Transferring Masters

Paul reminds both slave and master that they are under the lordship of Christ, and "there is no favoritism with Him" (v. 9). Paul does not quote the Mosaic Law. He could have. All you have to do is go to Exodus chapters 20 through 24, and you will find laws pertaining to masters and slaves. But he does not. What does he constantly come back to? Christ! Let me ask you, if both are living under the watchful eye of Christ, how would that change the work ethic of slaves or the treatment given by masters? It would change everything. They both were to live with awareness that Christ is the ultimate Master and Judge, and with Him there is no partiality. Ligon Duncan says, "That is the recognition that both master and slave in Christ have a common Lord and that truth, that reality, that doctrine eventually undermined slavery" ("Obligations").

164Paul calls masters to show justice and reciprocity toward slaves. This idea was nowhere to be found in the legal code in Paul's day. Yet Paul says so here in Ephesians: "Masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them" (v. 9).

Let us move on with this understanding: neither Paul nor other biblical writers endorse slavery; they undermine it. Slavery slowly died out in antiquity because of the influence of Christianity. There were slaves in the Ephesian congregation, but they were not second-class members. They were brothers and sisters, called to unity in Christ (2:11-22; 4:1-6). Paul considers the existing structure and provides some gospel-centered instruction to both slaves and masters that we should consider carefully now.

Exhortations: Paul's Christ-Centered Words to Slaves and Masters

Ephesians 6:5-9

As we consider each verse in Ephesians 6:5-9, let us apply Paul's revolutionary words about slaves and masters.

In each of the four verses, Jesus Christ is mentioned:

The command is clear: Live all of life for Christ. While slaves were to obey their masters, they were to see Christ as the ultimate Master.

Paul basically urged servants to transfer masters, even if they could not transfer jobs. In 1 Corinthians Paul told the one in slavery that he was actually "the Lord's freedman" (1 Cor 7:22). By calling slaves to this Christ-centered perspective, Paul gave them a higher preoccupation than serving their human masters and freed them from the mundane.

With this overarching motive in mind, how exactly were they to glorify Christ in their work? Paul mentions at least four ways this exemplary service would look.

Glorify Christ by working respectfully (6:5a). Paul says they were to obey with "fear and trembling," which probably carries the same idea as165 5:21, out of "fear of Christ." They were to work seriously and reverently because they were working unto Christ.

Glorify Christ by working wholeheartedly (6:5b-6). Notice the emphasis on the heart in these verses: "in the sincerity of your heart" and "do God's will from your heart." Paul urged the bondservants not to be hypocrites, just working when the boss was present: "Don't work only while being watched, in order to please men." While a common temptation for the master was threatening slaves, a common temptation for the servant was being lazy or lying instead of working faithfully. Both were to remember that Christ sees all things.

Glorify Christ by working willingly (6:7). Paul says they should "Serve with a good attitude," not with a begrudging spirit. He tells them to put their heart and soul into their work because, after all, they are doing "God's will" (v. 6). Paul encourages cheerful and glad service.

Glorify Christ by working expectantly (6:8). Paul reminds them that the ultimate reward is coming: "Knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord." No act goes unnoticed. Believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ and be rewarded based on present faithfulness (Matt 16:27; Rom 2:6-11; 2 Cor 5:10). Think about how this perspective would change the way one could work.

The writer of Proverbs says, "A man's spirit can endure sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?" (Prov 18:14). If a person's spirit is crushed, life can become unbearable. What lifts the spirit? Christ! Future hope!

Now let us notice four words Paul gives to Christian masters in just this one verse regarding their treatment of servants. These exhortations were countercultural and life changing.

Practice mutuality. Paul says, "Treat your slaves the same way." Masters were to treat their slaves as they wanted to be treated: with integrity, respect, humility, and gentleness. They were to treat them as if they were treating Christ (cf. Matt 25:40). If masters wanted respect and service, then they should give it also.

Avoid hostility. Paul says to oversee them "without threatening." This type of exhortation to masters would have been extremely rare. But Christian masters were to be different. They were not to bully or use aggression.

166Live with Christ-centered accountability. Paul says, "You know that both their Master and yours is in heaven." Masters were to live with a fear of Christ. Proverbs speaks of this equal accountability of rich and poor: "The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord made them both" (Prov 22:2). "The poor and the oppressor have this in common: the Lord gives light to the eyes of both" (Prov 29:13). The Lord is the Judge of all the earth, of every person (Prov 15:3). An awareness of this sobering truth changes the way we live.

Remember God's impartiality. He says, "There is no favoritism with Him." Partiality was written into the Roman law. But Paul says on the last day it will not matter. The Lord Jesus is utterly impartial. Roman law was discriminatory, but heavenly justice is not.

Each of these principles shortened the distance between servant and master. This way of life was radical.

Application: How This Passage Can Change Your Life

Perhaps you have been thinking, "I'm not a slave. I don't have slaves. Can we just move to the next passage?" Not so fast. This passage is life changing if you apply it to your life. How so?

No work is merely work. It is a way to serve Christ. Think about employees and employers. Can we make this application? I think so. If these principles applied in a sometimes awful working environment of slavemaster, how much more should we seek to live them out in better working conditions? You say, "My job stinks." Maybe it does. But you are not being physically threatened or abused or treated like property. Remember, your boss is Jesus.

