Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. OBEY, [ hupakouete (G5219)] - stronger than as to wives "submitting," or 'being subject' (Ephesians 5:21). Obedience is unreasoning and implicit; submission is the willing subjection of an inferior in point of order to one having a righ... [ Continue Reading ]
Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) Here the authority of revealed law is added. WHICH IS ... [ heetis (G3748 ): INASMUCH AS IT IS] PROMISE. The "promise" is not the main motive, but an incidental one. The main motive is, it is God's will (Deuteronomy 5:... [ Continue Reading ]
That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. THOU MAYEST LIVE (LITERALLY, THOU SHALT: A LASTING AND SURE EFFECT OF OBEDIENCE) LONG ON THE EARTH. In , "long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee," which Paul adapts to Gospel times by taking away the local refe... [ Continue Reading ]
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. AND - superiors also have duties to the inferiors. FATHERS - including mothers. The fathers are specified, as being the fountains of domestic authority. Fathers are more prone to pas... [ Continue Reading ]
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; SERVANTS - literally, 'slaves.' MASTERS ACCORDING TO THE FLESH - in contrast to your heavenly Master (Ephesians 6:4). A consolatory hint that the ma... [ Continue Reading ]
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; (.) Seeking to please masters only so long as their eyes are on them: as Gehazi was very different in his master's presence from what he was in his absence, (2 Kings 5:1.) MEN-PLEASERS - not... [ Continue Reading ]
With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: GOOD WILL - expressing the servant's feeling toward his master; as "doing the will of God from the heart" (soul) expresses the source of that feeling () - namely, his having given his 'soul' to "God" to do 'His will.' "Good, will" is... [ Continue Reading ]
Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. KNOWING - encouraging reason why they were to act so (Ellicott). ANY MAN DOETH, [ ho (G3588) ean (G1437) ti (G5100) hekastos (G1538) poieesee (G4160)] - 'each man shall have don... [ Continue Reading ]
And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. THE SAME THINGS - mutatis mutandis. Show the same regard to God's will, and your servant's well-being, in relation to them, as they ough... [ Continue Reading ]
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. MY BRETHREN. So C G g, Vulgate. But 'Aleph (') A B Delta omit. The phrase occurs nowhere else (see, however, Ephesians 6:23): if genuine, it is appropriate in the close of the letter, where he is urging his fellow-soldier... [ Continue Reading ]
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. THE WHOLE ARMOUR - "the armour of light" () on the right hand and left (). The panoply, offensive and defensive. An image suggested by the Roman armoury, Paul being in Rome. Repeated emphatically . In it... [ Continue Reading ]
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 'For the [ hee (G3588)] wrestling to us [so 'Aleph (') A, Vulgate. But B Delta G f 'to you'] ('the wrestling' in w... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. WHEREFORE - since we have such formidable foes. TAKE ... OF GOD - not 'make;' God has done that: you have only to 'take up' [ analabete (G353)] and put it on. The E... [ Continue Reading ]
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; STAND THEREFORE - ready for battle. 'Having girt about [ perizoosamenoi (G4024)] your loins with (in: en (G1722)) truth' - i:e., with sincerity, a good conscience (2 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Timot... [ Continue Reading ]
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Translate, 'Having shod your feet' (referring to the military sandals then used). THE PREPARATION, [ hetoimasia (G2091)] - 'the preparedness' or readiness (for the good warfare) of' (i:e., produced by) the "Gospel" (Psalms 10:17).... [ Continue Reading ]
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ABOVE ALL, [ epi (G1909)]. So A. Delta G 'Over all:' so as to cover all that was put on before. Three integuments are specified-the breastplate, girdle, and shoes; two defenses-the helm... [ Continue Reading ]
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: TAKE, [ dexasthe (G1209)] - different Greek from Ephesians 6:13; Ephesians 6:16. 'Receive' the helmet provided by the Lord-namely, "salvation," appropriated already, as 1 Thessalonians 5:8, "helmet, the hope... [ Continue Reading ]
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; PRAYING - joined with the principal verb "stand" (Ephesians 6:14). ALWAYS, [ en (G1722) panti (G3956) kairoo (G2540)] - 'in every season:' implying opportuni... [ Continue Reading ]
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, FOR ME - a different Greek preposition [ huper (G5228): 'on my behalf' in particular] from that in Ephesians 6:18 [ peri (G4012): concerning]. THAT I MAY OPEN MY MOUTH BOLD... [ Continue Reading ]
For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. FOR, [ huper (G5228)] - 'On behalf of which.' AN AMBASSADOR IN BONDS. A paradox. Ambassadors were inviolable by the law of nations, and could not, without outrage to sacred right, be put in chains. Yet... [ Continue Reading ]
But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: THAT YE ALSO - as I have been discussing things relating to you, that ye also may know about me, (cf. Colossians 4:7). Neander takes it, 'ye also... [ Continue Reading ]
Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts. FOR THE SAME PURPOSE - Greek, 'for this, very purpose' (). OUR AFFAIRS - Greek, 'the things concerning us.'... [ Continue Reading ]
Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. LOVE WITH [ meta (G3326 )] FAITH. Faith is presupposed: he prays that love may accompany it (Galatians 5:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
Grace - The [ hee (G3588)] grace of God in Christ. Contrast the malediction on all who love Him not (1 Corinthians 16:22). IN SINCERITY, [ en (G1722) aphtharsia (G861)] - 'in incorruption,' 'in imperishableness,' 'with an immortal, undecaying love.' Compare "that which is not corruptible" (1 Peter... [ Continue Reading ]