Ephesians 4:20

Such is the position of the pagans; "but you did not so learn Christ; because you heard of Him and were taught in Him," that is, after you came to know Christ. And he speaks not with doubt, but with complete confidence. For the knowledge …

It is a good argument against sin that we have not so learned Christ. Is Christ a book, a lesson, a way, a trade? The meaning is, "You have not so learned Christianity--the doctrines of Christ and the rules of life prescribed by him.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

But ye have not so learned Christ,....

THE first two words of our text call attention to the distinction which must always be drawn between true Christians and other people, "But you." The Apostle had been writing concerning other Gentiles and the evil lives they lived, so, to the Believers at Ephesus, he said that they were not to walk as unbelievers ordinarily did. Thus we learn at the very opening of our subject that if we are, indeed, Christians, there is a manifest distinction between us and the men of the world.

learned Christ-- (Php 3:10). To know Christ Himself, is the great lesson of the Christian life: this the Ephesians began to learn at their conversion. "Christ," in reference to His office, is here specified as the object of learning.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

THE first two words of our text call attention to the distinction which must always be drawn between true Christians and other people, "But you." The Apostle had been writing concerning other Gentiles and the evil lives they lived, so, to the Believers at Ephesus, he said that they were not to walk as unbelievers ordinarily did. Thus we learn at the very opening of our subject that if we are, indeed, Christians, there is a manifest distinction between us and the men of the world. I may be told that, of course, there was a great contrast between Christ's followers and the heathen who lived in the Apostle's day. And some persons will, perhaps, say that we cannot expect that there should now be the same difference between Christian men and unbelievers. I reply that there may be a variation as to the outward form of that contrast, but, essentially, it must be quite as true and real. Someone was asking, the other day, how it was that the church, nowadays, was not so separate from the world as it used to be, and one who heard the question suggested that, possibly, the world had grown better. But someone more truly said that, probably, the church had grown worse. There are two ways of our coming together—the world may rise to our proper height, or we may descend to the world's level. Well, now, I am quite certain that candor requires us to say that, in some respects, the condition of society is much better than it was. There are some of the grosser vices which were common enough 50 years ago, which are now held in general reprobation. To a very considerable extent, Christianity has leavened society.

But ye have not so learned Christ - You have been taught a different thing by Christ; you have been taught that his religion requires you to abandon such a course of life.