Ephesians 5.16a-The Means by Which the Believer Conducts Their Life in a Wise Manner
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday June 9, 2026
Ephesians Series: Ephesians 5:16a-The Means By Which the Believer Conducts Their Life in a Wise Manner
Lesson # 352
Ephesians 5:15 Therefore, each and every one of you as a corporate unit must continue to make it your habit of paying careful attention to the manner in which each and every one of you make it your habit of conducting your lives. Each and every one of you as a corporate unit must continue to not make it your habit of conducting your lives in an unwise manner. On the contrary, each and every one of you must continue to make it your habit of conducting your lives in a wise manner 16 by continuing to make it your habit of taking full advantage of your opportunity for your own benefit because these days are characterized by evil. (Lecturer’s translation)
Ephesians 5:16 is composed of the following:
(1) participle of means: exagorazomenoi ton kairon (ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρόν), “by continuing to make it your habit of taking full advantage of your opportunity for your own benefit” (Lecturer’s translation)
(2) hoti (ὅτι) causal clause: hoti hai hēmerai ponērai eisin (ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσιν), “because these days are characterized by evil” (Lecturer’s translation)
The verb exagorazomai (ἐξαγοράζομαι) pertains to doing something with intensity and urgency and is used with the noun kairos (καιρός) to form an idiom.
The referent of the masculine plural form of this verb is of course the recipients of Ephesians, who we noted many times were members of the Gentile Christian community living in the Roman province of Asa.
It not only refers to them as a corporate unit but is also used in a distributive sense emphasizing no exceptions and thus it also refers to them as individuals.
The noun kairos (καιρός) pertains to pertains to a favorable circumstance.
The articular construction of the word is anaphoric, which means that the word is pointing back to its synonym in Ephesians 5:16 because the referent of both words is one in the same despite the fact that the terms used to describe differ from each other.
In context, the articular construction of the noun kairos (καιρός) here in Ephesians 5:16 is pointing back to the noun adjective sophos (σοφός), which appears in Ephesians 5:15.
The articular construction of the former indicates that the referent of these two words are one in the same indicating that when Paul wants the recipients of this letter to conduct their lives in a wise manner, he means that he wants them to take full advantage of the opportunity to expose the unfruitful activities of unregenerate humanity.
The second use of the articular construction of the noun kairos (καιρός) functions as a possessive personal pronoun and should be translated “your” referring to the recipients of this epistle.
The question arises as to what is the opportunity that Paul is speaking of in this verse?
I believe the contents of Ephesians 5:6-14 identified what this opportunity is, namely that by living a godly life, the believer can convict the non-believer of their need to accept by faith Jesus Christ as their Savior in order to avoid the wrath of God, who is holy.
Therefore, the verb exagorazomai (ἐξαγοράζομαι) and the noun kairos (καιρός) form an idiom.
It describes the members of the Gentile Christian community in the Roman province of Asia “taking full advantage of the opportunity” or “making good use of the opportunity” to expose the unfruitful activities of unregenerate humanity by continuing to make it their habit of living their lives as enlighten children of God (cf. Eph. 5:6-14).
This we noted would constitute living in a wise manner, which Paul commands them to do in Ephesians 5:15.
The participle conjugation of this verb exagorazomai (ἐξαγοράζομαι) functions as a participle of means, which means that the word indicates the means by which the action of its controlling verb is accomplished, which is the verb peripateō (περιπατέω), which we noted appears in Ephesians 5:15.
Therefore, this would indicate that Paul wants the recipients of this epistle to continue to make it their habit of conducting their lives in a wise manner “by means of” continuing to make it their habit of taking full advantage of their opportunity to expose the unfruitful activities of unregenerate humanity.
The participle of means defines the action of the main verb or makes it more explicit what the author intended to convey with the main verb and this type of participle is frequently used with vague, generate, abstract or metaphorical finite verbs and usually follows its verb.
