Slaves and Masters
EPHESIANS 6:5-9
“IN A CONSCIOUS SHIFT FROM PAUL’S DIRECTION FOR WIVES IN CHAPTER 5 to submit, in chapter 6 of Ephesians he tells children and slaves to obey. This may be seen as a recognition that in the ancient world of the Bible children and slaves had even less status than women.” – Snodgrass/TAR
WHILE I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ACCURATE OBSERVATION, I THINK it is even more important to keep in mind that “All relations in the social household codes are redefined by one’s relation to Christ.” – Snodgrass/TAR
IN THIS WEEK’S BLOG WE WILL STUDY THE RELATIONSHIP OF “SLAVES AND MASTERS.” On first hearing you might be inclined to think the passage doesn’t apply to us. If that is your mindset here at the beginning, I think you’ll be surprised.
ONE COMMENTATOR TITLES THIS PASSAGE, “SPIRIT-FILLED LABOR RELATIONSHIPS” (MacArthur). I’d like us to expand the literal words of “Slaves and Masters” to include the dimension of worker and boss, by extension, to all employee-employer relationships. I think you’ll soon agree the passage permits this rephrasing…
NAS Ephesians 6:5-9 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; 6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. 9 And, masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
“IN THIS PASSAGE PAUL GIVES HIS FINAL ILLUSTRATION OF THE principle of Spirit-produced mutual submission.” – MacArthur
“THIS SECTION MAKES SPECIFIC TO SLAVES – AND TO MASTERS – WHAT was asked of everyone in chapter 5, vv. 10, 17, and 21, which is pleasing the Lord, doing His will, and mutual submission.” Snodgrass
NAS Ephesians 5:10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
NAS Ephesians 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
NAS Ephesians 5:21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
WE MUST REMEMBER THE POINT MADE PREVIOUSLY: All relationships for the believer must be defined by their relationship with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
WE MUST ALSO REALIZE THAT “To apply mutual submission to slaves and slave owners was a startling redefinition of slavery for Paul’s readers. In 1 Corinthians 7:21—23 Paul even told slaves that slavery should not matter, that they were Christ’s freed people, that both free and slaves were slaves of Christ, and therefore that they should not be slaves of humans!” – Snodgrass
NAS 1 Corinthians 7:21-23 Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. 22 For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
IF WE WERE FIRST CENTURY RECIPIENTS OF PAUL’S LETTERS, we would most likely be shocked by Paul’s words. The apostle pulled no punches.
“THE EASE WITH WHICH PAUL MADE THESE POINTS WAS BASED ON his conviction that slaves, their owners, and he, himself, were all slaves of Christ. Paul referred to himself frequently as a slave of Christ.” – Snodgrass. Consider Paul’s introduction to his letter to the Romans for example…
NET Romans 1:1 From Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.
NET Philippians 1:1 From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.
NET Titus 1:1 From Paul, a slave of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness,
I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT PAUL’S GREETINGS ARE especially beautiful… Think of it: here was the most important, authoritative, powerful Christian in the world writing letters to churches and how does he introduce himself? Παῦλος, δοῦλος Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ (Pau-los, dou-los Yeah-sou Chris-tos): Paul, slave of Jesus Christ…
ALL “THIS REALLY SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISING INSOFAR AS CHRIST HIMSELF took the form of a slave.” – Snodgrass…
NAS Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
I WANT TO SPEND ANOTHER MOMENT ON THIS SUBJECT. Not only is the slave important to our passage but the slave image is central to our relationship to Christ.
WHEN I DIE, I have asked my dear wife and family to engrave on my tombstone “Bond slave of Jesus Christ”…
THE BACKGROUND FOR THIS SLAVE THEOLOGY COMES FROM THE O.T. For example, these words from Leviticus 25:55…
NAS Leviticus 25:55 ‘For the sons of Israel are My servants; they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
THE HEBREW WORD FOR “SERVANT” ISעֶבֶד (eh-ved). It is used some 800 times in the O.T., 340 more times in the Greek LXX (Septuagint). That’s a lot. While the word is often translated “servant,” it is more properly translated “slave.” I believe when the Bible is carefully studied throughout both the Old and New Testaments, it is shown that “slave” is a superior translation of the Greek word δοῦλος (dou-los) in Ephesians and more in keeping with the believer’s relationship to God. An even more accurate translation, I believe, would be “bond slave.”
