Author: Will

Ephesians 6:9 – God-Honoring Bosses

Posted on by Will

And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

Truth to Learn

Bosses are to do their job in a God-honoring way.

 

Behind the Words

The words “giving up” are from the Greek verb aniēmi. This is made up of ana, meaning “up” or “back” and hiemi, meaning “to send.” Literally, this word means “to send back.” In other words, aniēmi means “to dismiss,” “to let go,” or “to let up.”

“Threatening” is translated from the noun apeilē, which is from the verb apeileō, meaning “to threaten.” Thus, apeilē refers to “a threat.”

“Heaven” is translated from ouranos, meaning “heaven.” There are three places referred to as “heaven” in the Bible: the atmosphere of earth (the first heaven), the starry universe (the second heaven), and that place outside of creation where God’s throne room exists (the third heaven). In today’s verse it is a reference to the third heaven, God’s throne room.

The word “partiality” is from prosōpolēpsia, which is composed of prosōpon, meaning “a face” and a form of lambanō, meaning “to take” or “to receive.” Thus it literally means “to receive a face;” that is, “showing favoritism” or “showing partiality.”

 

Meaning Explained

The first thing to notice in today’s verse, as Paul talks to Christian bosses, is that he recognizes the need for a hierarchy of authority even in the work force. He doesn’t tell bosses (or slave masters) to quit being a boss and get to work with the workers. And, he doesn’t tell bosses to stop telling the workers what to do. Within the church body we are all equals (we’re all sinners saved by grace), yet we each have a different function. Both within the church and in our secular jobs there are different positions of authority and responsibility.

Paul told us that as God’s slaves we are to do God’s will from the heart (verse six) and to perform our work with good thoughts as if we were working directly for God (verse seven). He also told us that when we do this type of work and do it well, God will do good things for us. God created each of us to do good works; He even determined ahead of time what kind of work we should do. Earlier, in this letter to the Ephesians, Paul said:

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

Now, he tells bosses the same thing he told workers: do your job as God’s servant and do it for His glory. Do what you were called to do, but don’t abuse your position. Don’t threaten your workers. They are God’s workers just like you are and you are to treat them the same way God treats you. God doesn’t tell us that bosses are more important than workers or that workers are more important than bosses. What he does say, in the seventh chapter of 1Corinthinas, is to be content in whatever job we have. Here he tells us, whether boss or worker, we are do our very best. We are working for God. Let’s give Him the glory.

 

Application

If you have people working under your direction, this verse is specifically for you. God has placed you in a position of authority, so do your job in a God-honoring way. Guide and oversee your workers, but don’t abuse or threaten them.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:8 – Rewards, Temporal or Eternal?

Posted on by Will

knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

Truth to Learn

Living for God will produce eternal rewards from God.

 

Behind the Words

“Knowing” is from the Greek verb eidō, which means “to have seen with perception.” Thus, it is often expressed in English as “to know.” Here it is expressed as a perfect participle, indicating past completed action (having seen) with an ongoing effect (therefore I know) where the emphasis is on the effect.

The phrase “whatever good anyone does” is really a third class conditional clause in Greek. A literal translation might be, “each one if he should do anything good.” The three conditional classes of New Testament Greek are: 1st class (assumption that the “if” statement is true), 2nd class (assumption that the “if” statement is false), and 3rd class (a true conditional in which no assumption is made about the “if” clause).

“He will receive” is translated from the Greek verb komidzō, meaning “to obtain” or “to acquire.” When used as it is in this verse it means “to receive in return for something done.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul has taught us that in our jobs we are to be obedient to our bosses, performing our duties with good thoughts. And, we are not to work just for show, but with a singular focus as if we were working directly for God. Now he tells us why we are to work this way: because we know that whatever good we do will come back to us from God.

