And putting on the new, him who is renewed unto knowledge, according to the image of him that created him.

“But the apostle himself also, being one who had been formed in a womb, and had issued thence, wrote to us, and confessed in his Epistle to the Philippians that "to live in the flesh was the fruit of [his] work;" thus expressing himself. Now the final result of the work of the Spirit is the salvation of the flesh. For what other visible fruit is there of the invisible Spirit, than the rendering of the flesh mature and capable of incorruption? If then [he says], "To live in the flesh, this is the result of labour to me," he did not surely contemn the substance of flesh in that passage where he said, "Put ye off the old man with his works;" but he points out that we should lay aside our former conversation, that which waxes old and becomes corrupt; and for this reason he goes on to say, "And put ye on the new man, that which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of Him who created him." In this, therefore, that he says, "which is renewed in knowledge," he demonstrates that he, the selfsame man who was in ignorance in times past, that is, in ignorance of God, is renewed by that knowledge which has respect to Him. For the knowledge of God renews man. And when he says, "after the image of the Creator," he sets forth the recapitulation of the same man, who was at the beginning made after the likeness of God.”

“"Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of Him that created him." It is worth enquiring here, what can be the reason why he calls the corrupt life, "members," and "man," and "body," and again the virtuous life, the same. And if "the man" means "sins," how is it that he saith, "with his doings"? For once he said, "the old man," showing that this is not man, but the other. The moral choice doth rather determine one than the substance, and is rather "man" than the other. For his substance casteth him not into hell, nor leadeth him into the kingdom, but men the themselves: and we neither love nor hate any one so far as he is man, but so far as he is such or such a man. If then the substance be the body, and in either sort cannot be accountable, how doth he say that it is evil? But what is that he saith, "with his doings"? He means the choice, with the acts. And he calleth him "old," on purpose to show his deformity, and hideousness, and imbecility; and "new," as if to say, Do not expect that it will be with this one even as with the other, but the reverse: for ever as he farther advances, he hasteneth not on to old age, but to a youthfulness greater than the preceding. For when he hath received a fuller knowledge, he is both counted worthy of greater things, and is in more perfect maturity, in higher vigor; and this, not from youthfulness alone, but from that "likeness" also, "after" which he is. Lo! the best life is styled a creation, after the image of Christ: for this is the meaning of, "after the image of Him that created him," for Christ too came not finally to old age, but was so beautiful as it is not even possible to tell. One royal form it hath, that, namely, of Christ. They whom he has in view, appear to me rather to be of the Gentiles. For like as earth, being but sand, even though one part be greater, another less, losing its own previous form, doth afterwards become gold; and like as wool, of whatever kind it be, receiveth another aspect, and hides its former one: so truly is it also with the faithful.”

