Ephesians 5:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What profit is there in telling a joke? You only stir up laughter by it. Tell me, will a shoemaker undertake work that does not belong to his craft, or acquire some improper tool?

By no means. What we do not use is worth nothing to us. Let there not be even one idle word, because from idle talk one can pass to indecent conversation.

Now is not the time for amusement, but for weeping, sorrows, and lamentations. And you jest?

What fighter, when he has entered the arena, leaves the struggle with his opponent and utters jokes?

Near you the devil walks about, roaring, seeking to devour you. He raises everything and turns everything against your head. He plots how to drive you out of your refuge.

He gnashes his teeth, howls, and fans fire against your salvation. And you sit and tell jokes, speak idle words, and utter indecent speech? Can you successfully overcome him?

We are playing like children, beloved. Do you wish to know the way of life of the saints? Listen to what Paul says: “For three years, night and day, I did not cease to admonish each one of you with tears” (Acts 20:31).

If he showed such care for the Miletians and Ephesians, not telling jokes, but teaching with tears, what will you say about others?

Listen also to what he says to the Corinthians: “Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears” (2 Cor 2:4).

And again: “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn?” (2 Cor 11:29).

Listen to what he says elsewhere, as though daily wishing to depart from the world: “For we who are in this tent groan” (2 Cor 5:4). And you laugh and amuse yourself?

It is a time of war, and you busy yourself with what belongs to dancers? Do you not see the faces of men at war, how stern and strict they are, how their brows are fearful and full of dread?

In them you see a stern face, a watchful heart, and a mind that is courageous, swift, restrained, cautious, and anxious. There is great order, great discipline, and great silence in the ranks.

I do not say merely that they utter no shameful word. They say nothing at all.

If they observe such great silence when fighting visible enemies, and when words cannot bring them any harm, what about you? You must wage war even over words, and indeed the greater part of the war.

How do you permit this part of yourself to remain naked? Do you not know that we are subject to many snares here?

You jest and amuse yourself. You make witty remarks and stir up laughter, and you think nothing of the matter.

How many perjuries arise from jokes. How much harm. How much filthy speech. But, they say, these jokes are not like that.

Listen, however. The Apostle casts out every kind of jesting. Now is the time of war and battle, of watchfulness and vigilance, of armor and preparation for struggle.

At the present time there can be no place at all for laughter, because that belongs to a time of peace. Listen to what Christ says: “The world will rejoice, but you will be sorrowful” (Jn 16:20).

Christ was crucified on the Cross because of your evil deeds, and you laugh? He suffered blows and endured so much because of your misfortunes and the storm that seized you, and you make merry?

Do you not thereby provoke Him all the more?

Since this matter seems indifferent to some, and hard to avoid, let us reason a little about it and show how great this evil is.

It is the work of the devil to be careless about indifferent actions. First, even if this were indifferent, it should not be neglected, knowing that many evils arise from it. They grow and often end in fornication.

That it is not indifferent is clear from the following. Let us see where this vice comes from. Or rather, let us see what a saint ought to be.

He ought to be quiet, meek, sorrowful, tearful, and contrite. Therefore the man who tells jokes is not holy. Even if he were a Hellene, he would be ridiculous.

This is permitted only to those who play on the stage. Where baseness is, there are jokes. Where untimely laughter is, there are witty sayings.

Listen to what the Prophet says: “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before Him with trembling” (Ps 2:11).

Jesting makes the soul weak, lazy, and sluggish. It often stirs up quarrels and gives birth to wars. What then? Do you not belong to the number of men?

Leave what belongs to children. You dislike it when your slave says something useless in the marketplace. Yet you, calling yourself a slave of God, utter jokes in the marketplace?

It is good if the soul is sober. It cannot be carried away. But who will not carry away a distracted soul?

It will be deceived by itself, and it will not need the devil’s plots and attacks. To understand the matter better, consider the name itself.

A joker, ευτράπελος, is called a man who is unstable, ready for anything, not firm, changeable, and everything by turns. But this is not proper to those who serve the Rock.

Such a man easily twists and changes, because he must imitate changes of face, words, laughter, gait, and everything else. Moreover, he must invent witty sayings, since this too is necessary for him.

But acting comedies is not proper to a Christian. Moreover, a lover of jokes must endure strong enmity from those he mocks, whether they are present or hear of it from others.

If this thing is good, why is it left to mime actors? You become such an actor and are not ashamed? Why do you not allow this to your free women?

Do you not thereby testify that this is a dishonorable custom and an indecorous deed?

Many evils nest in a soul addicted to jokes. There is great distraction and emptiness. Order is disturbed, good arrangement is weakened, fear disappears, and piety is absent.

You have a tongue not in order to mimic another, but to give thanks to God. Do you not see those called laughter-makers, clowns? These are jesters.

I beseech you, cast this unlovely pleasure out of your souls. It is the work of parasites, mime actors, dancers, and public women.

