2. Here the authority of revealed law is added to that of natural
law.
which is . . . promise--The "promise" is not made the main motive to
obedience, but an incidental one. The main motive is, because it is
God's will
(De 5:16,
"Honor thy father and mother, as the Lord thy God hath COMMANDED thee"); and that it is so peculiarly,
is shown by His accompanying it "with a promise."
first--in the decalogue with a special promise. The promise in
the second commandment is a general one. Their duty is more
expressly prescribed to children than to parents; for love descends
rather than ascends [BENGEL]. This verse proves the law in the Old
Testament is not abolished.
3. long on the earth--In Ex 20:12, "long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee," which Paul adapts to Gospel times, by taking away the local and limited reference peculiar to the Jews in Canaan. The godly are equally blessed in every land, as the Jews were in the land which God gave them. This promise is always fulfilled, either literally, or by the substitution of a higher blessing, namely, one spiritual and eternal (Job 5:26; Pr 10:27). The substance and essence of the law are eternally in force: its accidents alone (applying to Israel of old) are abolished (Ro 6:15).
4. fathers--including mothers; the fathers are specified
as being the fountains of domestic authority. Fathers are more prone to
passion in relation to their children than mothers, whose fault is
rather over-indulgence.
provoke not--irritate not, by vexatious commands, unreasonable blame,
and uncertain temper [ALFORD].
Col 3:21,
"lest they be discouraged."
nurture--Greek, "discipline," namely, training by chastening
in act where needed
(Job 5:17;
Heb 12:7).
admonition--training by words
(De 6:7;
"catechise,"
Pr 22:6,
Margin), whether of encouragement, or remonstrance, or reproof,
according as is required [TRENCH]. Contrast
1Sa 3:13,
Margin.
of the Lord--such as the Lord approves, and by His Spirit dictates.
5. Servants--literally, "slaves."
masters according to the flesh--in contrast to your true and heavenly
Master
(Eph 6:4).
A consolatory him that the mastership to which they were subject, was
but for a time [CHRYSOSTOM]; and that their real
liberty was still their own
(1Co 7:22).
fear and trembling--not slavish terror, but (See on
1Co 2:3;
2Co 7:15)
an anxious eagerness to do your duty, and a fear of displeasing, as
great as is produced in the ordinary slave by "threatenings"
(Eph 6:9).
singleness--without double-mindedness, or "eye service"
(Eph 6:6),
which seeks to please outwardly, without the sincere desire to make the
master's interest at all times the first consideration
(1Ch 29:17;
Mt 6:22, 23;
Lu 11:34).
"Simplicity."
6.
(Col 3:22).
Seeking to please their masters only so long as these have their eyes
on them: as Gehazi was a very different man in his master's presence
from what he was in his absence
(2Ki 5:1-18).
men-pleasers--not Christ-pleasers (compare
Ga 1:10;
1Th 2:4).
doing the will of God--the unseen but ever present Master: the best
guarantee for your serving faithfully your earthly master alike when
present and when absent.
from the heart--literally, soul
(Ps 111:1;
Ro 13:5).
7. good will--expressing his feeling towards his master; as "doing the will of God from the heart" expresses the source of that feeling (Col 3:23). "Good will" is stated by XENOPHON [Economics] to be the principal virtue of a slave towards his master: a real regard to his master's interest as if his own, a good will which not even a master's severity can extinguish.
8. any man doeth--Greek, "any man shall have done," that is, shall
be found at the Lord's coming to have done.
the same--in full payment, in heaven's currency.
shall . . . receive--
(2Co 5:10;
Col 3:25;
but all of grace,
Lu 17:10).
bond or free--
(1Co 7:22; 12:13;
Ga 3:28;
Col 3:11).
