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 (Act 5:29; compare on the other hand, the abuse, Mar 7:11-13).
right--Even by natural law we should render obedience to them from whom we have derived life.
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 (Deu 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.
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 (Deu 6:7; "catechise," Pro 22:6, Margin), whether of encouragement, or remonstrance, or reproof, according as is required [TRENCH]. Contrast Sa1 3:13, Margin.
of the Lord--such as the Lord approves, and by His Spirit dictates.
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 (Co1 7:22).
fear and trembling--not slavish terror, but (See on Co1 2:3; Co2 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 (Ch1 29:17; Mat 6:22-23; Luk 11:34). "Simplicity."
men-pleasers--not Christ-pleasers (compare Gal 1:10; Th1 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 (Psa 111:1; Rom 13:5).
the same--in full payment, in heaven's currency.
shall . . . receive-- (Co2 5:10; Col 3:25; but all of grace, Luk 17:10).
bond or free-- (Co1 7:22; Co1 12:13; Gal 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 (Pro 19:17).
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 (Act 10:34; Rom 2:11; Gal 2:6; Col 3:25; Pe1 1:17). Derived from Deu 10:17; Ch2 19:7.
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.
of God--furnished by God; not our own, else it would not stand (Psa 35:1-3). Spiritual, therefore, and mighty through God, not carnal (Co2 10:4).
wiles--literally, "schemes sought out" for deceiving (compare Co2 11:14).
the devil--the ruling chief of the foes (Eph 6:12) organized into a kingdom of darkness (Mat 12:26), opposed to the kingdom of 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; Eph 5:8; Luk 22:53; Col 1:13). On Satan and his demons being "world rulers," compare Joh 12:31; Joh 14:30; Joh 16:11; Luk 4:6; Co2 4:4; Jo1 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 (Co2 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 (Mat 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 (Rev 12:5, Rev 12:9-10), 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).
the evil day--the day of Satan's special assaults (Eph 6:12, Eph 6:16) in life and at the dying hour (compare Rev 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 (Psa 41:1, Margin).
done all--rather, "accomplished all things," namely, necessary to the fight, and becoming a good soldier.
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] (Jo1 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 Th1 5:8.
the preparation--rather, "the preparedness," or "readiness of," that is, arising from the "Gospel" (Psa 10:17). Preparedness to do and suffer all that God wills; readiness for march, as a Christian soldier.
gospel of peace--(compare Luk 1:79; Rom 10:15). The "peace" within forms a beautiful contrast to the raging of the outward conflict (Isa 26:3; Phi 4:7).
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 (Pe1 5:9), and his darts of temptation to wrath, lust, revenge, despair, &c. It overcomes the world (Jo1 5:4), and so the prince of the world (Jo1 5:18).
sword of the Spirit--that is, furnished by the Spirit, who inspired the writers of the word of God (Pe2 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; Rev 1:16; Rev 2:12). The two-edged sword, cutting both ways (Psa 45:3, Psa 45:5), striking some with conviction and conversion, and others with condemnation (Isa 11:4; Rev 19:15), is in the mouth of Christ (Isa 49:2), in the hand of His saints (Psa 149:6). Christ's use of this sword in the temptation is our pattern as to how we are to wield it against Satan (Mat 4:4, Mat 4:7, Mat 4:10). 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 (Luk 9:62); our only safety is in resisting ceaselessly (Mat 4:11; Jam 4:7).
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 (Rom 8:15, Rom 8:26; Gal 4:6; Jde 1:20).
watching--not sleeping (Eph 5:14; Psa 88:13; Mat 26:41). So in the temple a perpetual watch was maintained (compare Anna, Luk 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.
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; Dan 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, Eze 3:11; Co2 4:13).
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 Act 28:16, Act 28:20, "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 (Act 26:29); compare Act 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].
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 (Act 20:4; Ti2 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.
our affairs--Greek, "the things concerning us," namely, concerning myself. "Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas" (Col 4:10).
in sincerity--Greek, "in incorruption," that is, not as English Version, but "with an immortal (constant) love" [WAHL]. Compare "that which is not corruptible" (Pe1 3:4). Not a fleeting, earthly love, but a spiritual and eternal one [ALFORD]. Contrast Col 2:22, worldly things "which perish with the using." Compare Co1 9:25, "corruptible . . . incorruptible crown." "Purely," "holily" [ESTIUS], without the corruption of sin (See on Co1 3:17; Pe2 1:4; Jde 1:10). Where the Lord Jesus has a true believer, there I have a brother [BISHOP M'IKWAINE]. He who is good enough for Christ, is good enough for me [R. HALL]. The differences of opinion among real Christians are comparatively small, and show that they are not following one another like silly sheep, each trusting the one before him. Their agreement in the main, while showing their independence as witnesses by differing in non-essentials, can only be accounted for by their being all in the right direction (Act 15:8-9; Co1 1:2; Co1 12:3).