Colossians 3:20

Colossians 3:20. Children, obey your parents. ‘ Obey' is stronger than ‘submit' (Colossians 3:18); the wife is to be consulted, her wishes considered; but children should ‘obey.' whether they know the reasons for the command or not. In their earliest years children learn respecting God from their relation to their parents. If they do not learn to obey, the foundation of their ethics, as well as of their theology, is not properly laid.

In all things. This is the rule; exceptions are left out of view. Christian parents are referred to (Ephesians 6:1: ‘in the Lord'), and Christian children are addressed, since this motive is added: for this is well pleasing in the Lord. (The received reading is poorly supported) Such obedience is indeed well pleasing ‘unto the Lord,' but the Apostle uses the phrase ‘in the Lord,' in connection with these social precepts, to set forth the Christian character of the duty: ‘as judged by a Christian standard, as judged by those who are members of Christ's body' (Lightfoot). Comp. Ephesians 6:1-2.