Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Ephesians Ch.6 / 6 Ch.s
EPH:6
* The duties of children and parents. (1-4) Of servants and
masters. (5-9) All Christians are to put on spiritual armour
against the enemies of their souls. (10-18) The apostle desires
their prayers, and ends with his apostolic blessing. (19-24)
#1-4 The great duty of children is, to obey their parents. That
obedience includes inward reverence, as well as outward acts,
and in every age prosperity has attended those distinguished for
obedience to parents. The duty of parents. Be not impatient; use
no unreasonable severities. Deal prudently and wisely with
children; convince their judgements and work upon their reason.
Bring them up well; under proper and compassionate correction;
and in the knowledge of the duty God requires. Often is this
duty neglected, even among professors of the gospel. Many set
their children against religion; but this does not excuse the
children's disobedience, though it may be awfully occasion it.
God alone can change the heart, yet he gives his blessing to the
good lessons and examples of parents, and answers their prayers.
But those, whose chief anxiety is that their children should be
rich and accomplished, whatever becomes of their souls, must not
look for the blessing of God.
#5-9 The duty of servants is summed up in one word, obedience.
The servants of old were generally slaves. The apostles were to
teach servants and masters their duties, in doing which evils
would be lessened, till slavery should be rooted out by the
influence of Christianity. Servants are to reverence those over
them. They are to be sincere; not pretending obedience when they
mean to disobey, but serving faithfully. And they must serve
their masters not only when their master's eye is upon them; but
must be strict in the discharge of their duty, when he is absent
and out of the way. Steady regard to the Lord Jesus Christ will
make men faithful and sincere in every station, not grudgingly
or by constraint, but from a principle of love to the masters
and their concerns. This makes service easy to them, pleasing to
their masters, and acceptable to the Lord Christ. God will
reward even the meanest drudgery done from a sense of duty, and
with a view to glorify him. Here is the duty of masters. Act
after the same manner. Be just to servants, as you expect they
should be to you; show the like good-will and concern for them,
and be careful herein to approve yourselves to God. Be not
tyrannical and overbearing. You have a Master to obey, and you
and they are but fellow-servants in respect to Christ Jesus. If
masters and servants would consider their duties to God, and the
account they must shortly give to him, they would be more
mindful of their duty to each other, and thus families would be
more orderly and happy.
#10-18 Spiritual strength and courage are needed for our
spiritual warfare and suffering. Those who would prove
themselves to have true grace, must aim at all grace; and put on
the whole armour of God, which he prepares and bestows. The
Christian armour is made to be worn; and there is no putting off
our armour till we have done our warfare, and finished our
course. The combat is not against human enemies, nor against our
own corrupt nature only; we have to do with an enemy who has a
thousand ways of beguiling unstable souls. The devils assault us
in the things that belong to our souls, and labour to deface the
heavenly image in our hearts. We must resolve by God's grace,
not to yield to Satan. Resist him, and he will flee. If we give
way, he will get ground. If we distrust either our cause, or our
Leader, or our armour, we give him advantage. The different
parts of the armour of heavy-armed soldiers, who had to sustain
the fiercest assaults of the enemy, are here described. There is
none for the back; nothing to defend those who turn back in the
Christian warfare. Truth, or sincerity, is the girdle. This
girds on all the other pieces of our armour, and is first
mentioned. There can be no religion without sincerity. The
righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, is a breastplate against
the arrows of Divine wrath. The righteousness of Christ
implanted in us, fortifies the heart against the attacks of
Satan. Resolution must be as greaves, or armour to our legs; and
to stand their ground or to march forward in rugged paths, the
feet must be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Motives to obedience, amidst trials, must be drawn from a clear
knowledge of the gospel. Faith is all in all in an hour of
temptation. Faith, as relying on unseen objects, receiving
Christ and the benefits of redemption, and so deriving grace
from him, is like a shield, a defence every way. The devil is
the wicked one. Violent temptations, by which the soul is set on
fire of hell, are darts Satan shoots at us. Also, hard thoughts
of God, and as to ourselves. Faith applying the word of God and
the grace of Christ, quenches the darts of temptation. Salvation
must be our helmet. A good hope of salvation, a Scriptural
expectation of victory, will purify the soul, and keep it from
being defiled by Satan. To the Christian armed for defense in
battle, the apostle recommends only one weapon of attack; but it
is enough, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It
subdues and mortifies evil desires and blasphemous thoughts as
they rise within; and answers unbelief and error as they assault
from without. A single text, well understood, and rightly
applied, at once destroys a temptation or an objection, and
subdues the most formidable adversary. Prayer must fasten all
the other parts of our Christian armour. There are other duties
of religion, and of our stations in the world, but we must keep
up times of prayer. Though set and solemn prayer may not be
seasonable when other duties are to be done, yet short pious
prayers darted out, always are so. We must use holy thoughts in
our ordinary course. A vain heart will be vain in prayer. We
must pray with all kinds of prayer, public, private, and secret;
social and solitary; solemn and sudden: with all the parts of
prayer; confession of sin, petition for mercy, and thanksgiving
for favours received. And we must do it by the grace of God the
Holy Spirit, in dependence on, and according to, his teaching.
We must preserve in particular requests, notwithstanding
discouragements. We must pray, not for ourselves only, but for
all saints. Our enemies are mighty, and we are without strength,
but our Redeemer is almighty, and in the power of his mighty we
may overcome. Wherefore we must stir up ourselves. Have not we,
when God has called, often neglected to answer? Let us think
upon these things, and continue our prayers with patience.
#19-24 The gospel was a mystery till made known by Divine
revelation; and it is the work of Christ's ministers to declare
it. The best and most eminent ministers need the prayers of
believers. Those particularly should be prayed for, who are
exposed to great hardships and perils in their work. Peace be to
the brethren, and love with faith. By peace, understand all
manner of peace; peace with God, peace of conscience, peace
among themselves. And the grace of the Spirit, producing faith
and love, and every grace. These he desires for those in whom
they were already begun. And all grace and blessings come to the
saints from God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace, that is,
the favour of God; and all good, spiritual and temporal, which
is from it, is and shall be with all those who thus love our
Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and with them only.