Paul’s Use of Zechariah 8 in Ephesians 4:25

The City of Truth: Paul’s Use of Zechariah 8 in Ephesians 4:25

When Paul tells the church in Ephesus to “put away lying” and to “speak truth with his neighbor,” he isn’t merely calling for moral reform or polite honesty. He’s quoting Zechariah 8:16—a verse about the restoration of God’s people and the dawn of a new, redeemed community. Understanding Paul’s use of Zechariah helps us see that truthtelling isn’t just about good manners; it’s about living as citizens of the New Jerusalem—the “city of truth” brought to life in Christ.

The Setting in Ephesians

Ephesians 4 marks a turning point in Paul’s letter. Having declared the riches of God’s grace in Christ, he turns to the life that flows from that grace. Believers, united to Christ, are called to “put off the old man” and “put on the new” (Ephesians 4:22–24). This new life is patterned after God’s own righteousness and holiness.

So when Paul says, “Therefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” (Ephesians 4:25), he’s giving a concrete example of what it means to live as new creations in Christ.

But his language is not his own invention—it comes directly from Zechariah 8:16:

“These are the things that you shall do: Speak every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates.”

Why does Paul reach back to this Old Testament prophecy to exhort believers to tell the truth? The answer reveals how he reads the whole Bible through the lens of Christ.

The City of Truth in Zechariah 8

Zechariah 8 was written after the exile, when Israel had returned to rebuild Jerusalem. The people were discouraged, the city was still in ruins, and the promises of God’s kingdom seemed far away. Through the prophet, God promised to return to Zion, to dwell in the midst of His people, and to make Jerusalem “a city of truth” (Zechariah 8:3).

This “city of truth” described a renewed community where falsehood, oppression, and injustice would be no more. God’s presence among His people would produce honesty, peace, and righteousness. The command to “speak the truth to one another” was a call to live as those restored by the covenant faithfulness of the Lord.

Yet this vision was never fulfilled in the physical city of Jerusalem. Even after the temple was rebuilt, lying lips and faithless hearts abounded. Zechariah’s prophecy was pointing beyond the walls of that earthly city—to something greater, lasting, and spiritual.

Paul’s Christ-Centered Reading of Zechariah

When Paul cites Zechariah 8:16 in Ephesians 4, he’s not expecting a future earthly “city of truth” in national Israel. He’s declaring that Zechariah’s prophecy has already found its fulfillment in the Church—the new covenant community gathered under Christ, who is Himself the Truth (John 14:6).

In other words, the “city of truth” has come—not in bricks and mortar, but in the living temple of the Spirit. God has returned to dwell among His people in Christ. The heavenly Jerusalem has broken into history through the gospel (Hebrews 12:22–24).

Therefore, when believers speak truth to one another, they are living out the reality of the new creation—the very fulfillment of Zechariah’s vision. Paul’s use of the passage shows that truthtelling isn’t motivated by the Law’s threat (“You shall not bear false witness”), but by the Gospel’s reality: we are members of one another in Christ.

From Law to Life in the Spirit

Paul could have quoted the ninth commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” But he didn’t. Instead, he chose Zechariah—a prophetic picture of redemption and renewal.

Why? Because Paul isn’t simply repeating Moses; he’s preaching Christ. The Law forbids lying because it’s contrary to God’s holy character. The Gospel calls us to truth because we’ve been united to the God who is Truth.

In the old covenant, the command came from Mount Sinai, written on stone. In the new covenant, the command comes from the indwelling Christ, written on the heart. This is why Paul doesn’t just say, “Stop lying.” He says, “Speak truth, for we are members of one another.” The motivation isn’t fear of punishment, but gratitude for union. The power to obey comes not from human effort, but from the Spirit who unites us to the Truth Himself.

The Fulfillment in the New Jerusalem

Zechariah foresaw a day when God would return to dwell with His people. That day has come in Christ. In Him, God has tabernacled among us (John 1:14). The Church is now the dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22).

This means that every local congregation is a visible outpost of that “city of truth.” When believers speak honestly, love sincerely, and deal faithfully with one another, they display the very life of the age to come. The Church becomes a foretaste of the New Jerusalem, where “nothing unclean” or deceitful will ever enter (Revelation 21:27).

Thus, Paul’s use of Zechariah isn’t to send our eyes forward to a future millennium, but upward—to the heavenly kingdom that already reigns in the hearts of God’s people. Truthtelling isn’t preparation for an earthly city; it’s participation in the heavenly one.

Living as Citizens of the City of Truth

When we lie, gossip, or deceive, we act like the old man—the citizen of the fallen world that’s passing away. When we speak truth with our neighbor, we act like what we are: members of Christ’s body, citizens of the new creation.

Paul’s quotation of Zechariah reminds us that the Church is the living embodiment of God’s promise to make a “city of truth.” We don’t wait for it; we live in it. We don’t strive to enter it by our works; we belong to it by grace.

Christ is the Truth, and all who are in Him are being conformed to His image. The more we behold Him, the more truthful we become. The gospel that redeems us also renews us—until one day, in the consummated city of truth, our words and hearts will be perfectly one.

Conclusion

Paul’s use of Zechariah 8 in Ephesians 4:25 is a masterful example of how the apostles read the Old Testament through the lens of Christ’s finished work. Zechariah’s “city of truth” was never about a rebuilt Jerusalem or a thousand-year earthly reign. It was about God’s promise to dwell among His people in truth and righteousness.

That promise is fulfilled in Christ’s Church—the new covenant community that lives by the Spirit, speaks truth in love, and reflects the character of her Lord.

So when Paul calls us to speak truth with our neighbor, he’s calling us to live like citizens of the New Jerusalem. The city of truth has already begun. Let’s walk in it.