Garrett's Rejoinder on Ephesians 5:14 Part 1

Brother Garrett replied to the refutation (at the very least in terms of his claims of the Primitive Baptist view of it being unfounded) of his view of Ephesians 5:14 on his blog, "The Old Baptist".

Let us begin by examining his claim he makes after quoting me:

"Jason wrote:

"Now, I'm not intending to fallaciously appeal to consensus, but the fact is that the vast majority of New Testament scholars and commentators view Ephesians 5:14 as the Primitive Baptists do."

How Jason can make such unfounded statements without any proof is astounding.  I say the reverse is true.  Notice these commentators (both from Calvinists and Arminians):"

 He counts Charles Hodge, Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke (do I get Clarke because I spelled his name right?), B.W. Johnson, and I'll even give him John Wesley. As for Calvin, I'm not sure that it's clear that he saw the sleeping and dead as 'unbelievers' in the same sense, as he says the gospel is for both the sleepers and the dead. It is clear he interprets the text as the gospel being extended in a life-giving function to the nekros, but it is not totally clear from his commentary that he denies the text teaches that the gospel also functions unto sanctification in those that sleep as distinct from the nekros.

Even if Calvin is not making a fundamental difference in the katheudo and the nekros, none of these commentaries explain the use of both words, but assume that they are generally synonymous. So what is the difference? If you can't answer this question, don't pretend like the words should be treated as practical synonyms when they are clearly two distinct words. Emphasis, Garrett might say, like his fellow Armianian against Cayce, but what emphasis?

Now, Arminians might say that katheudo could refer to the sense of ability the nekros have to come to Christ. Speaking of a 'spiritual torpor' in the nekros that exists previous to being called awake, however, is nothing less than a denial of the need of prevenient grace to draw men spiritually (John 6:44) and an assertion of at least semi-Pelagianism. This idea will not do also from the Armianian's perspective because the command to arise from the dead still leaves dead behind, indicating that the command to awake is selective, as in resurrection, and not universal. The text would imply for the Arminian that this command to life, the gospel, is both discrete to the individual to whom it is addressed, and as irresistible as the maid to whom Christ said, "Talitha cumi", as even Shrygley's proof text establishes by direct analogy.

So, if not this, what is the sense of the distinction? I suppose it could be argued, "Calvinistically",  that it refers to the intention of God toward the elect by the gospel proclamation as analogous to those physically dead Christians that will be raised to eternal life. In other words, katheudo refers to unregenerate elect, and the general nekros refers to the world of the non-elect. The problem with this idea for Brother Garrett is that the gospel proclamation in Ephesians 5:14 is presented to the katheudo, not the general nekros. It would emphasize that the gospel is addressed to those to whom God intends to raise, not the general nekros. The gospel, if preached like this text, would be judged as hyper-Calvinistic by Brother Garrett, so he needs to reevaluate his interpretation or stop spouting the idea that true gospel preaching should obfuscate rather then elucidate the katheudo from the nekros.

It appears that Brother Garrett might be a hyper-Calvinist after all. What is it that he likes to say when he's brow beating his brothers in Christ among the Primitive Baptists....ah yes..."Consistency thou art a jewel!"

Brother Garrett has 5, maybe 6, resources that take his view of this text.

An interesting point is that Brother Garrett tried to claim Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary as supporting his view, but in this he was quite mistaken. We are not debating whether the nekros refers to the spiritually dead, but whether katheudo refers to individuals that already believe. He left off the proof texts which clearly indicate that they did not see the calling of believers as an effectual calling:

"Believers are called on to "awake" out of sleep; unbelievers, to "arise" from the dead (compare Mt 25:5; Ro 13:11; 1Th 5:6, with Eph 2:1)."

Garrett also left out this from their commentary:

"give thee light-rather, as Greek, "shall shine upon thee" (so enabling thee by being "made manifest" to become, and be, by the very fact, "light," Eph 5:13; then being so "enlightened," Eph 1:18, thou shalt be able, by "reproving," to enlighten others)."

From the proof texts and their further fleshing out of the implications of ἐπιφαύσει, it is clear they do not share his views.

So, that gives the Primitive Baptists Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary, Albert Barnes, John Gill, and all the resources pasted below from this website (here), for a total of 16, almost 17, including, possibly, Calvin. The Primitive Baptist view is 3-4 times more prevalent than the support Brother Garrett offers. I think it's fair to say that that is a vast majority. These resources could hardly be thought of as having bias toward the Primitive Baptists.

Now, come to, Brother Garrett, it is high time for you to repent of your excesses.



"NIV College Press 

these words do call the Christian to abandon the domain of darkness and death, and to forsake fellowship with those who dwell there.  (Boles, K. L.. Galatians & Ephesians. The College Press NIV Commentary. Joplin, Mo.: College Press)

Ryrie writes that this section (beginning with "Awake sleeper...) is...

Perhaps a portion of an early Christian hymn exhorting the sinning believer to Awake and arise. (The Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Translation: 1995. Moody Publishers)

Warren Wiersbe writes...

When you think of light, you think of waking up to a new day, and Paul presented this picture (Eph 5:14), paraphrasing Isaiah 60:1. You have the same image in Romans 13:11-13 and 1Thessalonians 5:1-10. That Easter morning, when Christ arose from the dead, was the dawning of a new day for the world. Christians are not sleeping in sin and death. We have been raised from the dead through faith in Him. The darkness of the graveyard is past, and we are now walking in the light of salvation. Salvation is the beginning of a new day, and we ought to live as those who belong to the light, not to the darkness. “Lazarus, come forth!” (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor)

S Lewis Johnson believes this text is addressed to believers writing that...