A BONDSLAVE IS A PERSON WHOIS OBLIGATED TO A MASTER WITHOUT WAGES, one who gives himself up to another’s will, devoted to another at the disregard of one’s own interest (Strong’s Enhanced). That aptly describes the believer, especially the Christian.
SO IMPORTANT IS THE GREEK WORD δοῦλος (dou-los), a few more words about it are, I think, are warranted. The very word slave indicates subjection and usually bondage. The old KJV Bible translates the word “servant,” so traditionally most Christians probably think of their relationship to Christ in servant terms. That’s OK; it’s just not as accurate as it could and should be in my humble opinion. I think you’ll agree there are differences between servant and slave. A servant is usually paid, for one thing. And a servant can usually quit his job. Not so with slaves. The Greek word δοῦλος (dou-los) does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. The BDAG Greek lexicon notes that “’servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical translation and early American times when the word ‘slave’ was usually avoided. But in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished.” (from NET Notes).
IT IS CERTAINLY TRUE THAT WE SERVE THE LORD, BUT when the relevant biblical words are carefully studied in context, primarily we do so not as servants but as slaves.
“IN BIBLICAL TIMES SLAVERY WAS COMMON AND MUCH ABUSED. In both Greek and Roman cultures, most slaves had no legal rights and were treated as commercial commodities. Roman citizens came to look on work as beneath their dignity, and the entire empire gradually came to function largely by slave power. Slaves were bought, sold, traded, used, and discarded as heartlessly as if they were animals or tools. Considerate masters who were deeply grieved over the death of some of their slaves were exceptional.” – MacArthur
“BECAUSE SUCH A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE CONSISTED of slaves, it is likely that the proportion in the church was large also. This social phenomenon contained the seeds of many conflicts for the church; perhaps the greatest of these occurred when both master and slave were Christians. The proclamation that in Christ there is neither ‘slave nor free man’ (Col 3:11; Gal 3:28) must have caused many a disapproving glance by a by a slave toward his master.” – Kent
NAS Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
“YET THE BIBLE NEITHER CONDONES SLAVERY NOR ADVOCATES its violent overthrow. Even though the N.T. lays down principles which eventually undermined the system, this was a by-product. The main thrust of the biblical teaching is that every man should live righteously in whatever circumstances he may be.” – Kent
THE BIBLE SIMPLY SAYS, AS PAUL DOES IN V. 5…
NAS Ephesians 6:5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;
THIS PASSAGE WE ARE STUDYING THIS WEEK FROM GOD’S WORD GIVES us the right behavior of “Slaves and Masters,” of employees and employers.
I FIND THAT FACT VERY INTERESTING. With all the harsh reality of the Roman Empire toward slaves as backdrop, as noted above, Paul simply and plainly tells slaves to be obedient. I think that is beautiful. Paul is not ignorant of the reality of the world he is addressing; with the incomparable directness of the Bible, he cuts right to the heart of the issue. “Slaves, be obedient.” Obedience immediately or inevitably changes the dynamics…
NAS Ephesians 6:6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
EACH TIME THE ENGLISH WORD “SLAVE” IS USED IN VV. 5, 6, AND 8, IT IS the Greek word δοῦλος (dou-los) that is used.
“NOT BY WAY OF EYESERVICE, AS MEN-PLEASERS….” Even though there are two rather unusual words here, I think we all know what Paul is saying. When work is done only when the master’s or boss’s eye is on the slave or employee, there is falseness. The work is not done genuinely. “Such falseness would constitute them as ‘men-pleasers,’ those who fawningly appear to be faithful when in reality they are not.” – Kent
INSTEAD, PAUL SAYS, THEY ARE TO BE “AS SLAVES OF CHRIST, doing the will of God from the heart.” As Christians we are obligated to serve Him with all our energies.
