Ephesians 6:5-6 — Context is Key

READ THIS: Ephesians 6:5-6

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

When we read God's Word, it's always very important that we understand the context of the passages we read. Sadly, many people have used passages like these without context to say that the Bible supports things like slavery, but that simply isn't true! Slavery looked very different in the times of the Bible than it did in the world many years later. Slaves often offered themselves up to work for others, and while they worked, many masters would treat them as if they were a part of their own family. It's not a coincidence that this passage immediately follows Paul's words about how parents should treat their own children!

So, now that we have context, what is Paul saying a slave should do if they want to follow God's will? He says they should be obedient to their masters, respect them, and trust them the same way they would trust Jesus. Notice how Paul doesn't say, "obey masters when they are nice" or "obey masters when you feel like it." When we have authorities over us, whether it is our teachers, parents, or bosses, we have to trust them, knowing that Jesus is the only One who is really in control.

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Who are the people in your life who have authority over you? Do you feel like you do a good job of obeying them?

2. Can you think of any other passages in the Bible that people can take out of context? Why is it so important to know what is happening around the text rather than just reading the verses straight up?
 
TRY THIS:
 
The next time you have a chance to snap back or say something toward your parent(s) or your boss, take a breath and instead kindly obey what they ask you to do, even if it is something you don't want to do!

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