1 Timothy 6:1-2
1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count
their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his
doctrine be not blasphemed.
2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them,
because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are
faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and
exhort.
HOW TO BE A SLAVE AND A CHRISTIAN
1 Timothy 6:1–2 ...in
paraphrase
Let all those who are slaves under the yoke hold
their own masters to be worthy of all respect, in
order that no one may have an opportunity to speak
evil of the name of God and the Christian teaching.
If they have masters who are believers, let them not
try to take advantage of them because they are
brothers, but rather let them render even better
service, because those who lay claim to that service
are believers and beloved.
BENEATH the surface of this passage, there are
certain supremely important Christian principles for
everyday life and work.
Christian slaves were in a peculiarly difficult
position. If they were the slaves of a non-Christian
master, they might very easily make it clear that
they regarded their master as bound for damnation
and themselves as the heirs of salvation. Their
Christianity might well give them a feeling of
intolerant superiority, which would create an
impossible situation. On the other hand, if their
master was a Christian, the slaves might be tempted
to take advantage of the relationship and to trade
upon it, using it as an excuse for producing
inefficient work in the expectation of escaping all
punishment. They might think that the fact that they
and their master were Christians entitled them to
all kinds of special consideration. There was an
obvious problem here. We must note three general
things.
(1) In those early days, the Church did not emerge
as the would-be destroyer of slavery by violent and
sudden means. And it was wise. There were something
like 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire. Simply
because of their numbers, they were always regarded
as potential enemies. If ever there was a slave
revolt, it was put down with merciless force,
because the Roman Empire could not afford to allow
the slaves to rebel. If slaves ran away and were
caught, they were either executed or branded on
their foreheads with the letter F, standing for
fugitivus, which means runaway. There was indeed a
Roman law which stated that, if a master was
murdered, all his slaves could be questioned under
torture and could indeed be put to death in a body.
E. K. Simpson wisely writes: ‘Christianity’s
spiritual campaign would have been fatally
compromised by stirring the smouldering embers of
class-hatred into a devouring flame, or opening an
asylum for runaway slaves in its bosom.’
For the Church to have encouraged slaves to revolt
against their masters would have been fatal. It
would simply have caused civil war, mass murder and
the complete discredit of the Church. What happened
was that, as the centuries went on, Christianity so
permeated civilization that in the end the slaves
were freed voluntarily and not by force. Here is a
tremendous lesson. It is the proof that neither
individuals nor the world nor society can be
reformed by force and by legislation. The reform
must come through the slow penetration of the Spirit
of Christ into the human situation. Things have to
happen in God’s time, not in ours. In the end, the
slow way is the sure way, and the way of violence
always defeats itself.
(2) There is here the further truth, that ‘spiritual
equality does not efface civil distinctions’. It is
a continual danger that people may unconsciously
regard their Christianity as an excuse for slackness
and inefficiency. Because they and their employer
are both Christians, they may expect to be treated
with special consideration. But the fact that
employer and employees are Christian does not
release the employees from doing a good day’s work
and earning wages. Christians are under the same
obligation to submit to discipline and to earn their
pay as everyone else.
(3) What then is the duty of Christian slaves as the
Pastorals see it? It is to be good slaves. If they
are not, if they are slack and careless, if they are
disobedient and insolent, they merely supply the
world with ammunition to criticize the Church.
Christian workers must commend their Christianity by
being better at their work than other people. In
particular, their work will be done in a new spirit.
They will not now think of themselves as being
unwillingly compelled to work; they will think of
themselves as rendering service to their master, to
God and to other people. Their aim will be not to
see how little can be forced out of them, but how
much they can willingly do. As George Herbert had it
in that fine hymn ‘Teach Me My God and King’:
A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine:
Who sweeps a room, as for thy laws,
Makes that and the action fine.
~Barclay Commentary
And now to the other commentaries.
We will begin with the Matthew Henry Concise that
looks at the first five verses:
Christians were not to suppose that religious
knowledge, or Christian privileges, gave them any
right to despise heathen masters, or to disobey
lawful commands, or to expose their faults to
others. And such as enjoyed the privilege of living
with believing masters, were not to withhold due
respect and reverence, because they were equal in
respect to religious privileges, but were to serve
with double diligence and cheerfulness, because of
their faith in Christ, and as partakers of his free
salvation. We are not to consent to any words as
wholesome, except the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ; to these we must give unfeigned consent.
Commonly those are most proud who know least; for
they do not know themselves. Hence come envy,
strife, railings, evil-surmisings, disputes that are
all subtlety, and of no solidity, between men of
corrupt and carnal minds, ignorant of the truth and
its sanctifying power, and seeking their worldly
advantage. ~Matthew Henry
Concise
The commentaries I referenced have the verse broken
down differently but for our purposes let us use
four:
1] Let as many servants.
2] As are under the yoke.
3] Count their own masters worthy of all honour.
4] That the name of God and his doctrine be not
blasphemed.
