Ephesians 6

Paul pivots from the domestic 'household code' structure—which subordinates earthly roles to Christ—to the metaphysical reality of the 'wrestle' against spiritual wickedness, establishing that the power for domestic obedience is the same power required for spiritual victory.

• That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth (v. 3)
• Whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord (v. 8)

• Children, obey your parents (v. 1)
• Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath (v. 4)
• Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (v. 4)
• Put on the whole armour of God (v. 11)
• Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (v. 18)

• Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers (v. 6)
• Neither is there respect of persons with him (v. 9)

• The household code (Haustafeln) reflects common Greco-Roman ethical lists but is radically distinct because it invokes the Lordship of Christ as the motivation for behavior.
• Slavery in the 1st century was pervasive and not racially based; Paul treats bondservants as morally responsible agents whose service to masters is ultimately service to God.

• The 'father' (patḗr) held significant authority in the Roman household (patria potestas), making Paul's command to not provoke them a significant check on arbitrary power.
• The military imagery would be immediately recognizable to readers in Ephesus, a prominent Roman province, where legionary armor was a familiar sight.

• This chapter concludes the practical section of the letter that began in 4:1, detailing the 'worthy walk' of the believer.
• It follows the specific command in 5:21 to 'submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God,' applying this submission to the domestic and spiritual spheres.

• The reference to the 'first commandment with promise' explicitly connects the New Testament ethic to the Old Testament Decalogue (Exodus 20:12).
• The armor of God imagery is an explicit fulfillment and application of the Messianic imagery in Isaiah 59:17, where the Lord puts on righteousness as a breastplate and salvation as a helmet.

• Exodus 20:12: Referenced in v. 2 regarding the command to honor parents.
• Isaiah 59:17: Referenced in vv. 14, 17 as the source material for the armor of God metaphors.

• Children: τέκνον (téknon) [G5043] implies a child as produced by parents.
• Obey: ὑπακούω (hypakoúō) [G5219] literally means to hear under (as a subordinate), emphasizing attentive heed to authority.
• Lord/Master: κύριος (kýrios) [G2962] is used for Christ, masters, and God, centralizing all authority in Him.
• Provoke: παροργίζω (parorgízō) [G3949] means to anger alongside, implying a lingering, exasperating irritation rather than a momentary anger.
• Bondservants: δοῦλος (doûlos) [G1401] refers to those in subjection, emphasizing the nature of their service.
• Discipline/Nurture: παιδεία (paideía) [G3809] refers to upbringing or training, suggesting structured correction.

• Matthew Henry observes regarding the armor: 'There is none for the back; nothing to defend those who turn back in the Christian warfare,' emphasizing that the armor is intended for advance and holding ground, not retreat.
• There is a marked absence of commands for the 'wife' or 'husband' here, as they were addressed in chapter 5, suggesting these are the final tiers of the household code.

• The precise identity of the 'principalities and powers' (ἀρχή/ἐξουσία) is debated; historically, some see this as earthly political powers, while others (and the consensus of Reformed/Evangelical scholarship) see these as organized demonic hierarchies. The text strongly suggests supernatural opposition.