Here is my commentary on Ephesians 5:9. I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 5:9

“For the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”

A note on translations:

All the modern translations of the Bible translate this verse as “ the fruit of the Light.” The King James version and New King James Version translat it as “the fruit of the Spirit.”

In Greek, as in English, the words are quite different in sound and in meaning, so how did we get to this point of two very different translations possibilities?

There are many ancient manuscripts of the various Scriptures still available to us. There were no printing presses or other mechanical means of copying text back at the time when the Scriptures were written and copied. It was all by hand. Also, the scriptures of the New Testament were in great demand, and so a lot of copying was being done.

Sometimes people make mistakes. Sometimes people made “ improvements” as they went.

Somewhere along the line, somebody appears to have changed “ fruit of the light” to “ fruit of the Spirit” perhaps confusing this verse with Galatians 5:22.

Even though this change crept into some very early manuscripts,the overwhelming majority have “the fruit of the light.”

The KJV. and New KJV have opted for the “ fruit of the Spirit”, based on the best evidence from 500 years ago. Most modern translations think “ the fruit of the light” is the more likely form of the original words written by Paul.

Whichever version we follow, the meaning is basically the same whether attributed to “the light” or to “the Spirit.” What is important is that various translators can come to different conclusions from the best of motives.

The light is God. in Christ we are light ( see previous verses). The fruit of the light, then, is the outworking of God in our lives. Just as fruit grow naturally on any healthy plant, the light should produce certain fruit in our lives.

Paul has written at some length about the lives of the people who live in darkness. There is a fruit of this kind of living that christians must avoid if they are to walk with the Lord.

Now he tells us three qualities of the fruit of the light .

Firstly, the fruit of the Light is found in all that is good.

The word “good” here means virtuous and profitable. It suggest a moral dimension to our lifestyle.

To say that the fruit of the light is found in goodness means that the christian is to live a life that is morally upright and which is good for the person and also for those around him. The light shines in the darkness and is shown by the good life of christians.

For all that our society increasingly opposes the church’s teaching, it is equally amazed at acts of unimaginable forgiveness exercise by christians towards those who hurt them

Secondly, the fruit of the light is found in what is right.

The word here is the same as that often translated righteous. In other words we are to be seen as without corruption or sin.

Some Christian see the fact that God forgives our sins and makes us righteous in Christ as an excuse to continue to sin. If we have the light in us, then the fruit of the light will make us righteous in nature as well as in our status before God.

Thirdly, the fruit of the light is found him what is true.

Truth is a very under-valued concept in our post- modern culture. By redefining truth to be purely subjective, we have deleted the meaning of the word.

Some objective truths remain. Even if you are certain that it is not your truth, gravity will accelerate you to the ground at 9.8 metres per second squared .

This fluidity of truth that says what is true for you may not be true for me is an undermining of any basis for society. If we cannot count on 2 + 2 is always equal to four, then science, engineering, construction, business, agriculture, relationships, and law will all collapse.

Paul says that as children of light, the fruit of light will be seen in what is true. We will be people of integrity who do what we promise and live by the values we espouse.

Key points in this verse:

• Bible translations can vary without being deceptive or false
• Christians are to grow the fruit of light in their lifestyle
• Fruit, spiritual or natural, come as a result of a healthy plant or person.