The Conclusion of the Epistle (Ephesians 6:19–24)

Eph. 6:19. And for me…

St. Paul has finished clothing the spiritual warrior in the whole armour of God, and with that has concluded the subjects he had intended to address in the letter. He now writes the conclusion. Grammatically, this passage is closely linked to what precedes, but in meaning a new section begins here. He as much as says: that is all I intended to say to you. Now I ask you to pray for me, that God may help me be freed to proclaim the Gospel without hindrance. Holy Chrysostom says: “Finally he also mentions himself. What do you want, blessed Paul, by placing your name in the conclusion? — This is what, he answers: ‘that utterance may be given to me.’”

In this conclusion St. Paul first: a) requests prayers for himself, Eph. 6:19, 20; then b) informs them of why he is sending Tychicus, Eph. 6:21, 22; and finally c) expresses his good wishes, Eph. 6:23, 24.

Eph. 6:19. And for me, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.

“And for me”—that is, pray. This is not mere formality or merely a testimony to St. Paul’s humility, but a showing of the holy Apostle’s faith that the prayer of the Church is powerful before God. In the Acts of the Apostles it is told that the liberation of the Apostle Peter from prison at night, just before he was to be put to death in the morning, was the fruit also of the prayer of all the faithful (Acts 12).

But on the part of the Ephesians, such prayer was a duty owed to the one who had enlightened them in the true faith. This also indicates to us that we should pray for our spiritual fathers and for all who in any way have contributed and continue to contribute to the work of our salvation.

For what does St. Paul ask them to pray? — For freedom to proclaim the Gospel. He was in chains and could not freely go about with the good news, and he was so constrained in his place of confinement that he had no one before whom to open his mouth. Holy Chrysostom says that the holy Apostle does not ask them to pray that he be given what to say—for in this regard the promise was always fulfilled in the Apostles: “it will be given to you in that hour what you are to speak” (Matt. 10:19)—but rather that he be freed from his chains, just as when holy Peter was bound in chains there was unceasing prayer for him (abridged).

This is what he expresses with the words: “that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth”—that is, with open mouth, “with boldness”—freely, without constraint, without fear of being watched or overheard—“to make known” — γνωρισαι — to announce, to bring to people’s knowledge, to make it so that they know. To whom to make it known he does not say, but this is obvious—to all, to all the world, or to make it known everywhere; “‘the mystery’ of the gospel”—the mystery of the Gospel, or the economy of our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, which he has expounded in the letter. This was the purpose of the Apostle’s life. He thirsted to labour in this work, and for such a zealot to be held in inaction for days and weeks is burdensome, let alone for months and years. So he asks for prayer. But what about himself? What about faith in Providence, and for the Apostles a special Providence at that? — He of course prayed himself, and one cannot suppose that he wavered in his faith in God’s special care for him; and yet he asks for prayer. And not only these but every other objection against the efficacy and fruitfulness for us of others’ prayer is refuted by this word of the Apostle. The deeds of the Apostles are normative for us. They acted as they should. According to their example we too ought to act, and not take into account the vain questions produced by idle speculation.

Eph. 6:20. For which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

“Am an ambassador” — πρεσβευω; and this word in ecclesiastical Greek is used in the sense of earnest intercessory prayer. Thus to the Mother of God, to the Forerunner, to the Apostles and all the saints it is said: πρεσβευε υπερ ημων — pray for us, intercede for us. The same meaning is present in the Apostle’s present words: “for which I am an ambassador” (υπερ ου πρεσβευω)—for which I earnestly pray in chains. There he asked them to pray, and here he says: I too am praying myself. He asks them so that he is not praying alone, but as it were as two: himself and the Ephesian Church, as one person. And so it was, according to the word of the Saviour, that if two or three pray together, it will be granted them according to their prayer. Among sincere men of prayer the rule is maintained that when something is especially needed, one invites another to pray, so that two may pray together. This is according to the Lord’s commandment and the example of the Apostle.

Another meaning of the word πρεσβευω is “I am an ambassador.” If this meaning is accepted, it should not be translated as: “I carry out the work of an ambassador or Apostle even in chains,” for St. Paul did not have the freedom to carry out his apostleship as he should. And so, grieving over this, he asks for prayers for his release. Rather it should be understood thus: concerning that—the matter of which I am an ambassador—I sense myself to be an ambassador, obligated to carry out the work of an embassy, and even in my very chains I sense myself as such, and I grieve that I cannot act as I ought to act. Help me in this, then, with your prayer. In what precisely?