“THIS IS EVERY CHRISTIAN’S PRIMARY ALLEGIANCE, this allegiance ennobles all lesser servitude.” – Kent
I LIKE THAT WORD “ENNOBLES.” When we are Christians, when we are truly, genuinely slaves of Christ, everything we do, even the lowest of jobs becomes an opportunity to glorify Him and is thereby ennobled… “Since the Christian slave actually is Christ’s slave, he is obligated to carry out this order of his Lord. This requires him to serve his earthly master faithfully.” – Kent
JUST AS CHILDREN ARE COMMANDED TO HONOR THEIR PARENTS, SO should slaves and employee’s honor their masters and bosses.
CONTRAST THAT WITH OUR INDEPENDENT, I-DEMAND-MY-RIGHTS SOCIETY today.
“THIS SERVICE FOR HIS MASTER IN THE FLESH BECOMES THE “WILL OF GOD” for him, and he should perform it with wholeheartedness and devotion. For the Christian slave in the first century, doing the will of God meant being the best slave possible.” – Kent
FOR US TODAY, THAT LIKEWISE MEANS BEING THE BEST POSSIBLE WORKER.
“IN OUR DAY THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS HAS reached monumental levels. Conflicts rage constantly between workers and management, with each side accusing the other of selfishness and unreasonableness. Employees want smaller workloads, fewer hours, more vacation, and more pay and benefits. Employers want more productivity, more profits, and greater control of management policies and practices. Both sides want lower taxes for themselves while expecting greater government protection and sometimes even subsidy. It is not hard to see that the heart of the problem on both sides is greed.” – MacArthur
GREED IS UNQUENCHABLE. In this context, that means the problem is ongoing.
NAS Ephesians 5:3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints
“THE SIN OF GREED IS THE PRIMARY FUEL that feeds the inflationary spiral that has become a common part of modern life in most parts of the world. When everyone wants more, prices invariably rise to pay for higher wages and profits. And as prices rise and money therefore buys less, people want still higher involved in various subsidies and supports, then taxes, the national debt, or both must be raised. If the government paints more money without backing, the value of all its money is decreased, and again people want more income to make up the difference.” – MacArthur…
BUT IT DOESN’T STOP THERE…
“ADDED TO ALL OF THAT IS THE PRINCIPLE THAT, as possessions increase so does greed, because greed is insatiable. It is likely that modern Western society is the greediest in the history of the world. Everyone in our country wants more for less, and when that is the case, the ascending spirals of inflation, debt, taxation are unabated.” – MacArthur/TAR
NAS Ephesians 6:7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
THE CHRISTIAN SLAVE IS TO WORK WITH “GOOD WILL.”
BDAG, THE LEADING GREEK LEXICON TODAY, DEFINES THIS TERM as a positive attitude exhibited in a relationship, good attitude, willingness… The Greek word εὔνοια (eu-voi-a) literally means “good mind.”
“AS TO THE LORD, AND NOT TO MEN.” That mindset should be prominent in all we do…
I THINK THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND! When we are able to properly grasp this central idea and truly embrace it, our lives are transformed. We don’t look at things like the rest of the world does. Our whole outlook on our jobs and our bosses dramatically changes…
I PRAY WE CAN ALL BEGIN TO SEE THAT WHEN WE COMPREHEND THAT, it is the Lord we serve, and not really our fleshly masters, we are “freed from any feelings of degradation, for our service is as honorable as any other” (Kent). And when we consider it in the whole scope of our faith, more honorable.
