Paul the
apostle gave instructions to the Ephesian church members, and he
began with the family. He directed “wives” to “submit”
to their “own husbands”, “husbands” to “love”
their “wives”, “children” to “obey”
their “parents” and “fathers” not to
“provoke” their “children unto wrath”. In chapter
six and verse five of his letter, Paul turned his attention toward
“servants” where he told them to “be obedient” to
their “masters”. We read:
Servants,
be obedient to them that are your
masters according to the flesh,
with fear
and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
The
verse begins, “Servants, be obedient to them
that are your
masters according to the flesh,...” Paul
began with the word, “Servants” which
literally means “bondmen or men of servile condition” and
metaphorically refers to “one who gives himself up to another's
will who are devoted to another to the disregard of one's own
interest or an attendant”, “be obedient”
or “listen and harken to the command” “to
them that are your masters” which is all
one Greek word “kyrios” and refers to “one to whom a person or
thing belongs about which he has power of deciding, master and owner”
“according to” or
“down from, through out, toward and along” “the
flesh” which means “the soft substance of
the living body which covers the bones and is permeated with blood.”
It is also, “the mere human and earthly nature of man apart from
divine influence and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God. Those
who work on the behalf of others are to “listen to, harken to and
obey” the directions of their “masters”.
The
verse goes on to say, “...with fear and trembling, in singleness
of your heart, as unto Christ;” Paul added, “with fear”
or “dread, terror and reverence” “and trembling” which
means “quaking with fear”, “in singleness” or
“simplicity, liberality and bountifulness” “of your heart”
which refers to “the center and vigor of all physical and spiritual
life”, “as unto Christ” who is “the anointed One, the
Messiah and the Son of God”. “Servants” are to
“reverence” their “masters” with “bountifulness”
as though it is “unto the Lord Jesus” Himself.
When
we consider these words of Paul, we may not be able to completely
relate to the idea of “servants” and “masters”.
We might do better to use the idea of “employees” with their
“employers”. Though “servants and masters” exist
today, there are certainly those who are “employed” by others.
Christian “employees” or “servants” should be
“reverent” and “obedient” unto their “bosses” or
“masters” because this bears witness of their relationship
with Jesus Christ. Christians should be the best “employees” they
can be, and as they “obey” their “bosses” as though
serving the Lord, they demonstrate the Christian life to all who
observe them.
Next
time Paul gives further instructions to “servants”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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