And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. -Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
From Albert Barnes: (quotes in italics)
To be kind means courteousness and politeness, not rough, crabby, or sour; nor disposed to violate the proper rules of social contact.
To be compassionate means having a heart disposed to pity and compassion, and especially disposed to show kindness to the faults of erring brethren; for so the connection demands.
From Matthew Poole:
To be kind and compassionate to one another means to be merciful, quickly moved to compassion.
From John Gill:
To be kind and compassionate to one another is to be that which is opposed to being hard hearted to them.
Albert Barnes:
Forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
He has done it:
(1) "Freely" - without merit on your part - when we were confessedly in the wrong.
(2) "Fully;" he has forgiven "every" offence.
(3) "Liberally;" he has forgiven "many" offences, for our sins have been innumerable.
This is to be the rule which we are to observe in forgiving others. We are to do it "freely, fully, liberally." The forgiveness is to be entire, cordial, and constant.
We are not to "rake up" old offences, and charge them again upon them; we are to treat them as though they had not offended, for so God treats us learn:
(1) That the forgiveness of an offending brother is a duty which we are not at liberty to neglect.
(2) The peace and happiness of the church depend on it. All are liable to offend their brethren, as all are liable to offend God; all need forgiveness of one another, as we all need it of God.
(3) There is no danger of carrying it too far. Let the rule be observed, "As God has forgiven you, so do you forgive others." Let a man recollect his own sins and follies; let him look over his life, and see how often he has offended God; let him remember that all has been forgiven; and then, fresh with this feeling, let him go and meet an offending brother, and say, "My brother, I forgive you. I do it frankly, fully, wholly. So Christ has forgiven me; so I forgive you. The offence shall be no more remembered. It shall not be referred to in our contact to harrow up your feelings; it shall not diminish my love for you; it shall not prevent my uniting with you in doing good. Christ treats me, a poor sinner, as a friend; and so I will treat you." (Notes on the Bible by Albert Barnes)
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. -Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
Notes on this verse from Thomas Constable:
- We are kind when we say or do what is suitable or fitting to a need with a sweet and generous disposition.
- We are tenderhearted or compassionate when we feel affection for someone else.
- We are forgiving when we let offenses and grievances go, freely and graciously.
- The reason we should be forgiving that underlies all the commands in this verse is that God has forgiven us freely in Jesus Christ.
- Demonstrating an attitude of constant forgiveness will greatly enrich a marriage.
- It enables us to develop transparency and oneness with our mate.
- To resolve conflict there must be a willingness to forgive.
- We need to seek forgiveness when we wrong our mate and to communicate understanding to that person.
- Try restating how your mate feels to him or her and ask for forgiveness.
- Say, “I was wrong; I’m sorry; will you forgive me?” It is important to be specific in this process.
We need to have an attitude of constant forgiveness, always willing to forgive, always willing to extend grace.
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