The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 294

Vers. &--9.-Servants and masters. The early preacherR of the gospel were wise in 11ot provoking futile and fatal attempts at a social revolution by denouncing slavery. Nevertheless, they laid the foundation of that revolution and secured its peaceable and bloodless accomplishment. Slavery could not permanently survive the establishment of the principle of Christian brotherhood. :Meanwhile under the then existing circum- stances Christianity taught certain necessary duties of slaves and masters, the essential ideas of which apply to so much of the present state of society as is at all analogous to that of the first cenrory. - L TllE DtJ'IlES OF SEBVA.?s""TS. 1. TM duties. (1) Obedience. The position of se..·,i.::e, w!letber Ltroed as in sla,a-y or freely accepted. as among us, implies obedience. Inaet'd, whEre t.be condition of service is volantarily entered upon for the sake of adequate payment t.he duty is so much the stronger. The disobedient servant commits a double sin; he is unfa.ithful to his engagement, and he is robbing his master of unearned. wages. (2) Singleness of heart. Half-hearted service is semi-disobedience. (3) Ko eye-service. How common is this degrading and dishonest ha.bit in all walks of life, from that of the ma.id who is idle when her mistress is a.way, to that of the states- man who works for what will win the applause of the multitude to the neglect of the real welfare of the nation, or the preacher who preaches popular sermons to catch the i.:ar of the congregation and hides unpopular truths that men much need to hear I (4) Serving the Lord. We are all to serve Christ in our daily work. 'fhis consecrates tbe most menial task. 2. The reward. Gross injustice characterized the old-world treatment of slaves, and tempted to disloyal service. This injustice will not be seen at the great reckoning. The slave will be as fairly judged as his master. The lowliest work will win as high a reward as the most pretentious if the motive is equally good. Here iB an inducement to faithfulness in little things. IL THE D17TIES OF ll.ASTERS. It was hard to teach a slave-holder his duty. Yet it is fair to observe that in ma.ny households the rigour of servitude was much softened, and kinder and more humane relations maintained than those that sometimes charac- terize our modern commercial connection of workman and employer, relations out of which all humanity seems to have vanished. It is interesting to see that in the :Kew Testament a hired servant is considered to be worse off than a household slave (e.g. Luke xv. 17). 1. The duties. (1) Fairness. "Do the same things unto them." 'l'he duties are reciprocal. Masters have no right to expect more devotion to their interests from their servants than they show to their servants' interests. (~) Kindness. "Forbear threatening." It is cowardly to use the power of the purse, as old masters used the whip, to gain an unfair advantage over a servant. In the end sympathy and genial friendliness will secure the best service. 2. The motives, (1) Servants and masters have one common Master. Both are alike servants of Christ; both must give account to him of their stewardship. (2) Christ will judge without respect of persons. The advantages of social superiority are but temporary. They will be of no use at Christ's judgment.-W. F. A. Ver. 10.-Divine strength. Al> the Epistle draws to a close, St. Paul gives emphasis to the reg_uibition of Divine strength by singling it out for a final word of exhortation. The dr.K;\rinAI principles of the earlier chapters lead up to the practical duties of on. v1. 1-2·!.] 'l'HE EPISTLE 'l'O 'l'HE EPHESIANS. 295