# Ephesians Chapter 4
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## Summarrium
Paul urges the Ephesians to *walk* in a manner worthy of their calling; bearing with each other keeping unity in peace. He points out the Lord has gifted apostles, prophets, evangelists, shephards and teachers for the edification of the body that it may grow up in love and avoid being blown around by every fad that emerges. This is that the body may be built up and grow together in love.

Paul points out that the Ephesians are not to live like the gentiles do giving themselves over to sensuousness. Instead they are to putt off the old self which belongs to the old self and to put on the new self created in the likeness of God. Speaking the truth with others, being angry but not sinning, avoiding the sun going down on anger, etc. Forgiving others as we have also been forgiven.

## Meditatio
It is interesting and also sad that Paul has been largely ignored by us the body. We have failed to bear with one another in love and to make every effort to remain unitied through peace. Instead we have gone off track. We have missed the mark by making ideological positions our stand point. Rather than recognising that the Lord is the God of possibility we have been caught up in defending our own picture of the universe.

How much more effective might we be if we sought to win our brothers and sisters in love?

Within this passage there were two sides of the same point that struct me that I think are worth highlighting. For Paul has now on two occasions utilised the term 'prisoner'. Why is that? He explains this in verse 7-8[^1] where he points out that Jesus '*leads a host of captives*' (ESV) or where he '*took many captives*' (NIV). 

This is interesting because there are clearly two ways we might interpret this, which leaves me to wonder if this is deliberately left ambiguous. There is something in how Jesus leads those captive to former lives into freedom. But also how we remain captive but for Christ. He colonizes our brain and we are *captive* to the hopeful vision that he presents to us. This is incredibly nuanced and beautiful.

In this way Christ transcends and fills our whole universe. where can we go to escape him? Once captive to him we might forget to put on the new self but this does us harm. Instead we have been called to put on the new self that reflects the likeness of God.

[^1]: See [Ephesians 4:7-8](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A7-8&version=ESV)