Great Emancipator

(Ephesians 6:9)

Introduction
Abolitionists
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on
this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and
dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

These are the opening words of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg

Address. This speech was delivered after the American Civil War
at the site of one of the bloodiest battles of that conflict. That
period in American history was triggered by slavery differences
between the Northern and Southern states. The largely agricultural
economy of the South was highly dependent on slave labour, while
the North’s economy was largely industrialised. The South was
based on plantation system which uses cheap labour, the slaves,
while the North was focused on city life. The Northern states had a
society that evolved as people of different cultures and classes had
to work together. The South held onto an antiquated social order.
The ensuing differences in political and social perspectives was
further catalysed by the election of Abraham Lincoln, an ardent
abolitionist, which was perceived by the South as looking only
after the interests of the North. The war produced 1.03 million
casualties all for the cause of freeing the slaves.

William Wilberforce was British politician, philanthropist and a

leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. His campaign
led to the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 which abolished slavery in
most of the British Empire. It was an uphill struggle because most
of the colonies depended on slave labour. Amongst his advisers is
John Newton, a slave trader turned minister of the gospel and
hymn writer. The year 1823 saw the founding of the Society for the
Mitigation and Gradual Abolition of Slavery (later the Anti-
Slavery Society),and the publication of Wilberforce's 56-
page Appeal to the Religion, Justice and Humanity of the
Inhabitants of the British Empire in Behalf of the Negro Slaves in
the West Indies.[205] In his treatise, Wilberforce urged that total
emancipation was morally and ethically required, and that slavery

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 was a national crime that must be ended by parliamentary
legislation to gradually abolish slavery.

These men share one thing in common, they are both Bible
believing Christians whose convictions rose above political
expediency and self-interests. Lincoln’s conviction polarised the
US and led to the civil war. Wilberforce’s convictions made him
unpopular because the ruling class then depended economically on
slave labour. Yet they prevailed. What is it in Christ that drove
these men to change the course of history?

Let us look at the Apostle Paul. Let’s look at Paul’s view of

slavery. Was he an abolitionist in the mould of Lincoln or
Wilberforce or was he a conformist who stuck it out with the
prevailing norms of the day? Did he have the same convictions?

Treat Then Well (v. 9a)

Verse 9 is a follow on from verses 5 to 8. They define the relationship

between the master and slave and the ensuing change once they placed
their faith in Christ. In the previous verses Paul exhorted the Ephesian
slaves ro respect their masters and obey them wholeheartedly. Verse 9
is the other side of the relationship, that is, from the master’s
perspective. Why did Paul raised this exhortation to masters or slave
owners?

Background - William Barclay, the eminent Scottish theologian,

wrote of the evils of slavery in the Roman Empire during the time
Paul wrote this epistle to the Ephesians.
“It has been computed that in the Roman Empire there were
60,000,000 slaves. In Paul’s day a kind of terrible idleness had fallen
on the citizens of Rome. Rome was the mistress of the world, and
therefore it was beneath the dignity of a Roman citizen to work.
Practically all work was done by slaves. Even doctors and teachers,
even the closest friends of the Emperors, their secretaries who dealt
with letters and appeals and finance, were slaves.”

According to the Encyclopedia of the Ancient Greek World, it was

estimated that 15 to 20 percent of the Roman empire were slaves. If
we apply it to Ephesus, which had a population of 200,000, then there
would have been 40,000 slaves. It was a thriving economy and the

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 rich definitely can afford slaves. It was also certain that some of the
congregation of the Ephesian church was composed of slaves. Often
there were bonds of affection and loyalty between master and slave.
But basically, the life of a slave was grim and miserable. Slaves were
nothing but pieces of property. They were considered chattels, or
agricultural tools just like a tractor or a water pump. Masters
possessed the power of life and death over the slave. They can be put
to death at the whim of their master and no one will raise an issue
about it. Pets have more rights in NZ.
It is against this background that we will discuss Paul’s exhortation to
the masters and slave owners of Ephesus

Earning By Merits
This is a reference to verse 8 which says that the Lord will reward
everyone for whatever good he does.
Paul’s plea was to treat the slaves in the same way that God will
reward for whatever good he does. Remember, goodness to slaves was
an ambiguous concept in those days because slaves were nothing but
property. They had no rights at all. When Paul made this exhortation,
he advocated a change in the master’s view of the slave by stating that
will reward for their goodness whether they are slave or free. It means
that in the sight of God, all men are equal. We will not carry our
earthly social status to heaven. We will all be judged, not by earthly
status that we had, but with the faith in our hearts.