In Ephesians 5:15, the verb exagorazomai (ἐξαγοράζομαι) is in the present tense and follows its controlling verb, peripateō (περιπατέω), which we noted appears in Ephesians 5:15.
I view the participle form of this verb exagorazomai (ἐξαγοράζομαι) as functioning as a participle of means because the point of the main verb is removed if this word were absent.
In other words, the verb exagorazomai (ἐξαγοράζομαι) is defining for the recipients of this letter specifically what constitutes living their life in a wise manner because the command to conduct one’s life in a wise manner in Ephesians 5:15 is not explicit and needs defining.
The present tense of this verb exagorazomai (ἐξαγοράζομαι) is a customary present, which expresses the idea of the Gentile Christian community in the Roman province of Asia conducting their lives in a wise manner by “making it their habit of” taking full advantage of their opportunity to expose the unfruitful activities of unregenerate humanity.
The contents of Ephesians 1:15 and 4:1-14 also indicate that the present tense also expresses the idea of the recipients of this letter “continuing” to make it their habit of making good use of their opportunity to expose the unfruitful activities of unregenerate humanity.
The middle voice of this verb exagorazomai (ἐξαγοράζομαι) is an indirect middle which expresses the idea of the Gentile Christian community in the Roman province of Asia conducting their lives in a wise manner by making it their habit of taking full advantage of their opportunity “for their own benefit” to expose the unfruitful activities of unregenerate humanity.
It would benefit them because it would result in them continuing to experience their sanctification, which results in spiritual growth and ultimately rewards at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church.
So therefore, Ephesians 5:16 is connected to the command at the end of Ephesians 5:15, which required the recipients of this letter, to continue to make it their habit of conducting their lives in a wise manner.
This command is then defined in Ephesians 5:16 as continuing to make it a habit of taking full advantage of an opportunity, and which opportunity, we noted, is identified in the contents of Ephesians 5:6-14.
The contents of these verses can be summarized as exposing the unfruitful activities practiced in secret by the non-believer as sin against a holy God by living a godly life in obedience to the Father’s will.
Therefore, in Ephesians 5:15-16, Paul is again issuing a command to the recipients of this letter, who were members of the Gentile Christian community.
This command required that they continue to make it their habit of conducting their lives in a wise manner by continuing to make it their habit of taking full advantage of their opportunity by exposing continuing to make it their habit of exposing the secret activities practiced secretly by the non-believer as sin against a holy God.
The implication is that by continuing to live godly lives will reveal to the non-believer, their need to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to avoid suffering the wrath of God in the lake of fire forever and ever (Rev. 20:11-15).
As we noted in our study of Ephesians 5:15, the church age believer who conducts their life in a wise manner is faithful in fulfilling their four-fold stewardship.
The Father has given them this stewardship through faith in His Son at justification.
Faithfulness in this four-fold stewardship will result in rewards at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church, which immediately follows the rapture or resurrection of the church, which is imminent.
God the Father has given each and every Christian a four-fold stewardship: (1) Time: Were they profitable in how they used their time on earth that the Lord gave them? (2) Talent: Were they profitable in how they used their spiritual gift the Lord gave them? (3) Truth: Were they profitable in how they used the truth the Lord gave them? (4) Treasure: Were they profitable in how they used their finances that the Lord gave them?
They are to be good stewards with their talent (they are to operate in their spiritual gifts) and treasure (they are to financially support each other when necessary) and truth (they are to apply the Word of God in their relationships with each other).
Time: Galatians 6:9 So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith. (NET)
Talent: 1 Peter 4:10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God. (NET)
Treasure: Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.” (NET)
Truth: Colossians 4:5 Each of you continue making it your habit of conducting your lives by means of wisdom while interacting with those who are outsiders so that each of you are making the most of your opportunity. 6 The content of each of your conversations must continue to possess the characteristic of always being gracious while at the same time being seasoned with salt. Consequently, each of you will know for certain the manner in which each of you must cause yourselves to respond to each person. (Lecturer’s translation)
