Children and Parents

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

CHILDREN. As a public letter, this implies hat children were in attendance with their families at worship when such a letter would have been read. OBEY. Paul tells the children to “obey” (“follow,” “be subject to,” literally, “listen to”) (Coleman 1892). How much and what kind of obedience was required of you in your childhood?

2 “Honor your father and mother”—this is the first commandment with a promise: 3 “so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

Have you found this to be true? Why would honoring parents lead to a long life?

As a general rule, honor/obedience fosters self-discipline, which in turn brings stability, longevity, and well-being; dishonor/disobedience promotes lack of discipline that in turn brings instability, a shortened life, and a lack of well-being (Hoehner et al. 122).

4 And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Jewish children were often taught through beating, which was standard in child rearing and education; fathers were considered responsible for their education. Paul is among the minority of ancient writers who seem to disapprove of excessive discipline (Keener Eph 6:1–4). How does one know what is the proper amount and kind of discipline?

Just as children have a duty to obey, parents have the duty to instruct children with gentleness and restraint. FATHERS. The model for a father is that of God, the “Father of all” (4:6). This view of fatherhood stands in sharp contrast to the harsh Roman father. STIR UP ANGER. Parents are to be responsible for not provoking hostility on the part of their children. By humiliating children, being cruel to them, over-indulging them, or being unreasonable, parents squash children rather than encourage them. BRING THEM UP. This verb is literally “nourish” or “feed” them. TRAINING. This word can be translated “discipline.” INSTRUCTION. The emphasis here is on what is said verbally to children (Coleman 1892). What are the challenges with this instruction?

When set in the larger context, fathers must be filled by the Spirit (5:18), who enables them to restrain from provoking their children to anger and gives them the wisdom and ability to train and instruct them (Hoehner et al. 123). If you’ve had the experience, how have you felt the filling of the Spirit give you the wisdom and ability to do what is right with another person?

Slaves and Masters

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ;

CONSIDER (VV. 5–9): How should we understand the word “slaves” in these verses? Despite the text that we see here, how can Christians reject slavery as unacceptable?

6 not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

AS SLAVES OF CHRIST. This idea is counter-revolutionary. Paul refers to God or Christ as the ultimate paterfamilias (master in heaven). He tells slaves that they are to obey their masters according to the flesh (often translated “earthly masters”), implying that there is another master who is not according to the flesh, in the same way they would obey Christ, as if they were a slave of Christ and doing God’s will, serving the Lord and not humans. Masters are also told that they are to treat their slaves in the same way, that is, in the same way that God and Christ will treat their slaves (followers of Christ), rewarding them for doing good, and reminding masters that they and their slaves both have the same master in heaven. In other words, within God’s family, there is only one paterfamilias, and those in the faith are all his servants, brothers and sisters in common service, and he demands similar behavior of all. This likely disturbed the average Roman (Westfall and Dyer 83). How does this counter-revolutionary ethic affect social structures and interpersonal relationships today?

7 Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, 8 knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free.

If you took this instruction to heart, how would your attitude change in your acts of service?

9 And, masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.

Paul says that slaves, like wives, should submit to the head of the household as if to Christ, but this duty is again reciprocal. Only a few writers in the ancient world suggested that slaves were in theory their masters’ spiritual equals and so far as we know only Paul goes so far as to suggest that in practice masters do the same for slaves as slaves should do for them (Keener Eph 6:5–9). How would this practice of reciprocal respect change the way we interact today?

Paul does not confront the issue of whether slavery should be abolished (an issue not relevant to his point in the context of household codes); even a violent revolution could not have ended slavery in the Roman Empire. But the way he deals with the issue leaves no doubt where he would have stood had we put the theoretical question of slavery’s abolition to him: people are equals before God, and slavery is therefore against God’s will (Keener Eph 6:5–9). Why didn’t Paul condemn slavery then and there?

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.

6:10 BE STRENGTHENED … BY HIS VAST STRENGTH. Paul uses the same three words here as he used in 1:19 when he first described God’s power. In order to wage successful warfare against Satan, the Christian must draw upon God’s own power (Coleman 1892). Do you find yourself trusting in your own strength? What are some helpful ways in which you’ve leaned on God’s strength?