“That in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak”—so that in this gospel proclamation I may speak boldly, freely, without constraint, openly, everywhere and before all, as is fitting for me to speak, as an Apostle of God. The word “speak” ought to be joined with “I may speak boldly.”

But one cannot fail to see that if “I am an ambassador” is taken in the sense of “I am an ambassador,” then the flow of the speech will prove not entirely coherent: for in that case “that in it I may speak boldly” would be dependent either on “‘and for me’ pray,” or on “that utterance may be given to me.” Both are distant—and the speech becomes disrupted. But if “I am an ambassador” — πρεσβευω — is taken in the sense of “I pray,” then “that in it I may speak boldly” will directly depend on this “I pray.” And I pray for the same thing for which I ask you to pray—that is, that I may speak boldly in the gospel proclamation, as it is fitting for an Apostle to speak, “so that I might declare all that I was sent to proclaim” (Holy Chrysostom). The same purpose he also assigned to their prayer—namely, that with open mouth, with boldness, I might declare the mystery of the gospel everywhere. If “I am an ambassador” is not taken in the sense of “I pray,” then in the words “that utterance may be given to me” and “that in it I may speak boldly” there will be a needless repetition of the same thing in relation to the same persons.

Eph. 6:21. But that you may know my affairs also, and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will tell you everything.

“The Apostle himself only mentioned that he is in chains; as for a detailed account of his situation, he entrusts this to Tychicus. He explained in his letter everything that pertains to dogmas and the ordering of morals; but as for information about himself, he left that to the one who would deliver the letter. Hence he added: ‘that you may know’—that is, so that you might be informed of ‘what concerns me.’ And by this he both showed his love for them and gave occasion for their love for him to be made manifest” (Holy Chrysostom).

To draw any inference from the words “you also” does not seem well-founded—as though if it says “you also,” one should suppose some other person as well. The words “what concerns me, what I am doing” explain each other and mean: everything that you wish to know about me—all that Tychicus will tell you. To assign a separate subject to “what concerns me” and a separate one to “what I am doing” is unnecessary effort that can produce nothing positively certain, except a multiplication of words.

Who Tychicus is, the Apostle does not describe in detail either here or in the other epistles. In the Acts it is said that he was an Asian by birth (Eph. 20:4), from the region where Ephesus is and where the Apostle laboured so long in the proclamation of the gospel. It is easy to infer that this was a believer who had sincerely attached himself to the Apostle and been chosen by him to assist the Gospel however he could. It is evident that he carried letters. But since he was also entrusted to supplement them in many ways, one must suppose that he possessed both the understanding and the character that made him capable of faithfully fulfilling such an important commission. These qualities the Apostle indicates in him when he says “a beloved brother”—that is, a Christian worthy of all love for his understanding and character, and loved by me. This is high praise. But what follows is even higher: “a faithful minister in the Lord.” A minister—not a servant, but a διακονος — an executor of assigned commissions, or of one entrusted task, like the seven deacons in the Jerusalem Church. By this St. Paul wished to express: my helper and co-worker in the work of the gospel. “Faithful.” As I rely on him in everything, so may you also, who already know him. He is faithful, therefore he will tell you the full truth, exactly as things are; and if you needed to communicate something through him, you could rely on him completely. “In the Lord.” He is faithful, and he takes upon himself the labours of serving the Gospel not for human reasons but in the Lord; he acts in the fear of God, before the face of the Lord, for His glory and the glory of His holy Gospel, without any calculation.

Eph. 6:22. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may comfort your hearts.

“For this very purpose.” There were, consequently, no other aims. For this—the sending of Tychicus, not the writing of the letter. With respect to the letter, one can only infer from this that neither was there any particular occasion for writing it, but only the single desire: to show his love to them and to renew in their memory the whole economy of salvation. Both by writing the letter and by sending Tychicus, the Apostle wished only to show his fatherly love and his desire to be in communion. St. Paul could not have failed to suppose that news of his imprisonment had reached them. From this circumstance they themselves could surmise a great deal, and ill-wishers both of the holy Apostle and of the Gospel itself could say still more. Lest any confusion arise from this, and to dispel the grief his spiritual children could not but feel upon hearing of his chains, he sends Tychicus to them to tell them of the Apostle’s affairs and circumstances, and thereby console them, assuring them that there is no danger to their father, who loves them so tenderly and is loved by them. The one thing that weighs on him is that he cannot freely proclaim the gospel. Let them pray about this.

“How much love there is here (in this word and deed)!” (Holy Chrysostom).

