Ephesians 5:14

Next, he verifies this by an authority (v. 14) which a Gloss interprets: In order that light might prevail he—the Holy Spirit—says: Rise you who sleep and arise from the dead and Christ shall enlighten you. But this is not customary for Paul. Hence it …

He calls the person living in sins sleeping and dead. For he is both foul-smelling, like a dead man, and inactive, like one sleeping, and he dreams and imagines phantoms. But when someone awakens from sin, then Christ illumines him, that is, shines upon him, …

Awake thou that steepest - In ignorance of God and thyself; in stupid insensibility. And arise from the dead - From the death of sin. And Christ shall give thee light - Knowledge, holiness, happiness.

Wherefore he saith,....

The Lord is constantly saying in his word what is more particularly expressed in Isa. lx. Or, Christ, by his ministers, who preach the everlasting gospel, is continually calling upon sinners to this effect: Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.

Wherefore he saith - It is a matter of doubt and controversy whence this saying is derived. Some think it taken from Isa 26:19: Thy dead men shall live; with my dead body shall they arise; Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust, etc. Others think that it is taken from Isa 60:1-3: Arise, shine; for thy light is come, etc. But these passages neither give the words nor the meaning of the apostle.

WE have not time this evening to enter into the question as to where this quotation came from. There does not appear to be one exactly like it in the compass of the Old Testament—but we must remember that the Apostle very frequently quotes the spirit of texts rather than the words of them.

The word "Christ," shows that in quoting the prophecy, he views it in the light thrown on it by its Gospel fulfilment. As Israel is called on to "awake" from its previous state of "darkness" and "death" (Isa 59:10; 60:2), for that her Light is come; so the Church, and each individual is similarly called to awake.

WE have not time this evening to enter into the question as to where this quotation came from. There does not appear to be one exactly like it in the compass of the Old Testament—but we must remember that the Apostle very frequently quotes the spirit of texts rather than the words of them. In the eighth and in the tenth chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews we find him quoting the same passage, but not in the same words, showing us that he, as an inspired man, felt himself able to deal rather with the spirit of a passage than with the precise words of it. There may, therefore, be no such passage in the Old Testament verbally, but as there are several which have the spirit of the exhortation, Paul was justified in saying, "God has said so-and-so." Besides, the passage may not be a quotation at all. The Apostle may mean to say that Christ said that to him, or that Christ said that by him—that Christ intended, even then, while he was handling the pen and writing, to say the words which he then wrote—"He said so-and-so." We have no time, however, to go into that matter. It is a more important question, perhaps—To whom is this text addressed? Nine times out of ten when it is preached, it is taken as though it were addressed to the ungodly. It is a very proper text to address to the ungodly, but I do not see that the connection permits it. There are some who would think it altogether unscriptural and unsound to address these words to those who have no spiritual life. We are not of their number.

Wherefore he saith - Margin, or “it.” Διὸ λέγει Dio legei. The meaning may be, either that the Lord says, or the Scripture. Much difficulty has been experienced in endeavoring to ascertain “where” this is said. It is agreed on all hands that it is not found, in so many words, in the Old Testament. Some have supposed that the allusion is to Isa 26:19, “Thy dead men shall live - awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs,” etc. But the objections to this are obvious and conclusive. (1) This is not a quotation of that place, nor has it a “resemblance” to it, except in the word “awake.” (2) The passage in Isaiah refers to a different matter, and has a different sense altogether; see the notes on the passage. To make it refer to those to whom the gospel comes, is most forced and unnatural. Others have supposed that the reference is to Isa 60:1-3, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come,” etc. But the objection to this is not less decisive. (1) It is “not” a quotation of that passage, and the resemblance is very remote, if it can be seen at all. (2) “that” is addressed to the church, calling on her to let her light shine; “this,” to awake and arise from the dead, with the assurance that Christ would give them light. The exhortation here is to Christians, to “avoid the vices of the pagan around them;” the exhortation in Isaiah is to the church, to “rejoice and exult” in view of the fact that the day of triumph had come, and that the pagan were to be converted, and to come in multitudes and devote themselves to God. In the “design” of the two passages there is no resemblance. Some have supposed that the words are taken from some book among the Hebrews which is now lost. […]