<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->Colossians 3:18-25
“Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged. Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord: whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ. For he that does wrong shall receive again for the wrong that he has done: and there is no respect of persons with God. Masters, render unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”
Why does he not give these commands everywhere, and in all the Epistles, but only here, and in that to the Ephesians, and that to Timothy, and that to Titus? Because probably there were dissensions in these cities; or probably they were correct in other respects, so that it was expedient they should hear about these things. Rather, however, what he says to these, he says to all. Now in these things also this Epistle bears great resemblance to that to the Ephesians, either because it was not fitting to write about these things to men now at peace, who needed to be instructed in high doctrines as yet lacking to them, or because that for persons who had been comforted under trials, it were superfluous to hear on these subjects. So that I conjecture, that in this place the Church was now well-grounded, and that these things are said as in finishing.
Ver. 18. “Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”
That is, be subject for God's sake, because this adorns you, he says, not them. For I mean not that subjection which is due to a master, nor yet that alone which is of nature, but that for God's sake.
Ver. 19. “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”
See how again he has exhorted to reciprocity. As in the other case he enjoins fear and love, so also does he here. For it is possible for one who loves even, to be bitter. What he says then is this. Fight not; for nothing is more bitter than this fighting, when it takes place on the part of the husband toward the wife. For the fightings which happen between beloved persons, these are bitter; and he shows that it arises from great bitterness, when, says he, any one is at variance with his own member. To love therefore is the husband's part, to yield pertains to the other side. If then each one contributes his own part, all stands firm. From being loved, the wife too becomes loving; and from her being submissive, the husband becomes yielding. And see how in nature also it has been so ordered, that the one should love, the other obey. For when the party governing loves the governed, then everything stands fast. Love from the governed is not so requisite, as from the governing towards the governed; for from the other obedience is due. For that the woman has beauty, and the man desire, shows nothing else than that for the sake of love it has been made so. Do not therefore, because your wife is subject to you, act the despot; nor because your husband loves you, be thou puffed up. Let neither the husband's love elate the wife, nor the wife's subjection puff up the husband. For this cause has He subjected her to you, that she may be loved the more. For this cause He has made you to be loved, O wife, that you may easily bear your subjection. Fear not in being a subject; for subjection to one that loves you has no hardship. Fear not in loving, for you have her yielding. In no other way then could a bond have been. You have then your authority of necessity, proceeding from nature; maintain also the bond that proceeds from love, for this allows the weaker to be endurable.
Ver. 20. “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.”
Again he has put that, “in the Lord,” at once laying down the laws of obedience, and shaming them, and casting them down. For this, says he, is well-pleasing to the Lord. See how he would have us do all not from nature only, but, prior to this, from what is pleasing to God, that we may also have reward.
Ver. 21. “Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged.”
Lo! Again here also is subjection and love. And he said not, “Love your children,” for it had been superfluous, seeing that nature itself constrains to this; but what needed correction he corrected; that the love should in this case also be the more vehement, because that the obedience is greater. For it nowhere lays down as an exemplification the relation of husband and wife; but what? Hear the prophet saying, “Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pitied them that fear Him” And again Christ says, “What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?”
“Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged.”
He has set down what he knew had the greatest power to seize upon them; and while commanding them he has spoken more like a friend; and nowhere does he mention God, for he would overcome parents, and bow their tender affections. That is, “Make them not more contentious, there are occasions when you ought even to give way.”
Next he comes to the third kind of authority.
There is here also a certain love, but that no more proceeding from nature, as above, but from habit, and from the authority itself, and the works done. Seeing then that in this case the sphere of love is narrowed, while that of obedience is amplified, he dwells upon this, wishing to give to these from their obedience, what the first have from nature. So that what he discourses with the servants alone is not for their masters' sakes, but for their own also, that they may make themselves the objects of tender affection to their masters. But he sets not this forth openly; for so he would doubtless have made them supine.
<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->Ver. 22. “Servants,” he says, “obey in all things your masters according to the flesh.”
And see how always he sets down the names, “wives, children, servants,” being at once a just claim upon their obedience. But that none might be pained, he added, “to your masters according to the flesh.” Your better part, the soul, is free, he says; your service is for a season. It therefore do thou subject, that your service be no more of constraint. “Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers.” Make, he says, your service which is by the law, to be from the fear of Christ. For if when your master sees you not, you do your duty and what is for his honor, it is manifest that you do it because of the sleepless Eye. “Not with eye-service,” he says, “as men-pleasers”; thus implying, “it is you who will have to sustain the damage.” For hear the prophet saying, “God has scattered the bones of the men-pleasers.” See then how he spares them, and brings them to order. “But in singleness of heart,” he says, “fearing God.” For that is not singleness, but hypocrisy, to hold one thing, and act another; to appear one when the master is present, another when he is absent. Therefore he said not simply, “in singleness of heart,” but, “fearing God.” For this is to fear God, when, though none be seeing, we do not anything that is evil; but if we do, we fear not God, but men. Do you see how he brings them to order?
Ver. 23. “Whatsoever you do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.”
He desires to have them freed not only from hypocrisy, but also from slothfulness. He has made them instead of slaves free, when they need not the superintendence of their master; for the expression “heartily” means this, “with good will,” not with a slavish necessity, but with freedom, and of choice. And what is the reward?
Ver. 24. “Knowing,” he says, “that from the Lord you shall receive the recompense of your inheritance: for you serve the Lord Christ.”
For from Him also it is evident that you shall receive the reward. And that you serve the Lord is plain from this.
Source: Homilies on Colossians (New Advent)