Christian Slaves and Masters Relationship in Ephesians

Paul addresses the relationship between Christian slaves and masters in Ephesians 6:5-9, a passage written during his Roman imprisonment around the same time as Colossians ^[3]. The instructions appear within the broader "household code" section of the letter, where Paul reframes existing social structures through the lens of Christian discipleship and mutual accountability before Christ.

The Command to Slaves

Paul directs slaves to "obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ" ^[1]. The phrase "earthly masters" (literally "masters according to the flesh") distinguishes temporal authority from the believer's true Master in heaven ^[9]. This distinction offered consolation: the mastership to which slaves were subject was temporary, and their real liberty remained their own ^[9]. The "fear and trembling" Paul prescribes is not slavish terror but rather "an anxious eagerness to do your duty, and a fear of displeasing" comparable to what ordinary slaves felt under threat ^[9].

Paul emphasizes that Christian slaves serve as "slaves of Christ" ^[10], having been bought by his blood. Their obedience to human masters becomes an expression of service to God himself. They are to work "with enthusiasm" and faithfulness, understanding that "the will of God is that they honor him by serving their human masters faithfully" ^[10]. This reorientation transforms menial labor into sacred service—any faithful work done for the Lord's sake will receive full recompense from Christ, "in heaven's currency" ^[12]. The promise extends equally to "bond or free," since "Christ does not regard such distinctions in His present dealings of grace, or in His future judgment" ^[12].

The Command to Masters

Paul balances his instruction with a corresponding command to masters: they are to show "the same regard to God's will, and to your servants' well-being" that servants ought to show in their relation to masters ^[7]. The parallel passage in Colossians makes this explicit: "Masters, grant your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you also have a master in heaven" ^[2]. Christian slave owners had to recognize their own subordinate position as slaves bound to obey Christ, "their Master in heaven who treats all people with dignity and grace" ^[8].

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observes that "love regulates the duties both of servants and masters, as one and the same light attempers various colors" ^[7]. The commentary notes that "equality of nature and faith is superior to distinctions of rank," and that "Christianity makes all men brothers" ^[7]. This theological reality fundamentally altered the nature of the master-slave relationship, even while the external social structure remained intact.

Paul's Approach to Slavery

Paul was not promoting slavery but "teaching Christians how to live in it as a fact of life in that culture" ^[6]. The New Testament never attacks the practice as such ^[11], yet the gospel's spirit and genius are "hostile to slavery in every form, which under its influence is gradually" being eliminated ^[5]. The case of Onesimus illustrates this transformation: Paul sent the runaway slave back to Philemon but urged him to receive Onesimus as "a faithful and beloved brother," offering to pay anything the slave had taken ^[4]. Christian faith establishes relationships that fundamentally change the nature of social structures ^[11].

The Mosaic law had regulated rather than originated slavery, and that ancient institution bore no modern parallel ^[5]. Paul's instructions in Ephesians similarly work within existing structures while introducing a revolutionary principle: both slave and master stand as equals before their common Lord, accountable to the same divine standard of justice, fairness, and love.

