Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrase "in the Lord" isn't just a polite suggestion to obey within a Christian context, but the crucial qualifier that obedience is ultimately to be directed towards God. This means that a child’s duty to their parents is limited by, and subordinate to, their higher calling to obey God’s commands.
Paul shifts from the relationship between husbands and wives to that of children and parents, framing this instruction within the broader context of Christian community and obedience to God. He immediately follows this by addressing fathers, highlighting the reciprocal nature of these family relationships under God's authority.
Children are called to obey their parents, but what if parents ask for something wrong? This verse provides a crucial boundary.
The command for children to obey their parents isn't absolute. The phrase "in the Lord" is key.
A Divine Framework
This means obedience is to be given within the context of God's will. It's not about blind submission, but about honoring parents as part of honoring God. When a parent's request conflicts with God's commands, loyalty to God takes precedence. Think of it as a chain of command: God is at the top, then parents, then children. The links hold as long as they are aligned with God's authority.
Hallowed Relationships
This also implies that the very relationship between parent and child is meant to exist "in the Lord." This sanctifies the relationship, meaning both parents and children are called to act within God's framework, bringing a divine element to family life.
Beyond a simple rule, this verse explains why children should obey. It's rooted in more than just authority; it's a matter of what is fundamentally good and proper.
The verse states that obeying parents "is right." This isn't just a cultural norm; it's a truth recognized by natural law and affirmed by divine command.
Natural Order and Gratitude
From a natural perspective, children owe their parents for their existence, care, and upbringing. This creates a natural sense of debt and obligation. Parents, by their age and experience, are often best equipped to guide their children, and this guidance is intended for the child's own welfare and the good of society.
Divine Sanction
More importantly, this obedience is "right" because God has commanded it. It reflects the order God established for families, which in turn mirrors His own perfect governance. Disobedience to parents can be a slippery slope, often leading to wider disrespect and a rejection of divine authority.
Understand the original words
hypakouete · Greek Verb
To submit to the authority or command of another; in a biblical context, it implies an active, listening response that leads to compliance and action.
goneusin · Greek Noun
Those from whom one is descended; in Scripture, this encompasses the foundational human relationships ordained by God for the nurture and training of children.
This verse directly quotes the commandment from the Old Testament Law, highlighting that obeying parents is not a new idea but a foundational principle established by God from the beginning.
Colossians 3:20This passage echoes Ephesians 6:1, reinforcing the same command for children to obey their parents and emphasizing that this obedience is pleasing to the Lord, connecting the earthly relationship to divine approval.
Proverbs 1:8-9This Proverb illustrates the wisdom and blessing associated with heeding parental instruction, showing the positive outcomes of obedience that align with the 'rightness' mentioned in Ephesians 6:1.
Matthew 15:4-6Jesus himself upholds the commandment to honor parents, even in the face of religious traditions that might circumvent it, underscoring the ultimate authority of God's command over human customs and the 'rightness' of this obedience.
barnesEphesians 6:1: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right."
Children - τέκνα tekna This word usually signifies those who are young; but it is used here, evidently, to denote those who were under the care and government of their parents, or those who were not of age. Obey your parents - This is the first great duty which God has enjoined on children. It is, to do what their parents command them to do. The God of nature indicates that this is duty; for he has impressed it on th…
gillEphesians 6:1: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right."
Children, obey your parents in the Lord,.... The persons whose duty this is, "children", are such of every sex, male and female, and of every age, and of every state and condition; and though the true, legitimate, and immediate offspring of men may be chiefly respected, yet not exclusive of spurious children, and adopted ones, and of children-in-law; and the persons to whom obedience from them is due, are not only real…
The phrase "in the Lord" isn't just a polite suggestion to obey within a Christian context, but the crucial qualifier that obedience is ultimately to be directed towards God. This means that a child’s duty to their parents is limited by, and subordinate to, their higher calling to obey God’s commands.
Paul shifts from the relationship between husbands and wives to that of children and parents, framing this instruction within the broader context of Christian community and obedience to God. He immediately follows this by addressing fathers, highlighting the reciprocal nature of these family relationships under God's authority.
Paul shifts from the relationship between husbands and wives to that of children and parents, framing this instruction within the broader context of Christian community and obedience to God. He immediately follows this by addressing fathers, highlighting the reciprocal nature of these family relationships under God's authority.
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"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." — The phrase "in the Lord" isn't just a polite suggestion to obey within a Christian context, but the crucial qualifier that obedience is ultimately to be directed towards God. This means that a child’…