paul's use here is spiritual of believers individually. In the Greek, it's the word αὐξάνω auxano. Vine's (def 1). Stong's G837.
The Head; See this study under "Head Over All Things".
Moving to Verse 16.
Whole Body; Has the idea of all, any, every, the whole. Derivation: including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; The Greek word for "whole" is σῶμα pas. Strong's G3956. The body is σῶμα sōma. The body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.
Jointed And Knit Together; "a ligature, joint" (akin to hapto, "to fit, to fasten"). Then had the idea of causing to coalesce, to join. The Greek word is ἁφή haphe. Vine's (def 2), Strong's G860.
Paul goes into the explanation of "how" in this same verse.
Joint Supplies; My Notes - Has the idea of "full supply". This is why it is important to reverence our Lord. If the members of the body are not participating in God's plan, it hinders the body forcing slower movement. The church is then lacking form "within" itself. Vines - "supplieth," lit., "by the supply of every joint," metaphorically of the members of the church, the body of which Christ is the Head. The Greek word is ἐπιχορηγία epichoregia. Vines (def B-1). Strong's G2024.
Every Part; Has the idea of being a part as opposed to the whole. In this case, every part refers to the entire sum of the body. More emphatically used here with the adj each qualifying the noun. The Greek word is μέρος meros. Vine's (def a), Strong's G3313.
Growth; To grow or increase. Is used of believers individually. The Greek word is αὐξάνω auxano. Vine's (def 1a), Strong's G837.
Growing up in all things as far as the church is concerned involves individual growth according to God's working. This means the whole boy in edifying itself should be working together.
Edifying; Of the individual actions of believers towards one another. Anything that builds up believers and the church can be said to be edifying. Same use as in Verse 12. oikodomeō οἰκοδομή Storng's G3619.
Takeaways: 1) There is a line between what we believe to be grounded and true, and what God says is grounded and true. Do our internal belief systems match up with scripture? It is possible to be strongly convicted of something, however, only with the Holy Spirit can we be convicted in our internal belief systems of truth provided by God. It will require faith and trust, not just intellectual knowledge. It is one of the functions of the church to move babes in Christ on to maturity. A maturity given by the King Himself, not to be moved or swayed by deceit.
2) If your church is compromising on doctrine, adding to, or taking things out to make the teaching "fit" the so-called "modern narrative", then that church is suffering from being swayed by the "winds of doctrine". Flee from churches stretching the original meaning of scripture or preaching falsehoods.
*Nelson Study Bible.
Comments