\\INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS 6\\

In this chapter the apostle goes on with his exhortations to relative
and domestic duties, and considers those of children and parents, and
of servants and masters; and next he exhorts the saints in general to
constancy and perseverance in the exercise of grace, and the
performance of duty in the strength of Christ, and with the use of the
armour of God described by him; entreats them to pray for him; gives
the reasons of sending Tychicus, who brought them this epistle, and
closes it with his apostolical salutation. He begins with the duties of
children to their parents, which are submission and obedience to them,
honour, fear, and reverence of them; the arguments engaging thereunto
are taken from the light of nature and reason, from the command of God,
and the promise annexed to it, \\#Eph 6:1-3\\. Then follow the duties
of fathers to their children, who are exhorted not to use them with too
much rigour, and so provoke them to wrath, but to bring them up in a
religious manner, that they may serve the Lord, \\#Eph 6:4\\. Next he
observes the duties of servants to their masters, which are subjection
and obedience, which should be done with reverence of them, with
simplicity of heart, as unto Christ, not with eyeservice, as
menpleasers, but with the heart, and with good will, as doing the will
of God, and as if it was to the Lord, and not men; to which they are
encouraged by a promise of reward which is given without respect to
bond or free, \\#Eph 6:5-8\\. And masters, they are exhorted to do
what is right and just to their servants, and not terrify them with
menaces; to which they are moved by the consideration of their having a
master in heaven, who is no respecter of persons, \\#Eph 6:9\\. From
hence the apostle passes to a general exhortation to the saints to
behave with firmness and constancy of mind, though they had many
enemies, and these mighty and powerful, and more than a match for them;
relying on the power and strength of Christ, and making use of the
whole armour of God, which he advises them to take, that they might
stand and withstand in the worst of times, \\#Eph 6:10-13\\, the
several parts of which he enumerates, as the girdle of truth, the
breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the Gospel of peace, the
shield of faith, whereby the fiery darts of Satan are quenched, the
helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit the word of God, and
spiritual prayer of every sort for all saints, attended with watching
and perseverance, \\#Eph 6:14-18\\, which last part of the spiritual
armour being mentioned, leads on the apostle to entreat the Ephesians
to pray for him, that he might freely and boldly preach the Gospel;
which he commends from the mysterious nature and subject of it, from
his character as an ambassador for it, or for Christ, the sum and
substance of it, and from his being in bonds for it; which showed how
great an esteem he had of it, and how heartily concerned he was to
preach it without fear, \\#Eph 6:19,20\\. And then adds, that the
reasons of his sending Tychicus, whom he describes by his relation to
him as a brother, and his affection for him, and by his office as a
minister, and his faithfulness in it, were, that they might be
acquainted with his circumstances, in what state and condition he was,
both with respect to things temporal and spiritual, and that their
hearts might be comforted by him, \\#Eph 6:21,22\\. And the epistle is
concluded with the apostle's salutation; and the persons saluted are
the brethren of this church, and all that love Christ Jesus sincerely;
and the blessings wished for are peace, love, with faith and grace; the
persons from whom they are desired are God the Father, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, \\#Eph 6:23,24\\.