On the surface this sounds like we are to be selfish, only working for what we can get for ourselves. However, this verse keenly demonstrates the difference between an earthly “now” focus and a heavenly “forever” focus. God made us with desires. When these desires are focused on what we want in the material world they can lead to sin:

But each one is tempted by his own desires, being drawn away and enticed by them. Then, desire having conceived, gives birth to sin; and sin, having been completed, brings forth death. (James 1:14-15)

However, if our desires are focused on what God wants us to do while on this earth, we are promised rewards in heaven:

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become revealed; for the Day will make it known, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire will prove each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is consumed, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

God wants our entire life to be focused on Him. Whether it is in our paycheck-earning job, our ministry, our worship, our giving, or our interactions within our family and within the church, God wants us to do it all for Him. If we give our all to Him while on this earth, He will give us eternal rewards.

 

Application

We all have a choice in this life to live for ourselves or to live for God. Living for ourselves may produce fame and fortune, which will vanish one day. Living for God will result in eternal, heavenly rewards from Him. Which would you rather have? It’s all a matter of where your life focus is.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:7 – Give Your Best!

Posted on by Will

serving with goodwill, as to the Lord, and not to men,

Truth to Learn

God gave us His best, so we should give Him our best.

 

Behind the Words

“serving” is translated from the Greek verb douleuō, which is derived from doulos (a bond servant or slave). Douleuō means “to be subject to and perform service for a master.” The verb is expressed here as a participle in the present tense, indicating continual action in the present.

The word “with” is from the Greek preposition meta, which indicates accompaniment. It is different than the Greek preposition sun, which implies “union with” or “integrated with.” Meta means “in the midst of, among, or along with.”

Eunoia is the Greek word translated “goodwill.” It is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of nous, referring to “the mind and its thoughts or feelings.” Therefore, we see that eunoia literally means “good thoughts” or “good feelings.” In the New Testament, eunoia refers to the actions which result from good thoughts; that is, benevolence or goodwill.

 “Lord” is from kurios. We saw in verse five that this refers to “a person who is in a position of authority over you.” When accompanied by the definite article as it is here, it is a reference to “the Lord,” that is to God, who is our Lord and our Master.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul is in the middle of teaching us how we are to behave at work. Nearly all of us have a boss, and even those of us who work for ourselves recognize that our customers are like a boss. A fortunate few of us have a boss whom we really like, but many of us have a boss that we don’t like or that is difficult to work for.

Paul makes no distinction between good and bad bosses, and Peter, in 1Peter 2:18, says we are to be submissive no matter what kind of boss he or she is. In yesterday’s verse we were instructed regarding how not to do our jobs. We are not to perform our work just to give the appearance that we are doing well, and we are not to do our job just to please someone (like our boss).

On the surface this seems a bit contradictory; if we aren’t selfishly doing our job just for appearance sake and we aren’t doing our job just to please our boss or someone else, then who are we doing it for? Today’s verse gives us the answer. We are to perform our job as if we were working directly for our Lord God.

In Exodus 35:35, Daniel 1:17, and Daniel 9:22, we see that God is the one who bestows abilities on us. Couple this with James 1:17 and we see that any gift, talent, or ability we have is a gift from God. Therefore, we should use the talents He has given us to the best of our ability as before Him and unto Him. And, Paul specifically tells us here that we are to do our jobs with good thoughts and with a servant’s heart.

 

Application

As God’s children we are also God’s servants (bond slaves). We have been bought with the blood of Christ; He has purchased us and given us specific gifts and abilities. For these reasons, and in gratitude for all that He has done for us, we should perform whatever task we undertake as if we were doing it directly for Him. We need to give Him the best we have. After all, He gave His best for us, didn’t He?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:6 – Jesus, Our Boss

Posted on by Will

not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

Truth to Learn

We are to work at our jobs as if our boss was Jesus himself.

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “eyeservice” is ophthalmodouleia, which is composed of ophthalmos, meaning “eye” and douleia, meaning “slavery” or “service.” Thus, this word literally does mean “eyeservice.” Ophthalmodouleia implies work that is being done only when someone is watching or work that is done primarily for appearance sake.

