Ephesians 6

1 the apostle proceedeth to the duty of Children towards their parents 4 and of the fathers towards their children 5afterwards of the servants towards their masters 9 and of masters towards their servants 10 at last he exhorts them to be in general in the Lord 11 and describe the subtitle and power of Satan against whom they are to fight 13 he arms them again him with the whole amour of God which he rehearseth in all parts 18 exhorts them with all the continual prayer 19and that for himself also that he may speak the gospel boldly in his bonds 21 testifieth that therefore sends Tichus unto them to give them notice of his condition in all things 23 and concludes the epistle wishing them peace and love with faith and grace.

1. Ye children be obedient to your parents in the Lord [as chapter 5.21 in the fear of God tat is all that is contrary to the Lord or his command and fear Luke see Luke 14:26] for that is just.

2. Honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with a special promise [Gr in promise that is with a special promise of long life prosperity for otherwise the second commandment hath also a general promised annexed of God mercy towards many thousands.]

3. That is may go well with thee and that thou mayest live long on the earth [where the fifth commandment saith in the land which the Lord shall give thee having respect the land in the Canaan there Paul saith in general on the earth because the Lord under the new testament hath now hallowed all the lands of the whole earth and promiseth his blessing to them that obey him in what land so ever they be for godliness hath the promise for both of the present life and of that to come 1 Timothy 4:8.]

4. and ye fathers stir not up your children to wrath [that is by too much harshness to such wrath as may cause diffidence and obstinacy in the children against their parents otherwise God also sometimes commands to use due severity against the great faults of children see Proverbs 13:24 and 19.18 and 23.13 &c]but no wish them up in the teaching[or chastisement as this word also signifies see Hebrews 12:7]and admonition of the Lord [or instruction which may direct them to the fear of the Lord or such as is taken out of the word of the Lord .]

5. Ye servant be obedient to your masters according to the flesh [that is according to the body or according to the outward state of man for over conscience and in spiritual manners God only is the Lord]with fear[that is with awe and reverence]and trembling[that is with carefulness of not provoking them to wrath for a slavish fear proceeding only from consideration of the present punishment the apostle commends not in Christian as the following words declares see Romans 13:5]in the simplicity of your heart as unto Christ [namely Lord and Master of us all see Ephesians 5:22.]

6. Not according to the eye service [that is serving well only in the presence and before the eyes of the masters as many servants use to do mocking abusing and be stealing them often times behind their backs]as men pleasers but as servants of Christ doing the will of god [namely by serving faithful and uprightly for that is the will of God concerning servants Gr doing the will of God from the soul]from the heart.

7. Serving with willingness to the Lord [namely Christ Jesus in this your service as to him that hath imposed the same upon you in this calling see Job 15:14] and not to men principally.]

8. Knowing that whatsoever good everyone shall have done he shall receive [or shall get or carry away namely in the last judgment see 2 Corinthians 5:10] the same [that is the reward of the same he speaks here of reward of grace as Paul therefore call the reward of servant which God shall give to them who shall serve faithfully a reward of inheritance Colossians 3:24] of the Lord whether it be servant or free man.

9. And ye master do the same by them [namely that which is good and is rewarded by the Lord which is the same he said concerning servants in the former verse for he commands not masters to obey or to serve their servants but that they should command and govern them with all equity and gentleness as the following words declare] fore bearing threatening as who know that your own master also in the heavens and that there is no accepting of the person with him [that is the Lord shall not respect the outward state of man in his judgment namely whether anyone be a master or servant noble or ignoble rich or poor but whether he each one in his calling hath obeyed his commandment see Romans 2:11.]

10. Further more my brethren grow more powerful in the Lord [that is see ye get daily more and more strength through the power of the Lord against your enemies the means whereof are set down from the 13verse forward] and in the strength of his might

11. Put on the armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wily of the circum-dictions [that is deceitful seducement see Ephesians 4:14]of the devil.

12. For our combat is not [namely only or principally for the world and our own flesh also are continually fighting against us but our principal enemy who also makes use of the world and our flesh for this purpose is Satan see 1Peter 5.8]against flesh and blood [that is weak means we ourselves also are see Matthew 16:17 Galtian1.16] but against the superiors against the power against the empowered ones of the world [the apostle here gives Satan and his angels these titles not that they are constituted by God true rulers and governors of the world as God often times makes use of the good angels chapter 1.21 and chapter 10 but because that same power which the good angels have from God and these lost by their fall is still never the less tyrannically by fraud or force usurped by these over the corrupt and the wicked world and that by the just judgment of God for the punishment of the evil and exercise of the good the same is permitted them for a time see 2 Corinthians 4:4 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 9 ,10 see also the annotate on chapter 2.2] of the darkness of this age [so the kingdom of Satan is called that through dis-acknowledging or ignorance of God an his word he brings men unto all manner of sin and wickedness see Acts 26:18 Colossians 1:13]against the spiritual malice [Gr the spiritual ones of the malice that is spirits which are inclined unto all maliciousness and seek also to bring men thereunto]in the air[Gr in the heavenly or super-celestial places and this word is otherwise understood here then in the other place of the epistle because the air is sometimes called the heaven Leviticus 26:19 Matthew 6:26 and the apostle heretofore chapter 2.2 expressly names Satan the Prince of the power of the air for that Satan hath no more place nor power in true heaven appears out of 2 Peter 2:4 Jude verse6 Revelations 12,8&c]

