Ephesians 5:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He said that you are light. Light reveals everything that happens in darkness. Therefore, if you are virtuous and worthy of wonder, the impious will not be able to hide.

Just as, when a lamp is standing there, all are illuminated and a robber cannot approach, so when light shines from you, the impious who are reproved will be struck.

Consequently, one must reprove. But how, then, does Christ say, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Mt 7:1)? The Apostle said to reprove, that is, to admonish, not to condemn.

Besides, “Judge not, that you be not judged” was said about very small sins. In keeping with this, Christ added: “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the beam in your own eye?” (Mt 7:3).

The works of darkness and sin are fruitless, because they produce nothing but death and shame. Therefore one must not take part in such works, but instead expose them, that is, instruct those who do such things. How then is it said elsewhere, "Do not judge"? This is said in place of, "Do not condemn." Reproof is one thing, and condemnation another. The first serves correction, while the second serves ridicule and punishment. Moreover, "Do not judge" is said about the most insignificant sins. Therefore He adds: "Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye?" (Mt 7:3).

And have no fellowship with the works of darkness, that is, with those people who perform the works of darkness. They have no fruits of the good promise. But when you see the swelling stench of their works, rebuke those who lead such a life more and more.

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.”

In the Epistle to the Galatians the Apostle also presented fruit in the spirit and work in the flesh, saying: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication,” and so forth (Gal 5:19). “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” (Gal 5:22), and so forth.

Then in the present passage he called the works of darkness unfruitful. Those who do them are joined into one society.

“But rather reprove them.” Among the other commands, the ability to reprove those who sin is a matter of the greatest freedom.

Yet only the one who does not deserve to hear this can do it: “Hypocrite, first cast the speck out of your own eye, and then you can cast the beam out of your brother’s eye” (Lk 6:42).

He called the Ephesians light and children of light. Light exposes what is hidden in darkness. Therefore he commands them not only to flee fellowship with those who remain in darkness, but also to expose their wickedness.

"Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness," says the Apostle (Eph 5:11). What fruit did you have from the wages of spiritual death, of which you are now ashamed? For evil works and every dark deed are truly fruitless. But as soon as the soul is able to sober up and come to self-awareness, it feels confusion and is ashamed of the sins committed in intoxication with vice. Then it finds the light of chastity.

The unfruitful works of darkness are sins, as the same Paul explained elsewhere, saying: “Do not share in another’s sins” (1 Tim 5:22).

Sinful works are unfruitful because they bring no other fruit except shame and death. “What fruit did you then have,” Paul wrote to the Romans, “in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. For the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:21, 23).

When do I not share by deed in the unfruitful works of darkness? When I do not help the sinner by deed to commit sin or remain in it.

Nor do I encourage him by word, or advise him to sin or remain in sin. Still more, I do not share when I struggle in every way to restrain him from sin.

The unfruitfulness and vileness of the works of darkness (Eph 5:11-14) must not be hidden. On the contrary, they must be brought into the light of reproof, and those sleeping in the darkness of vices must be awakened.

“Therefore,” that is, because even the greatest and darkest sinners can awaken from the sleep of sin and rise to new life, “therefore it is said: ‘Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’”

This saying is nowhere found in Scripture in the form in which the Apostle cites it. Therefore it is thought to be a free rendering, on apostolic lips, of a thought borrowed from the prophet Isaiah.

“Arise, shine, O Jerusalem, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you,” and so forth (Isa 60:1).

Some also point to Isa 26:19: “Your dead shall live, their bodies shall rise. Awake and rejoice,” and so forth.

In urging Christians to an enlightening action upon others, the Apostle speaks of the power of light. It reveals everything unworthy not only of knowledge, but even of mention.

It subjects everything to itself and makes everything its own possession. Therefore, if light is brought even upon those who dwell in the darkness of ignorance and impiety, they too will become sons of light, for they will know their own darkness and God’s light.

For this reason all people, and each person, must say to the erring by word and deed: arise, you who sleep, draw near to the Lord, and He will enlighten you.

Returning to the instruction of verse 7, the Apostle urges Christians to have no communion with the unfruitful works of darkness.

By this he evidently wants to say that, just as physical light helps flowers grow and fruits ripen, so darkness, the absence of light, is not accompanied by such effects. Its results are unfruitful or useless.

So it is also in the spiritual realm of life. But Christians must not limit themselves merely to withdrawing from such works. They are obliged to express their judgment upon them directly and openly in words.

The Apostle has depicted the bright life of the dispassionate, those who have reached perfection, and has indicated the norm of their activity in always doing what is pleasing to God.

Now he sets before their face those who live carelessly, heedlessly, in forgetfulness of God, merely pleasing their own desires and the vanities of life. They have no thought of salvation and no concern for their eternal lot.

He says to them: see that you do not in any way become partakers of such works. He does not say: do not do such works. For this is unnecessary for those who have conquered the passions.