“Men-pleasers” is from anthrōpareskos. This word is made up of anthrōpos, meaning “man” and areskō, meaning “to be agreeable” or “to be pleasing.” This word describes the action of those who try to gain favor with others. The implication is that they are focused on pleasing other people instead of focusing on pleasing God.

The word “servants” is doulos, the same word Paul used in the previous verse, meaning “someone who, either voluntarily or involuntarily, is in a position of servitude to someone else and whose will is completely submitted to that of his or her master.”

 

Meaning Explained

Yesterday we learned that Christian slaves are to be obedient to their masters and they are to serve their masters with singleness of heart. In other words, they are to listen attentively to their masters, doing what they are told without attempting to deceive. In addition, based on what we learned yesterday, we can safely say that this message applies to anyone who works for someone else, anyone who has a boss. In 1Peter 2:18, the Apostle Peter tells us that we are to submit (under-rank ourselves) to our bosses:

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.

Between Ephesians 6:5, 6 and 1Peter 2:18 we can learn a lot about how we are to perform at our jobs. First of all, we are to listen attentively to our bosses, learning what we can from them and obediently doing what they ask (or tell) us to do. Second, we are to serve them with singleness of purpose. Third, we are to do our work for them as if we were doing the work for our Lord Jesus Christ, as His slaves. Fourth, we are to always be diligent at what we do, not just when someone is watching us, but at all times. Fifth, we are not to perform our jobs just to impress someone. Finally, we are to have a submissive attitude with regard to our boss. And we are to do so not just for the gentle bosses we might have, but to the unreasonable bosses as well. Incidentally, the Greek word translated “unreasonable” in the 1Peter passage above literally means “crooked.”

Whatever job we might find ourselves in, we need to recognize that God has placed us under the authority of our boss. Therefore, in a very real sense, we are doing our job for the Lord. We need to perform our work as if Jesus Christ was working right beside us. And – our Lord deserves the full credit for any success that we might have.

 

Application

Do you have a lousy boss? If so, remember that God has placed you under his (or her) authority and you need to perform your work for him (or her) as if Christ himself was your boss. Can you do that? Is so, you might be surprised at the results.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:5 – Obedient to Masters

Posted on by Will

Servants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ;

Truth to Learn

Christians are to be respectful and obedient to their bosses.

 

Behind the Words

“Servants” is from the Greek word doulos, which refers to “someone who, either voluntarily or involuntarily, is in a position of servitude to someone else and whose will is completely submitted to that of his or her master.”

The word translated “obedient” is hupakouō. In verse one of this chapter, we learned that this literally means “to hear under.” As used here it means “to listen attentively and obey.”

The word “masters” is translated from kurios, meaning “a person who is in a position of authority over you.”

“Fear” is from the Greek word phobos, which is related to the verb phebomai, which means “to flee from.” In Greek writing, Phobos has several nuances of meaning including: honor, respect, reverence, fear, or terror.

Tromos is the word translated “trembling.” It generally refers to “trembling of the body as a result of extreme fear.” When combined with phobos (as it is here), it is a reference to “great timidity or profound reverence, respect, or dread.”

The word translated “singleness” is haplotēti. This word is derived from a (a particle of connection or union) and the base of plekō, meaning “to braid together.” Thus, haplotēti refers to the characteristic of not being divided, but being a single unit.

 

Meaning Explained

In the Roman society in which this letter was written, slaves made up between twenty and forty percent of the population. Slaves were considered to be the legal property of their owner and they had no rights within Roman society. Most slaves were owned by individuals, but some were owned by the Roman people. Some of these public slaves did menial work while others did skilled office work such as accounting and secretarial duties.

A person became a slave in one of three ways: people who were defeated and captured by the Roman army, a Roman father had the right to sell his children into slavery, or a person could voluntarily surrender himself into slavery. In addition to bond slaves, there were household servants (Greek word oiketēs) who worked within a household but were not owned by the master of the house

The Apostolic teaching of the first century does not declare that slavery is wrong; however, within the church all members are considered equal. Paul’s teaching here and in Colossians 3:22 was specifically directed at bond slaves, but the Apostle Peter says the same thing to household servants in 1Peter 2:18.

