A commentary on the epistle to the Ephesians by Charles Hodge ...

300 EPHESLANS,
acquiring by purchase. The latter in virtue of the
force of the e/c properly means to purchase back, or tc
make free by purchase. But it is also used in the sense
of the simple verb, as in Daniel 2, 8, whence the expression in the text is probably derived. There, according to the Septuagint, the king said to the Chaldeans,
who declined to interpret his dream until they knew
what it was, olSa ry& or-t Kapov v/pO L V E'a7yopaieTe,
"I know you wish to gain time." This sense of
the verb suits the passage before us. Then if KatlpdO
means here what it does in almost every other passage,
where it occurs in the New Testament, the most natural interpretation of the clause is, " availing yourselves
of the occasion," i. e. improving every opportunity for
good. If tcatpo'g be taken for Xp6vos, which is barely
admissible, the sense would be, " making the most of
time," i. e. rescuing it from waste or abuse. Both of
these interpretations are good and suited to the following clause, because the days are evil. IHov?76pos, evil,
may be taken either in a physical or moral sense. The
patriarch said, "Few and evil have the days of the
years of my life been;" Gen. 47, 9. The moral sense
of the word, however, is better suited to the context.
Evil days, mean days in which sin abounds. It is
parallel to the expressions, " evil generation," Matt.
12, 39; and " evil world," Gal. 1, 4. Because sin
abounds is a good reason why Christians should seize
upon every opportunity to do good; and also why
they should make the most of time. So that this clause
suits either of the interpretations of the first part of the