But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
Read Chapter 13
Ambrosiaster
AD 400
Paul wants everything the law forbids not to be desired, or if it is desired, to be overcome. … To put on Christ means to cut oneself off from every sin and wickedness, so that at the wedding banquet one will not be found without a new garment and be shamefully thrown out into the darkness. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Provision for the flesh is not to be condemned if it has to do with the needs of bodily health. But if it is a question of unnecessary delights or luxuries, a person who enjoys the delights of the flesh is rightly chastised. For in that case he makes provision for the desires of the flesh, and “he who sows in the flesh will reap corruption in the flesh.”
Let the wife always make use of a plain dress, dignified, softer than that allowed her husband but not one that offends grossly against modesty nor one made with a view only to softness. Let the clothes be in keeping with the person’s age, with the individual himself, the place, his character and occupation. The apostle well advises us: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” .
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. To put on, is a metaphor used in the Scripture; as when it is said, put on the new man And make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscenses. That is, do not take care, nor pamper and indulge your appetite in eating and drinking, so as to increase your disorderly inclinations, but keep them in due subjection. (Witham)
The apostle does not forbid all care of the body, since he himself says in the epistle to the Ephesians, v. "No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it. "But he forbids that care of the flesh, by which the desires and concupiscences of the flesh are strengthened and encouraged. This those are guilty of, who are always indulging in delights and voluptuousness. (Estius)
Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, that is, enter into his sentiments, imitate his virtues, and indulge not the flesh in its inordinate desires. _
Here Paul no longer speaks of works, but rather he rouses his hearers to greater things. When he was speaking of vice he talked about its works, but now that he is speaking about virtue, he does not speak about works but about armor. … Even more strikingly, he talks about the Lord Jesus Christ as the garment we are to put on, for whoever is clothed with him has all virtue. When Paul says “make no provision for the flesh,” he is not speaking of necessities but of excess. That is why he adds the qualifying phrase: “to gratify its desires.”
On the ground of continence the priests likewise of the famous Egyptian bull will judge the "infirmity "of Christians. Blush, O flesh, who hast "put on"
