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The Selah of Renewed Mind (Eph. 4:20,23)
In the practical section of Ephesians we have met two `Selahs' up to
the present:
(1)
The Selah of individual grace (Eph. 4:7).
(2)
The Selah of Truth in practice (Eph. 4:15).
The Selah we are now about to consider is found in a setting that
stresses the `mind' (Eph. 4:17 -25).
`Vanity of mind', `darkened understanding', `alienation through
ignorance', `hardness or stupidity of heart', `learned Christ', `taught by
Him', `renewed in the spirit of your mind'.
This Selah we call `The Selah of the Renewed Mind', and it embraces
verse 20 as well as verse 23.
`But ye have not so learned Christ'.
`But be renewed in the spirit of your mind'.
What the believer had learned was the truth concerning the renewing of
the mind. This truth is a direct contrast with what once characterized his
walk, as direct a contrast as is the old man to the new, or as the lie is to
the truth. The important teaching that is contained in these verses is that
the `mind' controls the `walk'.
The practical section of Ephesians opens with the exhortation to `walk
worthy ... with all humility of mind' (Eph. 4:1,2 lit.). As there are at
least fifteen different words translated `with' in the A.V. of the New
Testament it may be as well to be clear as to what is intended by the
expression `with all humility of mind'. Meta, the Greek preposition here
used, and translated `with', means `in association, in proximity, in company
with'. A.T. Robertson says of meta:
`Most probably meta has the same root as mesos, Latin medius, German
mit, English mid'.
The idea seems to be that in using this word the writer intended us to
see that whatever is linked together by this preposition is to be considered
as being intimately associated, that indeed it lies in the midst.
Consequently, the walk that is worthy is impossible apart from humility of
mind. As meta is translated `with' seven times in Ephesians, it may be as
well to see the references together.
Meta `in association with'.
Walk
`With all humility of mind' (Eph. 4:2).
`With longsuffering' (Eph. 4:2).
Speak Truth
`With neighbour, for members one of
another' (Eph. 4:25).
Serve
`With fear and trembling' (Eph. 6:5).
`With good will' (Eph. 6:7).
Benediction
`Love with faith' (Eph. 6:23).