Charles Ellicott Commentary Ephesians 6

In Ephesians 6:1-4, St. Paul transitions from the detailed exposition of the true relation of husbands and wives to address the relation of parents and children. He does so far more briefly and simply, but under the light of the same idea. It is to be understood as existing in the Lord, i.e., within the unity binding all to Christ, through which both parental authority and the rightful freedom of the child are hallowed.

In the Lord.—The phrase itself, though familiar in St. Paul’s writings generally, is especially frequent in the Epistles of the Captivity, where it occurs in various connections at least twenty-one times (see, for example, Ephesians 2:21; Ephesians 3:11; Ephesians 4:1; Ephesians 4:17; Ephesians 5:8; Ephesians 6:10; Ephesians 6:21). It is, in fact, a brief indication of their great subject—unity with and in Christ. Here, to obey in the Lord is to obey under the light and grace of that unity, which already belongs to both parents and children, and transfigures all natural relations to a more divine glory.

This is right.—Right, i.e., by fundamental laws of humanity, recognized in all races and all ages, declared and sanctioned in God’s commandments (Ephesians 6:2–3), which are at once both old and new in the Lord.

Praying always with all prayer and Supplication.—In this verse, the metaphor gives place to direct exhortation, unless, indeed, in the word “watch” there still lingers some reference to the soldier on guard. “Prayer” is the general word for “worship,” appropriated to God alone; “supplication,” used also towards people, is one element of such worship—asking God for what we need. In Philippians 4:6, we first have the general word “prayer,” and then the two chief elements of worship, “supplication with thanksgiving.” It is by prayer that all the heavenly armor is put on.

In the Spirit.—That is, “in the Spirit of God” . Compare the relation of prayer to the inspiration of the Holy Ghost in Romans 8:26-27.

And watching thereunto with all perseverance.—These words in themselves obviously supply the other part of our Lord’s command, “Watch and pray,” naturally appropriate to the consideration of the Christian warfare. “Perseverance” implies exertion, holding out against fatigue and difficulty. The corresponding verb is used in relation to all kinds of spiritual labor (Acts 6:4; Acts 8:13), but especially in connection with prayer (Acts 1:14; Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2).

Perhaps from this frequent connection, St. Paul is induced to add to it “supplication,” and this time “for all saints,” thus leading on to his usual request for the prayers of his brothers. For this, he is willing to sacrifice some part of the perfect appropriateness of the idea, since the whole picture up to this point has been of the fight waged by each for himself (although side by side with others), in the combined power of watchfulness and prayer for God’s help.

That it may be well with thee . . .—The quotation is only slightly varied from Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16. But by the omission of the limiting words, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, St. Paul at once generalizes the application and directs it to the earth, and not to “the good land” of heaven.

The words, so interpreted, are therefore a promise that obedience “in the Lord” to the great natural law on which society rests, will bring with it reward on earth; just as our Lord tells us of “meekness” that it shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), and St. Paul of “godliness” that it has the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come (1 Timothy 4:8). The visible exemplification of this law is, indeed, as in all other cases, obscured by the disorder brought in by sin, and, moreover, is affected by the consideration that this life, being a discipline for heaven, must present, in the true sense of the word, “imperfection” or incompleteness, if viewed alone. But it is still a natural law, and is still accordingly fulfilled in actual experience. The promise is not as important to us as it was to those of old; but it is ours still.

On verses 3, 4

Ephesians 6:21–24 form the conclusion of the Epistle, in commendation of Tychicus’ salutation and blessing. The extreme brevity and generality of this section here—in contrast with St. Paul’s practice in every other Epistle, except the Second Epistle to the Corinthians and the Epistle to the Galatians (both of which have the abruptness of indignation), and especially with the parallel Epistle to the Colossians—seem to bear on the question of the encyclical character of this Epistle.

Provoke not your children to wrath.—The word is the same as in Ephesians 4:26. It denotes the exasperation produced by arbitrary and unsympathetic rule.

Nurture and admonition of the Lord.—In this phrase we have the two elements of education. “Nurture” is a word generally signifying “the treatment due to a child,” but by usage applied to practical training, or teaching by discipline; while “admonition” is the “putting children in mind” through verbal instruction.

It may be noted that, in accordance with the characteristic sternness of ancient education, both words have a tinge of severity in them. The “nurture” of this passage is the same as the “chastening” of the famous passage in Hebrews 12:4-11. (Compare the cognate verb in Luke 23:16; 1 Corinthians 11:32; 2 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:20; Revelation 3:19.) The “admonition” is used in Titus 3:10 for rebuke, and, inasmuch as it implies warning, is distinguished from teaching in Colossians 3:16.

In this, as in other cases, Christianity gradually softened this stern authority of the father—so strikingly exemplified in the old Roman law—by the idea suggested in the addition of the phrase “of the Lord.” The children belong not only to the parent but also to Christ, taken into His arms in baptism, and sealed as His little ones. Hence the “reverence,” which Juvenal advocated in theory as due to children’s natural purity, became realized in Christian practice, and gradually transformed all Christian education to greater gentleness, forbearance, and love.

Your masters according to the flesh.—This phrase (used also in Colossians 3:12) immediately implies the necessary limitation of all human slavery. It can subjugate and even kill the body, but it cannot touch the spirit; and it belongs only to the visible life of this world, not to the world to come. The slave is a human being in spiritual and immortal being, not a “living tool” or “chattel,” as even philosophy called him.

With fear and trembling.—This phrase is a favorite one with St. Paul (see 1 Corinthians 2:3; 2 Corinthians 7:15; Philippians 2:12, in all of which cases it is applied to the condition of individuals as individuals under the weight of solemn responsibility before God). It recognizes the spirit of bondage unto fear (Romans 8:15) necessarily belonging to all who are “under law,” i.e., under obedience to the will of another, as enforced upon them by compulsion; and this fear, moreover, is viewed as showing itself in “trembling” anxiety to obey. So St. Peter commands (1 Peter 2:18), Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward; and it is to be noted that he describes the suffering in this implied as a fellowship with the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:21–24).

Singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.—The phrase “singleness of heart,” is here used in its proper sense, from which all others (2 Corinthians 8:2; 2 Corinthians 9:11; 2 Corinthians 9:13) may be derived. It means having only one aim, and that the one which we profess to have, with no duplicity of reservation or hypocrisy. Such singleness of heart cannot be given perfectly to any merely human service, because no such service has a right to our whole heart; hence St. Paul adds, as unto Christ, bidding them look on their service as a part of the service to Him who can claim absolute devotion.

On verses 5-9:

In Ephesians 6:5-9 the hardest form of subjection, that of slaves to masters, is dealt with, still under the same idea that both are “in Christ.” The slave is the servant of Christ in obeying his master; the master is a fellow-servant with his slave to the same Divine Lord. We notice on this particular subject a remarkable emphasis, and a singular closeness of parallelism between this Epistle and the Epistle to the Colossians; probably to be accounted for by the presence of Onesimus with St. Paul at the time, which would naturally press on him some special consideration of the relation of Christianity to slavery. Accordingly, St. Paul’s general attitude towards slavery will be best considered in the Epistle to Philemon (see Philemon). Here it will be sufficient to note that while the institution, unnatural as it is, is left untouched, the declaration of a common fellowship in Christ enunciates a principle absolutely incompatible with slavery, and destined to destroy it.