1] Let as many
servants.
Let as many servants -
On the word here rendered “servants” - δοῦλοι
douloi - see the notes on Ephesians 6:5. The word is
that which was commonly applied to a slave, but it
is so extensive in its signification as to be
applicable to any species of servitude, whether
voluntary or involuntary. If slavery existed in
Ephesus at the time when this Epistle was written,
it would be applicable to slaves; if any other kind
of servitude existed, the word would be equally
applicable to that. There is nothing in the word
itself which essentially limits it to slavery. The
addition of the phrase “under the yoke,” however,
shows undoubtedly that it is to be understood here
of slavery. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse with
commentary:
Ephesians 6:5
Servants, be obedient to them that are your
masters according to the flesh, with fear
and trembling, in singleness of your heart,
as unto Christ;
Servants - οἵ
δοῦλοι hoi douloi. The word used here
denotes one who is bound to render service
to another, whether that service be free or
voluntary, and may denote, therefore, either
a slave, or one who binds himself to render
service to another. It is often used in
these senses in the New Testament, just as
it is elsewhere. It cannot be demonstrated
that the word here necessarily means
“slaves;” though, if slavery existed among
those to whom this Epistle was written - as
there can be little doubt that it did - it
is a word which would apply to those in this
condition. On the general subject of
slavery, and the Scripture doctrine in
regard to it. Whether the persons here
referred to were slaves, or were those who
had bound themselves to render a voluntary
servitude, the directions here given were
equally appropriate. It was not the design
of the Christian religion to produce a rude
sundering of the ties which bind man to man,
but to teach all to perform their duties
aright in the relations in which
Christianity found them, and gradually to
modify the customs of society, and to
produce ultimately the universal prevalence
of that which is right.
Be obedient to them
- This is the uniform direction in the New
Testament. The idea is that they were to
show in that relation the excellence of the
religion which they professed. If they could
be made free, they were to prefer that
condition to a state of bondage 1
Corinthians 7:21, but while the relation
remained, they were to be kind, gentle, and
obedient, as became Christians. In the
parallel place in Colossians 3:22, it is
said that they were to obey their masters
“in all things.” But evidently this is to be
understood with the limitations implied in
the case of wives and children, and a master
would have no right to command that which
was morally wrong.
Quoted verses:
1 Corinthians 7:21
Art thou called being a servant? care not
for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use
it rather.
Colossians 3:22
Servants, obey in all things your masters
according to the flesh; not with eyeservice,
as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart,
fearing God:
According to the flesh
- This is designed, evidently, to limit the
obligation to obedience. The meaning is,
that they had control over “the body, the
flesh.” They had the power to command the
service which the body could render; but
they were not lords of the spirit. The soul
acknowledged God as its Lord, and to the
Lord they were to be subject in a higher
sense than to their masters.
With fear and
trembling - With reverence and with a
dread of offending them. They have authority
and power over you, and you should be afraid
to incur their displeasure. Whatever might
be true about the propriety of slavery, and
whatever might be the duty of the master
about setting the slave free, it would be
more to the honor of religion for the
servant to perform his task with a willing
mind than to be contumacious
(kŏn'tə-mā'shəs,
-tyə-) [Obstinately
disobedient or rebellious]
and rebellions. He could do more for the
honor of religion by patiently submitting to
even what he felt to be wrong, than by being
punished for what would be regarded as
rebellion. It may be added here, that it was
presumed that servants then could read.
These directions were addressed to them, not
to their masters.
In singleness of your
heart - With a simple, sincere desire
to do what ought to be done.
As unto Christ
- Feeling that by rendering proper service
to your masters, you are in fact serving the
Lord, and that you are doing that which will
be well-pleasing to him; see 1 Corinthians
7:22. Fidelity, in whatever situation we may
be in life, is acceptable service to the
Lord. A Christian may as acceptably serve
the Lord Jesus in the condition of a
servant, as if he were a minister of the
gospel, or a king on a throne. Besides, it
will greatly lighten the burdens of such a
situation, and make the toils of an humble
condition easy, to remember that we are then
“serving the Lord.”
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
1 Corinthians 7:22
For he that is called in the
Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's
freeman: likewise also he that is called,
being free, is Christ's servant.
Now continue in the commentary of today's
verse, 1 Timothy 6:1 |
Still under 1] Let as
many servants.
Christians were not to suppose that religious
knowledge, or Christian privileges, gave them any
right to despise heathen masters, or to disobey
lawful commands, or to expose their faults to
others. And such as enjoyed the privilege of living
with believing masters, were not to withhold due
respect and reverence, because they were equal in
respect to religious privileges, but were to serve
with double diligence and cheerfulness, because of
their faith in Christ, and as partakers of his free
salvation. We are not to consent to any words as
wholesome, except the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ; to these we must give unfeigned consent.
