WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday August 25, 2019
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MARRIAGE:
A COVENANT OF MUTUAL LOVE
(SPIRIT-guided
relationships between husbands and wives, and children)
(Ephesians
5:21-6:4)
In Ephesians 5:21-6:4, the Apostle Paul teaches on how to be
controlled by the HOLY SPIRIT at home as he turns his focus to the two most
important family life relationships, “husband and wife”, and “parents and
children”. Here he defines how we should all strive to live as children walking
in the light of CHRIST at home, as well as in the Church. In fact, what we do
Monday through Saturday in our homes, and on our jobs away from the Church
house, is more of testament to how we love and worship GOD, than what we do in
the Church house on Sunday morning.
After Paul establishes the overriding
principle of “us submitting to one another out of reverence for CHRIST JESUS”,
in verse 21, he then moves on to the specifics of “the spiritual responsibility
of each family member toward each other”, and “towards CHRIST” (Vs.22-28). Christian
wives are to submit to their husbands, as they do to the LORD (v.22). Christian Husbands are the head of the wife,
as CHRIST is the head of the Christian Church, which is HIS body (v.23a).
The Christian husband should always show
love for his wife, and be willing to give his life for her, just as CHRIST was
willing to give HIS life for the Church that HE so loves (v.23b). Christian Husbands
ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies, and in fact,
husbands actually show that they love themselves when they love their wives,
who they are spiritually at one with, and responsible for, in the LORD (v.28).
GOD calls for us to have a united, GODly
home front. The Christian family’s interactions with one another should reflect
CHRIST and HIS interactions with the Christian Church, or, “Body of CHRIST”.
GOD fully intends for us to enjoy a harmonious, SPIRIT-guided family
relationship in submission to HIM first, and then, to each other, starting in
our own homes (v.21).
In the New Testament Greek, the word used
for “submit” is “hupotasso” (hoop-ot-as-so), and it means “to be under
obedience to”. It is a word that carries a complex concept which needs to be
defined by the context in which it is used. Here in this passage, there is no
question of power, or position as it is in, say, Romans 13. In this particular
passage, Paul calls for all believers to “develop an attitude of submission”,
and a willingness to be responsive by yielding to each other, out of love for
each other.
It would be remiss of us to read “hierarchy”
into these verses, but rather, we should see this passage as, “a call for us to
begin to develop a sensitivity towards each other”, that will help us to
extricate ourselves from “pride”, and enable us to function at all times in a
more, loving and caring manner.
Each partner in a marriage has a special
“privilege”. A husband’s privilege is “to put his wife first after GOD”, just
as CHRIST did when HE was crucified for us on the cross by Roman method. The
wife’s privilege is “to set the tone of submission” by being “responsive and
caring”. “Neither partner lords over the other”, but rather, “each partner has
the responsibility to minister to the other in their own, GOD-appointed,
special ways”. That is the “responsibility” that comes with the “privilege” of
being man and wife under GOD.
In Ephesians 6:1-4, Paul addresses the relationship between
parents and children. In the Greek, the normal word used for “right” is
“dexios” (dex-ee-os), and it means “being on the right side of”. Here in this
passage, however, Paul uses the Greek term “dikaios” (dik-ah-yos) for “right”,
which means “the proper course to follow”.
Children are to submit themselves under the
leadership and care of their parents until they move out and start a family of
their own, or become responsible adults capable of making their own decisions, for
“that is the proper course to follow”. However, GOD commands a child should
always “honor” their parents, “no matter how old the child is”. In fact, it is
the first commandment of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) that carries a
promise from GOD. Contained in that decree, there is a promise of a long life,
filled with blessings from the only wise GOD, the only ONE WHO can certainly
deliver on such a promise.
Paul ends this passage with an admonishment
to fathers to “not anger their children” with harsh worldly and “ungodly
treatment”. They are, instead, to bring them up with the “GODly discipline and
instruction” that can only be found in the Word of GOD. Here in verse 4a, Paul
uses the Greek term “parorgizo” (par-org-id-zo) in his original Greek writings,
for “provoke”, and it means “to exasperate” or “make things worse by what one
does or says”.
In the home, the father must present a picture of the LORD to his
children, through both his speech and his behavior, to, and, before them. How a
child views his or her father has a profound effect on how they view GOD later
on in life. By provoking our children to anger through unGODly treatment and
methods, we will ultimately “make things worse” for them later on in life.
The command to “Honor your father and your
mother” is the first commandment that parents can use to introduce their children
to the ways of GOD. If children respect their parents, they will respond positively
to their nurturing. And through GODly nurturing, it becomes easier for a child
to see GOD in their parents, and come to know and show reverence to GOD after
they become adults.
When children come to know GOD, through a
personal, experiential relationship with their parents, it becomes much easier
for them to have and maintain that same kind of relationship with GOD later in
life. As a result, they can enjoy a long, relatively peaceful life here on
earth, because we have passed on to them, “a legacy of faith”, where they will
desire “to continue walking in the light of CHRIST” throughout their lives, and
come to know and understand the importance of passing that legacy on to their
own children.
A Sunday school
lesson by,
Larry D.
Alexander
LARRY
D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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