Ephesians Hebraically – Chapter 6

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in יהוה (Kurios): for this is right. Ephesians 6:2  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) Ephesians 6:3  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. The term ‘children’; ‘teknon’ in Gk addresses relationship rather than age; meaning biblically children are always called to obey their parents; regardless of how old they are. Proverbs 30:17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. V.2 is very problematic for those who advocate the abolishment of the Torah. Traditionalists try to wiggle out of this glaring problem is to say it’s part of some ‘independent law of Christ’, or a mythical ‘moral law’, never seeing the biblical distinction of law by Paul quoting directly from the Book of the Covenant. Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Ephesians 6:4  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of יהוה . Fathers & children: Dionysius in Roman Antiquities 2:26: “But the lawgiver of the Romans gave virtually full power to the father over his son, even during his whole life, whether he thought proper to imprison him, to scourge him, to put him in chains and keep at work in the fields, or to put him to death, and this even though the son were already engaged in public affairs, though he were numbered among the magistrates, and though he were celebrated for his zeal for the commonwealth. Indeed, in virtue of this law men of distinction, while delivering speeches from the rostra hostile to the senate and pleasing to the people, have been dragged down from thence and carried away by their fathers to undergo such punishment as these thought fit; and while they were being led away through the Forum, none present, neither consul, tribune, nor the very populace, which was flattered by them and thought all power inferior to its own, could rescue them.” Paul doesn’t want this kind of absolute authority within the assembly. Proverbs 22: 6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 23:13 Do not withhold correction from a child. If you strike him with a rod, he will not die.14 Punish him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell. Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Moshiach; Ephesians 6:6  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Moshiach, doing the will of Elohim from the heart; Ephesians 6:7  With good will doing service, as to יהוה, and not to men. Slavery abounded within the Greco Roman world; as many as one-third to half of the total population in the Roman Empire were slaves-about 60 million; and Paul wasn’t actively trying to overthrow it: 1 Corinthians 7:21 Were you called being a slave? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. The tension of their new found spiritual freedom juxtaposed with their position they still found themselves within a societal setting. Freedom in Yahusha changed the dynamic of the relationship between master and slave (what if both were believers?) both’s attitudes and behavior were put into new light! Ephesians 6:8  Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of יהוה, whether he be bond or free. Ephesians 6:9  And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. James 5:4 comes into view: Behold, the wages of the workers who mowed your fields—which you kept back by fraud—are crying o