Servants and Masters - Col 3:22-4:1

(22) Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. (23) Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, (24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. (25) For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. (1) Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven. (Col 3:22-4:1)

Paul finished off this section of Colossians by discussing the relationship between the master and the slave or servant. Some commentators equate slaves or servants, and masters as employee and employer, slaves had fewer rights than employees and masters could be much more abusive than employers. Slaves did not have the right to quit. But it was nothing like the slavery found in the United States, which caused the Civil War. As a matter of fact, slavery is still practiced to this day within Muslim cultures, especially in Africa.

But in Rome, it was a different matter.

Slavery was an established institution in Paul’s day. There were 60 million of them, and many of them were well-educated people who carried great responsibilities in the homes of the wealthy. In many homes, the slaves helped to educate and discipline the children. [1]

Some might ask why the Church did not oppose it, but one has to remember that Christianity was a minority group with no political power to change something built into the fabric of Roman society.

It should be noted that although the Word of God never advocates slavery, it does recognize it as an element of society that could be beneficial if both slaves and masters treated each other as they should. Far from seeking to abolish slavery, the Lord and the apostles use it as a motif for spiritual instruction, by likening the believer, one who belongs to Christ and serves Him, to a slave. So New Testament literature accepts slavery as a social reality and seeks to instruct those in that system to behave in a godly manner. Certainly, in the letter to Philemon (delivered at the same time as Colossians), Paul upholds the duties of slave and master. He was sending the runaway slave Onesimus back to his master, Philemon. Paul asked Philemon to treat his returned slave with kindness and forgiveness – restoring the relationship to its divine design. [2]

Slaves or Servants

(22) Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Definition: ‘slaves’ (‘servant’ - KJV, ‘bondservant’ - ESV) – The Greek word, doulos { doo'-los }, means a slave – literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency. Louw and Nida define it as “pertaining to a state of being completely controlled by someone or something—‘subservient to, controlled by.’” [3]
Slavery, with all its attendant evils, was not only universally accepted in ancient times but also considered a fundamental institution, indispensable to civilized society. More than half the people seen on the streets of the great cities of the Roman world were slaves. And this was the status of the majority of “professional” people such as teachers and doctors as well as that of menials and craftsmen. Slaves were people with no rights, mere property existing only for the comfort, convenience, and pleasure of their owners. [4]
Definition: ‘master’ – The Greek word, kyrios { koo'-ree-os }, means to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord. Louw and Nida define it as “one who owns and controls property, including especially servants and slaves, with important supplementary semantic components of high status and respect—‘owner, master, lord.’” [5]

Barnes brings out some interesting information concerning the word ‘slave’ in this and other verses in the New Testament and is likely why it is translated slave, servant and bondservant. He wrote, the word “... denotes one who is bound to render service to another, whether that service be free or voluntary; and may denote, therefore, either a slave, or one who binds himself to render service to another. It is often used in these senses in the New Testament, just as it is elsewhere. … Whether the persons here referred to were slaves, or were those who had bound themselves to render a voluntary servitude, the directions here given were equally appropriate. It was not the design of the Christian religion to produce a rude sundering of the ties which bind man to man, but to teach all to perform their duties aright in the relations in which Christianity found them, and gradually to modify the customs of society, and to produce ultimately the universal prevalence of that which is right.” [6]
As with Barnes, Curtis Vaughan said much the same concerning the institution of slavery, “It is a matter of concern to some that neither Paul nor the other apostles denounced slavery and demanded its immediate overthrow. The apostles, however, were not social reformers; they were first and foremost heralds of the good news of salvation in Christ. Then again, the church was a very small minority in the Roman world, and there was no hope that its stance on the matter of slavery would influence Roman policies. We should be careful to understand, though, that they did not condone slavery. Indeed, they announced the very principles (such as that of the complete spiritual equality of slave and master) that ultimately destroyed the institution of slavery.” [7]
As to why slaves are mentioned in this section of Colossians about the family, Barnes also wrote, “Paul deals with the duty of slaves in the context of the family because slaves were considered a part of the household.” [8]
Burkitt made some good observations concerning Paul’s instructions for slaves: 1) it is incumbent upon all slaves/servants to obey all lawful commands from their masters. 2) There needs to be a sincerity of heart and spirit in their service to their earthly masters, as well as having an eye towards their Master and Savior in heaven. Their goal should be to bring honor and glory to God. [9]
And finally, from Norman Geisler, “Slaves are exhorted to obey (the same word is directed to children in v. 20) their earthly masters. “Earthly” is literally “according to the flesh”; only Christ is master of the spirits of believing slaves. This obedience is to be with sincerity of heart, not simply when their masters are watching them or to win their favor. Also slaves are to work with reverence for the Lord. Working with an awareness of God’s character and presence enhances the dignity of the labor of even slaves. … Principles in Colossians 3:22–25 for Christian slaves may be applied today to Christian employees. If more Christian employees today served their employers with genuine concern and as though they were serving God, quality and productivity would increase dramatically! It is the Lord Christ whom all Christians are serving. (...) After all, the final “payday” (an inheritance … as a reward) is coming from the Lord.” [10]