Let it be far from the free and noble soul, and even from slaves. If someone is dishonorable, if someone is vile, he is fond of joking.

To many this thing even seems a virtue, and this is worthy of tears. As desire little by little leads to fornication, so the inclination to jesting seems charming, though it is least of all charming.

Listen to what Scripture says: “Lightning precedes thunder, and favor precedes the modest man” (Sir 32:12). But nothing is more shameless than a joker. Therefore his mouth is full not of pleasantness, but of bitterness.

Let us cast this custom out from meals. There are some who teach it even to the poor. What absurdity. They make jesters of those surrounded by sorrows.

Where is this disease not found? It has entered even the Church. It has already touched even the Scriptures.

Shall I say something to show the excess of the evil? I am ashamed, yet I will say it.

I wish to show how far the evil has gone, so that no one may think I am dealing with trifles or discussing some unimportant matter with you. Perhaps in this way I may draw you away from error.

Let no one suppose that I am inventing this. I will say what I heard. Someone happened to be with one of those who boast of learning. I know that I will stir up laughter, yet I will say it.

After setting the table, this man said: “Take hold, children, lest the stomach be inflamed.” Likewise others say: “Woe to you, mammon, and to him who does not have you.”

Jesting has introduced many such absurdities. For example, when they say: “Now there is no birth.” I say this to show the absurdity of the shameful custom.

Such expressions come from a soul foreign to piety. Are such words not worthy of thunderbolts? One could find many other similar expressions.

Therefore, I beseech you, let us drive this custom out from everywhere. Let us say what befits us, and let holy lips not utter words proper to dishonorable and shameful lips.

“What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What communion has light with darkness?” (2 Cor 6:14).

It is better that, having withdrawn from everything indecent, we should be able to enjoy the promised blessings, than that by engaging in this we should destroy the sobriety of the mind.

A jesting man quickly becomes abusive. An abusive man is capable of countless other vices.

Therefore let us order these two states of the soul and subject them to reason like obedient horses. I mean desire and anger. Let us set the mind over them as charioteer.

Then we may receive the prize of the upward calling. May we all be counted worthy of it in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

But if you desire to say something, let every word of yours be thanksgiving. If you become accustomed to thanksgiving, you will remember who you were and what you became. You will grieve over your transgression and marvel at Him who counted you worthy of such blessings. You will find it unsuitable to say anything else.

The present time is not a time for laughter and joking, but for grief and struggle. The enemy prowls about, gnashing his teeth at you, and you amuse yourself and joke? It is difficult for you to overcome him even when you fight him bravely. How much more when you give yourself to amusement?

What is a jester? He is a frivolous man, becoming everything, like actors, constantly changing his words. This is the mark of an unstable mind, foreign to those who serve the Rock.

Since jesting follows vain talk, it should be referred especially to foolish and ignorant tales. There is this difference between vain talk and buffoonery: vain talk contains nothing wise or worthy of the human heart. Buffoonery proceeds from a rational thought and deliberately searches out certain words, whether urban, rustic, indecent, or playful, in order to make the hearers laugh.

If it had been said of the vain talker and the jester that they are as alien to the Kingdom of God as the three whom Paul especially singled out, cf. Eph 5:5, the sentence would seem harsh and unsuited to human weakness. For even what is said in jest already serves for our condemnation, since the man who does not sin in word is a perfect man, Jas 3:2. Yet in saying this, we do not give place to foolish conversations and jesting.

See also the interpretation on Eph 5:3.

Therefore the Lord says in the Gospels: “Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with indulgence and the cares of this life” (Lk 21:34).

“And if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My master delays his coming,’ and should begin to quarrel and grow negligent in his work, ‘the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he does not know. And he will cut him in two,’” that is, cut him off from the grace given to him, “and will appoint his portion with the hypocrites” (Mt 24:48-51).

That means with those who act hypocritically and are called “Christians,” but in reality are not Christians.

Thus those must conduct themselves who pledge themselves to be zealous for every purity. They have been placed in a state of purity and have received the powers to preserve it and live in it.

“Holiness is the heart’s fulfillment with all the virtues. Yet it is witnessed chiefly by purity from fleshly impulses and sympathies.” “In all the holy ascetics we find the indication that idle speech and buffoonery stand in direct connection with desire.

To quench the desire of the flesh and the eyes, he, the Apostle, sets before them the danger of losing the Kingdom of Heaven because of these things. He offers, as it were, a choice between the momentary sweetness of desire and eternal blessedness in the Kingdom of Christ.

The extortioner is characterized by a special and weighty trait: he is an idolater. In the Epistle to the Colossians he also calls covetousness idolatry (3:5).

Every passion is indeed such that, when it overcomes someone, it wholly swallows him up. For this reason the Apostle also called the belly a god (Phil 3:19).