Employees: Work through Christ, like Christ, and for Christ. Break these down for a moment. Work through Christ. Remember that Paul is addressing the Christian church. These are believers in Christ who have been spiritually raised from death to life (2:4-7) and saved by grace (2:8) through the atoning death of Christ (2:13). As a result, they have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. They, and we, do not live our lives, love our spouses, raise our kids, or work our jobs alone. The living Christ abides in us. So do your work through Christ.

167In the Old Testament Joseph was sold into slavery, and he ended up working for Potiphar. In Genesis 39 four times it says that "the Lord was with Joseph" (Gen 39:2, 3,21, 23). He was not alone! Neither are you!

Remember we noted that Ephesians 5:21 leads into 6:9, and 5:21 is built on 5:18, "Be filled with the Spirit" (ESV). We are to do our jobs by depending on the Spirit's power.

Question: Do you pray before you go to work? Do you pray for the Spirit to fill you and for God to use you as a missionary where you work? You should.

Work like Christ. Jesus gives us the model work ethic. As the Suffering Servant, Jesus humbled Himself and died for sinners. He took "the form of a slave" (Phil 2:7). He left glory to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). As a working servant, Jesus was a carpenter or stonemason. He worked hard in the dumpy little town of Nazareth. Here is the sinless Son of God, working a job until He was 30 years old. He was doing it unto the Father.

Think about these virtues Paul just mentioned. Jesus would have exemplified them. Would Jesus have disrespected a person while working? No. Would Jesus slack when no one was watching? No. Would Jesus ever bill someone for extra time? No. Was He a begrudging servant? No. Did He minimize His job? No. If you are a follower of Christ, then you should be exemplary in your service. You should not need supervision. Besides this, your workplace is a great place to make the gospel look good to nonbelievers, not turn them off (see 1 Thess 4:11-12; Titus 2:9-10).

Work for Christ. You should do your best, as if you were doing it for Jesus. Spurgeon said,

Spurgeon said this reality should lift our spirits, keep us from complaining, and keep us from becoming lazy. Stott puts it this way:

You should also do your work for Christ now but realize that you will receive a reward from Christ later. Many Christians do not meditate on this. They think, "Our works don't matter." True, Jesus' work saves us, not our works. However, God saved us to do good works (Eph 2:10), and rewards will be given based on our faithfulness. We should anticipate the ultimate bonus: hearing the King say, "Well done." People in this life focus on the nature of one's job, but the Bible puts the focus on being faithful to your job.

Employer: Lead through Christ, like Christ, and for Christ. Now let us break this down. Lead through Christ. Oh, the challenge of leadership! You take on numerous responsibilities and make numerous sacrifices. You need the Spirit's power! Paul felt the pressure of leading churches (2 Cor 11:28). But he goes on to describe how in his weakness the grace of Jesus is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9). We must lead out of Christ's strength too.

Lead like Christ. Christ is not just the model Servant; He is the ultimate Master also! What kind of leadership did Jesus execute? Servant leadership. He displayed the attitudes those in leadership should follow. He came to serve. He took up the towel. He cared for the vulnerable. He did not seek earthly praise. He was a shepherd, not a dictator.

Lead for Christ. Paul says masters will give an account. As a leader, you may have more opportunities to bend the truth and make unethical decisions because you have less accountability and more control over your time. Remember, your audience is Christ. He is an impartial master. What this means is that you should seek to honor Him with holy leadership.

Our culture subtly tells us that there is a hierarchy of value among individuals, and it tells us where we fit in this value system. This text crushes that idea. Although there are different roles, in no way do these roles define one's value.

169This hierarchy does not exist for the Christian. We have the same Lord, and we await the same judgment (Rom 2:6-11). Further, James tells us that showing partiality is inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus (Jas 2:1).

We should relate to people differently from the way our culture relates to people. Do not give preferential treatment to a certain class or ethnic group. Care for the rich and the powerful as well as the poor and the powerless. Be careful about your body language, your attention on others, and the way you communicate to others. Do not give the impression that you are superior or that someone is not worth your time. Do not dehumanize individuals by thinking less of them. Do not idolize any human by thinking too highly of her or him.

What matters according to this text? It is your relationship with Christ. The most important thing in this life is not whether you work in a sawmill or an office building in a nice part of downtown. What matters is how you respond to Jesus Christ. Is He your Master?

Jesus said it like this: "For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life?" (Mark 8:36). If you know Christ, then you are rich. Because of this, one can say with Paul, "As having nothing yet possessing everything" (2 Cor 6:10). The person who has Jesus and nothing has no less than the person who has Jesus and everything else. Do you belong to Jesus Christ? Then you have everything! Then what you do in this life matters. It matters in this life, and it will be revealed in the next life. What matters most to you? The economy? The president? Your team? Your grades? We should all long to say it like Paul: "For me, living is Christ and dying is gain" (Phil 1:21).

If you do not have Christ, then you need to receive the One who, though being the ultimate Master, became the ultimate Servant, dying for sinners like us. Jesus came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves: to free us from slavery to sin and bring us into loving relationship with the Father. He came to give us what we could not earn: spiritual life. He came to make us what we could not become: no longer slaves, but sons. He is the obedient Servant, the best Master, and the sovereign Lord. Look to Him and live.

Reflect and Discuss