HOMILY X.

COL. iii. 18-25.

and

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit 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, R. t. provoke not your children, lest they be discouraged. E. V. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the unto flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, feuring God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons with God. Chap. iv. 1. Masters, 2à give unto your servants that which is just and equal; added. knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

στασίαι,

WHY does he not give these commands every where, 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 xthey were correct in other respects, but in these so deficient, factions. that it was expedient they should hear about them. Rather, however, what he saith to these, he saith to all. Now this Epistle bears great resemblance to that to the Ephesians. But in other places he doth not so, either because it was not fitting to write about these things to men now at peace, who

He seems to class the Romans, Hebrews, Corinthians, and Galatians, together, as needing doctrinal instruction before these particulars, and to

a

consider the Thessalonians and Philip-
pians as needing them less from their
state of suffering.

294

Obedience due from Wives, love from Husbands.

3,18.19.

COLOS. 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 de finishing'.

тебя

τῷ τίλι.

άλληλον.

Ver. 18. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

That is, be subject for God's sake, because this adorneth you, he saith, 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 enjoined reciprocity. As he there enjoineth both fear and love, so also doth he here. For it is possible for one who loves even, to be bitter. What he saith then is this. Fight not; for indeed" 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 shews that it ariseth from great bitterness, when, saith he,

any one is at variance with his own member.
fore is the husband's part, to yield is theirs.
contributes his own part, all stands firm.

To love thereIf then each one

For from being

3 loved, the wife too becomes affectionate3; and from her being submissive, the husband becomes gentle. And see how in nature also it hath been so ordered, that the one should love, the other obey. For when the party governing loves the governed, then every thing 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 hath beauty, and the man desire, shews nothing else than that for the sake of love it hath been made so. Do not therefore, because thy wife is subject to thee, act the despot; nor because thy husband loveth thee, 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 hath He subjected her to thee, that she may be loved

Ts. Sav. conj. for ourws, so.'

Mutual duties of Parents and Children. 295

X.

the more. For this cause He hath made thee to be loved, O Hoм. wife, that thou mayest easily bear thy subjection. Fear not in being a subject; for subjection to one that loveth thee hath no hardship. Fear not in loving, for thou hast her submissive. In no other way then could a bond have been. Thou hast then thine authority of necessity, proceeding from nature; maintain also the bond that proceedeth from love, for this alloweth 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 repaying. For this, saith 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, lest they be discouraged.

Lo! again here also is subjection and love. And he said not," Love your children," for it had been superfluous, seeing nature itself constraineth 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 no where lays down as an exemplification the relation of husband and wife; but what? hear the prophet saying, Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitied them Ps. 103, that fear Him. And again Christ saith, What man is there Matt. 7, of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 9. or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

Fathers, provoke not your children, lest they be discouraged.

13.

He hath set down what he knew had the greatest power to sting' them; and whilst commanding them he has spoken1 xv. more like a friend; and no where does he mention God, for he would overcome parents, and bow their tender affections. But the words, provoke not, mean, 'Make them not more

ca: he seems to mean, 'to be in an endurable position.'

xαraßáλλwv. This seems to be the sense from the sequel. Downes would put in pov, but it is not needed.

• 2 Mss. But he shews that the affection is stronger in that case, since the obedience too is greater. And the Scripture every where makes it an exemplification.

296

Service of the soul in Servants is free.

COLOS. Contentious, there are occasions when you even ought to give way.'

3, 22.

Next he comes to the third kind of authority, saying,

Ver. 22. Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh. 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, whilst that of obedience is amplified, he dwelleth upon this, wishing to give to these from their obedience, what the first have from nature. So that he discourseth not with the servants only 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 Jious doubtless have made them supine. Servants, he saith, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh.

μα.

(2) And see how always he sets down the names, wives, childinaiw. dren, servants, as being a just claim' upon their obedience. But that none might be pained, he added, to your masters according to the flesh. Thy better part, the soul, is free, he saith; thy service is for a season. It therefore do thou subject, that thy service be no more of constraint. Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, Make, he saith, thy service which is by the law, to be from the fear of Christ. For if when thy master seeth thee not, thou doest thy duty and what is for his honour, it is manifest that thou doest it because of the sleepless Eye. Not with eye-service, he saith, as men-pleasers; thus implying, 'it is you who will have to sustain Ps.53,5. the damage.' For hear the prophet saying, The Lord hath scattered the bones of the men-pleasers. See then how he spares them, and brings them to order. But in singleness of heart, he saith, 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 aught that is evil; but if we do, we fear

LXX.

f

Móveis. One would expect μovor, as he speaks to the masters afterwards. But he may either mean that they were

chiefly addressed, or that this is the object even of what is addressed to them separately.

God an impartial Judge of Master and Servant. 297

not God, but men. order?

Seest thou how he bringeth them to Hoм.

Ver. 23. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men.

He desires to have them freed not only from hypocrisy, but also from slothfulness. He hath 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?

X.

Ver. 24. Knowing, he saith, that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of our1 inheritance: for ye serve the 'OneMs. Lord.

Surely then it is evident that ye shall from Him receive the reward. And that ye serve the Lord is plain from this. Ver. 25. But he that doeth wrong, he saith, shall receive the wrong which he hath done.

your, Rec. t. om. our.

Here he confirmeth his former statements. For that his words may not appear to be those of flattery, he shall receive, he saith, the wrong he hath done, that is, he shall suffer punishment also, for there is no respect of persons with God. For, what if thou art a servant? it is no shame to thee. And truly he might have said this to the masters, as he did in the Epistle to the Ephesians. But here he seems to me to be Ephes. alluding to the Grecian masters. For, what if he is a 6, 9. Greek and thou a Christian? Not the persons but the actions are examined, so that even in this case thou oughtest to serve with good will, and heartily.

Chap. iv. 1. Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal.

What is just? What is equal? To place them in plenty of every thing, and not allow them to stand in need of others, but to recompense them for their labours. For, because I have said that they have their reward from God, do not thou therefore deprive them of it. And in another place he saith, Ephes. 6, 9. forbearing threatening, wishing to make them more gentle; for those were perfect men; that is, with what measure ye2 ríxun. Matt. 7, mete, it shall be measured to you again. And the words, 2. there is no respect of persons, are spoken with a view to these 3,3 the but they are assigned to the others, in order that these may

masters.