Chapter 6
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The
duties of children and parents
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1–4
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Of
servants and masters
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5–9
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All
Christians are to put on spiritual armour against the enemies of their souls
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10–18
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The
apostle desires their prayers, and ends with his apostolic blessing
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19–24
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Verses 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.
Verses 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.
Verses 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.
Verses 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.
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
Visit www.e-sword.net
or www.ccel.org
