1 Timothy 6:1-2Healthy Relationships in God's Household
Criteria for relating to slaves and masters well.
English original
As with the previous verses on widows and elders, Paul is concerned for the purity and testimony of the Church. Here Paul addresses the problem of slaves who had not been showing proper respect for their Christian masters. For a more extensive treatment of this issue see Paul's other letters (Eph. 6:5-8; Col. 3:22-25; Tit. 2:9-10). Paul mentions "our teaching." This is presumably in contrast to the false teaching that may have encouraged insubordination among some of the Christian slaves. See below. See WCF 16.2.
This is a difficult passage for several reasons. First, Paul seems to affirm, rather than question, indentured servitude as a form of debt repayment. He seems to affirm, rather than question, the authority of 'masters' over the rights of 'slaves.' However, the more important issue seems to be how the behavior of 'slaves' could discredit the church's witness or the gospel itself.
Slaves
English original
undera yokeas slaves. The word 'yoke' is not positive. In no place does Paul say that slavery is good. In fact, 1 Cor 7:21, Paul's letter to Philemon, and passages like Gal 3 make it plain that freedom is to be desired over slavery. However, this passage, along with its parallel in Titus 2:9-10, teaches that there is something more important than an individual's freedom, the reputation of the gospel. Though slavery in any form is heinous, in first century Ephesus, it was not based on race, but resulted from being captured in war, poverty due to many causes, and was sometimes entered voluntarily. Indeed, Paul described himself repeatedly as a 'slave of Jesus Christ' (see Rom 1:1; Phil 1:1; Titus 1:1).
Believing masters...brothers
English original
believingmasters . . .brothers. While Paul acknowledged that certain members in the church at Ephesus had household servants in their charge (cf. Eph 6:5-9), he described their fundamental relationship as "brothers" (cf. Philemon 16). On the one hand, this meant that Christian slaves should serve their brothers with hard work. On the other hand, this meant that Christian masters should not mistreat or threaten their brothers.
