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

6:5 Slaves. See note on 1 Cor. 7:21. It is estimated that slaves composed about one-third of the population of a city like Ephesus. They were considered an integral part of a family, so Paul's instructions for slaves were a natural part of his dealing with family relationships. In both Greek and Roman culture, slaves had limited rights and were subject to exploitation and abuse. Paul does not condone the system of slavery but instead provides instructions to believing masters and slaves regarding their relationship to each other in the Lord, and how this should be lived out within the bounds of their social and legal culture. The result, as is often observed, is that slavery slowly died out in antiquity through the influence of Christianity (see Introduction to Philemon: Purpose, Occasion, and Background). The principles in this passage apply today in terms of submission to any lawfully constituted authority, the only exception being if such a lawfully constituted authority were to require a believer to disobey God's Word or to fundamentally compromise one's commitment to Christ (as in the case of Acts 4:19, 20). Christ. It would be natural for Christian slaves to despise their earthly masters in the name of their heavenly one; however, fulfilling one's earthly obligations is, in fact, service to the Lord (cf. Eph. 6:6-7).

6:8 whatever good anyone does . . . he will receive back from the Lord. Selfless service is not ignored or forgotten by God. There is no discrimination with the Lord, for he will reward every faithful servant equally, whether he is a slave or free.

6:9 Masters in antiquity had the power of life and death over their slaves. Beatings, imprisonment, or sale into harsher servitude were other punishments masters meted out. The duty of masters and all in authority is to do good to those in submission and not to take advantage of their authority by threatening them. There is no partiality with the Lord (see 1 Sam. 16:7; 2 Chron. 19:7; Rom. 2:11): he will judge fairly both masters and servants.