“And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening,
knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no
partiality with Him.” (Ephesians 6:9, NASB95)
Whenever there is one person in some form of an authority
position over another there is potential for unrest. We saw this in the judgment
in the garden where we read that the husband was to rule over his wife,
understanding that this may or may not be done properly. We saw this in
Scripture when the people of Israel asked Samuel for a king when he had grown
old and he appointed his unruly sons as judges. God spoke to Samuel, telling
him to instruct the people in the ways of kings. In verses 10 through 17 of 1
Samuel 8 Samuel told them seven times “he [the king] will take” and use for his
own benefit. Then in verses 17 and 18 Samuel told them, “…and you yourselves
will become his servants. Then you will cry out in that day because of your
king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.” (1 Samuel 8:17–18,
NASB95) And sure enough, as we read through the history of the kings of Israel
that we rare exception this was exactly what they did.
The people wanted a protector and a provider other than God,
and what they got instead was a series of authorities who took, enslaved, and
gave little in return. The interesting thing is that they got exactly what God
said they would when they sought after a ruler other than Him. These struggles
are very real, and are everywhere present. But God’s answer is not to fight
then, but to submit to those in as those who are serving our Lord. It is in
this and the instructions previous that we begin to get a taste of what it
might have been like had sin and self not entered the scene.
Today’s passage is not written to the servant looking for
help, but to the one being served and how he treats his help. We read that
masters, and I might add anyone in any authority, are to treat their servants
(slaves or persons under their charge) in the same ways as those under the
charge are to respond to those over them—which is as unto the Lord. This “unto
the Lord” covers a whole lot of things. It includes humility, sacrifice, giving,
looking to the best interests of others, proper attitudes, and so much more
that we read in Scripture. Those in authority are to threat those under their
authority as joint heirs in Christ with mutual honor and respect.
This means that there is no place for threatening. If it is a
current part of the repertoire, then it is to be given up and other means are
to be sought. This does not mean that the master (or authority) is forced to
allow the servant (or one under authority) to run amuck as he or she chooses without
regard to the one in charge or the task at hand, but that in even dealing with
discipline the one in charge is not to be abusive, inconsiderate or given to
threatening those under his or her charge.
Consider the words and actions of Jehoshaphat, one of the
few good kings of Judah. “He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified
cities of Judah, city by city. He said to the judges, “Consider what you are
doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord
who is with you when you render judgment. Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be very careful what
you do, for the Lord our God will
have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.”” (2
Chronicles 19:5–7, NASB95)
He took his rule given to him by God seriously, and he
instructed those under him to do likewise. Later in 2 Chronicles 20 we read of
him, “Now Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he
became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. … He walked in the
way of his father Asa and did not depart from it, doing right in the sight of
the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 20:31–32,
NASB95)
Firm doesn’t mean foul. Masters are to take their guidance
from our Lord, who we read in Scripture judges fairly. In Colossians 4:1 we read,
“Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have
a Master in heaven.” (Colossians 4:1, NASB95) And, in Romans 2:11 we read, “For
there is no partiality with God.” (Romans 2:11, NASB95)
I think it safe to say that all of us have some area of
authority, and in that sense I think it also safe to say that this instruction
applies to all of us in some way. Regardless of what position that might be, we
are to be constantly mindful of the truth that we serve our living God who has
called us to live before others in ways that reflect the light of the life we
have in Him, as we deal rightly with others in truth and grace.
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