Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. 2“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, 3“that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth.” NET
While there were words that were in the general neighborhood, the word “obey” didn’t appear in the conversation about husbands and wives. The overarching principle at work in this earlier section of Ephesians is that we submit to one another because of our allegiance to Christ. Being a Christian affects how we relate to everyone around us.
The wording “this is right” refers to those natural law type truths that exist whether you are a Christian or a pagan. In this instance, we don’t need a Bible to know what is right and what is wrong because this is a truth evident to everyone. There is also a spiritual component of the parent/child relationship that is illustrated by quoting the commandment in verse 2. (Some view the promise that follows in verse 4 as a spiritual promise while others interpret it more as logical advice). It is safe to say that the world is a better place where children are being raised properly as they are more likely to acquire good habits and avoid being ensnared by bad behavior and companions.
Deuteronomy 5:16 “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which the LORD your God gives you. NHEB
Five of the commandments are related to God and the other 5 are human commands. The interesting thing about this particular commandment is that most Christians view it as tying to our relationships with other humans. The Christian focus is to live lives that try to mirror Jesus in all relationships which means by loving one another. For example, in His dying moment, Jesus has a concern for Mary and commits her to John’s care. Jews, on the other hand, view it as a God command as how we learn to do the things that God commands is through our human parents.
Ephesians 6:4 And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. NHEB
In the first century, the guidance would stop at verse 3 since the children have now been told what to do but Paul doesn’t stop there. He now turns to the father who is the one with all of the authority in the Greco/Roman world in order to discuss their responsibilities. Discipline is the practice of faith. Instruction points toward the content of faith. This doesn’t sound all that revolutionary but it is in the Roman world since there are no constraints on how fathers may act toward their children.
We tend to conceive of Paul as some type of monk who has not been married or had children. A cultural based argument can be made that Paul couldn’t be a rabbi nor a member of the Sanhedrin unless he was married (or divorced) with children. Also, there is a tradition that Paul married the chief priest’s daughter but that she doesn’t convert after Paul does.
Ephesians 6:5 Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, 6 not like those who do their work only when someone is watching – as people-pleasers – but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. 7 Obey with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord and not people, 8 because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good, this will be rewarded by the Lord. NET
Another verse that has been read out of context over the years. In some cases, this has even been used to justify slavery. It reads a little differently when you add verse 9:
Ephesians 6:9 Masters, treat your slaves the same way, giving up the use of threats, because you know that both you and they have the same master in Heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. NET
The architecture of the Biblical world understands that slavery is part of the existing status quo. We might ask ourselves if there are circumstances where it might be okay to to restrict freedom. Our answer would likely be “no” but then what about situations such as a military draft during wartime? We hear “slave” and we think of antebellum chattel slavery but that isn’t the way things were done in Paul’s world. Rome’s slaves were generally either people from countries they conquered or indentured servants. There were ways for the slaves to get out of slavery and ways for people to become slaves. Unlike American slavery, slaves could come from any race, and were often given important roles such as teaching or minding a business. New World slavery differs in that it appears to have been built on the un-Biblical premise of the inferiority of a race of people. It seems so obvious to us today that slavery is an evil, yet Paul never says “knock it off”. The problem with this line of thinking is that it is basically saying that we are more morally developed than Paul. (We have a tendency to view Paul in 21st century terms but he is quite revolutionary for his time so we should compare Paul to his time and not to our time).
An essential part of the Roman economy was plundering and conquering with most of the conquered people turned into slaves (rather than being killed). Most people in Rome didn’t have any power nor were there elections. Any hint of a slave revolt would be met harshly. Speaking out against slavery by Christians (or even Paul’s teaching about treating slaves as fellow children of God) might have been regarded as inflammatory and subversive in the eyes of the pagan leaders in Rome. Additionally, Paul and the early church might receive similar treatment to that experienced by Christians in China today if they protest the treatment of the Uyghurs. So rather than organizing a protest rally and risking that all Christians are wiped out, Paul appears to go in a different direction with his words in verse 9 that have the effect of hollowing out the institution of slavery from the inside. We also tend to miss the fact that Paul is talking to the slaves as people and as fellow Christians. He is telling them that even though they may lack societal freedom, they do have freedom as it relates to their souls. We are all equal in the spiritual realm thanks to the work of Christ.
Philemon 8 So, although I have quite a lot of confidence in Christ and could command you to do what is proper, 9 I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love – I, Paul, an old man and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus – 10 I am appealing to you concerning my child, whose spiritual father I have become during my imprisonment, that is, Onesimus, 11 who was formerly useless to you, but is now useful to you and me. 12 I have sent him (who is my very heart) back to you. 13 I wanted to keep him so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel. 14 However, without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness. 15 For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a little while, so that you would have him back eternally, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a dear brother. He is especially so to me, and even more so to you now, both humanly speaking and in the Lord. 17 Therefore if you regard me as a partner, accept him as you would me. 18 Now if he has defrauded you of anything or owes you anything, charge what he owes to me. NET
Onesimus is a slave who is returning to his master Philemon in Colossae after having run away. (This offense is punishable by death at the option of Philemon). While he has been with Paul, he has become a Christian and the two have become close. Paul includes this letter to Philemon which gives us a little insight into Paul’s thinking about slavery. We know that after he returns, Philemon frees him because Onesimus becomes the Bishop of Ephesus after Timothy steps down. It is unimaginable to your typical non-Christian Roman of the time that a slave could rise to such a position of leadership over non-slaves.
1Corinthians 7:21 Were you called being a slave? Do not let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it. 22 For he who was called in the Lord being a slave is the Lord’s free person. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s slave…. 26 I think that it is good therefore, because of the distress that is on us, that it is good for a person to remain as he is. NHEB
There is the expectation at this time that Christ will return soon so there is no need to worry about getting married or even if you are a slave because this is temporary. Although the return of Christ seems less imminent to us today in comparison to Paul’s time, we need to focus on storing our treasures in Heaven as our earthly status is less important than our future standing with the Lord.
Two things to keep in mind is that upstream from all of these verses by Paul related to wives, children and slaves is the command to love (including our neighbors, enemies and those in the Christian community). The second is to repeat one more time the following verse:
Galatians 3:28 In Him the distinctions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free man, male and female, disappear; you are all one in Christ Jesus. WEY