Both Paul and Peter taught that servants and slaves were to be respectful and obedient to their masters, recognizing that they were under the authority of their master in the same way that all Christians are under Christ’s authority.

 

Application

All Christians are to be respectful and obedient to those who are in authority over them. Whether your boss is kind or mean, honest or devious, being sincerely obedient to him or her is the same as being obedient to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:4 – Godly Parenting

Posted on by Will

And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Truth to Learn

Parents should be an example of God’s love in the way they raise their children.

 

Behind the Words

The words “provoke … to anger” are translated from the Greek verb parorgidzō, which is made up of para meaning “near” or “beside,” implying movement toward something, and orgidzō, meaning “to provoke” or “to cause anger.” Hence, parorgidzō literally means “to move someone to the point of anger.”

The words “bring them up” are from ektrephō. This is composed of ek, meaning “out of” but used as an intensifier, and trephō, meaning “to stiffen or fatten;” that is, “to nourish.” Ektrephō means “to bring up” or “to nurture.”

“Discipline” is from paideia, which refers to “education and training accomplished through instruction and discipline.”

“Instruction” is translated from the Greek word nouthesia, which is made up of nous, referring to “the mind” or “intellect” and a derivative of ththēmi, meaning “to place” or “to stand.” The basic meaning of nouthesia is “to instruct by calling attention to something or by giving a warning.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul’s current subject of instruction is about how we are to behave within a family. At the end of the last chapter he talked about how a husband and wife are to relate to each other. In the past few verses he talked about how we are to think and act with respect to our parents. Now he teaches how fathers (and mothers) are to treat their children.

During the first century, the world was under Roman domination. With each area the Romans defeated, they imposed their laws and their lifestyle. For the most part, however, they allowed the conquered countries to continue their own religious practices as long as they recognized the emperor (Caesar) as a god also. Within Roman society the man was ruler of his household and could do almost anything he wanted with his wife and children. In that society wives and children were viewed as little more than possessions. Because of this, abuse and what we would consider crimes against women and children were commonplace in Roman households.

In teaching about family relations within a Christian household, therefore, Paul addresses the role of the father more than any other member of the family. In today’s verse he tells fathers what to do and what not to do with regard to their children. First, he tells Christian fathers (and by association, Christian mothers) not to drive their children to anger. In Colossians 3:21 we learn that this actually causes children to become discouraged. Then, he tells fathers to educate their children, to train them, and to give them warnings about the consequences of certain actions. Paul tells them to do all this within the framework of God’s guidance and oversight.

 

Application

How we raise our children has a profound influence on how our children will relate to God later in life. If we demonstrate godly parenting, we can be firm, correcting, and loving all at the same time, demonstrating how God loves and treats us. Do your children see God in the way you are raising them?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:3 – Faithful Obedience from Love

Posted on by Will

That it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.

Truth to Learn

We should be obedient to God because we love Him, not because we want or expect something from Him.

 

Behind the Words

The verbal phrase “it may be” is translated from the Greek word ginomai, which means “to begin to be,” “to come into existence,” or “to come into a given condition or state.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood indicating the possibility or probability of occurrence.

“Live long” is from the Greek adjective makrochronios. This is the only place in the New Testament where this word occurs. It is made up of makros, meaning “large” or “long” and chronos, meaning “a length of time.” Thus, makrochronios literally means “long-timed” or “long- lived.” A literal translation of the second half of this verse might be, “and you will be long-lived on the earth.”

 

Meaning Explained

As we learned yesterday, Paul is basically quoting the fifth commandment. The first thing we have to notice is that he didn’t quote it exactly. We’ll see why in just a minute. Like the rest of the Law, this commandment was given to the Israelites after they left Egypt and before they entered the Promised Land. It specifically promises long life in the land of Canaan. But, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul modified the contents of the commandment to apply its principle to Christians living throughout the world.