Christ does not regard such distinctions in His present dealings of
grace, or in His future judgment. The slave that has acted faithfully
for the Lord's sake to his master, though the latter may not repay his
faithfulness, shall have the Lord for his Paymaster. So the freeman who
has done good for the Lord's sake, though man may not pay him, has the
Lord for his Debtor
(Pr 19:17).
9. the same things--Mutatis mutandis. Show the same regard to God's
will, and to your servants' well-being, in your relation to them, as
they ought to have in their relation to you. Love regulates the duties
both of servants and masters, as one and the same light attempers
various colors. Equality of nature and faith is superior to distinctions
of rank [BENGEL]. Christianity makes all men brothers: compare
Le 25:42, 43;
De 15:12;
Jer 34:14
as to how the Hebrews were bound to treat their brethren in service;
much more ought Christians to act with love.
threatening--Greek, "the threatening" which masters commonly
use. "Masters" in the Greek, is not so strong a term as "despots":
it implies authority, but not absolute domination.
your Master also--The oldest manuscripts read, "the Master both of
them and you": "their Master and yours." This more forcibly brings out
the equality of slaves and masters in the sight of God.
SENECA
[Thyestes, 607], says, "Whatever an inferior dreads from you, this a
superior Master threatens yourselves with: every authority here is under
a higher above." As you treat your servants, so will He treat you.
neither . . . respect of persons--He will not, in judging, acquit thee
because thou art a master, or condemn him because he is a servant
(Ac 10:34;
Ro 2:11;
Ga 2:6;
Col 3:25;
1Pe 1:17).
Derived from
De 10:17;
2Ch 19:7.
10. my brethren--Some of the oldest manuscripts omit these words. Some
with Vulgate retain them. The phrase occurs nowhere else in the
Epistle (see, however,
Eph 6:23);
if genuine, it is appropriate here in the close of the Epistle, where
he is urging his fellow soldiers to the good fight in the Christian
armor. Most of the oldest manuscripts for "finally," read,
"henceforward," or "from henceforth"
(Ga 6:17).
be strong--Greek, "be strengthened."
in the power of his might--Christ's might: as in
Eph 1:19,
it is the Father's might.
11. the whole armour--the armor of light
(Ro 13:12);
on the right hand and left
(2Co 6:7).
The panoply offensive and defensive. An image readily suggested by the
Roman armory, Paul being now in Rome. Repeated emphatically,
Eph 6:13.
In
Ro 13:14
it is, "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ"; in putting on Him, and
the new man in Him, we put on "the whole armor of God." No opening at
the head, the feet, the heart, the belly, the eye, the ear, or the
tongue, is to be given to Satan. Believers have once for all overcome
him; but on the ground of this fundamental victory gained over him,
they are ever again to fight against and overcome him, even as they who
once die with Christ have continually to mortify their members upon
earth
(Ro 6:2-14;
Col 3:3, 5).
of God--furnished by God; not our own, else it would not stand
(Ps 35:1-3).
Spiritual, therefore, and mighty through God, not carnal
(2Co 10:4).
wiles--literally, "schemes sought out" for deceiving (compare
2Co 11:14).
the devil--the ruling chief of the foes
(Eph 6:12)
organized into a kingdom of darkness
(Mt 12:26),
opposed to the kingdom of light.
12. Greek, "For our wrestling ('the wrestling' in which we are
engaged) is not against flesh," &c. Flesh and blood foes are Satan's
mere tools, the real foe lurking behind them is Satan himself, with whom
our conflict is. "Wrestling" implies that it is a hand-to-hand and
foot-to-foot struggle for the mastery: to wrestle successfully with
Satan, we must wrestle with
GOD in irresistible prayer like Jacob
(Ge 32:24-29;
Ho 12:4).
Translate, "The principalities . . . the
powers"
(Eph 1:21;
Col 1:16;
see on
Eph 3:10).
The same grades of powers are specified in the case of the demons here,
as in that of angels there (compare
Ro 8:38;
1Co 15:24;
Col 2:15).
