A.D. 202 – 1871 7 witnesses 8 excerpts
“Moreover, he styled life (Zoe) the light of men, because they are enlightened by her, that is, formed and made manifest. This also Paul declares in these words: "For whatsoever doth make manifest is light." Since, therefore, Zoe manifested and begat both Anthropos and Ecclesia, she is termed their light.”
“He had said, "ye are light." Now the light reproves by exposing the things which take place in the darkness. So that if ye, says he, are virtuous, and conspicuous, the wicked will be unable to lie hidden. For just as when a candle is set, all are brought to light, and the thief cannot enter; so if your light shine, the wicked being discovered shall be caught. So then it is our duty to expose them. How then does our Lord say, "Judge not, that ye be not judged"? (Matt. vii. 1, 3.) Paul did not say "judge," he said "reprove," that is, correct. And the words, "Judge not, that ye be not judged," He spoke with reference to very small errors. Indeed, He added, "Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" But what Paul is saying is of this sort. As a wound, so long as it is imbedded and concealed outwardly, and runs beneath the surface, receives no attention, so also sin, as long as it is concealed, being as it were in darkness, is daringly committed in full security; but as soon as "it is made manifest," becomes "light"; not indeed the sin itself, (for how could that be?) but the sinner. For when he has been brought out to light, when he has been admonished, when he has repented, when he has obtained pardon, hast thou not cleared away all his darkness? Hast thou not then healed his wound? Hast thou not called his unfruitfulness into fruit? Either this is his meaning, or else what I said above, that your life "being manifest, is light." For no one hides an irreproachable life; whereas things which are hidden, are hidden by darkness covering them.”
“"For," he says, "the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of: but all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light." What is it he means to say here? He means this. That some sins in this world are done in secret, and some also openly; but in the other it shall not be so. Now there is no one who is not conscious to himself of some sin. This is why he says, "But all the things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light." What then? Is this again, it will be said, meant concerning idolatry? It is not; the argument is about our life and our sins. "For everything that is made manifest," says he, "is light."”
“Above, the Apostle set forth admonitions; here he assigns the reasons for them. Now he set forth two admonitions: the first, that they should not share in the works of darkness; the second, that they should reprove sinners. According to this, therefore, he does two things. First he sets forth the reason for the first admonition; second, the reason for the second, at the place "For all things that are reproved," etc. He says, therefore: I said well, "do not share"; nay rather, you ought also to rebuke and reprove such persons. Why? Because "the things that are done by them in secret, it is shameful to speak of." Now this concerns carnal vices, in which there is great shamefulness, because there is very little of the goods of reason in them, since acts of this kind are common to us and to brute animals. There follows "All things that are reproved," etc. Here the Apostle sets forth the reason for the second admonition, and he does two things. For first he sets forth the reason; second he assigns a confirmation, at the place "Wherefore he says," etc. As to the first, then, he wishes to prove that it is fitting for them to reprove those who transgress, and he proves this thus: whatever is shown to be evil is reproved, for every reproof is a certain manifestation; but every manifestation comes about through light, and you are light; therefore it is fitting for you to reprove and to manifest them. Now he sets forth the major premise of this argument at the place "But all things that are reproved," etc. And he sets forth the minor premise at the place "everything that," etc. As if to say: it is fitting for them to reprove for this reason, because, as is said in 1 Corinthians 2:15: "the spiritual man judges all things, and he himself is judged by no one." Hence the Gloss explains it thus: "all things" — namely, the sins that are reproved by the light, that is, by good and holy men, who are the children of light — "are made manifest," namely, through confession. Proverbs 28:13: "But he who shall have confessed and forsaken them shall obtain mercy." And "everything" — namely, the evil — "that is manifested" through confession "is light," that is, it is turned into light. Then he confirms this by an authority, saying "Wherefore he says: Rise," etc. The Gloss explains it thus: on account of the fact that it is light, he says — namely, the Holy Spirit — "O you who sleep, rise," etc. But this is not Paul's custom. And therefore it must be said that the Apostle introduces the figure set down in Isaiah 60:1: "Arise, be enlightened, Jerusalem," etc., saying "Wherefore" — namely, Scripture — "says: Rise" from the negligence of good work, "you," namely, "who sleep." Proverbs 6:9: "How long, sluggard, will you sleep?" Psalm 40:9: "Shall not he who sleeps go on to rise again?" And "rise from the dead," that is, from dead works, or works that put to death. Hebrews 9:14: "he will cleanse our conscience from dead works," etc. Isaiah 26:19: "Your dead shall live, my slain shall rise again." "Rise, therefore, and Christ will enlighten you." Psalm 26:1: "The Lord is my light," etc. The same, 12:4: "Enlighten my eyes, lest I ever sleep in death." But can we, by ourselves, rise from sin, since he says: "Rise, and Christ will enlighten you"? I respond: it must be said that for the justification of the ungodly two things are required, namely, free will cooperating toward rising, and grace itself. And indeed free will has this very cooperation from prevenient grace, and afterward has to work meritoriously from subsequent grace. Hence it is said in the last chapter of Lamentations: "Convert us, O God, and we shall be converted."”
