CHAPTER VI. _Children should obey their parents, that they may live long_ _and be happy_, 1-3. _Parents should be tender towards their children_, 4. _Servants should show all obedience and fidelity to their_ _masters_, 5-8. _And masters should treat their servants with humanity_, 9. _All shou... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ephesians 6:2. _HONOUR THY FATHER_] Exodus 20:12, Exodus 20:12, c., where this subject, together with the _promises_ and _threatenings_ connected with it, is particularly considered, and the _reasons_ of the duty laid down at large.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ephesians 6:4. _FATHERS, PROVOKE NOT YOUR CHILDREN TO WRATH_] Avoid all _severity_; this will hurt your own souls, and do them no good; on the contrary, if punished with _severity_ or _cruelty_, they will be only hardened and made desperate in their sins. _Cruel parents_ generally have _bad ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ephesians 6:5. _SERVANTS, BE OBEDIENT_] Though δουλος frequently signifies a _slave_ or _bondman_, yet it often implies a _servant_ in general, or any one bound to another, either for a limited time, or for life. Even a _slave_, if a Christian, was bound to serve him faithfully by whose money... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ephesians 6:6. _NOT WITH EYE-SERVICE_] Not merely in their presence, when their eye is upon you, as unfaithful and hypocritical servants do, without consulting conscience in any part of their work. _DOING THE WILL OF GOD_] Seeing that you are in the state of servitude, it is the will of God t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 7. _WITH GOOD WILL_] μετ ευνοιας. With _cheerfulness_; do not take up your service as a cross, or bear it as a burden; but take it as coming in the order of God's providence, and a thing that is pleasing to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 8. _WHATSOEVER GOOD THING ANY MAN DOETH_] Though your masters should fail to give you the due reward of your fidelity and labour, yet, as ye have done your work as unto the Lord, he will take care to give you the proper recompense. _WHETHER_ HE BE _BOND_] A _slave_, bought with money; _OR FR... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 9. _YE MASTERS, DO THE SAME THINGS UNTO THEM_] Act in the same affectionate, conscientious manner towards your slaves and servants, as they do towards you. _FORBEARING THREATENING_] If they should transgress at any time, lean more to the side of _mercy_ than _justice_; and when ye are obliged... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 10. _FINALLY_] Having laid before you, your great and high calling, and all the doctrines and precepts of the Gospel, it is necessary that I should show you the enemies that will oppose you, and the strength which is requisite to enable you to repel them. _BE STRONG IN THE LORD_] You must hav... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 11. _PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD_] Ενδυσασθε την πανοπλιαν του Θεου. The apostle considers every Christian as having a warfare to maintain against numerous, powerful, and subtle foes; and that therefore they would need much strength, much courage, complete armour, and skill to use it. The _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 12. _FOR WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD_] Ουκ εστιν ἡμιν ἡ παλη προς αἱμα και σαρκα· Our _wrestling_ or _contention is not with men_ like ourselves: _flesh and blood_ is a Hebraism for _men_, or _human beings_. Galatians 1:16. The word παλη implies the athletic exercises in the Oly... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 13. _WHEREFORE_] Because ye have such enemies to contend with, _take unto you_-assume, as provided and prepared for you, _the_ _whole armour of God_; which armour if you put on and use, you shall be both invulnerable and immortal. The ancient heroes are fabled to have had armour sent to them b... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _STAND THEREFORE_] Prepare yourselves for combat, _having your loins girt about with truth_. He had told them before _to take the whole armour of God_, Ephesians 6:13, and to _put on_ this _whole armour_. Having got all the pieces of it _together_, and the defensive parts _put on_, they w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _YOUR FEET SHOD_] The κνημιδες, or _greaves_, have been already described; they were deemed of essential importance in the ancient armour; if the feet or legs are materially wounded, a man can neither stand to resist his foe, pursue him if vanquished, nor flee from him should he have the w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 16. _ABOVE ALL_, (ΕΠΙ ΠΑΣΙΝ, _OVER ALL_ THE REST OF THE ARMOUR,) _TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH_] In the word θυρεος, _thureos,_ the apostle alludes to the great _oblong shield_, or _scutum_, which covers the whole body. See its description before. And as _faith_ is the grace by which all others... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION_] Or, as it is expressed, 1 Thessalonians 5:8, _And for a helmet, the hope of salvation_. It has already been observed, in the description of the Grecian armour, that on the crest and other parts of the helmet were a great variety of emblematical figures, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _PRAYING ALWAYS_] The apostle does not put praying among the armour; had he done so he would have referred it, as he has done all the rest, to some of the Grecian armour; but as he does not do this, therefore we conclude that his account of the armour is ended, and that now, having equippe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _AND FOR ME, THAT UTTERANCE MAY BE GIVEN UNTO ME_] ινα μοι δοθειη λογος. Kypke has proved by many examples that λογον διδοναι signifies permission and power to defend one's self in a court of justice; and this sense of the phrase is perfectly applicable to the case of St. Paul, who was an... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _AN AMBASSADOR IN BONDS_] An ambassador being the representative of his king, his person was in all civilized countries held sacred. Contrary to the rights of nations, this ambassador of the King of heaven was put in chains! He had however the opportunity of defending himself, and of vindi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _THAT YE ALSO_] As well as other Churches to whom I have communicated the dealings both of God and man to me. _MAY KNOW MY AFFAIRS_] May be acquainted with my situation and circumstances. _AND HOW I DO_] How I employ my time, and what fruit there is of my apostolical labours. _TYCHICUS,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _WHOM I HAVE SENT - FOR THE SAME PURPOSE_] Namely, that the Ephesians might know his affairs, and those of the Church at Rome: messengers of this kind frequently passed between the Churches in those ancient times. _COMFORT YOUR HEARTS._] By showing you how powerfully he was upheld in all... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _PEACE BE TO THE BRETHREN_] If the epistle were really sent to the _Ephesians_, a people with whom the apostle was so intimately acquainted, it is strange that he mentions no person by name. This objection, on which Dr. Paley lays great stress, (see the preface to this epistle,) has not be... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ephesians 6:24. _GRACE_ BE _WITH ALL THEM_] May the Divine _favour_, and all the benedictions flowing from it, be with all them who love our Lord Jesus Christ, who has so loved us as to give his life to redeem ours, and to save us unto life eternal. _IN SINCERITY._] εν αφθαρσια· In _incorrupt... [ Continue Reading ]