Ephesians 5:21; 6:9

[NOTE: I started to merge verse 9 with the preceding verses directed to slaves/employees. But I recall a pastor preaching a mini-series aimed at employees, taken from this passage. But he never once addressed the employers/managers/bosses, even though there were many such in his congregation. Being an employee myself, I was displeased. Therefore, as before, I am repeating my thoughts on 5:21, where Paul calls me to submit in all of the following relationships. First was the marriage relationship; then parent/child; now employee/employer, with this entry focusing on the employer/manager/boss/owner.]

5:21

Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.

to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.

out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive

reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.

for Christ – the Anointed One

6:9

And – Paul approaches the conclusion of his 3 illustrations of relationships in which we believers must practice mutual submission

masters – boss, employer, anyone in authority on the job

treat – actions, attitudes, speech and wages

your slaves – employees or underlings. Never having been the boss and rarely being in authority at a work place, I don’t see much to apply to myself when Paul talks about masters. But the principle is the same either way: Treat each other as if the other were Christ Himself.

in the same way – reflects back to verse 7, “as if you were serving the Lord”

Do not – prohibition

threaten them – take advantage of one’s positional authority to scare employees with dire consequences

since you know [NLT: remember] – established in and through Christian teaching and mentoring

that he who is – present tense

both their Master and yours – perhaps one of the best demonstrations that (L)lord, (M)master, and (B)boss all fill the same function. If I am ever in a position of leadership again, I pray You will keep m mindful that the leader demonstrates Christ as I treat those with me as if they are Christ.

is in heaven – present tense, position of ultimate superiority and authority

and – connected to previous

there is no favoritism with him – established in chapter 2, that the walls have been torn down and divided groups have been united into one. Thus, whatever our position in society, as followers of Christ all that has changed. Christ favors neither the boss nor the laborer. He calls us to submit to each other and that essentially means to treat the other as I would treat Christ. For some reason I “have to” throw in this added thought: While God does not show favoritism, He does require justice, mercy, and humility. And to the degree that I violate these latter principles in any of my relationships, I have violated the Christ who lives (or wants to live) in that other person.