What does Ephesians 5:7 mean by "do not be partakers with them"? Canonical Setting and Context Ephesians 5:7 : “Therefore do not be partakers with them.” The conjunction “therefore” (οὖν) links this imperative to 5:3-6, where Paul contrasts “sexual immorality, impurity, greed, filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking” with the inherited kingdom of Christ. The command falls within the house-code section (4:17-6:9) that urges the church to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” (4:1). Paul’s logic: those saved by grace (2:8-10) must manifest their new identity by refusing shared participation in the deeds of darkness. Historical-Cultural Backdrop: Ephesus First-century Ephesus was famed for the Temple of Artemis—one of the Seven Wonders—documented by Strabo (Geogr. 14.1.22) and excavated remains dated c. 550 BC. Temple prostitution, fertility rites, and guild feasts normalized the vices Paul lists. Converts from that milieu (Acts 19:18-20) burned occult scrolls worth fifty thousand drachmas, illustrating decisive rupture. The apostolic warning not to “partake” would resonate amid daily invitations to guild banquets, theater festivals, and imperial cult ceremonies. Old Testament Echoes of Separateness Paul echoes Levitical holiness (“be holy, for I am holy,” Leviticus 11:44) and prophetic calls to come out from idolatry (Isaiah 52:11). Psalm 1:1 opens with, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” Israel’s covenant demanded non-participation in Canaanite practices (Deuteronomy 18:9). The apostle applies these covenantal principles to the multinational church. New-Covenant Identity and Ethical Imperative 1. Positional Truth: Believers are “light in the Lord” (5:8). 2. Practical Outworking: “Walk as children of light” (5:8). 3. Missional Purpose: Expose unfruitful works (5:11) so outsiders may be awakened (5:14). Thus non-participation is not isolationism but redemptive contrast. Parallel Pauline Exhortations • Romans 13:12: “Put aside the deeds of darkness.” • 1 Corinthians 10:20-21: “You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” • 2 Corinthians 6:14-17: “Do not be unequally yoked… come out from among them.” Each text employs covenant motifs to safeguard worship purity and ethical witness. Early-Church Commentary • Ignatius (Ephesians 10:1) urged the Ephesian believers, “Do not be deceived… break away from evil practices.” • Chrysostom (Hom. Ephesians 18) noted that partnership with sinners “brings their punishment upon us.” Patristic consensus upheld a literal, moral separation. Theological Rationale: Holiness, Not Legalism Paul roots the command in soteriology, not Pharisaic isolation. Union with the crucified-risen Christ (Ephesians 2:5-6) necessitates new living. The cross not only forgives (Colossians 2:14) but transfers believers into a new realm (Colossians 1:13). Hence participation with sin contradicts reality. Practical Applications • Entertainment: refrain from media normalizing the sins in 5:3-5. • Business Ethics: decline ventures requiring dishonest gain (greed is idolatry, 5:5). • Sexual Purity: abstain from pornography, cohabitation, adulterous dating cultures. • Speech: avoid crude humor and gossip (5:4). Instead, pursue thanksgiving and edifying talk. Evangelistic Balance “Do not be partakers” does not forbid relational proximity. Jesus ate with sinners (Luke 15:2) yet never shared their sin. Believers engage culture missionally while keeping moral lines clear (John 17:15-18). Eschatological Motivation Verse 5:6 warns of divine wrath; verse 5:8 points to inheritance in the coming kingdom. Future hope fuels present holiness (1 John 3:3). A young-earth timeline places creation, fall, cross, and consummation in a cohesive redemptive arc; imminent judgment heightens ethical urgency. Summary Ephesians 5:7 commands believers to avoid any joint participation—behavioral, verbal, financial, or ideological—with those practicing immorality, impurity, and idolatrous greed. Grounded in the believer’s new identity, supported by a flawless manuscript tradition, and harmonized with Old and New Testament calls to holiness, the verse summons Christians to a lifestyle that magnifies the light of Christ before a watching world. |
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