Paul continues to let his friends in Ephesus know what this new life of following Jesus looks like. Big changes happen when God miraculously transforms us from the Walking Dead to now being “alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:1, 5). He explains what it means to take off our nasty old wardrobe of sin and raid Jesus’ closet of righteousness (Eph 4:22-24). He specifically drills down on how we stop letting our mouths be rotten sewers of “corrupt talk” (Eph 4:29). The apostle tells us in no uncertain terms the kind of stuff we must stop saying. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (v31). In other words, stop the hate speech. End the trash talk. Stop the smack.
The apostle begins by closing loopholes. “Let ALL bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with ALL malice” (v31, emphasis added). “All.” “All” means “all” and that’s “all” that all means. Every last bit of it. Not some of it. Not a hint of it. All of it. Now that we know there’s a zero tolerance for it, what exactly is Paul talking about?
We’ll get to that but let’s back up just a second. Earlier, Paul said that it’s OK to be angry over what angers God but we must NOT sin (Eph 4:26). Clearly you can be angry and not bitter. It’s when I stoke the fires of my anger instead of putting it out before the end of the day that I get myself in big trouble. If not, this is the result. Bitterness. Wrath. Anger. Clamor. Slander. Malice.
Smack. Hate speech. Trash talk.
First in the list is “bitterness” (v31). This is the Greek noun pikria, which describes a hostile attitude, a state of sharp and intense resentment or hate. It’s a smoldering sentiment that explodes in a quick temper. An attitude of trouble making. This word originally meant a plant that produces poisonous fruit. A bitter root that produces bitter fruit. This is not a bad mood from having a bad day. This is deep. This goes down to the very core of who we are. The writer of Hebrews warns us to quickly yank out any “root of bitterness” that grows up between friends before it produces bitter fruit (Heb 12:15). Each one of us is a producer of bitter fruit before Jesus gets ahold of us (Rom 3:14; Ps 107).
Do I harbor bitterness? Is there something smoldering under the surface? Is there a root of bitterness growing deep inside me? Am I always cranky? Am I continually in a bad mood? Am I always on the edge? That’s bitterness. Yank it out.
Batting second is “wrath” (v31). This is thumos. The root of the term is all about heat. A burning passion. A boiling anger. A hot temper. This is fierceness, rage, angry outburst, fury or a sudden ferocity. It’s a hair trigger passion in the moment. An explosion. Folks in Nazareth’s synagogue hit the roof when Jesus announced He was the long-awaited Messiah (Lk 4:28). It can also describe what happens when our “slow to anger” God ultimately runs out of His supernatural patience. Folks who reject Christ and His Gospel will be the target of God’s ferocity (Rom 2:8).
Do I lose my cool quickly? Do I have a quick trigger? Do I reach my boiling point in just a few seconds? Do I explode at the slightest problem? That would be wrath. Toss it in the trash.
Next up in the list is “anger” (v31) or orge. This describes a violent emotion and wrath with the point of vengeance. Retribution. Revenge. The Godfather of Soul called it “The Big Payback.” I’m gonna get my way and I don’t care who’s gonna get hurt. But there’s one problem. “The anger (Gr. orge) of man does not produce the righteous of God” (James 1:20). And Paul told his buddy Tim that you can’t pray effectively when you’re angry at someone (1Tim 2:8).
Am I consumed with revenge? Is paying back someone for hurting me at the top of my “to do” list? Then I’ve got a problem. Then I’m dealing with anger. Not good. Not good at all. Once Jesus transforms me, I can let Him handle it. That’s His job, not mine (Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30).
Batting cleanup is “clamor” (v31). This doesn’t show up quietly. The Greek noun krauge is all about yelling with a loud voice to get everyone’s attention. This is screaming, shrieking and shouting. When Aunt Lizzie realized her niece Mary was pregnant with God’s Son, she yelled for everyone to know (Lk 1:42). When Jesus makes His big comeback, He’ll wipe away every tear and there will be no reason to scream for help (Rev 21:4).
Do I constantly shout for attention? Am I continually yelling for the spotlight? Do I have a deep need for everyone to pay attention to me and my wants? That would be clamor. God is transforming me into the image of His Son (Rom 8:28). And when He was in His darkest hour, He kept quiet (Mt 26:62-63; 27:12-14; Jn 19:9; Acts 8:32). Through the power of God’s Spirit living in me, I can keep quiet.
Next we read that we must put an end to “slander” (v31). This is blasphemia. Yup, that’s exactly what it means. Evil speaking, abusive speech, profanity or insult. This is speech meant to hurt another and ruin someone’s good name. Defamation of character. Talking trash. Speaking smack. About someone. To someone. Paul told Titus to teach the congregation in Crete not to trash anyone’s character and “to speak evil (Gr. blasphemia) of no one” (Titus 3:2). It’s also the slandering God’s holy name (Rom 2:24). Let’s face it. If anyone doesn’t deserve to be thrown under the bus, it’s completely righteous and perfect God. Despite that, hecklers trash talked Jesus on the cross as He suffered (Mt 27:39).
And just in case he missed something, Paul closes all the loopholes. On top of everything else, put a stop to “all malice” (v31). The apostle uses kakia. This is pure evil. It’s the desire to injure, hostility, wickedness and hatefulness. An attitude that is not ashamed to break the law in order to bring the pain. This seems to be a junk drawer term that covers everything you might think is not covered in the previous list. Just in case you thought you escaped the earlier sins, this one leaves no doubt. Paul admits that he was just like everyone else before meeting Jesus. “We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice (Gr. kakia) and envy, hated by others and hating one another (Titus 3:3). Jesus’ little brother Jim also made sure his readers disposed of this rank junk. “Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness (Gr. kakia) and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save souls” (James 1:21).
In the companion letter to the Colossian church, Paul used many of these very same words to give a very similar command. “But now you must put them away: anger (Gr. orge), wrath (Gr. thumos), malice (Gr. kakia), slander (Gr. blasphemia) and obscene talk from your mouth” (Col 3:8). Because of what Jesus has done for us and is doing in us, we can stop the smack talk. Why? Because this kind of trash talk will “grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph 4:30). And it builds no one up. It only tears down. It tears down their reputation. It tears down their spirit.
Stop the smack. Stuff a sock in the hate speech. Can the trash talk.
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