Paragraph 3:22–4:1

Theme: Paul gave instructions to slaves and their masters: that slaves should obey their masters and do their work to honor Christ, and that masters should be just and fair in the way they treat their slaves.

This passage is similar to Ephesians 6:5–9. You should compare your translations of these two passages.

3:22a

Slaves: See the note on 3:11b. Slaves had no freedom to do what they wanted to do or to go where they wanted to go. They had no possessions of their own and were completely dependent on their owners for everything.

obey…in everything: Paul told slaves to obey their masters in everything. This was the same command he gave to children in 3:20a.

your earthly masters: That is, your human masters. In Greek the same word kurios is used for both “Lord” and “master.” So when Paul told slaves to obey their earthly masters, it also reminded them that they had a heavenly master/Lord also (see 3:24b). Notice that in 4:1b Paul used the phrase “Master in heaven” to refer to Christ.

3:22b–c

In 3:22b–c Paul told slaves how and why (in what manner and for what reason) they were to obey their masters. In 3:22b he told them ways they should not behave, and in 3:22c he told them ways they should behave.

3:22b

not only to please them while they are watching: This means that a slave should obey his master not only when the master was watching him, but all the time.

Paul was not saying that it was wrong for a slave to work to please his master, but he meant that pleasing their master should not be the only reason for hard work. He clarifies this in the rest of this verse.

3:22c

but with sincerity of heart: Slaves should obey and do their work sincerely and honestly, that is, with no hidden motives, not just so their masters will praise them.

fear of the Lord: The Berean Standard Bible translates this Greek word literally as fear. However, you should avoid a translation that means, “because you are afraid of the Lord.” In this context, this Greek word means the respect/awe that a person feels because of how great the Lord is. Because of this, in many languages it is best to translate phrases about “fearing the Lord” as “honoring the Lord,” or “respecting the Lord.”

Lord: Again this refers to the Lord Jesus.

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