As Pastor Jackson continues to lead us through Ephesians 5:21–6:9, we see how Paul completely reshapes the household codes of his day, not by reinforcing hierarchy but by calling all relationships into the light of Christ’s humility and love. Paul’sinstructions to children, rooted in the Ten Commandments, affirm the dignity of both children and parents in a mutual relationship of respect and care, while parents are charged to nurture their children gently in the Lord, reflecting the rest and grace of Christ himself (Matthew 11:28–30). His words to slavesand masters were profoundly countercultural, challenging the power structures of the ancient world by insisting that both serve under the true Master in heaven, where no favoritism exists. Though slavery tragically existed then and still persists today, Paul’s vision presses us to wrestle with the “missionarycomplications” of living out the gospel in a broken world while also refusing to weaponize Scripture for oppression. Instead, as Rachel Held Evans reminds us, the heart of the household code is not about clinging to power but relinquishing it, imitating the servant-hearted mindset of Jesus. For ourcommunity, this means reimagining every relationship as an opportunity to embody Christ’s love—laying down pride, embracing humility, and practicing a gospel-shaped way of life together.
Discussion Questions
1. In what ways does Paul turn the household codes of his time upside down in Ephesians:18-6:9?
2. Why does Paul quote from Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5 in his instructions to children? What is the assumption about the reciprocal relationship between children and parents?
3. How can parents bring their children up in the training and instruction of the Lord? How might Matthew 11:28-30 help?
4. In the texts concerning slaves and masters, Ephesians is incredibly countercultural. In what ways is this true? How does Paul challenge the hierarchy and social norms of the day?
5. What do we make of the fact that slavery existed within the church and still exists in the world today? Considering that Paul was a missionary, how does this text about slaves and masters have “missionary complications”?
6. Advocates of slavery within the church have often argued from a “literalistic, simple reading of Scripture” and used “slippery-slope” arguments to defend their position. How do we avoid doing the same today?
7. Consider this quote from Rachel Held Evans: “the point of the New Testament household codes is to have the samemindset of Jesus. It’s not about reinforcing power, it’s about relinquishing power.” How can we put this into practice within our community?
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