Ephesians 6:1-3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 6:3

Verse 3 3.That it may be well with thee. The promise is — a long life; from which we are led to understand that the present life is not to be overlooked among the gifts of God. On this and other kindred subjects I must refer my reader to the Institutes of the Christian Religion; (168) satisfying myself at present with saying, in a few words, that the reward promised to the obedience of children is highly appropriate. Those who shew kindness to their parents from whom they derived life, are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:1

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. The first duty of children is obedience, and "in the Lord," i.e. in Christ, this duty is confirmed. The ἐν κυρίῳ qualifies, not "parents," but "obey," and indicates that the element or life which even children lead in fellowship with Christ makes such obedience more easy and more graceful. The duty itself rests on the first principles of morality—"for this is right." It is an obligation that rests on the very nature of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:1-3

The duties of children to parents. There is a beautiful and appropriate simplicity in the counsel here addressed to children. Their duties are founded in nature. They derive their being from their parents; they are fed by them; they are trained by them for the duties of life. I. THEIR DUTY IS SUMMED UP IN THE ONE WORD " OBEDIENCE ." But it includes four important elements. 1. Love . This is an instinctive feeling, but it is not the less a commanded duty, for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:1-4

Duties of children and parents. It must have been an interesting day in the Church of Ephesus when it was known that a pastoral letter would be read in the public assembly from the beloved and venerable apostle whose labors had been attended with such a blessing. Whether the meeting was held in early morning or late in the evening, every effort would be made by every Christian to be present, and even as they were walking towards the place of meeting, a certain briskness of manner and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:1-4

Christian nurture. Having shown how Christ sanctifies the marriage union and gives to husbands the ideal of devotion, the apostle proceeds in the present section to show the relation which should exist between children and parents. He directs children to the fifth commandment and to the promise it contains, and he calls upon fathers to afford their children Christian nurture in place of provocation. The section suggests— I. PARENTAL QUALIFICATIONS . And here we fall back upon the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:1-4

The duties of children and parents. I. DUTY OF CHILDREN . "Children, obey your parents." 1. Sphere in which the obedience is to take place . "In the Lord." It was said in Ephesians 5:21 , as determining the character of the whole subjection that there is between human beings, that it is to be "in the fear of Christ." That is to be interpreted as meaning that, in each ease, Christ is to be regarded as the authority (behind the visible) before which those who are subjected... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:1-4

Children and their parents. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." In the preceding paragraph the apostle had treated of the relative duties of husbands and wives; here he directs attention to the relative... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:1-4

Children and parents. Christianity purifies and elevates family life. It is supremely natural, orderly, and reasonable in the treatment of domestic affairs. We meet with frequent allusions to families and households in the New Testament. The order and health of the home are clearly recognized as of primary importance. This is seen in the treatment of parental relations. I. THE DUTIES OF CHILDREN TO THEIR PARENTS . 1. The duties . 2. The grounds on which these... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:2

Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise). The exhortation, based on natural morality ( Ephesians 6:1 ), is here confirmed from the Decalogue. "Honor" is higher than obedience ( Ephesians 6:1 ); it is the regard due to those who, by Divine appointment, are above us, and to whom our most respectful consideration is due. Father and mother, though not quite on a footing of equality in their relation to each other ( Ephesians 5:22 ), are equal as objects... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:3

That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. A free rendering (after the manner of the apostle) of the reason annexed to the fifth commandment, "that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." While the Decalogue was an expression of the will of God on matters of moral and indefeasible obligation, it had a local Hebrew element here and there. In the present ease the apostle drops what is specially Hebrew, adapting the promise in spirit to... read more

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