Bible Study

The Gift of Eternal Life Berean Bible Study Course

PART III--The Way Of Serving God In Christ Jesus

D. Lesson 16--We Serve By Being Holy

13. READ: EPHESIANS 4:25-32

c. What things must we "get rid of"?

Answer: Children of God must get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice, (verse 31).

MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
• Bitterness: From the Greek word pikria. It means figuratively: "bitterness, animosity, anger, harshness." It is "a figurative term denoting that fretted and irritable state of mind that keeps man in perpetual animosity--that inclines him to harsh and uncharitable opinions of men and things--that makes him sour, crabbed, and repulsive in his general demeanour--that brings a scowl over his face, and infuses venom into the words of his tongue" (Eadie, p. 357).
• Wrath (rage) and anger: The two Greek words are thymos and orge. The first occurs only this one place in Ephesians. The second is found in Ephesians 2:3 and 5:6, but is translated "wrath" in both places. Basically, "thymos is more of the turbulent commotion, the boiling agitation of the feelings, whereas orge suggests more of an abiding and settled habit of mind" (Trench, p. 131).
• Brawling (clamor): The Greek word is krauge. The verb means "cry out, shout." So the noun means "outcry," or "shouting." The reference seems to be to noisy arguing and quarreling. Eadie suggests that it signifies the "expression of this anger--hoarse reproach, the high language of scorn and scolding, the yelling tones, the loud and boisterous recrimination, and the fierce and impetuous invective that mark a man in a towering rage" (p. 358).
• Slander (evil speaking): In the Greek this is blasphemia, from which we get "blasphemy" The word literally means "railing" or "slander." When used of slandering God it is technically called "blasphemy." But here it means "slander" or "abusive speech"--what is hurtful to the reputation of others.
• Malice: The Greek word is kakia, from the adjective kakos, meaning "bad." It is defined by Abbott-Smith as meaning "wickedness, depravity, malignity" (p.227). Eadie says: "Kakia is a generic term, and seems to signify what we sometimes call in common speech bad-heartedness, the root of all those vices [listed in this Scripture reference]" (p. 358).

Colossians 3:7-8: "You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips."

1 Peter 2:1-2: "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."