For the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth;

“"In all goodness," he says: this is opposed to the angry, and the bitter: "and righteousness"; this to the covetous: "and truth"; this to false pleasure: not those former things, he says, which I was mentioning, but their opposites. "In all"; that is, the fruit of the Spirit ought to be evinced in everything. "Proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord"; so that those things are tokens of a childish and imperfect mind.”

“Above, the Apostle forbade carnal sins, threatening punishment and removing the deception; here he assigns a reason taken from their condition, and he does two things. For first he sets forth their condition; second he draws two conclusions from these, at the place "that you may be children of light," etc. Now he sets down two conditions: first the past one, second the present condition, at "but now light," etc. He says therefore, "you were at one time darkness," that is, blinded by ignorance and error. Above, IV, 18: "having their understanding darkened with darkness." Ps. 81:5: "They have not known, nor understood; they walk in darkness." Likewise, dark through sin. Prov. 4:12: "The way of the wicked is darksome; they know not where they fall." But it should be noted that he does not indefinitely say "darksome," but "darkness"; because just as anyone seems to be what predominates in him — just as the whole city seems to be the king, and what the king does is said to be done by the city — so when sin reigns in a man, then the whole man is called sin and darkness. There follows, "but now light," etc., where he sets down the present condition; as if to say: but now you have the light of faith. Phil. 2:15: "Among whom you shine as lights in the world." Matt. 5:14: "You are the light of the world." But against this it is said of John the Baptist: "he was not the light"; how then are the other faithful called light? I respond: they are not called light by essence, but by participation. Then, when he says "walk then as children of light," etc., he draws two conclusions. For he had said that they had been darkness and that now they are light. And therefore first he concludes that they should conform themselves to what they now are; second, that they should avoid what they formerly were, at "and have no fellowship," etc. The first is divided into two. First he sets down the admonition; second he expounds it, at "for the fruit of the light," etc. He says therefore: because you are now light, you should do the works of light; therefore "walk as children of light." John 12:35: "Walk whilst you have the light," etc. Now he expounds this when he says "for the fruit," etc. Now one walks as a child of light in two ways: first as to the substance, or genus, of the work; second as to the manner, or the intention of the one doing it. First, therefore, he sets down the works which must be done; second, with what intention they ought to be done, at "proving," etc. He says therefore: I have said that you should walk as children of light; now the fruit of light are works that are fruitful and clear. Ecclesiasticus 24:23: "My flowers are the fruit of honor," etc. And this "in all goodness," etc. Where it should be noted that every act of virtue is reduced to three things. For it is necessary that the agent be ordered in himself, toward his neighbor, and toward God. In himself, that he be good in himself, and for this reason he says "in all goodness." Ps. 118:66: "Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge," etc. Likewise, toward the neighbor through justice; therefore he says "in justice." Ps. 118:121: "I have done judgment and justice," etc. Toward God through knowledge and confession of the truth, and therefore he says "and truth." Zach. 8:19: "For love ye truth and peace." Or otherwise, so that goodness is referred to the heart, justice to the deed, truth to the mouth. Above, IV, 25, and Zach. 8:16: "Speak ye truth every one with his neighbor." Then, when he says "proving," etc., he shows with what intention they ought to work: namely, not abruptly, but "proving," that is, discerning by reason. "Let every one prove his own work," as is said in Gal. 6:4. And this, "what is well-pleasing to God," that is, that you intend to do what pleases God. Rom. 15: "that you may prove what is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God." Then, when he says "and have no fellowship," etc., he exhorts them not to return to the state which they had left, because, as is said in Gal. 2:18: "For if I build up again the things which I have destroyed, I make myself a prevaricator"; 2 Peter 2:22: "The dog is returned to his vomit, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." Now this part is divided into two. First he sets down the admonition; second he assigns the reason, at "for the things that are done by them in secret," etc. The first is again divided into two. First he admonishes them not to do evil; second, that they reprove evils, at "but rather reprove them," etc. He says therefore, "proving what is well-pleasing to God," "and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness," that is, with carnal works leading to perpetual darkness; which indeed are unfruitful, because they have only a momentary delight, most swiftly passing away. Rom. 6:21: "What fruit therefore had you then in those things, of which you are now ashamed?" Jude 1:12: "Trees of autumn, unfruitful, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own confusion," etc. Likewise, they seek dark places on account of shamefulness, because in them they associate with brute beasts. Job 24:15: "The eye of the adulterer observeth darkness, saying: No eye shall see me; and he covereth his face. In the dark he diggeth through houses," etc. Therefore have no fellowship with these, by imitating, by helping, by consenting. Ecclesiasticus 13:22: "What fellowship hath a holy man with a dog?" But certainly this does not suffice, unless you also reprove them, because, as Augustine says, sometimes God punishes the innocent who associate with them, because some good men do not reprove the evil. Ecclesiasticus 17:12: "And he gave to every one of them commandment concerning his neighbor." And therefore he says "but rather reprove." 2 Tim. 4:2: "Reprove, entreat, rebuke," etc. But do we always sin if we do not reprove? Augustine responds: for what you do not reprove out of the fear of charity — namely, lest he become worse, and being scandalized, afflict the good — you do not sin. But if out of the fear of cupidity — namely, lest he become indignant and you lose his benefits to you — then you sin.”

“Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. There are many things that are acceptable to God, as the person of Christ, his righteousness, sacrifice, sufferings, death, and mediation; the persons of his people, their services, sufferings, sacrifices of prayer, and praise to him, and of bounty and liberality to the poor; their graces, and the exercise of them; and the actions of their lives and conversations, when they are becoming the Gospel, are according to the will of God, and are done in faith, and are directed to his glory: and these things which are acceptable to God, as all the truths of the Gospel, and duties of religion are, should be proved, or tried by men; and in order to the trial of spiritual things, it is necessary that the mind be renewed, the understanding be enlightened, the spiritual senses be in exercise, and all be under the influence and directions of the Spirit of God: and the trial is to be made, not according to human reason, which is corrupt and fallible; and besides, there are some things in revelation above it; but according to the Scriptures, which are the word of God, and the rule of faith and practice; and whither the prophets, Christ, and his apostles, always sent men for the trial of divine things; and things being here tried, and found to be right, should be approved of, valued, and esteemed, cleaved to and held fast. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. There are many things that are acceptable to God, as the person of Christ, his righteousness, sacrifice, sufferings, death, and mediation; the persons of his people, their services, sufferings, sacrifices of prayer, and praise to him, and of bounty and liberality to the poor; their graces, and the exercise of them; and the actions of their lives and conversations, when they are becoming the Gospel, are according to the will of God, and are done in faith, and are directed to his glory: and these things which are acceptable to God, as all the truths of the Gospel, and duties of religion are, should be proved, or tried by men; and in order to the trial of spiritual things, it is necessary that the mind be renewed, the understanding be enlightened, the spiritual senses be in exercise, and all be under the influence and directions of the Spirit of God: and the trial is to be made, not according to human reason, which is corrupt and fallible; and besides, there are some things in revelation above it; but according to the Scriptures, which are the word of God, and the rule of faith and practice; and whither the prophets, Christ, and his apostles, always sent men for the trial of divine things; and things being here tried, and found to be right, should be approved of, valued, and esteemed, cleaved to and held fast. Ephesians 5:11 eph 5:11 eph 5:11 eph 5:11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,.... It is not said with the workers of darkness, or with the men of the world, who are in darkness, and are darkness itself; to have fellowship with them in a civil way, or to dwell among them, is not prohibited; it is allowed of, and countenanced by the greatest examples; and especially it is lawful and right, when there is any prospect of doing good to the souls of men; and even when natural right, relation, and necessity require it; and indeed, the contrary is impracticable: conversation with them in things sinful and superstitious should be abstained from; and when it tends to draw off the soul from Christ and his interest, and is infectious; and when weak ones are offended, and sinners are hereby hardened and confirmed in sin; and the name of God is blasphemed, and the Gospel is evil spoken of: but fellowship is not to be maintained "with the works of darkness"; which are sins, so called, because they are opposite to light; to the light of nature, to the light of the divine word, both law and Gospel, to the light of grace, to God the fountain of light, and to Christ the light of the world; and because the source and spring of them are the original darkness of the mind, and Satan the prince of darkness; and because they are generally committed in the dark; and because the effect and consequence of them is utter darkness, and blackness of darkness: and these are "unfruitful"; they are of no profit and advantage, they bring forth no fruit, unless it be guilt, fear, shame, corruption, and death; wherefore no fellowship should be had with them, by committing the same, by assisting in them, by consenting to them, by approving of them, by receiving any worldly advantage from them, and by winking and conniving at them: it is contrary to the character of saints to have fellowship with such, as the apostle says, Co2 6:14, where he gives the mystical explanation of the law, in Deu 22:10; agreeably to which, and to the passage here, is the sense of a Jewish commentators (l) who upon it observes, that that law "intimates that a righteous man, , "should have no fellowship" with a wicked man;'' this is to be unequally yoked, signified by the ox and the ass ploughing together: but rather reprove them; both by words and by deeds, by an agreeable life and conversation, which last seems to be the design of the apostle here; because it is not a brother, but such who are in darkness, and live in works of darkness; yea, not sinners, but sins are to be reproved, which can be done no other way; nor are all saints proper to reprove verbally, nor are they qualified for it; but all should, and may by facts; and the light discovers darkness, by its own splendour; and this appears from the apostle's reasoning in the next words. (l) Baal Hatturira in Deut. xxii. 10.”

“For the fruit of the Spirit - Instead of Spirit, Πνευματος, ABD*EFG, the Syriac, Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, and Itala, together with several of the fathers, read φωτος, light, which is supposed by most critics to be the true reading, because there is no mention made of the Spirit in any part of the context. As light, Eph 5:8, not only means the Divine influence upon the soul, but also the Gospel, with great propriety it may be said: The fruit of the light, i.e. of the Gospel, is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth. Goodness, αγαθωσυνῃ, in the principle and disposition; righteousness, δικαιοσυνη, the exercise of that goodness in the whole conduct of life; truth, αληθεια, the director of that principle, and its exercise, to the glorification of God and the good of mankind.”

“fruit of the Spirit--taken by transcribers from Gal 5:22. The true reading is that of the oldest manuscripts, "The fruit of THE LIGHT"; in contrast with "the unfruitful works of darkness" (Eph 5:11). This verse is parenthetic. Walk as children of light, that is, in all good works and words, "FOR the fruit of the light is [borne] in [ALFORD; but BENGEL, 'consists in'] all goodness [opposed to 'malice,' Eph 4:31], righteousness [opposed to 'covetousness,' Eph 5:3] and truth [opposed to 'lying,' Eph 4:25]."”