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Attitudes of children to parents and parents to children (1–4). Relations between masters and slaves (5–9). The struggle of Christians with evil spirits (10–20). Conclusion (21–24) Eph.6:1–4. Children should be obedient to their parents, and fathers should not irritate their children with unfair severity. Eph.6:1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is what justice requires. “In the Lord,” that is, in Christ. The obedience of children to their parents must be in full agreement with the requirements of Christianity: it is free, based on love and should not extend beyond what is permitted by the law of Christ. - "Justice" . This is also required by the general human sense of justice. Eph.6:2. Honor your father and mother, this is the first commandment with a promise: "First with Promise". The first four commandments of the Decalogue do not have promises of rewards for their fulfillment (a certain exception is the second): the fifth commandment is the first, in which it is clear and defined that a reward for its fulfillment is also mentioned 24 . Eph.6:3. May it be good for you and you will live long on earth. The words of the fifth commandment: “the good thing that the Lord gives you” (Ex. 20:12) Apostle. does not lead, because they limit the application of the commandment only to the area of ​​​​the people of Israel (“you”), and the Apostle means to give instruction to all children of all nations... - It should be noted that from this appeal to children it is clear that in the Apostolic Church children were baptized and taught the Christian faith. Even the Ap., like the Old Testament Decalogue, promises a reward for children for obedience here on earth, and not in heaven. This in itself happens in most cases, but, of course, does not exclude the possibility of the opposite: obviously, Ap. At the same time, he means that the will of God wants to reward a child who is obedient to his parents right here on earth. Eph.6:4. And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the teaching and admonition of the Lord. "Fathers". The father gives direction to the upbringing of children and therefore Ap. about mothers. does not mention. The main responsibility for children is also the father. - “In teaching” παιδεία, that is, in general through ordinary educational measures. – “In instruction” νουθεσία – in verbal instructions, through conversations. - "Lord's". All these educational measures must be in accordance with the law of Christ. Eph.6:5–9. From Christian slaves Ap. also demands obedience to their masters in the name of Christ, and teaches slave owners gentleness in treating their slaves. Eph.6:5. Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to Christ, "Lords according to the flesh". With his soul, therefore, a Christian slave belongs only to Christ. - “With fear and trembling” - here, undoubtedly, these words denote the reverence that is characteristic of a Christian slave for the one whom the will of God has made his master. - “In simplicity,” that is, with complete sincerity. - “As Christ”, that is, they must see in their master, who commands to do this and that, a person acting by virtue of the authority granted to him by Christ. Eph.6:6. not with only visible obligingness, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul, Eph.6:7. serving with zeal as the Lord and not as men, A more detailed depiction of the obedience that a Christian slave should show to his master. Eph.6:8. knowing that everyone will receive from the Lord according to the good he has done, whether slave or free. The promise of reward to an obedient servant is completely in accordance with the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 24:46, 47). Such a promise of reward from the Lord in heaven, and not on earth, was necessary in view of the fact that the life of a slave was in any case difficult and the services of a slave were not always sufficiently appreciated by his master. Eph.6:9. And you, gentlemen, do the same with them, moderating your severity, knowing that above you and above them there is a Lord in heaven, with whom there is no partiality. Referring to Christian slave owners, Ap. convinces them to treat their slaves as well as they treat the execution of their orders. – “Moderating -” is more correct: “without applying measures of severity.” The latter could be recognized as inevitable only where slaves were thought of as people hostile to their master, which was the case in pagan houses, and not among Christians. Eph.6:10–24. A Christian has to wage a difficult struggle with evil spirits, who act mostly through evil people. In this struggle, a Christian must apply all his strength that is given to him in Christianity. This struggle also lies before Ap himself. Paul, and the Ephesians should therefore pray for him, so that he will prevail in this struggle. Eph.6:10. Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. “Finally” is more correct: “for the rest”, “as for the rest”. Apostle, obviously, would like to say a lot to the Ephesians, but he concentrates all this much in the following exhortation - to stock up on sufficient strength to fight the spirits of evil, for which they must find help from the Lord Jesus Christ. Eph.6:11. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you can stand against the wiles of the devil, Eph.6:12. because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spirits of wickedness in high places. “The whole armor of God” are those virtues about which Ap. speaks further with Eph.6:13. – “Flesh and blood” are people hostile to Christianity. They act against Christians not on their own, but as instruments of evil spirits who think through them to put an end to the spread of the Gospel. – “Rulers of the world” – see John 12:31. - “The Celestial Empire”. “They live not in the very heavens, but below them, not at a particularly high altitude above the earth. Eph.6:13. For this purpose take on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on the evil day and, having done everything, to stand Eph.6:14. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, Eph.6:15. and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; “On the evil day” - when enemies take up arms against Christians with all their might. - “Girding your loins with truth” - that is, having confirmed in yourself confidence in the truth of the cause for which you are fighting. This confidence, like a belt on a wide robe, gives the spiritual warrior agility in the fight against enemies, because self-confidence is already half the victory. – “I am armored with righteousness,” that is, righteous intentions, the absence of any side interests. - “Putting on your feet..”. The warrior who will take a firm step will be the one who cultivates in himself the confidence that he brings with him the highest good - peace with God (Eph. 1:2, 2:14) or salvation. It is better to translate: “putting on the readiness which the Gospel or the preaching of peace gives or communicates.” Eph.6:16. and above all, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery arrows of the evil one; Eph.6:17. and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. “Above all” - more precisely: “for everything that was previously mentioned, one must take or hide behind the shield of faith” - of course, “faith”, as confidence in the truth of Christianity. This is a very large shield (θυρεός), covering the entire body of a warrior, which could be hit, without harm to the bearer of this shield, and arrows, which were sometimes thrown while lit. - “Helmet of salvation”, i.e. the confidence that we are saved by the merits of Christ. - “Spiritual sword,” that is, given by the Spirit of God. – “The Word of God” – i.e. the Gospel (cf. Rom. 1:16 and Matt. 4:4). Eph.6:18. Pray at all times in the spirit with every prayer and petition, and strive for this very thing with all constancy and prayer for all the saints Spiritual struggle must certainly be accompanied by prayer to God. This prayer is “every kind,” that is, it takes on a different character according to the need that the spiritual warrior feels. Prayer must be done in the Spirit of God, who helps us in prayer (cf. Rom. 8:26). At the same time, the spiritual warrior must constantly pray for all Christians ("saints"), since they all wage a spiritual struggle against the spirits of evil ("constancy and prayer" - constantly praying). “It will never happen that during prayer, having only yourself in mind, you will thus attract the mercy of God to yourself” (Chrysostom). Eph.6:19. and about me, that the word might be given to me to openly and boldly proclaim with my mouth the mystery of the gospel, Eph.6:20. for whom I perform an embassy in prison, so that I can boldly preach as I should. In particular, Ap. asks the Ephesians for prayers for himself, so that he will be given the freedom to express everything he needs before the Roman judges, so that he will be looked upon as an envoy of Christ and will be allowed to freely express the commands of his Master, the King-Christ, as other envoys are allowed to express the desires of the kings who sent them. Eph.6:21. And so that you too may know about my circumstances and affairs, Tychicus, beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will inform you about everything, Eph.6:22. whom I sent to you just so that you would know about us and so that he would comfort your hearts. Eph.6:23. Peace to the brothers and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Eph.6:24. Grace be with all who always love our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. In conclusion, Ap. informs readers that details about the position of the Apostle in Rome will be given to them by Tychicus (see Acts 20:4). – “Unchanging” – εν αφθαρσία – imperishable. Love for Christ must be uncorrupted, not susceptible to any destructive influences. According to Ewald, this is “the primary commandment in the entire Old Testament promise” (εν επαγγελία), i.e. in the revelation of the Old Testament You might be interested in: