URGE
BONDSLAVES TO BE SUBJECT TO THEIR OWN MASTERS: doulous idiois despotais
hupotassesthai (PM/PN): (Eph 6:5-8;
Col 3:22-25;
1Ti 6:1
6:2;
1Pet 2:18-25)
"Exhort slaves to be putting themselves in subjection to their own
masters with implicit obedience" (Wuest)
Urge
is not present in the Greek but is added by the NASB translators. The
text reads literally
Bondslaves
(1401)
(doulos) refers to one born into slavery in contrast to a
person taken in war and sold as a slave (andrapodon). Slaves
formed a large class of society in Paul's day.
Doulos conveys the idea of the slave's close, binding ties with
his master, belonging to him, obligated to do his will and in a
permanent relation of servitude to him. (Click or
here for more discussion of doulos).
To be subject
(5293)
(hupotasso
from hupó = under + tasso = arrange in
orderly manner, assign or dispose to a certain position or to a
particular task) (Click
word study on
hupotasso)
means to cause to be in a submissive relationship, to subordinate or
bring one under the firm control of another.
Hupotasso
was a military term describing soldiers lining up under or rank under
their authority. Hupotasso
also referred to the arrangement of military implements on a battlefield
in such a way as to facilitate effective warfare.
Hupotasso
focuses on function, not essence. Submission to political authorities (see
note
Romans 13:1),
wives to husbands (see note
Colossians 3:18),
young to elders (see note
1 Peter 5:5).
In non-military use, hupotasso
refers to a voluntary attitude of placing one's self under the authority
of another. In the present context, the bondslave is exhorted to
continually (present
tense) place himself or herself (middle
voice
= reflexive or if passive to be subjected to) in subjection to the
master who for the most part were pagans. Submission in such potentially
adverse circumstances represents an act of faith. The born again
bondslave would be trusting God to direct his or her life and to work
out His purposes in His time. Clearly, there is a danger in submitting
to others, especially if they have a different world view (pagan or
Cretan in this case) for they might take advantage of us. Ultimately
however their submission to their master, pagan or not, would reflect
submission to God's authority and He is responsible for the care.
How is it possible to surrender
one's rights to a master in authority?
In Ephesians Paul writes that
believers should "not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation,
but be (continually) filled with (controlled by) the
Spirit" (Eph 5:18)
and then should "be subject to one another in the fear of Christ"
(Eph 5:21)
Slaves filled with the Spirit would be enabled to obey the spirit of the
law to the glory of God.
Masters (1203)
(despotes)
(Click word study of
despotes) meaning master, lord, or one who has absolute,
undisputed
ownership of and uncontrolled power over another. Five of the nine uses
in the NT refer to the master of the house who had unrestricted
authority.
IN EVERYTHING
TO BE WELL-PLEASING: en pasin euarestous einai
(PAN):
"in all things; to give them satisfaction" (Wuest)
To be (1511) (eimi = to be,
present tense = continuous
action, active voice = subject makes volitional choice to carry out the
action)
Everything (3956)
(pas) means no exceptions. Notice it precedes the verb
emphasizing the importance of "no exceptions" It means whether they treat you well
or not. God's children are never to return evil for evil or insult for
insult to anyone, so that they may show a proper opinion of their Father
and the supernatural life He gives us to the lost world.
Why is this so critical that
bondslaves (and all spiritual bondslaves of Christ) adorn (make
attractive) the doctrine of God our Savior? In an article in Breakpoint
entitled "Drawn to the Light - Why Muslims Convert to Christianity"
read and be convicted/motivated...
Dr. Dudley Woodberry, professor of
Islamic Studies... aware that throughout the world Muslims have been
turning to Christ, was curious about the reasons why -- especially in
countries where the cost of converting is so high. To find the answer,
he created a detailed questionnaire. Over a 16-year period, some 750
Muslims from 30 countries filled it out -- and the results are
eye-opening. The number one reason Muslim converts listed for their
decision to follow Christ was the lifestyle of the Christians among them.
