“Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” (Colossians 4:1 (ESV)
Continuing our study in Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians, a new paragraph begins in Colossians 3:18-4:1. The truth of what believers “are” in Christ is to be balanced by how believers are to live for Christ. The practical truth of Jesus Christ as the only and all-sufficient Savior, and as Lord of the believers’ life, is now applied to specific groups and situations. What people groups does the Apostle Paul, and the Holy Spirit, have in mind?
To begin with, Paul addressed wives and husbands (Col. 3:18-19). He then wrote of parents and their children (Col. 3:20-22). Thirdly, Paul considered the Christian responsibility of work (Col. 3:23-4:1).
The protestant work ethic arising from the 16th century Reformation stressed the equality of work. No one was to assume their labor was any more important than someone else’s. All work contributed to the value and improvement of society. Today’s text from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossian church supports this concept.
“Martin Luther stressed that vocation is not first about what we do. Rather, it is about what God does through us. God gives us this day our daily bread through the vocation of farmers, millers, bakers, and—we would add—the factory workers, truck drivers, grocery store employees, and the hands that prepared our meal,” explains Gene Edward Veith.
“God creates and cares for new life by means of the vocations of mother and father, husband and wife. He protects us by means of police officers, judges, the military, and other Romans 13 vocations of those who “bear the sword.” God brings healing not primarily through miracles but through the vocation of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and the other medical vocations. God teaches through teachers, conveys His Word through preachers, gives the blessings of technology through engineers, and creates beauty through artists. God works through all the people who do things for us, day by day. And He also works through us, in whatever tasks, offices, and relationships He has called us to do.”
Following his instruction to Christian workers, or slaves in the historical context, Paul drew his attention to masters. Matters, or employers, are to treat their bondservants (δούλοις; doulois) or slaves justly (δίκαιον; dikaion) and fairly (ἰσότητα; isoteta). Justly means to be righteous. Fairly refers to equality. In other words, employers are to be fair and equal towards their employees.
The master’s motivation for such ethical behavior is the Lord. He is the master’s Master.
“The masters must remember that they, too, have a Master. The commended centurion understood this (Matt. 8:5–13, see especially verse 9). The unmerciful servant of the parable related in Matt. 18:23–35 did not. Let the masters then realize that just as their slaves are accountable to them, so they, in turn, will have to answer to the Master in heaven,” states Dr. William Hendriksen.
“If they understand this, they will not treat their slaves harshly. They will “forbear threatening” (Eph. 6:9), and will, instead, show the same consideration to their servants as they themselves expect to receive from the One who exercises authority over them. What we have here, therefore, is an application of the Golden Rule (Matt. 7:12) to the master-slave relationship.”
“The summary of admonitions addressed to separate groups ends, accordingly, with the mention of the all-sufficient, pre-eminent Master, even “the Lord Christ” (cf. 4:1 and 3:24), for it is he who is the source of the believers’ life, the One who is ever ready to enable every believer, to whatever group he belongs, to live to the glory of God.”
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
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