“Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things.” (1 Timothy 6:1–2 (ESV)
As the workweek begins, today’s featured text is appropriate for our reading, consideration and application. It is certainly necessary for us to read I Timothy 6:1-2. It is equally necessary for us to understand what the Apostle Paul meant in what he wrote to his young protégé. It is also necessary for each believer in Christ to apply this text in our circumstances of life.
The historical and grammatical context involves the first century cultural condition of slavery. Paul addressed the problem of Christian slaves who were not showing proper respect for their masters and therefore hindering the Gospel.
“In keeping with exhortations dealing with households (3:15), Paul naturally includes advice to slaves. This advice was important because a religion that the Romans thought might incite slave discontent would immediately be labeled subversive and subjected to outright persecution; Paul wants the slaves who are Christian, as well as free Christians, to engage in a culturally relevant and intelligent witness. When Paul says that master’s “benefit” from their slaves (v. 2), he employs a term especially used of wealthy benefactors who bestowed gifts on social inferiors. Thus Paul, like the philosopher Seneca, possibly portrays the slaves as persons free in God’s sight who can choose to bestow a gift on their masters by serving them freely.”[1]
Paul referred to first century slavery as a yoke (ζυγὸν; zygon). This literally means a frame or collar used for draft animals like an ox. It also could be a balance scale. Metaphorically, the apostle used the word in reference to a slave. This meaning is supported by the word bondservants (δοῦλοι; douloi). It refers to a slave or an individual who is subservient to or controlled by a master. In the historical context, the power by a master over a slave was absolute.
“The Roman world was full of slaves. It has been estimated that in Rome itself at one time about a third of the inhabitants belonged to this social class! They had become slaves: a. as prisoners of war, or b. as condemned men, or c. through debt, or d. through kidnaping (which evil reportedly is still continuing in certain parts of the world) or, e. as those who had been sold into slavery by their parents. Besides, many were born into slavery. Often slaves had their own slaves. Among all these slaves there were some who had attained to a degree—sometimes a high degree—of culture. Not only the barber, the butler, and the cook but even the family-physician might be “under the yoke.”[2]
Slaves were to “regard their own masters as worthy of all honor.” The word regard (ἡγείσθωσαν; hegeisthosan) is a present, middle imperative verb. It means to continuously, personally and obediently hold a point of view or have an opinion. The point of view or opinion God commanded a slave to have towards their masters was to view them as worthy of all honor. Worthy (ἀξίους; axious) means having value. Honor (τιμῆς; times) is to show respect.
The reason God commanded slaves to have such a perspective was “so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.” To be reviled (βλασφημῆται; blasphemetai) refers to defile or demean. Believing slaves were not to cause God and His Word to be blasphemed by their ungodly attitudes and behavior towards their earthly masters.
“With the entrance of the Christian religion into the fabric of Roman society, difficult problems arose. It is not surprising, therefore, that Paul deals with various phases of slavery in passages such as the one now under consideration and also in Eph. 6:5–9; Col. 3:22–4:1; Titus 2:9; and in the letter to Philemon.”[3]
“Apparently, many Christian slaves in Ephesus were bringing shame on the gospel by disrespecting their masters (1 Tim. 6:1). Slavery was an intimate part of the social order back then, and any perceived threat to the practice was seen as a threat to society. Throughout the New Testament we find the apostles willing to live at peace with this order for the sake of the gospel insofar as doing so did not compromise the gospel (for example, 1 Peter 2:18),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
“For slaves this meant honoring their masters, as honor is owed to those God has placed in authority (Rom. 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:13–14). Paul was not concerned with overturning slavery itself, and it should be noted that slavery in the ancient Roman Empire was closer to the modern-day employer-employee relationship, not the slavery of other eras based on kidnapping and racism, which Scripture abhors (Ex. 21:16; Gal. 3:28).”
Colossians 3:23–24 (ESV) states, “23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Does your attitude and actions at work bring honor and glory to the Lord? May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.
Soli deo Gloria!
[1] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 1 Ti 6:1–2.
[2] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 191.
[3] Ibid., 192.
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