Eph. 6:23. Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

These are good wishes that are purely moral in character, flowing from the spirit of Christian faith. “Peace to the brethren”—that all may live together in concord, without any disturbances; “love”—that they may not merely live outwardly at peace, but have a heartfelt bond of love with one another. Where there is love, peace is inevitably present—a lasting peace that nothing earthly can disturb. Let love be hallowed by faith. “There is no benefit from love without faith; or, more precisely, without faith love cannot exist at all” (Holy Chrysostom). Here also is a prescription: let love be none other than love in the spirit of faith; and a warning, lest love lead to a violation of faith. “He wants them to hold love not simply, but with discernment, and not to mix with those of different faith” (Holy Chrysostom). The keeping of faith is the root of everything. From it—love; from love—peace.

“From God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Everywhere the Apostle shows that to human freedom belongs only the seeking, while the bestowal of the very virtues is from God. However hard one may strive, one will succeed in nothing by oneself. But if one does not strive at all, one will receive nothing. Both are needed. God, seeing the earnest desire and seeking, bestows; and seeing the zealous keeping of what has been bestowed, retains the gift for the one to whom it was given.

Here is the paraphrase of this text made by blessed Theodoret. “He placed peace first, but added love, showing that the latter produces the former. Together with love he also joined faith, prescribing love according to the law of the Gospel. He indicated also the giver of these gifts—not only God the Father, but also the Lord Jesus Christ, and with Them the All-Holy Spirit. For he added: ‘grace…’”

Eph. 6:24. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption. Amen.

There are two parts to the good wishes. In the first, what was wished for depended more on the recipients themselves; here it is more what proceeds from God’s bounty, though this too is not unconditional, but conditioned on love. “Those who love the Lord” he calls all who have believed in Him, cleaved to Him, and walk in His commandments. “Grace”—both the goodwill of God and every perfect gift descending from above, necessary for each person’s salvation. Not to you alone, the Ephesians, but to all who everywhere love the Lord, I desire grace. The turn of speech presupposes a certain movement of the Apostle’s heart, which always embraced all.

What does the word “incorruption” mean? Physical corruption is the decomposition of the body. Moral corruption is sin. The Apostle wishes that no Christian be subject to this latter corruption, for otherwise they will no longer have love, and they will lose grace. Theodoret writes: “Grace is given not to all unconditionally, but to those who love the Lord, and even to them not unconditionally, but to those who together with love also keep His life-giving laws.”

Abstaining from every sin and fulfilling every commandment are already presupposed in one who loves. But perhaps someone may be found who mistakenly thinks that it is possible both to love the Lord and to sin in some way. The Apostle requires uncorrupted, full, perfect love. He requires that the heart belong wholly to the Lord and not be divided between Him and something else. A heart that turns toward something else is a damaged heart—unfaithful, treacherous. The purity of motives is implied as well. In a word, the Apostle requires love that is blameless in every respect.

Holy Chrysostom understands “incorruption” as sinlessness. We present his words, which at the same time can serve as a fitting conclusion to the entire commentary:

“Tell me, in what does the corruption of the body consist? Is it not in the body’s decomposing entirely and its composition falling apart into pieces? The same happens with the soul when sin gains dominion over it. Chastity and righteousness—this is the beauty of the soul; and courage and prudence—this is health for it! That sins produce corruption is evident directly from the fact that they make people shameful and feeble, and cause various sicknesses. Hear what Scripture says: ‘All flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth’ (Gen. 6:12). And in another place: ‘people corrupted in mind’ (2 Tim. 3:8). Our body is corruptible, but the soul is incorruptible. Oh, that we should not subject it also to corruption! Original sin has made this possible. Even after baptism it can corrupt the soul and make it prey to the undying worm. But on the other hand, the worms cannot even touch the soul when they find it incorrupt. See to it, then, that you do not corrupt the soul. Corruption itself will one day be clothed in incorruption. But what by nature is not subject to corruption (the soul) cannot by itself be destroyed. Thus there can be incorruptible corruption, without end, and immortal death. This is precisely what will be, when the bodies have become incorruptible. Therefore if you depart there with corruption in the soul, it will become incorruptible for us and will have no end. To burn continually and to be ever the food of worms—this is surely incorruptible corruption. I beseech you: let us be afraid of these words!”

“Let us too keep these laws (of incorruption) and burn with love for the Lord, so that we may become partakers of the Apostolic blessing by the grace of Christ who has saved us. With Him be glory to the Father, with the All-Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages! Amen” (Theodoret).