The Ephesians had practiced sorcery
(Ac 19:19),
so that he appropriately treats of evil spirits in addressing them. The
more clearly any book of Scripture, as this, treats of the economy of
the kingdom of light, the more clearly does it set forth the kingdom of
darkness. Hence, nowhere does the satanic kingdom come more clearly
into view than in the Gospels which treat of Christ, the true Light.
rulers of the darkness of this world--Greek, "age" or "course of
the world." But the oldest manuscripts omit "of world." Translate,
"Against the world rulers of this (present) darkness"
(Eph 2:2; 5:8;
Lu 22:53;
Col 1:13).
On Satan and his demons being "world rulers," compare
Joh 12:31; 14:30; 16:11;
Lu 4:6;
2Co 4:4;
1Jo 5:19,
Greek, "lieth in the wicked one." Though they be "world rulers,"
they are not the ruler of the universe; and their usurped rule of the
world is soon to cease, when He shall "come whose right it is"
(Eze 21:27).
Two cases prove Satan not to be a mere subjective fancy: (1) Christ's
temptation; (2) the entrance of demons into the swine (for these are
incapable of such fancies). Satan tries to parody, or imitate in a
perverted way, God's working
(2Co 11:13, 14).
So when God became incarnate, Satan, by his demons, took forcible
possession of human bodies. Thus the demoniacally possessed were not
peculiarly wicked, but miserable, and so fit subjects for Jesus' pity.
Paul makes no mention of demoniacal possession, so that in the time he
wrote, it seems to have ceased; it probably was restricted to the
period of the Lord's incarnation, and of the foundation of His Church.
spiritual wickedness--rather as Greek, "The
spiritual hosts of wickedness." As three of the clauses describe
the power, so this fourth, the wickedness of our
spiritual foes
(Mt 12:45).
in high places--Greek, "heavenly places": in
Eph 2:2,
"the air," see on
Eph 2:2.
The alteration of expression to "in heavenly places," is in order to
mark the higher range of their powers than ours, they having been, up
to the ascension
(Re 12:5, 9, 10),
dwellers "in the heavenly places"
(Job 1:7),
and being now in the regions of the air which are called the heavens.
Moreover, pride and presumption are the sins in heavenly places
to which they tempt especially, being those by which they themselves
fell from heavenly places
(Isa 14:12-15).
But believers have naught to fear, being "blessed with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenly places"
(Eph 1:3).
13. take . . . of God--not "make," God has done that: you have only
to "take up" and put it on. The Ephesians were familiar with the idea of
the gods giving armor to mythical heroes: thus Paul's allusion would be
appropriate.
the evil day--the day of Satan's special assaults
(Eph 6:12, 16)
in life and at the dying hour (compare
Re 3:10).
We must have our armor always on, to be ready against the evil day
which may come at any moment, the war being perpetual
(Ps 41:1,
Margin).
done all--rather, "accomplished all things," namely, necessary to the
fight, and becoming a good soldier.
14. Stand--The repetition in
Eph 6:11, 14,
shows that standing, that is, maintaining our ground, not
yielding or fleeing, is the grand aim of the Christian soldier.
Translate as Greek, "Having girt about your loins with truth,"
that is, with truthfulness, sincerity, a good conscience
(2Co 1:12;
1Ti 1:5, 18; 3:9).
Truth is the band that girds up and keeps together the flowing robes,
so as that the Christian soldier may be unencumbered for action. So the
Passover was eaten with the loins girt, and the shoes on the feet
(Ex 12:11;
compare
Isa 5:27;
Lu 12:35).
Faithfulness (Septuagint, "truth") is the girdle of
Messiah
(Isa 11:5):
so truth of His followers.
having on--Greek, "having put on."
breastplate of righteousness--
(Isa 59:17),
similarly of Messiah. "Righteousness" is here joined with "truth," as
in
Eph 5:9:
righteousness in works, truth in words [ESTIUS]
(1Jo 3:7).