This is a text taken from the Old Testament, but it is applied by the Apostle to the believers. He is telling them that if their lives are not characterized by this purity of which he is talking, they are sleeping morally, and they should awake, and they should arise from the dead and Christ will give them light...Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. It’s a promise that as we, by the grace of God and the enablement of God, get down upon our knees and ask him to deliver us from the failures of our Christian life, well we have the assurance that God will undertake for us and we shall be given light. (Ephesians 5:3-21 Purity in the Christian Life (Audio)

Life Application commentary writes that just...

As the prophets appealed to Israel to awaken from its state of darkness and death, so Paul was appealing to the Ephesians to wake up, stay alert, and realize the dangerous condition into which some of them had been slipping by listening to false teachings. (Barton, B, et al: The NIV Life Application Commentary Series: Tyndale)

Blaikie writes that...

This is evidently intended to give an additional impulse to the Ephesians to walk as children of the light.. But the fundamental idea in the prophecy is, that when the Church gets the light of heaven, she is not to lie still, as if she were asleep or dead, but is to be active, is to make use of the light, is to use it for illuminating the world. The apostle maintains that the Ephesian Church had got the light of heaven; she, therefore, was not to sleep or loiter, but spring forth as if from the grave, and pour light on the world. The changes which the apostle makes on the form of the prophecy are remarkable, and show that it was to its spirit and substance rather than to its precise form and letter that he attached the authority of inspiration. (The Pulpit Commentary)

The KJV Bible Commentary writes...

Awake thou that sleepest. This is a call from drowsiness to spiritual life. Arise from the dead. Stand up from the dead among you. Christ shall give thee light. Make day dawn upon you. (Dobson, E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H L. Wilmington: KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson)

Jon Courson writes...

“Wake up!” says Paul. “Look what’s happening in your lives.” I know of young men who could have turned this world upside down for the Lord. I know of young guys who could have really made a mark for the kingdom. But because they weren’t awake to what the Word of God says concerning filthiness, coarse jesting, uncleanness, fornication, and pornography, they’re ineffective to this day. (Courson, J. Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson )

Hoehner explains it this way...

A believer who has committed “deeds of darkness,” is to wake up and rise from the dead since he was involved with the deeds of evildoers. Christ’s shining on him speaks of His approval, an indication that he is discerning and following what is pleasing to the Lord (Eph. 5:10). (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., et al: The Bible Knowledge Commentary. 1985. Victor).

McGee writes...

Here is a command which is humanly impossible to obey. How can a person awake from the dead? How can a person awake out of spiritual death? Only God can awaken us. I think what Paul means here is that the believers who have fallen into a spiritual stupor are to wake up. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary:  Thomas Nelson)

Wayne Barber 

Most people think Paul is using that verse to say, "This is God’s plea to the whole world, ‘Wake up and I’ll shine on you. Once I shine on you, you can become light for other people.’" I disagree with that. Looking at the context Paul is saying, "You Christians, you see in Isaiah 60:1 when God spoke that, He spoke it to His people.

To me Paul is saying, "God is saying the word to the church, ‘Wake up! You are sleeping! Death is all around you. Darkness has enveloped you. Wake up. Let Jesus shine on you first and reprove you for the things wrong in your life. Then Jesus can shine through you and we can start seeing darkness dissipate because it is light that puts out the darkness.’"

Folks, when you walk into a dark room in the morning, you don’t switch the darkness off and switch the light on. No, you just switch the light on and the darkness has to flee. Darkness does not put out light. Folks, darkness is not the problem, and it never has been the problem. The problem is no light. Christians are sound asleep. You don’t have to go out on the street corner and get a box and tell the world. Live it! Your neighbors will see the difference. Your wife will see the difference. Everybody will see the difference. It is incredible when you put the garment on. It is incredible when you are strengthened in the inner man. Immediately people are affected. You don’t even know it, but that light is penetrating the deeds of darkness and the world of evil. When you put on that garment, it puts out darkness."

Sleeper (2518)(katheudo from katá = an intensifier + heúdo = to sleep) can refer to literal sleep but here is used figuratively to refer to those who are spiritually asleep, feeling secure and unconcerned in sin, indolent and careless in the performance of duty.

Arise (450) (anistemi from ana = up, again + histemi = stand) means to stand up. It describes a figurative change of position, rising from sleep. The aorist imperative is a command calling for them to do this now.

Dead (3498)(nekros) is a body without life and here is used figuratively of those who have no spiritual life for they are dead in their trespasses and sins.

Expositors Greek Testament explains that...

The passage is introduced in Connection with the reference to the effects of a faithful ‘reproof’ and under the impression of the figure of the light. It takes the form of an appeal to wake out of the pagan condition of sin, described by the two-fold figure of sleep and death, and of a promise that then Christ will shine upon the sinner with the saving light of His truth. The quotation comes in relevantly, therefore, as a further enforcement both of the need for the reproof which is enjoined, and of the good effects of such a reproof faithfully exercised. (Ephesians 5 Commentary)

AND CHRIST WILL SHINE ON YOU:  kai epiphausei (3SPAI) soi o Christos : (John 8:12; 9:5; Acts 13:47; 2Co 4:6; 2Ti 1:10)

Christ (5547) (Christos from chrio = to anoint, rub with oil, consecrate to an office) is the Anointed One, the Messiah, Christos being the Greek equivalent of the transliterated Hebrew word Messiah.

Shine (2017) (epiphauo from epí = upon, to, + phaúo = to shine) means to shine upon, give light to. The means employed by Christ are compared to the rays of the rising sun (Son).

Thayer comments that...

Christ will pour upon thee the light of divine truth as the sun gives light to men aroused from sleep."