In Colossians 4:1, Paul implored the masters to grant their slaves

justice and fairness because they have a Master in heaven. This is a
radical idea for the time as it points out that both master and slave are
beholden to the same God.

The command to do good is not only for the rewards but is also a
demonstration of the reality of faith. Nothing can be more dramatic than
faith demonstrated amongst masters and slaves by doing good to one
another. James 2:17 – 18 articulates this point. 17In the same way,
faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show
you my faith by what I do.

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Equality Before the Master
The idea of equality between master and slave was unheard of and
unthinkable. The last part of verse 8, whether master or slave, says it
all. In the sight of God, there is no distinction between master and
slave as we all serve the same Master in heaven. It is a wakeup call to
all Ephesians who had lived all their lives in a society where slavery
was a fact of life. There were slaves and there were masters and there
were different standards. Slaves had no rights at all. They were merely
chattels or property and no way to be treated equally as a master. But
the gospel changed that. Christian slaves were exhorted to obedience
to their masters and Christian masters to treat their slaves well. The
change in attitude marks an upheaval in the social order of the day.
Paul never asked the masters to free their slaves nor did he tell the
slaves to run away from their masters. He wanted them to behave
differently from the norms of the day as a demonstration of their faith
and as a recognition that they now have the same master who is Jesus
Christ. The institution of slavery is still in place but the very nature of
that relationship is being changed radically because of the renewed
attitudes of the heart through Jesus Christ. The change is from within.
It was not against the law for a master to treat their slaves well nor for
a slave to obey their masters out of respect and fear. Paul’s exhortation
is against the nature of man, but God’s grace is overcomes that very
nature of man which is sinful. This exhortation contradicts that sinful
nature, that tendency for a slave to disobey and rebel against his
master and for a master to abuse and maltreat the slave

Application
You may be wandering why the ramblings about an institution that
existed in the ancient Roman world and its relevance to this day and
age. There are principles that apply. Let us substitute the word
employee for slave and employer for master and read the verses within
this context. Our workplace masters may not have our life and death in
his hands but the principle remains. As employees we can demonstrate
the reality of our faith by being obedient and respectful to our
employers. Labour unions will hate this part as they see that through
obedience the worker becomes all too submissive and becomes prone
to exploitation. Union leaders will not be able to collect their union
dues if workers or employees start adopting a loving and respectful
attitude to their workers. You see once employees look upon the Lord
as their masters and showed it in their attitude then labor unrest will

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 cease. If employers start changing their view of employees and show
respect and compassion then harmony and cooperation results.
Remember that the change in attitude is always a result of looking up
to the Lord and going beyond the worldly expectations. Our attitudes
at work are powerful testimonies and speak volumes about the Christ
that we have in our hearts. We stop to be men-pleasers but pleasers of
God. The renewed attitude goes beyond this world and now focuses
on heaven. Our jobs are no longer the tedious and laborious
endeavours but become missions and commitments to the Lord.

Threaten Them Not (v 9b)

Slavery in ancient Greece and Rome had its occupational hazards.
Examples of these hazards are:
• Augustus crucified a slave because he killed a pet quail
• Vedius Pollio a Roman equestrian and a friend of Augustus ,
flung a slave alive to the savage lampreys in his fishpond
because the slave dropped and broke a crystal goblet
• Juvenal, a Roman writer and poet, tells of a Roma matron who
ordered a slave to be killed for no other reason than that she lost
her temper with him
Terrible isn’t it. The second half of verse 9 is a serious exhortation
because cruelty was the order of the day. Masters had absolute control
over their slaves and as Lord Acton wrote, absolute power corrupts
absolutely. It is not surprising that Ephesian slave owners had their
share of cruelty
A threat brings misery to the slave. The constant thought that any
small misgiving could lead to death is not comforting. In addition the
slave lived an uncomfortable life with the barest minimum
accommodations and food. Remember that he was just a piece of
property that can be bought or sold. He was not a person but a thing.
Paul’s exhortation is to stop threatening the slaves.