As Woodberry, Russell Shubin, and G. Marks write in CHRISTIANITY TODAY,
Muslim converts noted that "there was no gap between the moral
profession and the practice of Christians" they knew. An Egyptian
convert contrasted the love shown by Christians "with the unloving
treatment of Muslim students and faculty he encountered at a university
in Medina." Other converts were impressed that "Christians treat women
as equals" and enjoy loving marriages. And poor Muslims observed that
"the expatriate Christian workers they knew had adopted, contrary to
their expectations, a simple lifestyle." They wore locally made clothes
and abstained from pork and alcohol, so as not to offend Muslim
neighbors. (Read
the full discussion - Drawn to the Light - Breakpoint)
Well
pleasing
(2101) (euarestos
from eu = good, well + arestos = pleasing,
desirable, proper, fit, agreeable from arésko = to please
or be pleasing/acceptable to) means that
which causes someone to be pleased. It is something which is well
approved, eminently satisfactory, or extra-ordinarily pleasing.
Euarestos is used 9
times in the NT in the NASB (3x
Ro;
1x 2Cor;
1x Eph;
1x Phil;
1x Col;
1x Titus;
1x Heb)
and is translated as: acceptable, 3; pleasing, 3; well-pleasing, 3. Note
that the predominant usage refers to well-pleasing to God and most often
describes the goal of a believer's life.
Romans 12:1 (note)
I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is
your spiritual service of worship.
Romans 12:2 (note)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that
which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 14:18 (note)
For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and
approved by men.
2 Corinthians 5:9 Therefore
also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be
pleasing to Him.
Ephesians 5:10 (note)
trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Philippians 4:18 (note)
But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am
amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a
fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to
God.
Colossians 3:20 (note)
Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing
to the Lord.
Titus 2:9 (note)
Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be
well-pleasing, not argumentative,
Hebrews 13:21 (note)
equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which
is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the
glory forever and ever. Amen.
These bondslaves are to be continually well approved, eminently
satisfactory, or extra-ordinarily pleasing to their masters.
It is possible to obey externally, but not “from the heart” (Eph 6:6).
It is possible to do a job grudgingly. This exhortation however would
not be easy to comply with as some unsaved masters would not be
thoughtful and would overwork their slaves.
In Romans we can see a sense of
what euarestos means where Paul writes that the will of
God is
good and acceptable (euarestos) and
perfect. (see note
Romans 12:2)
God's will is well-pleasing because you cannot add anything to
the will of God and in any way improve it. You could not take anything
away from it and make it better. God's will is totally acceptable.
And this is the attitude and actions Paul is calling for in servants
here in Titus and in every saint in Romans 12 where he exhorts us
"by
the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,
acceptable (euarestos) to God, which is your
spiritual service of worship." (see note
Romans 12:1)
In using euarestos Paul borrows from Old Testament
sacrificial language to describe the kind of holy living that God
approves, a “living sacrifice” that is morally and spiritually
spotless and without blemish, and which He finds well-pleasing.
In his second letter to the
Corinthians Paul writes that
"we have as our ambition (Greek root
means loving what is honorable), whether at home or absent, to be
pleasing (euarestos) to Him." (2Cor 5:9).
Paul's service on earth was designed to bring pleasure to the heart
of his Lord, whether Paul was still here on earth or whether he was
standing before the Judgment Seat of Christ. To be well
pleasing was Paul’s highest goal, and should also be for every
believer.
Writing to the saints at Ephesus
Paul encouraged them to be "trying to learn (idea of testing or
proving to learn by clear, convincing evidence what is truly honoring to
God) what is pleasing to the Lord." (Eph 5:10)
In other words, these saints were to be putting every thought, word, and
action to the test to discern "What does the Lord think about this?" "How does this appear in His presence?" Every area of our life should
come under this searchlight, our...conversation, standard of living,
clothes, books, business, pleasures, web surfing habits, friendships,
sports, etc. The ultimate question should be... Will it be well
pleasing (euarestos) to the Lord?
NOT
ARGUMENTATIVE: me antilegontas (PAPMPA):
not answering again (KJV)
not talk back (NLT)
They are not to "answer back"
(Phillips)
not crossing them (Wuest)
Argumentative
(483)
(antilego
from anti = against + lego
= speak) literally not speaking against. Modern slang
might say "not talking back", contradicting, disputing, refusing,
disobeying. The
present tense
indicates this a
habitual practice.
A slave's
service was to be rendered without sullenness and grumbling, without
opposition or contradictions. Why? Verse 10 explains so that they might
''adorn" the doctrine of God our Saviour in every respect!