Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin (continued)
Chapter
Ephesians 6:1-4
Ephesians 6:1-4
1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 1. Filii, obedite parentibus vestris in Domino; hoc enim est justum. 2. Honor thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with promise,)
2. Honora patrem tuum et matrem; (quod est mandatum primum cum promissione:)
3. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 3. Ut bene tibi sit, et sis longaevus super terram. 4. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
4. Vos etiam, patres, ne ad iram provocetis filios vestros; sed educate eos in disciplina et correptione Domini.
1. Children, obey. Why does the apostle use the word obey instead of honor, 180 which has a greater extent of meaning? It is because Obedience is the evidence of that honor which children owe to their parents, and is therefore more earnestly enforced. It is likewise more difficult; for the human mind recoils from the idea of subjection, and with difficulty allows itself to be placed under the control of another. Experience shews how rare this virtue is; for do we find one among a thousand that is obedient to his parents? By a figure of speech, a part is here put for the whole, but it is the most important part, and is necessarily accompanied by all the others.
In the Lord. Besides the law of nature, which is acknowledged by all nations, the obedience of children is enforced by the authority of God. Hence it follows, that parents are to be obeyed, so far only as is consistent with piety to God, which comes first in order. If the command of God is the rule by which the submission of children is to be regulated, it would be foolish to suppose that the performance of this duty could lead away from God himself.
For this is right. This is added in order to restrain the fierceness which, we have already said, appears to be natural to almost all men. He proves it to be right, because God has commanded it; for we are not at liberty to dispute,
180"{Τιμᾷν} properly signifies, `to perform one's duty to any one;' and here reverence must comprehend the cognate offices of affection, care, and support. The same complexity of sense is observable in the classical phrase {τιμᾷν} {τὸν} {ἰατρόν} [to reverence the physician.] --- Bloomfield.