Ephesians 6:1-9 (Daily Bread of 12/1/2018)

OBEY YOUR SUPERIORS

Key verse 6: 5

In this section, Paul speaks about the duties in the house especially those that they children and the servants have to fulfill.

1. Children, obey yours parents (1-4)  

Paul explains that amongst the 10 commandment, the fifth one deals with the act of honouring one's parents and it speaks of the blessing that accompanies this act. This blessing makes man happy and lets him life longer. Parents have their responsibilities especially the father. The father must love his wife as Jesus loves the Church. His role is important not only for his wife, whom he must take care of and over whom he has authority, but also for his children. He has to lead his children along the right path by teaching them God's Word. To do this, he needs to live according the truth himself. Often a double life irritates children. Moreover, when talking about not irritating one's child it does not mean raise them up by being kind and without reproaching them. The father has to warn his children who meek and mildness so that they would not take the wrong path. He has to set them free from this path so that they would not become one of the devil's victim.

2. Servant obey your masters (5-9)

The servants who have been freed from their sins by Jesus Christ should not use this as a pretext to revolt against their masters. Jesus' blood has freed them from all bonds in spiritual terms. However, on a social level they need to respect their obligations. Their attitude is the most important. Servants must have the correct attitude by submitting themselves to the divinely established order in the society's hierarchy. More importantly, they need to act as men of God so as to walk before Him and not before men to please them in appearance. As slaves of God, they must do His will. However, this must be done without fear but with joy and a willing spirit. God will then bless their work. The servant will reap what he sewed on earth during judgement day. The master also has to respect his duties with regards to his servant. God did not give them their superiority to abuse of this power over their enslaved but to accomplish their duty before him. He has to think of God and act according to His will with fear and trembling as God does not consider one's social status.