Commonly those are most proud who know least; for
they do not know themselves. Hence come envy,
strife, railings, evil-surmisings, disputes that are
all subtlety, and of no solidity, between men of
corrupt and carnal minds, ignorant of the truth and
its sanctifying power, and seeking their worldly
advantage. ~Matthew Henry
Concise
2] As are under
the yoke.
As are under the yoke -
On the word yoke, the phrase here properly denotes
slavery, as it would not be applied to any other
species of servitude. It may be remarked here that
the apostle did not regard slavery as a light or
desirable thing. He would not have applied this term
to the condition of a wife or of a child.
~Barnes Notes
Let as many servants as are
under the yoke - The word δουλοι here means
slaves converted to the Christian faith; and the
yoke, is the state of slavery; and by masters,
despots, we are to understand the heathen masters of
those Christianized slaves. Even these, in such
circumstances, and under such domination, are
commanded to treat their masters with all honor and
respect, that the name of God, by which they were
called, and the doctrine of God, Christianity, which
they had professed, might not be blasphemed - might
not be evilly spoken of in consequence of their
improper conduct. Civil rights are never abolished
by any communications from God’s Spirit. The civil
state in which a man was before his conversion is
not altered by that conversion; nor does the grace
of God absolve him from any claims, which either the
state or his neighbor may have on him. All these
outward things continue unaltered.
~Adam Clarke
Let as many servants as are
under the yoke - Not under the yoke of the
law of God, or under the yoke of Christ; though the
servants here spoken of were under both; but "under
the yoke of government", as the Arabic version
renders it; that is, under the yoke of men, in a
state of servitude, under the government of masters,
and in their service; being either apprentices to
them, or bought with their money, or hired by them:
~John Gill
3] Count their own
masters worthy of all honour.
Count their own masters worthy
of all honour - Treat them with all proper
respect. They were to manifest the right spirit
themselves, whatever their masters did; they were
not to do anything that would dishonor religion. The
injunction here would seem to have particular
reference to those whose masters were not
Christians. In the following verse, the apostle
gives particular instructions to those who had pious
masters. The meaning here is, that the slave ought
to show the Christian spirit toward his master who
was not a Christian; he ought to conduct himself so
that religion would not be dishonored; he ought not
to give his master occasion to say that the only
effect of the Christian religion on the mind of a
servant was to make him restless, discontented,
dissatisfied, and disobedient. In the humble and
trying situation in which he confessedly was - under
the yoke of bondage - he ought to evince patience,
kindness, and respect for his master, and as long as
the relation continued he was to be obedient. This
command, however, was by no means inconsistent with
his desiring his freedom, and securing it, if the
opportunity presented itself.
~Barnes Notes
Count their own masters worthy
of all honour - and give it to them; which
includes subjection to them; obedience to all their
lawful commands, which are consistent with religion
and reason, with the laws of God, and with the light
of nature; and all reverence of them, and respect
unto them, expressed by words and gestures: and all
this is to be given to their own masters to whom
they belong; who have a property in them; whose
money or goods they are; and that be they what they
will, as to their religion and temper; whether they
be believers or unbelievers; or whether they be good
and gentle, kind and humane; or whether they be
froward, peevish, and ill natured:
~John Gill
4] That the name
of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
That the name of God and his
doctrine be not blasphemed - That religion be
not dishonored and reproached, and that there may be
no occasion to say that Christianity tends to
produce discontent and to lead to insurrection. If
the effect of religion had been to teach all who
were servants that they should no longer obey their
masters, or that they should rise upon them and
assert their freedom by violence, or that their
masters were to be treated with indignity on account
of their usurped rights over others, the effect
would have been obvious. There would have been a
loud and united outcry against the new religion, and
it could have made no progress in the world. Instead
of this, Christianity taught the necessity of
patience, and meekness, and forbearance in the
endurance of all wrong - whether from private
individuals or under the oppressions and exactions
of Nero, or amidst the hardships and cruelties of
slavery. These peaceful injunctions, however, did
not demonstrate that Christ approved the act of him
“that smote on the one cheek,” or that Paul regarded
the government of Nero as a good government, - and
as little do they prove that Paul or the Saviour
approved of slavery.
~Barnes Notes
That the name of God and his
doctrine be not blasphemed - by unbelieving
masters, who, should their believing servants be
refractory (rĭ-frăk'tə-rē) [Obstinately
resistant to authority or control],
disobedient, rebellious, or disrespectful, would be
apt to say, what a God do these men serve? is this
their religion? is this the Gospel they talk of?
does their doctrine teach them such things, to be
disobedient to their masters, and carry it
disrespectfully to them? does it disengage them from
the laws of nature, and dissolve the bonds of civil
society, and destroy the relation that subsists
between man and man? If this be the case, away with
their God and their doctrine too. Wherefore the
apostle exhorts, that if believing servants have any
regard to that name they are called by, and call
upon, and to the doctrine of the Gospel they have
embraced and professed; that they would be obedient
and respectful to their masters; that they may have
no occasion to speak reproachfully of God, and of
the Gospel. ~John Gill
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