Ethereal Master
Paul reminded the Ephesian slave owner that the heavenly master
awaits him and his slave. Paul directed them to a different plane that is
outside of this earthly realm. He raised the expectations and reality
that there is a Supreme Being that is not beholden to anyone. The
Heavenly Master is the Supreme Being and Creator who lords over
both slave and master. There is a higher authority who is not only an

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overseer but also creator. When Paul qualified the Master’s
description as heavenly he was alluding to the supernatural origins of
this higher authority.
Jesus Himself referred to His heavenly origins in John 6:38 He also
asserted the superiority of anyone who comes from heaven in John
3:31.

A master with these credentials is worth submitting to, regardless of

how lofty your social status. This part of verse 9 brings down the
masters to where they really belong.

Egalitarian Monarch
The Heavenly Master is also royalty. In Revelation 19:16, He is called
the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This Great Kings is also a King
of fairness and equality. He will treat both masters and slaves with
same standard of justice and righteousness. In the sight of God, we
will all be viewed fairly. The justice He applies is wrapped with grace
and mercy which can be had by faith. The main differentiator is the
presence of faith in the hearts of men whether slave or master. Paul’s
exhortation to expect a fair and egalitarian King is an instruction to
look in the future where everyone will be judged in His sight. Our
social status, our riches on earth, our political power will all be swept
away in the sight of God. There are people who want to extend their
lofty status on earth beyond the grave.

Consider the Egyptian pyramids, can you recall the real purpose of the
pyramids? These are tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs who believed
that they can extend their rule in the afterlife. They believed that the
pharaohs will become immortal gods and needs to be served. The
immortal deity is exclusive to the pharaohs. They even sacrifice slaves
to be with him in his burial for the purpose of serving him in the
afterlife. Slaves in life, slaves in death.

It is not going to happen in the under the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords. God does not make any special concessions for earthly royalty
for He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. Everybody will
submit to the Lord. Isaiah 9:7 prophesied the coming of this righteous
and just King. This prophesied reign will happen during the Millennial
reign of Christ after the tribulation and 2nd coming. No one, not even
the most powerful man who ever lived will be able to overcome
Christ’s reign.

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 Such is the nature of our Master who sees beyond our earthly bodies
but penetrates our soul. We can never hide our megalomaniac
tendencies from this Master and King who has infinite power yet
tempered with His innate sense of justice and righteousness.

Application
If you are in a position of power and influence do not succumb to the
temptation of abuse of authority for there is always our Christ who
rules over us. Instead, we must demonstrate to our unbelieving
subordinates the kind of person we are by treating them well and not
throwing the book at them with the slightest mistake. Let us show the
power of the saving grace of Christ through our kindness, gentleness
and compassion. Let the fruits of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23
shine in our lives. Positions of authorities are double-edged swords,
yet we can make a lasting impression by adhering to Paul’s
exhortation.

Let the Christ in your heart redefine the relationships

Conclusion –

Christ changes the nature of relationships

Earlier we posed the question was Paul an abolitionist in the mould of Abraham
Lincoln and William Wilberforce? Paul did not advocate the liberation of the
slaves from their masters. He did not call on the slaves to stage a rebellion and
free themselves from their shackles.

What he did was change the nature of relationship between master and slaves. He
did not call for the abolition of slavery. Instead he changed the definition of this
relationship. He removed the natural animosity and tension that naturally comes
on a one-sided relationship. This can be done only through Christ. The natural
enmity and distrust can be bridged be only through Christ.