Ephesians 4:20 contrasts the way of life Paul has just described, shaped by futility, darkness and hardened hearts, with the way of life that comes from truly knowing Christ. Paul is telling the church in Ephesus that their knowledge of Jesus should not look like the lifestyle of the surrounding pagan world. The verse is a short pivot in the letter, written by Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, to a community of mostly non-Jewish believers in and around the city of Ephesus.
But you did not learn Christ that way…
Ephesians 4:20 (WEB)
What Ephesians 4:20 Means
The phrase “But you did not learn Christ that way” begins with a strong contrast. The word “But” tells you that Paul is turning from a description of the surrounding world to a description of the believers. “Learn Christ” is an unusual expression. Paul is not talking only about information about Jesus. He means coming to know Christ as a person, so that your mind, habits and loves are gradually reshaped by him. The word “that way” points back to the patterns just named: empty thinking, blindness to God, and a life given over to greed and indulgence.
The verse does not promise that believers will never struggle with those old patterns. Paul is describing what the Ephesians were taught and what they were expected to be living out, not claiming that they had already arrived. It is a reminder of identity and direction. It says that a true encounter with Christ is meant to make a difference in how you live, and it invites you to measure your life against him rather than against the crowd around you.
The Context of Ephesians 4:20
Ephesians is one of the prison letters, traditionally dated to the period when Paul was under arrest in Rome, and it is addressed to believers who had come into the faith from a background of idolatry and immorality. Chapters 1 through 3 lay out the grace of God, the unity of Jew and Gentile in one body, and the riches of Christ’s love. Chapter 4 begins the practical section, where Paul calls the church to walk in a manner worthy of its calling.
Just before verse 20, Paul describes the Gentile world in stark terms, and in verses 21 through 23 he continues by saying that the believers heard about Jesus and were taught in him, and so should put off their former way of life and be renewed in the spirit of their minds. Read in that setting, verse 20 is the hinge. It explains that the Ephesians’ new life is not a matter of adopting a new set of rules but of being taught by Christ himself, which in turn requires leaving behind the old patterns.
Key Phrases in Ephesians 4:20
Romans 12:2
Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
(WEB)
Paul makes a similar appeal here, urging believers not to be conformed to the pattern of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. It deepens the idea in Ephesians 4:20 that the new life in Christ involves a real change in how you think and what you value.
Colossians 3:9-10
9 Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, 10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator…
(WEB)
In this passage Paul describes putting off the old self and putting on the new, language that closely parallels the movement in Ephesians 4. It shows that the contrast between the old life and the life learned in Christ was a consistent part of Paul’s teaching.
A Short Prayer From Ephesians 4:20
Lord Jesus, thank you that knowing you is meant to change the way I live. Some days I drift back into old patterns of thinking and reacting, and I need you to show me where I have stopped learning from you. Teach me through your word and your Spirit, so that my choices reflect the one who has given me life. Help me put off what belongs to my former way of life and walk in the newness you give. Give me patience with myself and courage to keep following you one step at a time. Amen.