13. Therefore receive ye the whole armor of God [or the whole arming namely wherewith God in his word arms us against all assaults of Satan]that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day [that is the time of temptation as Christ speaks Luke 8:13 for although we must always be upon our guard yet not withstanding there be sometime and occasion in which Satan most of all seeks to assault us to bring us to a fall]and having performed all [or having wrought out namely that which lies upon us to do for the combat for the overcoming of these enemies which is afterwards described]may continue standing .

14. Stand then [namely as good soldiers watchful and each at his station without yielding or giving place in the least see 1 Peter 5:9]girt about your loynes [the military girdle in former times were broad and strong made of strong leather and overlaid with iron or copper plates whereby the weakest part of the body that is the loynes and the upper part of the belly were girded stiffened and defended]with the truth [some hereby understand uprightness opposed to hypocrisy others the truth of doctrine opposed to errors and heresies see 1 Timothy 1:18,19]and having put on the breast plate of righteousness [that is godliness of life and a good conscience as Paul also speaks to Timothy in the place of the last quoted.]

15. And having shod the feet[whereby are also understood the shins or legs up to the knees which the ancient likewise used to arm all over with certain boots and shin plates not only against the injuries of the weather but also to resist an arrow or blow]with readiness of the gospel [that is with being always ready to make profession of the faith and to give account of the hope that is in you Romans 10:10 1 Peter 3.15for those that are ashamed or fearful in this point Satan usually and easily misleadeth unto grievous sins]of peace [that is whereby peace with God is pushed unto us Romans 10:15.]

16. Above all having received the field of faith [namely of true confidence in God through Christ fore hereby all the imperfection of the foresaid arms are covered and we best defended against assaults of Satan Psalms 91:1 &c 1 Peter 5:9 &c] wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one [some understand this of the poisonous darts which by their venom inflame the body and the wounds as with burning fire of which sort were many were wont to be used in the war in former times others of such darts whose points were put in the fire to become the harder and do the more hurt or else darts to shoot fire by into any place all this agrees well with nature of Satan temptation which as poison and fire pierce the soul if they be not stopped and quenched in time by quenching those darts is understood not only keeping them off but also the taking away of their fierce and venomous quality of doing hurt.]

17. And take the helmet of salvation [that is of the hope of salvation as Paul addeth 1Thessalonians 5.8 whereby we are excited and contemn all transitory things Romans 8:18,24]and the sword of the spirit [that is of the holy spirit that he doth as it were put in our hands to resist Satan against all temptation see Hebrews 4:12 and the example of Christ against Satan Matthew4.1&c] which is the word of God.

18. With all prayer and supplication [some distinguish these thus that by the word supplication is understood a deprecation of evil or of temptation and by the word prayer an earnest prayer of god help and grace to the end that indeed it should God to let us fall there into we may be able to stand it out in temptation and may obtain good issue 1 Corinthians 10 .13 see this difference also 1 Timothy 2:1] praying at all times in the spirit [that is with earnestness and from the heart as Job 4.24 or by the spirit that is the holy ghost Romans 8:26,27]and watching unto the same with perseverance and supplication for all the saints [that is believers who are also in the like combat in this world .]

19. And for me that the word may be given me [that is fitness and ability to speak the word of God with steadfastness and boldness an Hebraism as the following verse declares]in the opening of my mouth with boldness to make known the mystery of the gospel

20. For which I am an ambassador [namely in the name of God and Christ see 2 Corinthians 5:19 &c]in a chain of the manner of imprisonment see annotate on acts 28.16 ]that I may speak boldly in the same that I may becometh me to speak.

21. And that ye may also know that which concerns me [or my matter that is how matters stand here at Rome in my prison which Luke Acts 28 briefly relates from verse 16 to the end of the chapter]and that I do all that Tychius [this Tychius accompanied Paul everywhere in his travel through Asia as may be seen Acts 20:4 and forsook him not in the imprisonment in Rome whom Paul also made use of to send unto Ephesus and the other churches in Asia for confirmation of the same see him also Colossian 4.7 Titus 3:12]the beloved prophet and faithful minister in the Lord shall make known unto ye

22. When I have sent you for that end that you might know our affair and that ye might comfort your hearts [namely not only by other discourses out of Gods word as a minister of Christ but also by the information he shall give of the liberty ginven me by the emperor in these my bonds .]

23. Peace hereby according to the phrase of Hebrew is understood all manner of happiness in soul and body] be to the brethren and love with faith [that is increase or growth in love and faith for he writes to them he that believed already chapter 1.1] from God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ

24. Grace be with all them who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruptibleness that is to obtaining of incorruptibleness and the unfading inheritance in heaven as Peter speaks 1Peter 1.4 others by this word incorruptibleness understand the sincerity of the love of which he here speaks.] Amen.