Reflecting on spiritual life, Paul also addresses, among other things, social relations, which might seem to have little in common with the life of the Kingdom to which all the apostle's letters are devoted. Here Paul continues the prophetic tradition, for the prophets too did not consider...
Reflecting on spiritual life, Paul also addresses, among other things, social relations, which might seem to have little in common with the life of the Kingdom to which all the apostle's letters are devoted. Here Paul continues the prophetic tradition, for the prophets too did not consider the social sphere unworthy of their attention. There is nothing surprising about this: spiritual life consists first of all in the relationships that bind a person to God and to other people, and such relationships are established among people not only in their private lives but also in public life. Ideally, public life should conform to the Torah just as an individual's life should, and the prophets never tired of reminding their compatriots and fellow believers of this.
The issue here is not social justice alone, important as it certainly is, but the fact that violating it always also entails violating a commandment given by God. In public life, unlike private life, this violation becomes widespread and compounds the offenders' sin. A society founded on the Torah helps people avoid sin; a society founded on laws that violate it encourages sin. Following the prophetic tradition, Paul calls for both family relationships (vv. 1–4) and social relationships (vv. 5–9) to be built on the Torah and the commandments.
At first glance it might seem that when the apostle addresses social relations he is much gentler than the prophets: he demands nothing from anyone and denounces no one; he only exhorts and appeals. But Paul evidently did not intend to repeat everything the prophets had already said before him. He wished only to remind his readers that although the Kingdom, in the Savior's words, is “not of this world,” every relationship that binds people, including social relations, is part of their spiritual life. Such relations can bring a person closer to the Kingdom or move that person farther away.
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6:1 Children, obey your parents - In all things lawful. The will of the parent is a law to the child. In the Lord - For his sake.For this is right - Manifestly just and reasonable.
6:2 Honour - That is, love, reverence, obey, assist, in all things.The mother is particularly mentioned, as being more liable to be slighted than the father. Which is the first commandment with a promise - For the promise implied in the second commandment does not belong to the keeping that command in particular, but the whole law. Exo 20:12
6:3 That thou mayest live long upon the earth - This is usually fulfilled to eminently dutiful children; and he who lives long and well has a long seed - time for the eternal harvest. But this promise, in the Christian dispensation, is to be understood chiefly in a more exalted and Spiritual sense.
6:4 And, ye fathers - Mothers are included; but fathers are named, as being more apt to be stern and severe. Provoke not your children to wrath - Do not needlessly fret or exasperate them.But bring them up - With all tenderness and mildness. In the instruction and discipline of the Lord - Both in Christian knowledge and practice.
6:5 Your masters according to the flesh - According to the present state of things: afterward the servant is free from his master.With fear and trembling - A proverbial expression, implying the utmost care and diligence. In singleness of heart - With a single eye to the providence and will of God.
6:6 Not with eye - service - Serving them better when under their eyethan at other times. But doing the will of God from the heart - Doing whatever you do, as the will of God, and with your might.
6:7 Unto the Lord, and not to men - That is, rather than to men; and by making every action of common life a sacrifice to God; having an eye to him in all things, even as if there were no other master.
6:8 He shall receive the same - That is, a full and adequate recompence for it.
6:9 Do the same things to them - That is, act toward them from the same principle. Forbearing threatening - Behaving with gentleness and humanity, not in a harsh or domineering way.