“Above, the Apostle admonished the faithful against carnal vices; here he admonishes them against spiritual vices. And first he sets down a universal admonition; second he distinguishes them part by part. He says therefore: "at one time you walked in these," but now "put off," you also, all things — not only carnal things, but all things. 1 Peter 2:1: "putting away all malice, and all guile, and dissimulations, and envies, and detractions," etc. Now he distinguishes the spiritual vices into two: first into sin of the heart; second, of the mouth, there "blasphemy," etc. And first he sets down wrath. For "the wrath of man does not work the justice of God" (James 1:20), and this is to be put off. Second, indignation, which arises from wrath, which is when someone considers another unworthy of the things he has, or unworthy to be compared to another. Isaiah 27:4: "indignation is not mine." Malice, which follows upon these two, namely when someone contrives to bring evil upon his neighbor. James 1:21: "casting away all uncleanness, and abundance of malice, in meekness," etc. Then he sets down the sins pertaining to the sin of the mouth, and there are three kinds of sins of the mouth. For by this sin the disorder of the mind is designated: first in relation to God, and this is blasphemy. Leviticus 24:14: "bring forth the blasphemer outside the camp, and let all who heard lay their hands upon his head, and let the whole people stone him." And thus any blasphemy whatsoever is a mortal sin. But what if it is sudden? I answer: it must be said that if it is sudden, in such a way that he does not perceive that he is blaspheming, he does not sin mortally. But I believe that, however sudden it may be, if nevertheless he perceives that he is uttering words of blasphemy, he sins mortally. Second, he designates the disorder concerning concupiscence, saying "filthy speech out of your mouth." Ephesians 4:29: "let no evil speech proceed out of your mouth," etc. Third, the disorder against one's neighbor, and this is lying. Proverbs 19:5: "he who speaks a lie shall not escape." Then, when he says "stripping off," etc., he shows the reason why the aforesaid vices are to be avoided — namely, because once the old state has been put off, newness ought to be put on. Matthew 9:16: "no one puts a patch of rough cloth on an old garment," etc. And first he sets down the putting off of the old state; second, the taking on of newness, there "and putting on." He says therefore: "put off" — that is, "stripping off," etc. For this grows old through sin. Hebrews 8:13: "but what grows old and decays is near to destruction." This old state draws near to corruption, because sin is the way to corruption. Likewise, through sin virtue and spiritual beauty are lost — and this old state was indeed introduced through the sin of the first parent. Romans 5:12: "for as through one man sin entered into this world, and through sin death, so also death passed through into all men, in whom all sinned." This, then, is "the old man" — that is, the old state of sin. Romans 6:6: "our old man has been crucified together, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we may no longer serve sin," etc. "Put off, with its deeds." Ephesians 4:22: "put off, as regards your former way of life, the old man, who is corrupted according to the desires of error," etc. The new man is the mind renewed within, because man, before grace, has his interior mind subject to sin, and when he is restored through grace, he has newness. Psalm 102:5: "your youth shall be renewed like the eagle's." Galatians, last chapter, 15: "in Christ Jesus neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creature." The new creature is renewing grace, but still the old state remains in the flesh. But if you follow the judgment of the new man, then you put on the new man; but if you desire according to the desires of the flesh, you put on the old state. Ephesians 4:24: "put on the new man, who is created according to God in justice, and holiness of truth." Then, when he says "and putting on," etc., he describes the new man. And first he shows the manner of the renewal; second, where it is renewed; third, according to what it is renewed. He shows therefore that the interior man, old through ignorance of God, is renewed through faith and the knowledge of God. 2 Corinthians 3:18: "we are transformed into the same image from brightness into brightness, as by the Spirit of the Lord." But where is this renewal? There, namely, where the image of God is — which is not in the powers of the sensitive part, but in the mind. Hence he says "according to the image," that is, the very image of God, which is renewed in us — and this "according to the image of him," namely of God, "who created him." Now he is said to be "newly created," because the rational soul is not by transmission, but created by God. Then, when he says "where there is not," etc., he shows that this renewal is common to all — otherwise it would not pertain to man insofar as he is man. And this is because it is made according to something that belongs to all. Now a fivefold distinction among men falls here: one according to bodily sex, and this he excludes, saying "where there is not male and female," because they do not differ in mind, but according to bodily sex. Second, by nations, and this he excludes, there "Gentile and Jew." For these are of the faithful, those of the unfaithful, and yet both are rational in mind. Romans 3:29: "is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles?" Third, according to a fixed and proper rite, because some had the profession of the law, and some did not have this same rite. Romans 10:12: "the same Lord of all," etc. Another, according to language, there "barbarian and Scythian." The Scythian is toward the North, but barbarism denotes strangeness; hence barbarians are as it were strangers. And he is simply a barbarian who is a stranger from man insofar as man, and this is insofar as rational. And therefore those are barbarians who are not ruled by reason and by laws, and therefore barbarians are naturally slaves — and in Christ they do not differ, because even if they do not have civil law, they nevertheless have the law of Christ. Another according to conditions, because some are slaves, some free: but in Christ all are alike. Job 3:19: "small and great are there," etc. Therefore these differences are not in Christ, but "Christ is all, and in all." For there is no circumcision except through Christ, and freedom through Christ; if you are not free, your freedom is Christ. If you are not circumcised, your circumcision is Christ, and so of the others. And "in all," because he gives his benefits to all.”