As we have mentioned before, Christians are not under the Law of Moses. Keeping the Law does not make us righteous any more than it makes devout Jews righteous. In fact, Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians to address this very issue. In that church there were some who claimed that Christians had to keep the Law even after faith in Christ. He taught very clearly that we are not justified by obedience, we are justified by faith in Christ and we are no longer under the Law.

Therefore the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor. (Galatians 3:24-25)

The other thing we need to observe is that this is not a “magic formula” for God’s blessing; rather, it is given to us as a general principle. There are many people who have honored their parents and yet died young. That doesn’t make God a liar. Paul gives us these verses to teach us that it is proper for us to obey our parents and that, in general, God blesses those who do. Far too many Christians today believe that obedience to a set of rules is what pleases God. Their religion is no better than that of the Pharisees, who ultimately rejected the Messiah they claimed to be waiting for, even though they followed all the rules. Keep in mind what the writer of Hebrews said:

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seeking Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

 

Application

Our obedience to God should be because of our love for Him (see John 14:23), not because we want to win His favor. So, let us honor God by honoring our parents.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:2 – Honor Your Parents

Posted on by Will

“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise:

Truth to Learn

We should all give our parents honor and respect.

 

Behind the Words

Timaō is the Greek verb translated as “honor.” Timaō literally means “to place a high value on something.” It can refer to giving something a very high price, or it can refer to giving someone honor, respect, or reverence because of their great value as a person.

“Father” is from patēr. This is a primary word which refers to a father, either literally or figuratively.

“Mother” is translated from matēr, which is also a primary word. It refers either literally or figuratively to a mother.

The word translated “first” is protos, meaning “first in place, time, order, or importance.”

The word “commandment” is from entolē, which refers to “an authoritative edict.” Throughout the New Testament it is the word used to refer to one or more of the Ten Commandments.

“Promise” is translated from epangelia. This is a legal term referring to “a summons or promise to do or give something.”

 

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul has extended his teaching beyond how we are to relate to each other within the family of God (the church) to how we are to relate to each other within our individual families. In yesterday’s verse we were told that all children (young or old) are to obey their parents. The reason that Paul gave us is that it is the right (the proper) thing to do. In today’s verse he builds on that idea. He points out that one of the Ten Commandments specifically addressed this situation. It is the fifth commandment:

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)

“But Paul says that it is the first commandment,” you may say. Actually, what he says is that it is the first commandment that has a promise. If you carefully read through the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17, you will notice that the second commandment has a general declaration attached to it, but not a promise. The fifth commandment is the only one that has a promise associated with it. The first four of the commandments are specifically aimed at our relationship with God. The fifth commandment is a pivotal command which shows that there is an order of authority under God and the following commandments teach how we are to behave in our human relationships.

Before leaving this verse let me point out that Paul is not teaching that we are still under the Law of Moses. He focused specifically on our freedom from the law in his letter to the Galatians. However, the precepts given in the Ten Commandments are important. So much so, in fact, that all but the fourth commandment (to keep the Sabbath) are repeated in one form or another in the New Testament.

 

Application

We should all treat our parents with respect and honor. This is particularly true as our parents get older and need our special attention and care. Honor your parents and give God the glory!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:1 – Obedience is Right

Posted on by Will

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

Truth to Learn

Obeying our parents is what God expects from us.

 

Behind the Words

“Children” is translated from the Greek noun teknon, which is based on the verb tiktō, meaning “to bring forth, or bear children.” Therefore, teknon refers to someone who has been born, that is, a child. The word teknon is a neuter noun so there is no implication as to the gender of the child.

The word “obey” is from hupakouō, composed of hupo, meaning “under” or “beneath” and akouō, meaning “to hear” or “to listen.” Thus, hupakouō, means “to hear under,” that is, “to listen attentively.” By implication it means “to obey.” It is expressed here as a command.

“Parents” is from goneus, a noun derived from the verb ginomai, meaning “to begin to be” or “to generate.” Thus, goneus refers to someone who brought someone or something into being, that is, “a parent.”

