That you put off concerning the former way of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
All Commentaries on Ephesians 4:22 Go To Ephesians 4
Tertullian of Carthage
AD 220
When the apostle enjoins us "to put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and to be renewed in the spirit of our mind; and to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness".
But the apostle mentions a very clear mark of the old man. For "put off "says he, "concerning the former conversation, the old man; ".
And just as we acknowledge that that which according to its former conversation was "the old man "was also corrupt, and received its very name in accordance with "its deceitful lusts "so also (do we hold) that it is "the old man in reference to its former conversation".
-he means the flesh and blood to be understood in no other sense than the before-mentioned "image of the earthy; "and since this is reckoned to consist in "the old conversation".
Nay, rather, by the virtue of contemning food He was initiating "the new man "into "a severe handling "of "the old"
