Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

6:1 Children. The second family relationship illustrating submission to proper authority (5:21) is that of children and parents. The Mosaic law prescribed death for the child who struck or cursed a parent (Ex. 21:15, 17; Lev. 20:9), and Paul lists such disobedience as one of many grave sins (Rom. 1:30; 2 Tim. 3:2). However, Paul urges in Eph. 6:1-3 the positive duty of children to obey their parents. Obedience is due to both parents; the mother's submission to her husband does not remove her parental dignity but rather increases it. In the Lord modifies the verb "obey." right. What makes such obedience "right" or "just" is that it conforms to God's holy commandment, quoted in vv. 2-3.

6:2-3 Honor. Children obeying their parents (v. 1) is in part how they honor them; see also Prov. 31:28, which describes children rising to bless a wise and godly mother. promise. There were earlier commands of God with promises (e.g., Gen. 17:1-2), but this is the first and only of the Ten Commandments to contain a promise (see also Ex. 20:12). In the new covenant the promise of the land is not physical land on earth but eternal life, which begins when one is regenerated here and now and comes to full reality in the age to come. Paul is not teaching salvation on the basis of works. The obedience of children is evidence that they know God, and it results in receiving blessings from God.

6:4 Fathers. As earlier, Paul begins his admonition with a negative action to avoid, followed by a positive action to develop (see note on 4:28). Paul addresses the responsibility of fathers in particular, though this does not diminish the contribution of mothers in these areas (see Proverbs 31). provoke . . . to anger. Obedient children are particularly vulnerable, so a domineering and thoughtless father's actions would be discouraging to them (Col. 3:21). bring them up. Parents play a crucial, God-ordained role in the discipleship of their children "in the Lord" (Eph. 6:1); see Deut. 6:1-9. Parental discipleship in the discipline and instruction of the Lord should center on the kinds of practices already outlined in Ephesians 4-5.