“And have put on the new man,.... Concerning which, and the putting it on; see Gill on Eph 4:24, which is renewed in knowledge; this man, or principle of grace in the soul, is a new one, which never was there before; and there is a daily renovation of it in the spirit of the mind, by the Spirit of God; for as the outward man decays, the inward man, which is the same with this new man, is renewed day by day, increases in holiness and righteousness, grows in grace, and particularly in "knowledge"; light and knowledge of a man's self, of his lost state and condition by nature, of his need of Christ, and of his salvation, is what appears at the first formation of this new man; and the daily renovation of him lies in an increase of spiritual, experimental, and saving knowledge of God, and Christ, and divine things; and indeed, until a man becomes a new creature, he neither knows, nor is he capable of knowing, the things of the Spirit of God; so that this new man, or principle of grace, begins with spiritual knowledge, and is formed in order to it, and its increase lies in it: after the image of him that created him; the new man; for this is a creation work, and so not man's, but God's; and is made not after the image of the first man, no not as innocent, and much less as fallen; but after the image of Christ, to which the elect of God are predestinated to he conformed, and which is stamped in regeneration; and more and more appears by every transforming view of Christ, and will be perfected in heaven, when they shall see him as he is, and be perfectly like him, who is not only the pattern, but the Creator of it, even the author and finisher of faith.”

“And have put on the new man - See on Rom 12:1-2 (note). Is renewed in knowledge - Ignorance was the grand characteristic of the heathen state; Knowledge, of the Christian. The utmost to which heathenism could pretend was a certain knowledge of nature. How far this went, and how much it fell short of the truth, may be seen in the writings of Aristotle and Pliny. Christianity reveals God himself, the author of nature; or, rather, God has revealed himself, in the Christian system with which he has blessed mankind. Christianity teaches a man the true knowledge both of himself and of God; but it is impossible to know one's self but in the light of God; the famous γνωθι σεαυτον, know thyself, was practicable only under the Christian religion. After the image of him that created him - We have already seen that God made man in his own image; and we have seen in what that image consisted. See the notes on Gen 1:26, and on Eph 4:23 (note), Eph 4:24 (note). Does not the apostle refer here to the case of an artist, who wishes to make a perfect resemblance of some exquisite form or person? God in this case is the artist, man is the copy, and God himself the original from which this copy is to be taken. Thus, then, man is made by his Creator, not according to the image or likeness of any other being, but according to his own; the image του Κτισαντος, of the Creator. And as the Divine nature cannot exist in forms or fashions, moral qualities alone are those which must be produced. Hence the apostle, interpreting the words of Moses, says that the image in which man was made, and in which he must be remade, ανακαινουμενον, made anew, consists in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness.”

“According to the image of him who created him. We are created to the image of God, inasmuch as our souls are spiritual and immortal, but here we are put in mind to imitate God by sanctity and justice, as God is holy and the fountain of justice. (Witham) — The image or resemblance of our Creator was effaced by sin, but is retraced by Jesus Christ, who forms in us this new man. (Bible de Vence)”

“the new man--(See on Eph 4:23). Here (neon) the Greek, means "the recently-put-on nature"; that lately received at regeneration (see on Eph 4:23-24). which is renewed--Greek, "which is being renewed" (anakainottmenou); namely, its development into a perfectly renewed nature is continually progressing to completion. in knowledge--rather as the Greek, "unto perfect knowledge" (see on Col 1:6; Col 1:9-10). Perfect knowledge of God excludes all sin (Joh 17:3). after the image of him that created him--namely, of God that created the new man (Eph 2:10; Eph 4:24). The new creation is analogous to the first creation (Co2 4:6). As man was then made in the image of God naturally, so now spiritually. But the image of God formed in us by the Spirit of God, is as much more glorious than that borne by Adam, as the Second Man, the Lord from heaven, is more glorious than the first man. Gen 1:26, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." The "image" is claimed for man, Co1 11:7; the "likeness," Jam 3:9. ORIGEN [On First Principles, 3:6] taught, the image was something in which all were created, and which continued to man after the fall (Gen 9:6). The likeness was something towards which man was created, that he might strive after it and attain it. TRENCH thinks God in the double statement (Gen 1:26), contemplates both man's first creation and his being "renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him."”