11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

6:11 PUT ON. It is not enough to rely passively on God’s power. The Christian must do something. He or she must “put on” God’s armor. THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL. Evil does not operate in the light. It lurks in shadows and strikes unexpectedly with cleverness and subtlety (Coleman 1892).

THE WHOLE ARMOR. Paul probably has no particular purpose in correlating specific strengths of the Christian with specific armor body parts (cf. 1 Thess 5:8); rather, he wants his readers to know that they need all of them to be victorious (Keener Eph 6:10–20). Why is it so important that Christians wear all of the armor? What might happen if a piece was missing?

TO STAND. “Stand” in 5:11 and 5:14 has the sense of “drawing up a military formation for combat” (Wink Eph 6:12). Fully-equipped soldiers were virtually invulnerable to enemy onslaught—unless they panicked and broke ranks. As long as they stood firm when the enemy attacked, they would prevail in the long run (Coleman 1893). Would you characterize your Christian stance as defensive or offensive (in the best way possible)? How well do you stand together with other Christians in resisting evil and struggling for peace and justice?

12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

The Powers

RULERS/PRINCIPALITIES (archas), AUTHORITIES (exousias), COSMIC POWERS (kosmokratoras), and SPIRITUAL FORCES (pneumatika) is essentially a series of terms to describe the ineffable, invisible world-enveloping reach of a spiritual network of powers inimical to life (Wink Eph 6:12).

It is sensible to include here all the “RULERS” (archai) and “AUTHORITIES” (exousiai) we have ever encountered, not only divine but human, not only persons but structures, not only demons and kings but also the powers invested in institutions, laws, traditions and rituals as well. It is the cumulative, totalizing effect of all these taken together that creates the sense of bondage to a “dominion of darkness” (Col 1:13) presided over by higher powers (Wink Eph 6:12). How is this definition of the powers and evil helpful in describing our reality? How else can we understand “rulers” and “authorities”?

“COSMIC POWERS” (kosmokratores) would be those who have mastery over the world, both those humans who by all marks of aristocracy, education, political skill, and wealth seem to be of a higher order, and those other powers, both above and below the range of visibility. We must not neglect here the spirit of empire, which perpetuates itself through a succession of rulers from generation to generation. Nor can we leave aside all forms of institutional idolatry, whereby religion, commerce, education, and state make their own well-being and survival the final criteria of morality, and by which they justify the liquidation of prophets, the persecution of deviants, and the ostracism of opponents (Wink Eph 6:12). Can you point to an example of “worldly rulers” acting oppressively?

BLOOD AND FLESH. The hostility is so formidable that it is clear that we contend not against human beings but against the legitimations, seats of authority, hierarchical systems, ideological justifications, and punitive sanctions which their human representatives exercise and which transcend these officials in both time and power. It is the suprahuman dimension of power in institutions and the cosmos which must be fought, not the mere human agent. For the institution will guarantee the replacement of this person with another virtually the same, who despite personal preferences will replicate decisions made by a whole string of predecessors because that is what the institution requires for its survival. It is this suprahuman quality which accounts for the apparent "heavenly," bigger than life, quasi-eternal character of the Powers (Wink Eph 6:12). It is easy to blame and condemn flesh-and-blood individuals as evil. Why is Paul asking his readers to struggle against evil on a higher plane?

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

TO WITHSTAND. This refers to the triumphant stance of the victor. Paul depicts the church taking the fight to the enemy, and he expects the church to win (Wink Eph 6:12). What would be a proper way to be triumphant? What kind of triumphalism is improper?

14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.

TRUTH LIKE A BELT. The leather belt on which the Roman soldier hung his sword and by which he secured his tunic and armor (so he would be unimpeded in battle). The “truth” referred to is the inner integrity and sincerity by which the Christian fights evil. Lying and deceit are tactics of the enemy. RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE ARMOR ON YOUR CHEST. The breastplate (or “mail”) was the major piece of armor for the Roman soldier. Made of metal and leather, it protected his vital organs. “Righteousness” refers to the right standing before God that is the status of the Christian, out of which moral conduct and character emerges (Coleman 1893).

