Ephesians 6:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But in what sense is it said, “This is the first commandment”? The first should have been called, “You shall not murder,” and “You shall not commit adultery.”

The Apostle calls this commandment first not in order, but in relation to the promise. Some commandments are directed against evil and toward the avoidance of evil, and no reward is attached to them.

To others, as guiding us toward the doing of good, a promise is also attached. Notice what a wondrous foundation for virtue the Apostle lays, and rightly, in honoring and respecting parents.

Having forbidden evil deeds, and intending to pass to teaching about good works, he first commands honor toward parents. After God, they are for us the chief authors of life.

Therefore they rightly have the first claim to taste good fruits from us, and afterward all other people. If someone is disrespectful toward parents, will he ever be respectful toward outsiders?

How, then, does he say that this is the first commandment? For this is not the first commandment, but rather, “You shall not murder,” and “You shall not commit adultery.”

But observe that he added, “with a promise.” Those earlier commandments do not speak of promise and recompense, because they contain a prohibition of evil, not a command to do good.

There is no reward for one who merely abstains from evil. But this commandment concerns the doing of good. It is the first to contain a promise.

And the order is remarkable. As soon as the Lawgiver turned people away from evil deeds, intending to lead them toward the doing of good, He placed honor toward parents first.

Since they are our first benefactors after God, as sources of life, let them rightly be the first to enjoy our fruits.

Then the Apostle speaks about wives, husbands, children, fathers, servants, and masters, because concerning this the Jews slandered him, and also some of the Gentiles, perhaps even the Ephesians. Therefore he wrote this to the Ephesians in order to defend himself and to show that he cared for them more than for the Jews and Gentiles.

Perhaps the Apostle speaks this way because, for the people coming out of Egypt, the Decalogue was the first law. Each commandment of the Decalogue should be called a first commandment in comparison with those later written in the Law. See also the interpretation of Eph 6:1.

Since the first four commandments refer to God, it is understood that they are included in the first commandment with a promise. The second refers to man: honoring parents, prohibiting murder, adultery, theft, false witness, and coveting a neighbor’s possession. These six commandments are considered as “the second commandment,” and its beginning is, “Honor your father and mother.”

There are other commandments before this one, but the Lawgiver did not join a promise to them. Here, however, He added: Verse 3. “That it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.”

“Which is the first commandment with a promise.” By pointing out that to this commandment alone is joined the promise of long life as a reward for fulfilling it, the Apostle wishes to show its importance and the necessity of fulfilling it.

2. The duties of children and parents. Children (Eph 6:1-3) must obey their parents “in the Lord,” that is, according to the Lord’s will. All the more so, since the welfare of children and God’s blessing upon their whole life depend on this obedience, as is said in the commandment of the Decalogue. Parents (Eph 6:4) must “not provoke their children,” that is, they must act without excessive severity. They must “bring them up in the teaching and admonition of the Lord.”

The Apostle considers the duty of children to obey their parents a debt of justice and one of the first commandments of God given by God concerning human relations.

To define the Christian character of children’s obedience, he says that it must be “in the Lord.”

“By the words ‘in the Lord,’ that is, in Jesus Christ, both this is declared, that such obedience is pleasing to the Lord, and this is suggested: if the will of parents disagrees with the will of God, children may disobey them, so as not to disobey the Lord” (Bishop Theophan).

Saint John Chrysostom teaches the necessity of obedience to parents in this way: “After God, they are the chief authors of our life. Therefore they have the first right to our honor, and afterward all other people.

Having described the relations of spouses to one another, the Apostle naturally passes to the question of the relation of children to parents. Children must show Christian obedience (εν κυριω) to their parents, not only because they are physically and morally dependent on them. They must do so chiefly because the Law of God requires it, “for this is right,” in its fifth commandment. In the Decalogue, this is the first commandment accompanied by a promise of reward for its fulfillment (πρώτη έν επαγγελί).

The Apostle takes the second foundation and motive for children’s obedience to parents from the commandment of the law to honor father and mother.

How will someone who sincerely honors his parents dare to disobey them? And if someone does not show obedience, who will believe that he honors his parents?

Honor for parents is an inward feeling. Acts of obedience to them reveal that inward honor.

But since obedience is possible not from honor, but from fear or from some calculation, for example concerning an inheritance, the Apostle rightly placed the law of honor as the foundation of obedience.

By this it is clear who truly shows obedience.

“But in what sense is it said, ‘which is the first commandment’? The Apostle calls this commandment first not in order, but in relation to the promise” (Saint Chrysostom).