The Word Made Fresh
1Children, it is right for you to obey your parents. 2“Honor your father and your mother” is the first commandment that includes a promise – 3“so that all will be well with you, and you will dwell in the land for a long time.” 4Parents, don’t anger your children, but discipline them and teach them about the Lord.
5Servants should carefully obey their masters and be completely devoted to Christ. 6Don’t try to look good just to flatter others, but be like slaves of Christ whose hearts are tuned to carry out God’s will. 7Serve your masters with enthusiasm just as if you were serving the Lord. 8Know that the Lord will bless all those who do what is right, whether servant or master. 9Masters should treat servants in the same way, without using threats, because you know both of you have a master in heaven who treats everyone, masters and servants, the same.
10Finally, be strengthened with the Lord’s strength. 11Wear the whole armor of God so that you can stand against the wiles of the devil. 12We aren’t struggling against flesh and blood, but against those authorities who rule in darkness with evil spiritual powers. 13Put on the complete armor of God so that you can stand steady on evil days and remain standing after you’ve done all you can do. 14Put the belt of truth around your waist, and take justice as your breastplate, 15and wear shoes on your feet so that you are prepared to announce the good news of peace. 16Let faith be your shield above everything else so that you can withstand the evil one’s flaming arrows. 17Wear the helmet of salvation and the word of God which is the Spirit’s sword.
18Always raise your prayers and petitions in the Spirit. Stay awake. Stay alert, and pray for believers everywhere. 19And pray for me that I might speak a message that reveals the mystery of the gospel. 20I am an ambassador of the gospel, now in chains for the gospel’s sake. Pray that the Lord will give me the confidence to say what must be said.
21Tychicus, who is my beloved brother and a faithful servant of the Lord, can tell you all about my situation and what I’m trying to do. 22I’ve sent him to you so that you will be informed about us, and to reassure you.
23May peace be with all of you. Love one another with faith in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24May God’s grace always be with those who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Commentary
1-9: As we have seen in others of Paul’s letters, he teaches a reciprocal respect between those in authority and those under authority. Parents should be honored, and this injunction is given with Biblical support (Exodus 20:12). And parents have a responsibility for their children’s education — to “teach them about the Lord.” Likewise, servants (“slaves” in the original text) are enjoined to obey their masters as they would obey Christ. Masters in return are to treat their servants without malice. While we do not agree with slavery, these instructions would have provided a distinct improvement in the conditions of those who were under such a burden. For an example, see Paul’s entreaty to his friend Philemon concerning the slave Onesimus (Philemon 1:15-16).
10-17: These are perhaps the best-known verses in Ephesians, the so-called “whole armor of God” passage. Paul wants them to be able to “stand against the wiles of the devil.” How do you do that? Well, with honesty and righteousness, by practicing peace and by keeping faith, knowing that your salvation is secure through the Spirit of God. But Paul’s way of saying it is much more colorful.
18-20: His final request is that they pray for “the saints” (probably a reference to the apostles who are spreading the gospel) and for him to be faithful in his preaching. That he would have the opportunity to preach although imprisoned supports the theory that the letter was written from Rome where, although a prisoner, his imprisonment was quite relaxed (see Acts 28:30-31).
21-22: Tychicus had accompanied Paul to Macedonia on his last missionary journey (Acts 20:4) and was likely acquainted with some of the leaders of the church at Ephesus (see Acts 20:17). The mission of Tychicus to Ephesus is also mentioned at 2 Timothy 4:12.
23-24: The closing is a bit unusual. The reference to those who “have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ” is unique in all the Bible.
Takeaway
Pray for preachers and leaders and Sunday School teachers, that they may have the “whole armor of God.” And let them know you are praying for them.