pat loughery

As our church is continuing along in our study of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, tomorrow we’re looking at the role of the Holy Spirit in worship.

In my study, I’m intrigued by a particular translation. Check out Ephesians 5:15-21 in the English Standard Version:

15Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, 20giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

A few things come to mind as I’ve been looking at this. First, I absolutely love how verse 21 fits with the paragraph. Actually, I think verse 21 is a bridge and fits both with v15-20 (walk the God-walk together) and also with v22-33 (husbands and wives in submission). I hate it when translations leave v.21 dangling in never-never land between the two sections, as if it has no relation to either. In this case, at least it isn’t dangling out between the two sections without attaching to either one.

Also, there’s also the good verb play here. Here are the actions of a community who is filled with the Spirit: addressing; singing; making melody; giving thanks; submitting. That is how we worship. This is how the community on God’s mission is formed.