Christ's righteousness inwrought in us by the Spirit. "Faith and love,"
that is, faith working righteousness by love, are "the breastplate" in
1Th 5:8.
15. Translate, "Having shod your feet" (referring to the sandals, or
to the military shoes then used).
the preparation--rather, "the preparedness," or "readiness of," that
is, arising from the "Gospel"
(Ps 10:17).
Preparedness to do and suffer all that God wills; readiness for march,
as a Christian soldier.
gospel of peace--(compare
Lu 1:79;
Ro 10:15).
The "peace" within forms a beautiful contrast to the raging of the
outward conflict
(Isa 26:3;
Php 4:7).
16. Above all--rather, "Over all"; so as to cover all that has
been put on before. Three integuments are specified, the breastplate,
girdle, and shoes; two defenses, the helmet and shield; and two
offensive weapons, the sword and the spear (prayer). ALFORD translates, "Besides all," as the Greek is
translated,
Lu 3:20.
But if it meant this, it would have come last in the list
(compare
Col 3:14).
shield--the large oblong oval door-like shield of the Romans, four
feet long by two and a half feet broad; not the small round buckler.
ye shall be able--not merely, "ye may." The shield of faith will
certainly intercept, and so "quench, all the fiery darts" (an image
from the ancient fire-darts, formed of cane, with tow and combustibles
ignited on the head of the shaft, so as to set fire to woodwork, tents,
&c.).
of the wicked--rather "of the EVIL ONE."
Faith conquers him
(1Pe 5:9),
and his darts of temptation to wrath, lust, revenge, despair, &c. It
overcomes the world
(1Jo 5:4),
and so the prince of the world
(1Jo 5:18).
17. take--a different Greek word from that in
Eph 6:13, 16;
translate, therefore, "receive," "accept," namely, the helmet offered
by the Lord, namely, "salvation" appropriated, as
1Th 5:8,
"Helmet, the hope of salvation"; not an uncertain hope, but one that
brings with it no shame of disappointment
(Ro 5:5).
It is subjoined to the shield of faith, as being its inseparable
accompaniment (compare
Ro 5:1, 5).
The head of the soldier was among the principal parts to be defended,
as on it the deadliest strokes might fall, and it is the head that
commands the whole body. The head is the seat of the mind,
which, when it has laid hold of the sure Gospel "hope" of eternal life,
will not receive false doctrine, or give way to Satan's temptations to
despair. God, by this hope, "lifts up the head"
(Ps 3:3;
Lu 21:28).
sword of the Spirit--that is, furnished by the Spirit, who inspired
the writers of the word of God
(2Pe 1:21).
Again the Trinity is implied: the Spirit here; and Christ in
"salvation" and God the Father,
Eph 6:13
(compare
Heb 4:12;
Re 1:16; 2:12).
The two-edged sword, cutting both ways
(Ps 45:3, 5),
striking some with conviction and conversion, and others with
condemnation
(Isa 11:4;
Re 19:15),
is in the mouth of Christ
(Isa 49:2),
in the hand of His saints
(Ps 149:6).
Christ's use of this sword in the temptation is our pattern as to how
we are to wield it against Satan
(Mt 4:4, 7, 10).
There is no armor specified for the back, but only for the front of the
body; implying that we must never turn our back to the foe
(Lu 9:62);
our only safety is in resisting ceaselessly
(Mt 4:11;
Jas 4:7).
18. always--Greek, "in every season"; implying
opportunity and exigency
(Col 4:2).
Paul uses the very words of Jesus in
Lu 21:36
(a Gospel which he quotes elsewhere, in undesigned consonance with the
fact of Luke being his associate in travel,
1Co 11:23,
&c.; 1Ti 5:18).