Dikaion is the Greek word translated “right.” This is derived from the word dikē, which originally meant “a manner” or “a tendency.” Later it came to refer to the acceptance or correctness of established custom or usage. The basic meaning of dikaion is that of “an imposed standard of behavior which, if not met, results in punishment.”

 

Meaning Explained

Having spent most of the previous chapter teaching about the relationship between members of the body of Christ and how we are to treat one another, the Apostle Paul ended the chapter with a lesson on how husbands and wives are to interact with each other within the marriage relationship. Now, he moves on to other relationships within a household.

He starts off this section talking to children. Take note, however, that he is not simply talking to little children, adolescents, and teenagers. He uses the term teknon, which is a generic term for someone who has been born. In general usage it refers to those living in their parents’ home under their parents’ care. But, as Paul uses the word, it also refers to adults who still have a living mother or father. This is indicated by verse two and three where he refers to long life and blessing being a result of honoring your parents.

The expression “in the Lord” means that parental obedience is to be practiced as part of our submissive relationship with our Lord and Savior. Paul explains this a little further in his letter to the Colossians:

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. (Colossians 3:20)

God is pleased when we respect our parents and humbly learn all that we can from them.

 

Application

In the latter half of the twentieth century is was in vogue for those with problems of various kinds to blame their parents. As children of God, however, we are to humble ourselves before our God and to learn what we can from our parents (even when we are adults). This is right, and this is what God expects from His children.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:33 – Back to the Point

Posted on by Will

Moreover, each individual among you also is to love his own wife as himself, and the wife that she honors her husband.

Truth to Learn

The responsibilities of husband and wife are not optional.

 

Behind the Words

“Moreover” is a translation of the Greek adverb plēn, which is a contracted form of pleion, meaning “more.” This word can have a number of nuances such as, “much more,” “rather,” “but yet,” “nevertheless,” or “moreover.” Paul’s use of this word here indicates that he is bringing his reader back to the primary objective of his teaching.

The expression “each individual among you” is an unusual idiomatic expression in the Greek text. “Each individual” is from an expression that literally means “you one by one” (focusing on the individual being spoken to) and is followed by hekastos, which further individualizes the expression.

The verb “love” is once again from the Greek verb agapē. It is expressed here in the imperative mood, indicating a command.

“Honors” is translated from the word phobeō, which is often translated as “fear.” However, this word is also used as a metaphor for “respect,” “honor,” or “awe.” The form of this verb (subjunctive coupled with hina) indicates the same emphasis as an imperative. In other words, this is a command for women to honor their husbands.

 

Meaning Explained

The opening word of this verse indicates that Paul is aware that he has strayed off topic a little bit and is bringing his reader back to the topic at hand, how a man is to behave toward his wife. The unusual expression that he used indicates that he wants to bring his reader’s attention back from a focus on Christ and the church, to a focus on individual responsibility. And, his use of the command form of agapē, just as he did back in verse twenty-five, indicates that this is not an option for men.

The main focus of this chapter has been on how Christians are to behave with respect to others in the church. For the past eleven verses, however, he has focused on how a man and woman are to behave toward each other in a marriage relationship. He told women that they are to “under-rank” themselves with respect to their husbands and he told men that they are to demonstrate a self-sacrificing love toward their wives. After taking a few verses to teach us the mystery regarding Christ and the church (a marriage relationship with responsibilities exactly like husband and wife), he now reiterates his teaching for husbands and wives.

Paul’s use of phobeō in this verse could be misinterpreted unless we recognize that to Greeks this word had two meanings. In an emotional sense, it refers to being fearful, but in a moral sense (as it is used here), it refers to recognition of authority and power (reverence, honor, or respect).

 

Application

Men, quit making excuses and demonstrate to your wife the kind of love that Christ has for you. Women, forget your excuses too, and submit to your husband as unto the Lord. God will honor both of you for your faithful obedience.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved