Albert Barnes Commentary Ephesians 6:5

"Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;" — Ephesians 6:5 (ASV)

Servants. oi douloi. The word used here denotes one who is bound to render service to another, whether that service is free or voluntary; and may denote, therefore, either a slave or one who binds himself to render service to another. It is often used in these senses in the New Testament, just as it is elsewhere. It cannot be demonstrated that the word here necessarily means slaves; though, if slavery existed among those to whom this epistle was written—as there is little doubt that it did—it is a word which would apply to those in this condition. (See Barnes on 1 Corinthians 7:21; Galatians 3:28).

On the general subject of slavery, and the Scripture doctrine in regard to it, see Barnes on Isaiah 58:6.

Whether the persons referred to here were slaves, or were those who had bound themselves to render voluntary servitude, the directions given here were equally appropriate. It was not the design of the Christian religion to produce a rude sundering of the ties that bind people to one another, but to teach all to perform their duties properly in the relations in which Christianity found them, and gradually to modify the customs of society, and ultimately to produce the universal prevalence of what is right.

Be obedient to them. This is the uniform direction in the New Testament (see 1 Peter 2:18; 1 Timothy 6:1–3). See also Barnes on 1 Corinthians 7:21.

The idea is that they were to show in that relation the excellence of the religion they professed. If they could be made free, they were to prefer that condition to a state of bondage (1 Corinthians 7:21); but while the relation remained, they were to be kind, gentle, and obedient, as was fitting for Christians. In the parallel passage in Colossians (Colossians 3:22), it is said that they were to obey their masters in all things. But evidently this is to be understood with the limitations implied in the case of wives and children (see Barnes on Ephesians 5:24; Ephesians 6:1), and a master would have no right to command what was morally wrong.

According to the flesh. This is evidently designed to limit the obligation to obedience. The meaning is that they had control over the body, the flesh. They had the power to command the service which the body could render, but they were not lords of the spirit. The soul acknowledged God as its Lord, and to the Lord they were to be subject in a higher sense than to their masters.

With fear and trembling. This means with reverence and with a dread of offending them. They have authority and power over you, and you should be afraid to incur their displeasure. Whatever might be true about the propriety of slavery, and whatever might be the duty of the master about setting the slave free, it would be more to the honor of religion for the servant to perform his task with a willing mind than to be stubbornly disobedient or rebellious. He could do more for the honor of religion by patiently submitting even to what he felt to be wrong, than by being punished for what would be regarded as rebellion.

It may be added here that it was presumed that servants then could read. These directions were addressed to them, not to their masters. Of what use would directions like these be if addressed to American slaves—hardly any of whom can read?

In singleness of your heart. This means with a simple, sincere desire to do what ought to be done.

As unto Christ. This means feeling that by rendering proper service to your masters you are in fact serving the Lord, and that you are doing what will be well-pleasing to him. (See Barnes on 1 Corinthians 7:22).

Fidelity, in whatever situation we may be in life, is acceptable service to the Lord. A Christian can serve the Lord Jesus as acceptably in the condition of a servant as if he were a minister of the gospel or a king on a throne. Besides, remembering that we are then serving the Lord will greatly lighten the burdens of such a situation and make the toils of a humble condition easy.