Compare
Lu 18:1;
Ro 12:12; 1Th 5:17.
with all--that is, every kind of.
prayer--a sacred term for prayer in general.
supplication--a common term for a special kind of prayer
[HARLESS],
an imploring request. "Prayer" for obtaining blessings,
"supplication" for averting evils which we fear [GROTIUS].
in the Spirit--to be joined with "praying." It is he in us, as the
Spirit of adoption, who prays, and enables us to pray
(Ro 8:15, 26;
Ga 4:6;
Jude 20).
watching--not sleeping
(Eph 5:14;
Ps 88:13;
Mt 26:41).
So in the temple a perpetual watch was maintained (compare Anna,
Lu 2:37).
thereunto--"watching unto" (with a view to) prayer and supplication.
with--Greek, "in." Persevering constancy ("perseverance")
and (that is, exhibited in) supplication are to be the element
in which our watchfulness is to be exercised.
for all saints--as none is so perfect as not to need the intercessions
of his fellow Christians.
19. for me--a different Greek preposition from that in
Eph 6:18;
translate, therefore, "on my behalf."
that I may open my mouth boldly--rather, "that there may be given to
me 'utterance,' or 'speech' in the opening of my mouth (when I
undertake to speak; a formula used in set and solemn speech,
Job 3:1;
Da 10:16),
so as with boldness to make known," &c. Bold plainness of speech
was the more needed, as the Gospel is a "mystery" undiscoverable by
mere reason, and only known by revelation. Paul looked for utterance to
be given him; he did not depend on his natural or acquired
power. The shortest road to any heart is by way of heaven; pray to God
to open the door and to open your mouth, so as to avail yourself of
every opening
(Jer 1:7, 8;
Eze 3:8, 9, 11;
2Co 4:13).
20. For--Greek, as in
Eph 6:19,
"On behalf of which."
an ambassador in bonds--a paradox. Ambassadors were held inviolable
by the law of nations, and could not, without outrage to every sacred
right, be put in chains. Yet Christ's "ambassador is in a chain!"
The Greek is singular. The Romans used to bind a prisoner to a
soldier by a single chain, in a kind of free custody. So
Ac 28:16, 20,
"I am bound with this chain." The term, "bonds" (plural), on the
other hand, is used when the prisoner's hands or feet were bound
together
(Ac 26:29);
compare
Ac 12:6,
where the plural marks the distinction. The singular is only used of
the particular kind of custody described above; an undesigned
coincidence [PALEY].
21. that ye also--as I have been discussing things relating to you, so
that ye also may know about me (compare
Col 4:7, 8).
NEANDER takes it, "Ye also," as well as the
Colossians
(Col 4:6).
my affairs--Greek, "the things concerning me."
how I do--how I fare.
Tychicus--an Asiatic, and so a fit messenger bearing the respective
Epistles to Ephesus and Colosse
(Ac 20:4;
2Ti 4:12).
a beloved brother--Greek, "the beloved brother"; the same
epithet as in
Col 4:7.
minister--that is, servant.
in the Lord--in the Lord's work.
23. love with faith--Faith is presupposed as theirs; he prays that love may accompany it (Ga 5:6).
Eph 6:1-24. MUTUAL DUTIES OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN: MASTERS AND SERVANTS: OUR LIFE A WARFARE: THE SPIRITUAL ARMOUR NEEDED AGAINST SPIRITUAL FOES. CONCLUSION.
1. obey--stronger than the expression as to wives, "submitting," or "being subject" (Eph 5:21). Obedience is more unreasoning and implicit; submission is the willing subjection of an inferior in point of order to one who has a right to command.
in the Lord--Both parents and children being Christians "in the Lord," expresses the element in which the obedience is to take place, and the motive to obedience. In Col 3:20, it is, "Children, obey your parents in all things." This clause, "in the Lord," would suggest the due limitation of the obedience required (Ac 5:29; compare on the other hand, the abuse, Mr 7:11-13).
right--Even by natural law we should render obedience to them from whom we have derived life.