Ephesians Chapter 5 Breakdown

1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

Forgive as YHWH has forgiven you.

2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Walk in love just as Christ did.

3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Paul says we should not even have a name for fornication, uncleanness, or covetousness. Be clean in your speaking and joking. There is no place for vulgarities within the body of Yeshua.

5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

No one who sleeps around, no unclean person (this should make you think), no covetous man, and no idolater has a place in the kingdom of YHWH. Paul specifically states no unclean person has a place. So, what is an unclean person?

Leviticus 5:2-3

‘Or if a person touches any unclean thing, whether it is the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of unclean livestock, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and he is unaware of it, he also shall be unclean and guilty. Or if he touches human uncleanness—whatever uncleanness with which a man may be defiled, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty.

Leviticus 11:24

[Unclean Animals] ‘By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until evening; whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening: The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean.

Leviticus 13:3

The priest shall examine the sore on the skin of the body; and if the hair on the sore has turned white, and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous sore. Then the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean.

Eating unclean animals makes a man unclean, as well as having a leprous sore. There are many other things found in the Torah that makes a man unclean. It is very interesting Paul chose to mention men as unclean based on an action they choose to perform. Furthermore, each of the things Paul mentions that will restrict a man from entering the Kingdom of YHWH can all be found as laws YHWH gave His people to follow.

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Isaiah 59:4

No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.

Paul mentions empty words and not to be deceived by them. So what are empty words? According to the Prophet Isaiah, empty words are spoken by men who think up evil and bring about sin. Sin is breaking YHWH’s Law. Therefore, we can conclude Paul is saying, do not be deceived by men teaching against YHWH’s law. These things are evil.

7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Do not take part in their actions, they are breaking YHWH’s Law.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

Before YHWH, you participated in those evil deeds, but you should no longer do those things. The fruit of the Spirit is found in the ways of Torah. Torah is good, righteous, and the Truth and the Spirit causes men to keep Torah. You are to learn the things that are acceptable to YHWH. Your fruits are your deeds, Paul is saying this right here.

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Do not participate in deeds that are not the ways of YHWH. Expose those deeds, call them out, especially among those who claim to be of YHWH but are continuously breaking YHWH’s Law.

12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

Men commit shameful acts in secrecy. Do not participate in these sinful acts.

13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

When you expose these sinful behaviors, you are doing so as a light of YHWH. Call out sin when you see it. Anything that contradicts YHWH’s Torah, is sin.

14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

Once you awake from the slumber of sin, with eyes that have been hidden from YHWH, you will be given the light from Yeshua to expose the sin you witness.

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Be careful in how you walk, in your deeds and works. Be wise and follow Torah, because there are evil days ahead.

17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Study the Word to know and understand what YHWH’s will is. If you know His will, you will know what you should be doing. His will is to save all Israel. This includes the lost sheep of the Northern Kingdom, the House of Judah, and other gentiles who have chosen to present themselves before YHWH. All YHWH has ever asked of His people was to turn back to His ways, follow His commandments.    

18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Don’t waste your time drinking and making decisions contrary to YHWH’s word, that is degeneracy. Be filled with the Spirit, following His ways. Submit to each other in fear of YHWH, and always give thanks for everything He has done for you.

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Wives, defer to your husbands on things concerning YHWH.

23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

The husband is the head of the wife and Yeshua is the head of the believing body, as well as the savior.

24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

The church is subject to Yeshua, the wives should do the same with their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Husbands love your wives as Yeshua has loved the church. Yeshua laid down His life for the lost sheep. There is no greater love than that. Love your wife with that much love. Preach the word to your wife in order for to have no spot or wrinkle in her faith. She will then be holy without spot.

28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

Love your wife as your own self. If you love her, you will love yourself.

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

You will do no harm to your wife if you love her as much as you care for yourself.

30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

We are all members of the body of Yeshua.

31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

Genesis 2:24

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

A man and his wife are one, and should treat each other this way.

32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Paul then says this is a great mystery, and that is how does two people become one person? But, it is in terms of YHWH and how all people of the church are part of one body of Christ.

33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Husband, love your wives and wives, respect your husbands.