(23) Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,

Our work should be done as if God Himself had asked us to do it because our thoughts should be that we are working for the Lord, not man. And our work should not be done half-heartedly. We are to put everything into what we do. As Curtis Vaughan said, “This would transform the most menial responsibilities and give dignity to all of their work.” [11]

(24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Verses 24 and 25 provide two reasons - one positive and one negative - for slaves to obey their masters. The positive side in verse 24 is that they will receive a reward of an inheritance from the Lord. The earth master may not give the servant or slave what he deserves but the Lord will (Rev 20:12-13). God is the one that will assure every believer, the slave included, will receive their eternal compensation. Whatever our station in life, our service is to God. [12]

(25) For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.

The negative side here in verse 25 is that those that do wrong will receive the consequences for what they have done and without partiality. God will discipline us without any partiality because our disobedience has consequences too (Gal 6:7). An example from Scripture would be Onesimus who was responsible to repay Philemon (Phil 1:18). No believer should presume on his Christian beliefs to justify disobedience. Even God’s children will reap what they sow (Act 10:34). [13]
Curtis Vaughan said much the same when he wrote, “This verse, set in contrast to the preceding, shows that wrong will be punished, because “there is no favoritism” with God. Doubtless Paul meant it as a warning to Christian slaves not to presume on their position before God and think that he would overlook their misdeeds. In the parallel passage in Ephesians it is the master who is reminded that there is no partiality with God, while here it is the slave. In Ephesians, masters are not to think that God is influenced by social position; in the present passage, slaves are not to act unscrupulously just because they know men treat them as irresponsible chattel.” [14]

Masters

(1) Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

We now get to the other side of the master-slave relationship. Just as with slaves, masters are to treat their slaves with ‘justice and fairness.’ “God will judge masters who fail to serve their slaves. As noted in the discussion of 3:11, slaves and masters are spiritually equal in Christ. Masters must accordingly treat their Christian servants as brothers in Christ, enacting towards them all the virtues required for holy fellowship. They should treat their employees like they desire the Lord Jesus to treat them. ‘ [15]

(22) Servants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not only when their eyes are on you as pleasers of men, but in simplicity of purpose [with all your heart] because of your reverence for the Lord and as a sincere expression of your devotion to Him. (23) Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, (24) Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah). (25) For he who deals wrongfully will [reap the fruit of his folly and] be punished for his wrongdoing. And [with God] there is no partiality [no matter what a person’s position may be, whether he is the slave or the master]. (1) MASTERS, [on your part] deal with your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that also you have a Master in heaven. [Lev. 25:43, 53.]

The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Col 3:22–4:1.

Footnotes

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), p. 144.
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), p. 471.
Curtis Vaughan, “Colossians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), p. 219.
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), p. 558.
Curtis Vaughan, “Colossians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), p. 219.
Ibid, p. 219.
Norman L. Geisler, “Colossians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), p. 683–684.
Curtis Vaughan, “Colossians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), p. 220.
Curtis Vaughan, “Colossians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), p. 220.

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