Yet attachment to riches has a special trait that places the one possessed by it in the same line as idolaters. This trait is trust in wealth. But one must expect everything from God and rest all one’s hopes in Him.”

“Ephesus was full of diverse schools and communities. Among them, the Epicureans did not judge fornication strictly, just as among the Jews the Sadducees did not. The Apostle, of course, knew this. He knew what these vain talkers could say.

Without entering into a detailed examination of their vain speech, he cuts off the temptation with one word: see to it that, whatever anyone may say against this apostolic teaching, you are not deceived.”

“Be afraid, he says, lest through opposition to the truth and indulgence toward impurity you become like them, the disobedient. If you allow this, you will share their lot. And their lot is the fire of judgment and torment” (Right Reverend Theophan).

We promised to live in holiness, working out our salvation with the fear of God. How can such words have a place among us?

We have dedicated ourselves to God and have been sealed with the seal of the Holy Spirit. But when we let loose empty, jesting, and shameful words, we defile the souls of others with them.

We make lustful thoughts and movements foam up within them. Thus we commit sacrilege and sin against God.

This is the same as turning a sacred vessel to an unclean use. Let everyone remember what the lot of Belshazzar was.

Among all the holy ascetics we find the indication that idle talk and making others laugh stand in direct connection with lust.

The one who makes others laugh is himself in a lustful state, which he spreads around him through his idle talk. Chrysostom says: "Do not utter words, neither jesting nor shameful, and you will quench the flame.

For words lead to deeds. As there above, speaking against the irascible passion, the Apostle destroyed the quarrels that sustain anger, so now he cuts off shameful speech and jokes that lead to debauchery."

"But rather thanksgiving," that is, let it be expressed in speech and let it be heard. This is what Christian conversation should be filled with.

When something especially remarkable happens, society speaks only of that. But what can be more remarkable than that by which Christians became Christians?

God Himself bowed the heavens and came down to raise us to the heavens. We have all already been called to this. We live on earth only to prepare better for life in heaven.

There the mansions prepared for us already await us. Receive this into your heart, and you will find no desire to speak of anything else.

You will speak only of this, with feelings of thanksgiving for the ineffable mercies of God.

A man who has been appointed to appear in the palace, to serve and live there, thinks only how quickly he may arrange everything for that life. His gratitude to the king knows no measure.

Both he and those who know him speak only of his gracious appointment. And all give thanks to the king.

All we Christians are in precisely such a position. Therefore it is very natural to say that thanksgiving should chiefly proceed from our mouths.

It should be thanksgiving to God the Father, and to our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, for the salvation given to us and active within us, if we do not hinder it by our foolishness.

No one will dispute this. Nor will anyone dispute that shameful speech and foolish talk are improper.

But not everyone can accept that jokes, witty speech, and laughter should be banished from Christian societies.

Chrysostom noticed this and rebuked such judgment and conduct at length. Let us write out some of his statements.

"What benefit is there in telling a joke? We only provoke laughter by it. Let there be no idle word at all, since one may pass from idle talk to improper conversation.

Now is not the time for amusements, but for tears, sorrows, and lamentations. And you jest.

What fighter, having entered the arena, leaves the struggle with his opponent and starts making jokes?

Near you the devil goes about, roaring in order to devour you. He raises everything and turns everything against your head.

He plots how to drive you from your refuge. He gnashes his teeth, howls, and fans a fire against your salvation.

And you sit there making jokes, speaking vainly, and uttering improper words. Can you overcome him?

We behave childishly, beloved. Christ was crucified on the Cross because of your evil deeds, and you laugh.

He endured blows and suffered so much because of your misfortunes and the storm that seized you, and you rejoice. Do you not offend Him all the more by this?

Let us consider what the saint should be like. He must be quiet, meek, sorrowing, weeping, and contrite.

Therefore one who tells jokes is not holy, and such a person is laughable. This is permitted only to those who perform on stage.

Where there is shamefulness, there are jokes. Hear what the Prophet says: 'Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling' (Ps 2:11).

Jesting makes the soul weak, lazy, and slack. It is excellent if the soul is sober, for it cannot be carried away.

But who will not carry away a distracted soul? It will be deceived by itself and will need no snares or assaults from the devil.

Many evils nest in a soul attached to jokes: great distraction and emptiness. Order is disturbed, good arrangement is weakened, fear disappears, and piety withdraws.

You have a tongue not in order to mimic others, but in order to thank God. Let us banish this custom from meals.

Having banished this custom from everywhere, let us say what is fitting for us. Let holy lips not utter words proper to lips that are dishonorable and shameful.

'For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what communion has light with darkness?' (2 Cor 6:14).

Therefore, having ordered these two conditions of the soul and subjected them to reason like obedient horses, I mean desire and anger, let us set the mind over them as charioteer.

Then we may receive the prize of the upward calling. May we be counted worthy of it in Christ Jesus our Lord."