“See then that ye walk circumspectly,.... The Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin version read, "see then, brethren", it being an exhortation to the saints at Ephesus, upon the foregoing discourse and citation, to take heed to their walk: the believer's walk is both inward and outward; his inward walk is by faith on Christ; his outward walk is his conversation among men: this supposes life; requires strength and prudence; denotes continuance and progression; with patience and courage: this walk should be seen to, and watched over; a man should see to it that he does walk, and to the way in which he walks, and how he walks; that he walks circumspectly, with his eyes about him; that he walks with diligence, caution, accuracy, and exactness, to the uttermost of his strength and power; and with wisdom and prudence, looking well to his going: not as fools, but as wise; such walk like fools, whose eyes are not upon their ways; who walk in their own ways, which are crooked, and ways of darkness, and lead to destruction; who walk after the flesh, and naked, without the garments of a holy life and conversation; and with lamps, but no oil in them: and such walk as wise men, who walk according to the rule of God's word, make Christ their pattern, have the Spirit for their guide, and walk as becomes the Gospel of Christ; inoffensively to all men, in wisdom towards them that are without, and in love to them that are within; and as pilgrims and strangers in this world, looking for a better country; and so as to promote the glory of God, and the good of souls.”
“But all things that are reproved - Dr. Macknight paraphrases this verse as follows: "Now all these reprovable actions, ελεγχομενα, which are practised in celebrating these mysteries, are made manifest as sinful by the Gospel; and, seeing every thing which discovers the true nature of actions is light, the Gospel, which discovers the evil nature of the actions performed in these mysteries, is light." The apostle speaks against these mysteries as he speaks against fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness; but by no means either borrows expression or similitude from them to illustrate Divine truths; for, as it would be a shame even to speak of those things, surely it would be an abomination to allude to them in the illustration of the doctrines of the Gospel.”
“The turpitude of evil actions becomes more manifest by the light of revela- tion, and by the good conduct of believers. " The light reproves what is done in darkness : so that if you, he says, be virtuous and vrorthy of admiration, the wicked cannot lie hid, for as when a lamp is set up, all are enlightened, so that a thief cannot steal, in like manner, when your light shines, the wicked will be reproved and detected." St. Chrysostom.”
“that are reproved--rather, "when they are reproved," namely, by you (Eph 5:11). whatsoever doth make manifest--rather, "everything that is (that is, suffers itself to be) made manifest (or 'shone upon,' namely, by your 'reproving,' Eph 5:11) is (thenceforth no longer 'darkness,' Eph 5:8, but) light." The devil and the wicked will not suffer themselves to be made manifest by the light, but love darkness, though outwardly the light shines round them. Therefore, "light" has no transforming effect on them, so that they do not become light (Joh 3:19-20). But, says the apostle, you being now light yourselves (Eph 5:8), by bringing to light through reproof those who are in darkness, will convert them to light. Your consistent lives and faithful reproofs will be your "armor of light" (Rom 13:12) in making an inroad on the kingdom of darkness.”
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.