Matthew Henry

So I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

“Observe, Not only the faithful ministers of Christ themselves, but their people too, have some special cause for joy and glorying, when they suffer for the sake of dispensing the gospel.”

I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

“And the apostle prays that this may be according to the riches of his glory, or according to his glorious riches--answerable to that great abundance of grace, mercy, and power, which resides in God, and is his glory: and this by his Spirit, who is…”

of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

“We are not to understand it of his fulness as God in himself, but of his fulness as a God in covenant with us, as a God to his people: such a fulness as God is ready to bestow, who is willing to fill them…”

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the…

“Take notice how he describes God, and how he ascribes glory to him. He describes him as a God that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”

“Let us set ourselves to think of the ascension of Jesus Christ: that our blessed Redeemer, having risen from the dead, in gone to heaven, where he sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high, which completed the proof of his being the…”

What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended to the lower parts of the earth?

“As much as if he had said, "When David speaks of Christ's ascension, he intimates the knowledge he had of Christ's humiliation on earth; for, when it is said that he ascended, this implies that he first descended: for what is it but a proof…”

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

“God's children, as long as they are in this world, are growing. Dr Lightfoot understands the apostle as speaking here of Jews and Gentiles knit in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, so making a perfect man…”

and do not give the devil a foothold.

“Those who persevere in sinful anger and in wrath let the devil into their hearts, and suffer him to gain upon them, till he bring them to malice, mischievous machinations, &c.”

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

“There is to be a day of redemption; the body is to be redeemed from the power of the grave at the resurrection-day, and then God's people will be delivered from all the effects of sin, as well as from all sin and misery, which…”

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

“He serves mammon instead of God. Of these persons it is said that they have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God; that is, the kingdom of Christ, who is God, or the kingdom which is God's by nature, and Christ's as…”

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

“Disobedience is the very malignity of sin. And it is by a usual Hebraism that such sinners are called children of disobedience; and such indeed they are from their childhood, going astray as soon as they are born.”

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,

“Spiritual songs may contain a greater variety of matter, doctrinal, prophetical, historical, &c. Observe here, (1.) The singing of psalms and hymns is a gospel ordinance: it is an ordinance of God, and appointed for his glory. (2.)”

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

“There is a mutual submission that Christians owe one to another, condescending to bear one another's burdens: not advancing themselves above others, nor domineering over one another and giving laws to one another.”

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.

“Whatever there is of uneasiness in this, it is an effect of sin coming into the world. Generally, too, the man has (what he ought to have) a superiority in wisdom and knowledge.”

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her

“The love of Christ to the church is proposed as an example of this, which love of his is a sincere, a pure, an ardent, and constant affection, and that notwithstanding the imperfections and failures that she is guilty of.”

and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

“From this and the former verse together we may take notice that the glorifying of the church is intended in the sanctifying of it: and that those, and those only, who are sanctified now, will be glorified hereafter.-- So ought men to love their wives…”

In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

“The wife being made one with her husband (not in a natural, but in a civil and in a relative sense), this is an argument why he should love her with as cordial and as ardent an affection as that which he loves himself.”

Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.

“Even as the Lord the church: that is, as the Lord nourishes and cherishes the church, which he furnishes with all things that he sees needful or good for her, with whatever conduces to her everlasting happiness and welfare.”

For we are members of His body.

“He assigns this as a reason why Christ nourishes and cherishes his church--because all who belong to it are members of his body, that is, of his mystical body.”

“that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.”

“Not indeed that it is always so; there are instances of such children who meet with much affliction in this life: but ordinarily obedience is thus rewarded, and, where it is not, it is made up with something better.”

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

“That they obey with fear and trembling. They are to reverence those who are over them, fearing to displease them, and trembling lest they should justly incur their anger and indignation.”

because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

“Though his master on earth should neglect or abuse him, instead of rewarding him, he shall certainly be rewarded by the Lord Christ, whether he be bond or free, whether he be a poor bond-servant or a freeman or master.”

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.

“The dark parts of the world are the seat of Satan's empire. Yea, they are usurping princes over all men who are yet in a state of sin and ignorance. Satan's is a kingdom of darkness; whereas Christ's is a kingdom of light.”

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed,

“This is the Christian soldier's belt: ungirded with this, he is unblessed. [2.] Righteousness must be our breast-plate. The breast-plate secures the vitals, shelters the heart. The righteousness of Christ imputed to us is our breast-plate against the arrows of divine wrath.”

and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace.

“It is styled the gospel of peace because it brings all sorts of peace, peace with God, with ourselves, and with one another. It may also be meant of that which prepares for the entertainment of the gospel, namely, repentance.”