Ephesians 6:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Savior likewise confirms this: Do not fear those who can kill the body and can do nothing more. Rather, fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna (Mt 10:28).

Solomon bears witness to the same thing: Son, honor the Lord and you will be strong, and fear no other besides Him (Prov 7:1).

In view of this, the Apostle seems to preach something contrary, that slaves should obey masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, and that a wife should fear her husband.

Here one who answers simply will say that these commandments were established not for perfect slaves, nor for those who have known hidden wisdom, but for those who have only the first beginnings of faith and need humbler teachings, humitioribus doctrinis.

Another may affirm that one who does not have the spirit of bondage again to fear is not subject at all to the sentence that he must obey masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling.

He will say the same also concerning the wife, who is commanded to fear her husband. A third, here as also regarding the wife, will think that the word fear is used in the sense of reverent awe.

Yet he will be constrained by the fact that trembling is here joined to fear. Indeed, reverent fear may be fitting for a wife, that is, that she show reverent awe toward her husband.

But where trembling is present, fear no longer conveys the idea of reverence, but of dread. Thus, with regard to slaves, trembling was necessarily added after the fear of the Lord.

And to distinguish him from the spiritual Master, the master according to the flesh is mentioned here. Thus it is fitting for a slave who believes in God, but has not yet reached the fullness of knowledge, to serve his master according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in simplicity of heart.

He must serve him as faithfully as Christ. He must not serve for appearance, as those do who wish to please men. Rather, he must turn necessity into an object of his own desire, and make a reward for himself from his service.

This is especially so if the master according to the flesh does not command anything different from what is pleasing to the Lord of the spirit. This is precisely what the words mean: serving not only for appearance, to please men, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God.

Yet the slave must have this faithfulness not by compulsion, but voluntarily and according to the spirit. He should labor for his master as for Christ, from Whom he has received for faithful service a reward no less than if, as a free man, he served voluntarily.

At the same time, it is necessary to note that the Apostle made different additions to the obedience of slaves and of sons. Concerning children he says: Obey your parents in the Lord.

But to slaves he says: Obey your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling. Thus, as there is a difference between the fear of a wife and of a slave, so there is also a difference between the obedience of slaves and of children.

When he commands slaves to obey their masters, he adds, as to Christ, and again, as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God. This is so that a slave should not obey a master according to the flesh if that master should wish to command what is contrary to the commandments of God.

According to the conditions of the time, he also prescribed to the Corinthians that there should be no divorce between husband and wife because of faith in Christ, if one of the two wished to believe.

So now also for the Ephesians and Colossians he conditionally establishes less strict rules. Many, having only the beginnings of faith, thought that pagan masters ought to be despised.

He does this lest he appear to stir up even rumor against masters. On the other hand, he teaches that servants must not obey masters if the masters command them to do what is criminal and shameful.

The Apostle therefore comforts slaves by teaching them to regard their masters as masters only according to the flesh. "Slaves," he says, "obey your masters according to the flesh." At once he encouraged the sorrowing soul and consoled it. It is as though he said, "Do not grieve that your lot is lower than that of others. This slavery is only in name, and the mastery is according to the flesh. Therefore it is a temporary and short-lived mastery."

Concluding his extensive explanation of the Apostle's words on the duties of slaves, St. John Chrysostom says: "Do you see how much the Apostle requires? He inculcates the fullness of good. Many serve their masters precisely with fear and trembling, and the master's severity compels them to this. But show, he says, that you serve as a slave of Christ, not as a slave of man. Make your occupations a virtue for you, not something done by necessity. Show that you bear slavery willingly, and not as a man-pleaser. A slave of Christ is not a man-pleaser. If he serves willingly, with good sense, from the soul, for Christ's sake, then you are not a slave. Do you see how dishonor is taken away from your slavery?"

All this now applies to servants. Many Christian families cannot be without them. By honest service in such families, good servants can bring the greatest benefit. Conversely, evil servants can cause immense harm, almost impossible to prevent, because servants are necessarily close to all members of a Christian household, especially to little children.

Now he says: if you are so disposed, then the One for whom you serve your masters will not forget a single deed of yours, however small it may be. He will not leave it without recompense. If you served only your masters, and wished to distinguish yourself only before their eyes, your word would be reasonable. But if through them you intend to serve the Lord, then do not hesitate. The Lord will repay everything.

What inspiration slaves should have drawn from this apostolic word for proper slave-service, if only they took it to heart. "Slavery and mastery are limited to the present life. After departure from here, the difference will no longer be between slavery and mastery, but between virtue and vice" (Theodoret). Slave-service itself, through the dispositions indicated by the Apostle, is transformed into a field of virtue.

Will not every slave say, "I will gladly and zealously be a slave, since slavery does not block the path to rewards"? St. Chrysostom also inspires such a one, saying: "If masters, who are indebted by your services, do not reward you, by this very fact they provide you a greater reward, making God your debtor."

Everything the Apostle says to slaves applies now to servants. Though they enter service voluntarily, they should not take from this an occasion for negligence. Rather, they should draw from it the strongest impulse toward conscientious and zealous service.

They too must obey their employers in all things, honor and respect them, and fulfill their will as it is given. They should do so in simplicity, without second thoughts. They should do every task as they know how, according to conscience, with the assurance that by acting so they fulfill God's will and do what is pleasing to Him.

They should not indulge laziness in anything, but serve as before the face of the Lord. From Him they will not be deprived of a fitting recompense for their good service.