Ephesians 6:5-8
Slavery in the Roman world
was not the same type of slavery as in American history. Slavery was not a
racial issue. There were slaves from all races. There are no slave uprising
recorded for the purpose of overthrowing the institution of slavery. Most
slaves could anticipate being set free by the time they were thirty years old.
Slaves often served as household managers,. teachers, business and industry.
Slaves could own property and work on the side for money. Due to economic
situations many slaves found their living conditions better as a slave than as
a freeman. Some would sell themselves into slavery. Slaves were often set free
for a variety of reason. A papyrus records a group of slaves being set free
because of their enthusiastic service and affection for their master. Slaves
were still owned as a possession and the owner had rights over his property.
Aristotle called referred to a slave as a "living tool." More than
one third of the population was slaves so a church of 90 people may have easily
had 30 slaves as members. Notice slaves are considered members of the church
and as members of the church they would have had spiritual gifts.
It is interesting to note
that Paul does not challenge the social order of slavery but instead explains
to the slave how to fulfill God's purpose even in the roll of a slave.
The OT explains slavery in
Exodus 21; Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy 15.
Slaves in the ancient world
came from:
1. War captives
2. Purchase - Nehemiah 5
mentions the sale of children into slavery. Most likely as a payment for a
loan.
3. Self-selling
4. Default of payment for
debts - a common way to enter slavery in
5. A Gift (Gen. 29:24 - Leah
received Zilpah)
6. Inheritance
7. Birth (Ex. 21:4; Lev.
25:54)
Kidnapping and selling of
freeborn individuals is forbidden in Exodus 21:16 and Deuteronomy 24:7. Penalty
= Death.
Paul continues to speak in
Ephesians 6:5-8 concerning:
1. Wise Living mentioned in
5:15-20
2. A life filled with the
Spirit (5:18)
Paul provides a four-fold
description of the proper service of a "christian" slave:
1. Serve with fear and
trembling in sincerity
2. Serve not the eye
3. Do the will of God in
serving
4. Serve wholeheartedly
Each of these is followed
with an "as" statement: "as to Christ", "as pleasing
men", "as slaves of
Christ", "as serving the
Lord".
|
Service |
"as
. . . " |
|
With fear
and trembling in sincerity |
As to Christ |
|
Not serving the eye |
As pleasing men |
|
Doing the will of God |
As slaves of Christ |
|
Wholeheartedly |
As serving the Lord |
6:5 - "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with
respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey
Christ."
"fear and
trembling" - simply means with due reverence. It does not mean
"terror"
"sincerity of
heart" - means genuine, or singleness of heart.
Masters would use fear, but
the Christian slave is to:
1. Obey his master
2. Honor his masters
position
3. Serve in sincerity and
focus
6:6 - "Obey them not only to win their favor
when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from
your heart."
Greek: "Not by way of
eye-service as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from
the soul"
A four description is added.
Slaves are to serve with integrity, not just to impress or flatter their
masters. So #4:
4. Integrity, doing what is
right all the time
6:7 - "Serve whole heartedly, as if you were
serving the Lord, not men"
"whole heartedly"
is a Greek word used only here and it means "zeal, eagerness,
wholeheartedness."
The reason for their service
in this way is not to impress their masters or to win favorable treatment, but
because they are serving and living before the Lord.
6:8 - "because you know that the Lord will
reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free."
Rewarded for
"whatever" he does. Not just "spiritual" stuff or
"ministry" activity.
Rewarded for living the
Christian life. Living a wise, spirit filled life. (