“AS TO THE LORD” SUGGESTS AT FIRST READING THAT the slave should work for his master as though he were Christ Himself. However, there may be an even stronger implication (if that is possible – TAR). The slave should serve his earthly master faithfully because such service actually is performing the will of God.” – Kent
AND PAUL SAYS IT IS THE LORD HIMSELF WHO WILL REWARD. Look at v. 8…
NAS Ephesians 6:8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
PAUL SAYS THESE SIMILAR WORDS IN COLOSSIANS 3:24…
NAS Colossians 3:24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
I TAKE THE PARTICIPLE “KNOWING” AS CAUSAL, relating back to the main verb “obey.” “Slaves are motivated to obey because they know that their Master in heaven is going to reward them. No Christian slave is excluded from God’s blessings. In the ancient world no doubt many slaves had done good deeds that went unnoticed by their masters who excluded them from the credit they deserved. This is not the case with God. He notices the good deeds of every slave.” – Hoehner
WHETHER A PERSON IS SLAVE OR FREE, “God accurately and impartially judges their performance and motivation.” – Hoehner (B.K.C.)
NAS Ephesians 6:9 And, masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
“THE EARLY CHURCH DID NOT INCLUDE IN ITS MEMBERSHIP MANY PEOPLE of higher social rank, and presumably the number of slave owners in a local congregation was not large. But there must have been some who were ‘masters,’ or it would have been pointless for Paul to address them as he does here. Of course, we know he wrote a personal letter to Philemon at Colossae about reinstituting his fugitive salve, Onesimus.” – Wood
“ALTHOUGH MORE SPACE IS DEVOTED TO THE SLAVES and their duties toward their masters, the Christian masters also have specific responsibilities toward their slaves. ‘Do the same things to them’ most probably does not mean the masters were to actually serve their slaves as their slaves served them. Much more likely Paul’s words refer to the more general idea of the spirit of integrity, dedication, and goodwill that the masters should exhibit toward their slaves as they do the Lord. This is in keeping with Colossians 4:1 where Paul exhorts masters to treat their slaves justly and fairly.” – Hoehner
NAS Colossians 4:1 Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
“MASTERS’ DUTIES TOWARD SLAVES WERE TWO: one positive, one negative. Paul’s positive direction to the masters was to ‘treat them the same way.’ This meant owners were to treat their servants with respect, integrity, and good will. If Christian masters wanted slaves to promote their welfare, the masters must promote the slaves’ welfare. The second duty was negative: ‘without threatening them.’ Paul pointed to the masters’ discipline away from the harsh and cruel treatment of slaves common in that time. The Christian slave owner must not be abusive and inconsiderate.” – Garner
THIS IS A KIND OF GOLDEN RULE. “Christian masters are to treat their salves as they themselves expected to be treated. Though they give the orders, they are to do so as themselves being under the authority of a heavenly Master. The common factor is that both are seeking to do the will of God. Christian masters as well as Christian slaves know that they all serve the Lord to whom they equally belong.” –Wood
I TRUST YOU SEE HOW THIS MESSAGE ABOUT SLAVES APPLIES TO US TODAY. I think it is a great passage for us today. For the Christian slave the message is timeless.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS PASSAGE, IT TAKES HUMILITY to be bondslave of Jesus Christ.
I PRAY THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL APPLY GOD’S WORDS FROM EPHESIANS 6:5-9 to our hearts in such a way that we clearly see and fully appreciate the importance of submission, obedience, and humility in our lives for Christ.
WE ARE ALL “SLAVES” OF CHRIST. It is the Lord Jesus Christ, our beloved Savior, whom we serve!
I’D LIKE TO END OUR STUDY WITH THESE THOUGHTFUL WORDS: Our immediate response as obedient slaves to our Master should always be, “Yes, Lord! Whatever You command, I will obey. Whatever situation in which You place me, I will render service with a good, positive mind, not unto men, but unto You. And I will serve You willingly, lovingly, joyfully, and thankfully – what a privilege to be a δοῦλος Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ (dou-los yeah-sou chris-tos): a bond slave of Jesus Christ.
– Professor Thomas A. Rohm