Sources

Ephesians “Ephesians 6:5 (BSB) — Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.”
Colossians “Colossians 4:1 (LEB) — Masters, grant your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you also have a master in heaven.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ephesians, Epistle to — Was written by Paul at Rome about the same time as that to the Colossians, which in many points it resembles. Contents of. The Epistle to the Colossians is mainly polemical, designed to refute certain theosophic errors that had crept into the church there. That to the Ephesians does not seem to have originated in any special circumstances, but is simply a letter springing from Paul's love to the church there, and indicative of his earnest desire that they should be fully instructed in the profound doctrines of the gospel. It contains (1) the s”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Onesimus — Useful, a slave who, after robbing his master Philemon (q.v.) at Colosse, fled to Rome, where he was converted by the apostle Paul, who sent him back to his master with the epistle which bears his name. In it he beseeches Philemon to receive his slave as a "faithful and beloved brother." Paul offers to pay to Philemon anything his slave had taken, and to bear the wrong he had done him. He was accompanied on his return by Tychicus, the bearer of the Epistle to the Colossians (Philemon 1:16, 18). The story of this fugitive Colossian slave is a remarkable evi”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Slave — Jer. 2:14 (A.V.), but not there found in the original. In Rev. 18:13 the word "slaves" is the rendering of a Greek word meaning "bodies." The Hebrew and Greek words for slave are usually rendered simply "servant," "bondman," or "bondservant." Slavery as it existed under the Mosaic law has no modern parallel. That law did not originate but only regulated the already existing custom of slavery (Ex. 21:20, 21, 26, 27; Lev. 25:44-46; Josh. 9:6-27). The gospel in its spirit and genius is hostile to slavery in every form, which under its influence is gradually disa”
Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 6:5: 6:5-9 The relationship between slaves and masters (and, by analogy, between employees and employers) is to be shaped by their commitment to the Lord and their desire to build one another up in Christ. Christian slaves are to obey their masters, and Christian masters are to treat their slaves kindly (see Col 3:22–4:1). • Paul was not promoting slavery but teaching Christians how to live in it as a fact of life in that culture (for Paul’s treatment of slavery, see Philemon Book Introduction, “Meaning and Message”). 6:5 Obedient service to earthly masters expresses”
Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 6:9: the same things--Mutatis mutandis. Show the same regard to God's will, and to your servants' well-being, in your relation to them, as they ought to have in their relation to you. Love regulates the duties both of servants and masters, as one and the same light attempers various colors. Equality of nature and faith is superior to distinctions of rank [BENGEL]. Christianity makes all men brothers: compare Lev 25:42-43; Deu 15:12; Jer 34:14 as to how the Hebrews were bound to treat their brethren in service; much more ought Christians to act with love. ”
Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 4:1: 4:1 Masters: Christian slave owners had to recognize that they, too, were slaves bound to obey Jesus Christ, their Master in heaven who treats all people with dignity and grace.”
Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 6:5: Servants--literally, "slaves." masters according to the flesh--in contrast to your true and heavenly Master (Eph 6:4). A consolatory him that the mastership to which they were subject, was but for a time [CHRYSOSTOM]; and that their real liberty was still their own (Co1 7:22). fear and trembling--not slavish terror, but (See on Co1 2:3; Co2 7:15) an anxious eagerness to do your duty, and a fear of displeasing, as great as is produced in the ordinary slave by "threatenings" (Eph 6:9). singleness--without double-mindedness, or "eye service" (Eph ”
Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 6:6: 6:6-7 As slaves of Christ: As those who have been bought by the blood of Christ, believers no longer belong to themselves (see 1 Cor 6:19-20; 7:22; cp. Rom 1:1; Gal 1:10; Phil 1:1). For Christian slaves, the will of God is that they honor him by serving their human masters faithfully and with enthusiasm.”
Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:22: 3:22-24 Slaves have earthly masters whom they must obey. Slavery was central to the life and economy of the ancient world, and the New Testament never attacks the practice as such. However, Christian faith establishes relationships that change the nature of the social structure (see Phlm 1:15-16). • and that the Master you are serving is Christ: All Christians, both slave and free, serve a higher Master, whose will is paramount.”
Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 6:8: any man doeth--Greek, "any man shall have done," that is, shall be found at the Lord's coming to have done. the same--in full payment, in heaven's currency. shall . . . receive-- (Co2 5:10; Col 3:25; but all of grace, Luk 17:10). bond or free-- (Co1 7:22; Co1 12:13; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11). Christ does not regard such distinctions in His present dealings of grace, or in His future judgment. The slave that has acted faithfully for the Lord's sake to his master, though the latter may not repay his faithfulness, shall have the Lord for his Paymaster. ”

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