15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.

FEET SANDALED. These are the leather half-boots worn by the Roman legionnaire, with heavy studded soles that enabled him to dig in and resist being pushed out of place. READINESS. This term can be translated as “firmness” or “steadfastness,” in which case the “gospel of peace” is understood to provide the solid foundation on which the Christian stands in the fight against evil (Coleman 1893).

16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

THE SHIELD. The round shield of the early legionnaires had long since been elongated (the scutum); two-thirds covered his body and one-third covered his comrade to the left. This brilliant innovation encouraged tight ranks, since each fighter was in part dependent on his neighbor for protection (Wink Eph 6:12).

17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

THE HELMET OF SALVATION. A heavy, metal head-covering lined with felt or sponge, which gave substantial protection to the soldier’s head from all but the heaviest axe blow. SWORD. A short, stabbing sword used for personal combat (Coleman 1893).

CONSIDER (VV. 10–17): Do you believe there are supernatural forces that influence our world? Explain. How do we go about equipping ourselves with the armor of God—what is our part in that process?

APPLY: How would you rate your current experiences with the armor of God? How would you rate your current prayer life?

Armor for Spiritual Warfare

• What good is truth—unless it is the way the Powers are finally unmasked?

• What use is righteousness—unless it reveals God's true will for the world?

• What value is salvation—unless the certainty of it is needed for reassurance in the moments of despair or darkness when the gathered might of the Powers makes doubt seem only sensible?

• What can the shield of faith do—unless we have learned to discern when flaming darts are aimed at our hearts, with their insinuations of inadequacy and guilt or their appeals to egotism and the worship of the golden calf?

• What good is a sword made only of words, in the face of such monolithic evil—unless evil is not nearly so much a physical phenomenon as a spiritual construct, itself born of words, and capable of destruction by the word of God?

• And why pray—unless that is the only way we can consolidate, by continual affirmation, the divine counter-reality which alone is real, and invite it into being? (Wink Eph 6:12).

What are your thoughts on this explanation of the armor of God?

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

PRAY. Paul does not consider prayer a seventh weapon. Rather, it underlies the whole process of spiritual warfare. IN THE SPIRIT. The Bible, the Word of God, is the sword of the Spirit. So, too, prayer is guided by the Spirit. This is, after all, spiritual warfare (Coleman 1893). How does praying in the Spirit at all times play out practically every day?

ALL THE SAINTS. Against seemingly overwhelming evil the church is well advised to stand shoulder to shoulder, shields overlapping (5:16). Hence, Paul’s instruction in armaments is issued in the plural throughout the paragraph. The whole people of God is addressed, and not just individuals. Solitary efforts may at times be necessary, but far better when many, each individually equipped thus, can struggle (6:12) together and perhaps even “prove victorious over everything” (6:13), whether dead or alive (Wink Eph 6:12). How has your spirituality been affected when standing alone versus standing shoulder-to-shoulder with another disciple of Christ?

19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,

When was the last time you proclaimed the gospel with boldness? Pray for more opportunities.

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

Do you ever see yourself as an ambassador (in chains) for Christ?

Benediction

21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus will tell you everything. He is a dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord.

How good are you at being a messenger and intercessor?

22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are, and to encourage your hearts.

When was the last time you sent an encouraging message to a person who is struggling? Try to do so again this week.

23 Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Works Cited 

Coleman, Lyman. Life Connections Study Bible. Holman Bibles, 2019.

Hoehner, Harold W. et al. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, Philemon. vol. 16, Tyndale House Publishers, 2008.

Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. InterVarsity Press, 1993.

Westfall, Cynthia Long and Bryan R. Dyer. The Bible and Social Justice: Old Testament and New Testament Foundations for the Church's Urgent Call. Pickwick Publications, 2016. Mcmaster New Testament Studies.

Wink, Walter. Naming the Powers: The Language of Power in the New Testament. Kindle edition, Fortress Press, 1984.