SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:21
si empero lo habéis oído, y habéis sido por él enseñados, como la verdad está en Jesús,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ephesians 4:21
Verse 21. If so be that ye have heard him] eige, Seeing that, since indeed, ye have heard us proclaim his eternal truth; we have delivered it to you as we received it from Jesus.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. If so be that ye have heard him , &c.] Not heard him preach, but heard him preached; and that not merely externally, with the outward hearing of the ear; though oftentimes spiritual conviction and illumination, true faith in Christ, real comfort from him, and establishment and assurance of interest in him, come this way, as to these Ephesians, ( Ephesians 1:13) but internally, so as to know him, understand his word, and distinguish his voice; so as to approve of him and love him, and believe in him; feel the power of his Gospel, relish his truths, and obey his ordinances, and so bring forth fruit to his glory; as such do, who are quickened by him, whose ears are unstopped, and their hearts opened, and their understandings enlightened; and who have hearing ears, and understanding hearts given them: and have been taught by him : not personally, but by his Spirit and ministers; for Christ is not only the subject of the ministry of the word, and whom the Spirit of God teaches and directs souls to for righteousness, pardon, cleansing, and for every supply of grace; but he is the efficient cause of teaching; and there is none who teaches like him: and those who are taught by him, are taught as the truth is in Jesus ; as the Gospel is in him, as in its original and subject; for he is truth itself, and grace and truth came by him; and as it was preached by him, and so is pure and unmixed.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-24 - The apostle charged the Ephesians in the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus, that having professed the gospel, they should not be a the unconverted Gentiles, who walked in vain fancies and carna affections. Do not men, on every side, walk in the vanity of their minds? Must not we then urge the distinction between real and nomina Christians? They were void of all saving knowledge; they sat in darkness, and loved it rather than light. They had a dislike and hatre to a life of holiness, which is not only the way of life God require and approves, and by which we live to him, but which has some likenes to God himself in his purity, righteousness, truth, and goodness. The truth of Christ appears in its beauty and power, when it appears as in Jesus. The corrupt nature is called a man; like the human body, it is of divers parts, supporting and strengthening one another. Sinfu desires are deceitful lusts; they promise men happiness, but rende them more miserable; and bring them to destruction, if not subdued an mortified. These therefore must be put off, as an old garment, a filth garment; they must be subdued and mortified. But it is not enough to shake off corrupt principles; we must have gracious ones. By the ne man, is meant the new nature, the new creature, directed by a ne principle, even regenerating grace, enabling a man to lead a new lif of righteousness and holiness. This is created, or brought forth by God's almighty power.
Greek Textus Receptus
ειγε 1489 αυτον 846 ηκουσατε 191 5656 και 2532 εν 1722 αυτω 846 εδιδαχθητε 1321 5681 καθως 2531 εστιν 2076 5748 αληθεια 225 εν 1722 τω 3588 ιησου 2424
Vincent's NT Word Studies
21. If so be that ye heard Him (ei ge auton hkousate). The indicative mood implies the truth of the supposition: if ye heard as ye did. Him is emphatic. If it was Him that ye heard. Compare John x. 27.
By Him (en autw). Rev., correctly, in Him. In fellowship with. As the truth is in Jesus (kaqwv estin alhqeia en tw Ihsou). As corresponds with not so. Ye did not in such a manner learn Christ if ye were taught in such a manner as is truth, etc. Render, as Rev., as truth is in Jesus. Schaff paraphrases: "If you were taught so that what you received is true as embodied in the personal Savior." "Taught in the lines of eternal fact and spiritual reality which meet in him" (Moule). Jesus is used rather than Christ: the historical rather than the official name. The life of Christianity consists in believing fellowship with the historic Jesus, who is the Christ of prophecy.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:21 {If so be that} (ei ge). "If indeed." Condition of first class with aorist indicatives here, assumed to be true (ekousate kai edidacqete). {Even as truth is in Jesus} (kaqws estin aleqeia en twi iesou). It is not clear what Paul's precise idea is here. The Cerinthian Gnostics did distinguish between the man Jesus and the aeon Christ. Paul here identifies Christ (verse #20) and Jesus (verse #21). At any rate he flatly affirms that there is "truth in Jesus" which is in direct opposition to the heathen manner of life and which is further explained by the epexegetical infinitives that follow (apoqesqai, ananeousqai de, kai endusasqai).
