Ephesians 6:9

The duty of masters 6:9

Masters should seek to please the Lord in their dealings with their slaves even as slaves should try to please Christ as they serve their masters. They should not threaten because our heavenly Master does not threaten us. Threatening means warning that punishment will come immediately (cf. Acts 4:17; Acts 4:29; Acts 9:1); threatening goes beyond just warning. The opposite of threatening is gracious, just, and fair treatment (cf. Colossians 4:1; James 5:4). Masters should also remember that their Master in heaven will not show favoritism to them because of their social or economic status. He will evaluate them by the same standard that they have used to judge others (Matthew 7:1-5).

"This is a gentle reminder that earthly rank has no relevance in heaven." [Note: Morris, p. 198.]

Stott identified and discussed three major reasons he believed the apostles did not urge the abolition of slavery. First, Christians were an insignificant group in the Roman Empire during the first century and were politically powerless. Second, it was fairly easy to make the transition from slavery to freedom, and there was a growing tendency for Romans to free their slaves and even establish them in a trade or profession. Third, by this time the legal status of slaves was beginning to be eased and showed signs of further improvement. [Note: Stott, pp. 254-59.]

"The application of this passage to contemporary times must be done with caution. Paul was writing specifically for a society where slavery was a legal institution. However, there are certainly some principles from the passage that can be applied to employee/employer relationships in the present time. Primarily, Christian employees should serve their employers with fear, diligence, integrity, and good will and Christian employers should deal with their employees with integrity and goodwill, without threats. Both Christian employees and Christian employers need also to realize that they have a heavenly master to whom they are accountable for their attitudes and conduct. Furthermore, the behavior of both parties should be a testimony to the unbelievers with whom they work." [Note: Hoehner, Ephesians, p. 816.]

William Webb did not believe these exhortations apply to employer employee relationships. [Note: William J. Webb, Slaves, Women & Homosexuals.] Wayne Grudem rejected Webb’s "redemptive-movement hermeneutic" because he believed it nullifies in principle the moral authority of the entire New Testament. [Note: Wayne Grudem, "Should We Move Beyond the New Testament to a Better Ethic?" Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 47:2 (June 2004):299-346.] I agree with Grudem’s analysis.

As we review this section of duties, we need to remind ourselves that only a Spirit-filled believer will be able to fulfill them (Ephesians 5:15-20). Essentially what Paul urged was humility that expresses itself in loving submissiveness to others rather than arrogant self-assertiveness.

So ends Paul’s commands concerning how the Christian is to walk (live; Ephesians 4:1 to Ephesians 6:9): in unity, in holiness, in love, in light, and in wisdom.