Homilies on Ephesians — Homily 22

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting

[[Ephesians 6.5]]-8

Servants, be obedient unto them that, according to the flesh, are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers: but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good-will doing service, as unto the Lord, and not unto men: knowing that whatsoever good thing each one does, the same shall he receive again from the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

Thus then it is not husband only, nor wife, nor children, but virtuous servants also that contribute to the organization and protection of a house. Therefore the blessed Paul has not overlooked this department even. He comes to it, however, in the last place, because it is last in dignity and rank. Still he addresses much discourse also to them, no longer in the same tone as to children, but in a far more advanced way, inasmuch as he does not hold out to these the promise in this world, but in that which is to come. Knowing, says he, that whatsoever good or evil thing each one does, the same shall he receive of the Lord, and thus at once instructs them to love wisdom. For though they be inferior to the children in dignity, still in mind they are superior to them.

Servants, says he, be obedient to them that, according to the flesh, are your masters.

Thus at once he raises up, at once soothes the wounded soul. Be not grieved, he seems to say, that you are inferior to the wife and the children. Slavery is nothing but a name. The mastership is according to the flesh, brief and temporary; for whatever is of the flesh, is transitory.

With fear, he adds, and trembling.

You see that he does not require the same fear from slaves as from wives: for in that case he simply said, and let the wife see that she fear her husband; whereas in this case he heightens the expression, with fear, he says, and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ. This is what he constantly says. What do you mean, blessed Paul? He is a brother, or rather he has become a brother, he enjoys the same privileges, he belongs to the same body. Yea, more, he is the brother, not of his own master only, but also of the Son of God, he is partaker of all the same privileges; yet do you say, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling? Yes, for this very reason, he would say, I say it. For if I charge free men to submit themselves one to another in the fear of God — as he said above, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ;— if I charge moreover the wife to fear and reverence her husband, although she is his equal; much more must I so speak to the servant. It is no sign of low birth, rather it is the truest nobility, to understand how to lower ourselves, to be modest and unassuming, and to give way to our neighbor. And the free have served the free with much fear and trembling.

In singleness of heart, he says.

And it is well said, since it is possible to serve with fe