Minister for the Master
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The Bible casts servants in positive and negative light. The positive and approved ones are listed as:
1. faithful and wise servant (Matt 24:45)
2. good and faithful servant (Matt 25:21, 23)
3. servant of all (Mark 10:44)
4. good servant (Luke 19:17)
5. servant of Jesus Christ (Rom 1:1)
6. Christ's servant (1 Cor 7:22, Gal 1:10 Col 4:12)
7. servants to righteousness (Rom 6:19)
8. servants for Jesus' sake (2 Cor 4:5)
9. servants of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:1, Jude 1)
10. servant of the Lord (2 Tim 2:24)
11. servant of God Titus 1:1, 1 Peter 2:16, Rev 7:3)
The negative and accused ones are labeled as:
1. wicked servant (Matt 18:32, Luke 19:22)
2. evil servant (Matt 24:48)
3. wicked and slothful servant (Matt 25:26)
4. unprofitable servant (Matt 25:30, Luke 17:10)
5. servant of sin (John 8:34, Rom 6:17, 20)
6. servants to uncleanness (Rom 6:19)
7. servants of men (1 Cor 7:23)
8. servants of corruption (2 Peter 2:19)
What kind of attitude, relationship and conduct do slaves and masters, employers and employees, supervisors and subordinate ought to have? How can we glorify God in our work, no matter you are a superior or a subordinate?
Set the Tone
3:22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.
A converted cowboy put it very well when he said, “Lots of folks that would really like to do right think that serving the Lord only means shouting themselves hoarse praising His name. Now I'll tell you how I look at that. I am working for Jim here. Now if I would do nothing but sit around the house telling what a good fellow Jim is and singing songs to him, I would not suit Jim. But when I buckle on my straps and hustle among the hills and see that Jim's herd is all right, not suffering for water and feed, or being driven off the range and branded by cow thieves, then I am serving Jim as he wants to be served.”
There are four instances of the verb “obey” in the imperative mood in the Bible, twice for children to obey their parents and twice for slaves to obey their masters, so “obey” is not a derogatory, damaging or dominating term as much as it is one for dutifulness, dependability and disposition. Obedience is a necessary, normal and natural order, not naïve, narrow or nonsensical. If you look at the context of verse 20 for the children’s command, two similar words pop up – “obey” and “all.” There are always exceptions, excesses and exemptions because the corresponding order to obey is different in the Ephesians command to obey because the latter (Ephesians) does not include the word “all” for children (Eph 6:1) or slaves (Eph 6:5).
Obey (hupakouo) comes from the prefix “under” (hupa) and the verb “hear” (akouo), to put or place yourself under a person’s directive, decisions and decree. To hear is the willingness to listen – to lower your guard, lend a ear and learn from others. Obedience is never partial, picky or procedural; the best listening is not out of the fear of punishment, penalty or peril, but because it is proper, pertinent and peaceable.
It must not be done in eye-service (KJV), but in the singleness of heart, which is the contrast of eye and heart. Eye-service (ophthalmodouleia) is eye-slave in Greek, the very word for slave (doulos). An eye slave is chained to his situation and surroundings, his suppositions and sentiments. Sincerity (v 22) is translated as simplicity (Rom 12:8), liberality (2 Cor 8:2) and bountiful (2 Cor 9:11). It means to be single-minded, straightforward and steadfast, not shoddy, short-changing or sour.
Serve the Lord
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
Sophie, the scrub woman, was a Christian. One of the gentlemen in the large building where she worked said to her, “Say, Sophie, I understand that you are a Christian.” “Yes, sir, I am a child of the King,” was her immediate reply.
“Oh! So you must be a princess, since God is your King.” “I sure am.”
“Well, if God is your Father, and you are a princess and a child of the King, do you not think that it is beneath your dignity to be found here in New York City scrubbing these dirty steps?” Not being daunted Sophie replied, “There is no humiliation whatsoever. You see, I am not scrubbing these steps for my boss, Mr. Brown. I am scrubbing them for Jesus Christ, my Savior!” (from Illustrations of Bible Truths # 118)
Quickly Paul changed the subject from our master to our motivation. The second imperative is “work/do,” (ergazomai), from the career verb “work” (ergon) rather than the common verb “do” (poieo). Work is professional, physical and product. Your boss is your boss first, your buddy second. We must serve with distinction, strive for excellence and stamp our mark. This heart (v 23, psuche) is different from the previous verse’s heart (v 22).It means your being and not just behavior, internal and not external, organic and not outward.
The word “reward” occurs its only time in the Bible. A servant wants an inheritance more than anything. A servant has no rights, no respect or reward. An inheritance is a possession, a portion, and a privilege. The same word refers to the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (Eph 1:18), an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God (Eph 5:5), an eternal (Heb 9:15), incorruptible, and undefiled, and unfading inheritance reserved in heaven (1 Peter 1:4).
Inheritance is meant for sons and not strangers, family and not foreigners, heirs not hirelings. The last part says God is no respecter of persons, or play favorites. Technically it means “accepter of face.” Face means the outward, the exterior, the show. Face means on the surface, to be superficial and skin-deep. A slave is not inferior or superior, no lesser or greater, richer or poorer in God’s eyes. A wrongdoer of an injustice, an injury or an ill will not escape His displeasure, discipline or demand. One day we will all have to be accountable, answerable and afraid!
Strike the Balance
4:1 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Once a clergyman knelt down by a young woman bowed in Prayer who was seeking Christ at a time of revival. Something seemed to worry her. “What is it?” asked the minister kindly. “Have you surrendered your all?” “I have tried,” the woman sobbed.
“What is the matter, then?” “It’s the way Christian people have treated me. I am afraid I shall have to give up my place in the family where I work as a servant. The man is so cross and impatient with me.”
“Give it up then. God will supply something better,” said the minister. “For whom do you work?” The woman raised her bowed head. “For you, sir.” “It’s our June!” gasped the minister, not having realized who she was until that moment. (Illustrations of Bible Truths Copyright # 930)
The verb “provide” (parecho) in the same verse is also translated in other versions as give (KJV), grant (NASB) or treat (RSV). In other passages the verb is translated as offer (Luke 6:29), bring (Acts 16:16), keep (Acts 22:2), show (Acts 28:2) and minister (1 Tim 1:4). The prefix (para) means beside, near or with, so it is more than the action, but also the attitude; to be closer, kinder and calmer.
Right and fair is “just and equal” in KJV. Righteous is from the perspective of the law or God, and fair is according to secular, professional, cultural, legal, moral or ethical standards. Paul did not appeal for mercy, compassion, justice, sympathy, clemency or leniency – none of that sort. He wisely asked the masters and not the servants to observe fairness - evenhanded and not extreme, hospitable and not high-minded, noble and not nasty, in all matters not to be irresponsible, irrational, irreligious or irreverent.
The best argument from Paul is that masters (kurios) too have a master (kurios) in heaven. The words are the same. The earthly masters have met or found their match, their Maker and motivation. It is cyclical: the servants serve their earthly masters who have their Master in heaven, a term they were bound to understand– the Lord Christ. The title “Lord Christ” makes its only appearance in the Bible. Lord means He is the chief, commander and captain, superior, skipper and sovereign, head and holder of our lives. To be accurate, we are all servants, stewards, subordinates, subjects and staff.
Conclusion: Are you unhappy, unfulfilled, unproductive, unmotivated, unpleasant as a servant? Consider yourself a servant of Christ (Col 4:12), a servant of the church (Rom 16:1) and servant to all (1 Cor 9:19). In Christ you are no longer a slave or a servant, but a son of the King, a steward in His Kingdom, and a sharer in His kingship.
