Ephesians Chapter 6

From The Open Bible Project

6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

• (1) He comes to another part of a family, and shows that the duty of the children toward their parents consists in obedience to them.
• (2) The first argument: because God has so appointed. And upon this it follows also that children are obligated to obey their parents, that they may not swerve from the true worship of God.
• (a) For the Lord is author of all fatherhood, and therefore we must yield such obedience as he will have us.
• (3) The second argument: because this obedience is most just.

6:2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with a promise:

• (4) A proof of the first argument.
• (5) The third argument taken of the profit that ensues from it: because the Lord gave this commandment among all the rest a special blessing.
• (b) With a special promise: for otherwise the second commandment has a promise of mercy to a thousand generations, but that promise is general.

6:3 "that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth."[7]

6:4 You fathers, don't provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

• (6) It is the duty of fathers to use their fatherly authority moderately and to God’s glory.
• (c) Such information and precepts which are taken out of God’s book, and are holy and acceptable to him.

6:5 Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;

• (7) Now he descends to the third part of a family, that is, to the duty both of the masters and of the servants. And he shows that the duty of servants consists in a hearty love and reverence for their masters.
• (8) He moderates the sharpness of service, in that they are spiritually free even though they are servants, and yet that spiritual freedom does not take away physical service: insomuch that they cannot be Christ’s, unless they serve their masters willingly and faithfully, as much as they may with clear conscience.
• (d) With careful reverence: for slavish fear is not allowable, much less in Christian servants.

6:6 not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

• (9) To cut off occasion of all pretences, he teaches us that it is God’s will that some are either born or made servants, and therefore they must respect God’s will although their service is ever so hard.

6:7 with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men;

• (e) Being moved with a reverence for God, as though you served God himself.

6:8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is bound or free.

• (10) Although they serve unkind and cruel masters, yet the obedience of servants is no less acceptable to God, than the obedience of those that are free.

6:9 You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.

• (11) It is the duty of masters to use the authority that they have over their servants, modestly and in a holy manner, seeing that they in another respect have a common master who is in heaven, who will judge both the servant and the free.
• (f) Either of freedom or bondage.

6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.

• (12) He concludes the other part of this epistle with a grave exhortation, that all are ready and fight constantly, trusting in spiritual weapons, until their enemies are completely put to flight. And first of all he warns us to take up the armour of God, for with it alone may our enemy be dispatched.

6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

• (13) Secondly, he declares that our chiefest and mightiest enemies are invisible, so that we may not think that our chiefest conflict is with men.
• (g) Against men, who are of a frail and brittle nature, against whom are set spiritual wiles, a thousand times more mighty than the flesh.
• (h) He gives these names to the evil angels, by reason of the effects which they work: not that they are able to do the same in and of themselves, but because God gives them permission.

6:13 Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.

• (14) He shows that these enemies are put to flight only with the armour of God, that is, with uprightness of conscience, a godly and holy life, knowledge of the Gospel, faith, and to be short, with the word of God. And that daily earnest prayer must be made for the health of the Church, and especially for the steadfast faithfulness of the true, godly, and valiant ministers of the word.
• (i) See (Ephesians 5:16).

6:14 Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

6:15 and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace;

• (k) The preparation of the Gospel may be as it were shoes to you: and it is very fitly called the Gospel of peace, because, seeing we have to go to God through most dangerous ranks of enemies, this may encourage us to go on bravely, in that you know by the doctrine of the Gospel, that we are travelling to God who is at peace with us.

6:16 above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.

6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the [8] word [See Ephesians Footnotes 8] of God;

6:18 with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:

• (l) That holy prayers may proceed from the Holy Spirit.

6:19 on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,

6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

6:21 But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things;

• (15) A familiar and very amiable declaration of his state, together with a solemn prayer, with which Paul is accustomed to end his epistles.

6:22 whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts.

6:23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

6:24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.

• (m) Or to immortality, to life everlasting.