CHAPTER 5
LECTURE 4
8 For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light.
9 For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth;
10 Proving what is well pleasing to God.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; but rather reprove them.
Previously the Apostle had banned carnal sins by threatening punishment and rejecting a fallacy (5:6). Here he gives the reason; it is taken from their situation. He does two things:
First, he describes their situation.
Secondly, he deduces two conclusions from it (5:8b).
Their situation, however, is described as twofold:
First, their past.
Secondly, their present situation (5:8a).
Thus he remarks you were heretofore darkness blinded by ignorance and error. “Having their understanding darkened” (Eph. 4:18). “They have not known nor have they understood; they walk on in darkness” (Ps. 81:5). The darkness also comes from sin: “The way of the wicked is darksome; they know not where they fall” (Prov. 4:19). But observe that be does not vaguely call them “darksome” but darkness . For anyone appears to be whatever is predominant in him; thus the whole state appears to be the king and whatever the king does is said to be done by the state, likewise when sin dominates a man the entire person is referred to as sin and darkness.
Next he describes their present condition, as though he said: But now you enjoy the light of faith: “among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15), for “you are the light of the world” (Mt. 5:14). But this contradicts what was said of John the Baptist: “He was not the light” (Jn. 1:8). How then can other believers be called the light? I reply. They are not referred to as the light in essence but through participation.
Afterwards, he derives two conclusions. He had said that they had been darkness but now are light. Therefore:
First, he concludes that they should conform themselves to what they now are.
Secondly, that they avoid what they previously were (5:11).
The first has two sections:
First, he writes down an admonition.
Secondly, he explains it (5:9).
He affirms: Since you are now light, perform the deeds of light— Walk as children of the light . “Walk whilst you have the light, that the darkness overtake you not” (Jn. 12:35). He interprets this when he says For the fruit of the light is in all goodness . However, a person behaves as a child of the light in two ways; first in reference to the substance or kind of actions he performs, then in reference to the manner or intention he does them with. Thus:
First, he determines the actions which should be performed.
Secondly, with what intention they should be done (5:10).
Therefore he remarks: I have said that you should walk as children of the light, but the fruit of the light is actions which are fruitful and resplendent. “And my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches” (Sirach 24:23). This is in all goodness . Whence it must be recalled that every act of virtue is reduced to three relationships. For it is necessary that the agent be ordered within himself, to his neighbor, and to God. Within himself, that he be good in himself; and on this account he says in all goodness . “Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge” (Ps. 118:66). He must be ordered to his fellow man by justice; whence he says and justice . “I have done judgment and justice” (Ps. 118:121). While he is ordered to God through knowledge and a confession of the truth; so he adds and truth . “Only love ye truth and peace” (Zach. 8:19).
Another interpretation is that goodness refers to the heart, justice to one’s actions, and truth to the tongue. This was mentioned above in Chapter 4 (25); it is also in Zacharias 8 (16): “Speak ye truth every one with his neighbor.”
Then he discloses with what intention the actions should be performed. For they should not be done abruptly but with proving , that is, discerning with one’s mind—“Let everyone prove his own work,” as Galatians 6 (4) expresses it— what is well pleasing to God , that is, you ought to have the intention of doing whatever pleases God. “Be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and the acceptable and the perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2).
After this he exhorts them not to return to the state they have left behind because, as Galatians 2 (18) remarks: “If I build up again the things which I have destroyed, I make myself a prevaricator.” Lest “the dog is returned to his vomit; and, the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Pet. 2:22). This section is divided into two parts:
First, he gives the caution.
Secondly, he tells them his reason (5:12).
The first is again divided into two sections:
First, he warns them not to do evil.
Secondly, he tells them to reprehend wickedness (5:11b).
He stated proving what is well pleasing to God. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness which are sensuous actions leading to an everlasting darkness. They are unfruitful since they only possess a momentary delight which disappears very quickly. “What fruit therefore had you then in those things of which you are now ashamed?” (Rom. 6:21). “Trees of the autumn, unfruitful, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own confusion; wandering stars, to whom the storm of darkness is reserved for ever” (Jude 1:12). Moreover, they seek out places of darkness for their depravity where they have the companionship of beasts. “The eye of the adulterer observes darkness, saying: No eye shall see me. And he will cover his face. He digs through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves; and they have not known the light” (Job. 24:15-16). With these, therefore, have no fellowship, neither by imitating, nor assisting, nor consenting to them. “What fellowship hath a holy man with a dog?” (Sirach 13:22).
But clearly this is not enough; you must also reprehend them since, as Augustine remarks, God sometimes punishes innocent companions because those who are good do not reprimand the evil ones. “And he gave every one of them commandment concerning his neighbor” (Sirach 17:12). Hence he says but rather reprove them . “Reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2). But do we always sin if we do not reprove those who sin? Augustine replies: * Should you refrain from reprimanding out of a fear of charity, namely, lest the sinner fall into greater evil and begin to afflict those who are good, you shall not sin. But if you do this from a fear that has its source in greed, lest the sinner grow indignant and you lose your benefices, then you do sin.