The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 280

platform 0f prhil%"8, would see to it that no smallest piece of work done to an earthly mast~r for his sake toverlooked here) would go unrewarded in heaven. And the same thing is t,, be said of the free servant; for he t\lso is particularized. It is true that if he is guilty of eye-sernce, if he" BCI\.Dlps" his work, that will be put age.inst him in hea,en, and there will be a day of reckoning for his evil thincr, for his bad work• his life-work has lost in quality, in measure by it, and his reward ;ill most unmistnk~bly be curtailed-it will be so much the less for that idling of his master's time, that soul less work, that grudge in his hea.rt to his master (for upon such things as these shaH judgment be passed, by such things shall destiny be affected). But if, on the other band, a servant, even in the humblest position, grasps his opportunity, and seeks to be regulated in his work by the will of God, and cherishes good will to his master, then, in encouragement (as before in principle), he is made independent of such a variable element as a good or a bad master, his getting his rights or his not getting his rights; he can feel that he has to do with a Master with whom there is no inequality, and who will see to it that whatsoever good thing he doeth, what he does unobserved or what he does under the menaces of his fellow-workmen, shall be rewarded. II. D= OF JU.STEBS. 1. Positive statement of duty. "And, ye masters, do the =e things unto them." Though they stand differently in the relationship (servant t0 master and master to serni.nt), they are to do the same things, the regulative principles being the same. (1) In relation ta 'IDOrk. As the Christian servant is to be reg-..J.ared by " the u:ill of God" in the work rendered., so the Christian master is to 1-., reg-ulated by the will of G.xl in the work required. There is that which (in the Di.--'.r.e balance;:) is fair between them. It cannot be got at by selfishness on the one side and siliishness on the other, which is often made a trial of strength. If harmony is to be attained., it can only be by both, with Christian disinterest~ness, agreeing to bring themselves (in what is reqnired and what is rei;tdered) to the Divine standard. (2) In .,.elation to servant. As there is to be "good wul" toward the master, so there is to be good will toward the servant. The master may not find the servant what he would like him to be. He may have to reprove him for eye-service or for careless service under bis eye. But he is always to have good will toward him, as placed nnder him by Christ. He is to show his good will by seeking to make him comfortable in his position. Especially is he to use his influence with him on l>ehalf of his higher well. being. In the name of Christ, then, let good will be met by good will. Education alone is ineffectual. It has sometimes been found that, with the spread of education, there has been an embittering of the relations between masters and servants. It is wrong, however (as not a few do), to blame education for this. It may be said that, if these relations cannot stand edncative influences, then they are not what they should be. And the conclusion to be drawn is, not that we are to dispense with education, hut that those relatiol!S can only be thoroughly maintained by reasonableness and genuine good feeling on both sides. And Christians are not to give UJ? t~e pro~lem in llespai.r, but o~ht to be prepared to demonstrate to the world that 1t 1s possible, on Cnristian principles, for masters and servants to work together in harmony. 2. Fault to ~ aroickd. "And forbear tl,reatening." "The too familiar threatening " is the idea con,eyed in the Greek. It was the ready resource of persons possessed of irresponsible power. Slaves were made to work under fear of the lash. .And, thoug~ masters have Dot so much in their power now, yet the power that they have (there 1s generally an advantage in their circumstances compared with their servants) they are not to abuse. It is those who are deficient in the right management of their servants, in reasonable dealin", especially in that good will which is so necessary to management, that take to th; clumsy, coarse method of threatening. Power must sometimes be put into execution against servants; but to hold threats over their heads, to treat them with clamour, with insult, or with something worse, is not worthy of the ChriBtian master. 3. Word of warning. "Knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven." Christ is represented as the Master of the slave. There was a wrong involved (apart fr<,m any harsh treatment he might receive) in the very fact of his being a slave. lle is represented as the Master of the slave-holder, too, i.e. of the man who was so unen- lightened as to hold slaves. As the :Master of them both, he would see to things in the tr,d being righted between them. The Christian master still is to be inllueuced to (l,, wLat is jw,t ai:.d 1,ropcr by his servants by the consideration that Christ is the on. vt. 1-24.] THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 281