Ephesians 6:7 Commentary: Serving with Good Will as to the Lord

The household code of Ephesians 5:21, 6:9 addresses a social structure pervasive in the Roman world. Slavery was not based on race but typically resulted from war, debt, or birth. Slaves in Ephesus could be domestic servants, stewards of estates, or skilled tradespeople. Paul does not attack the institution directly but transforms it from within by reorienting the servant's ultimate loyalty. The phrase 'according to the flesh' (v.5) shows the master's authority is temporary and limited.

Paul's instruction to 'serve with good will' (μετ' εὐνοίας δουλεύοντες) uses language that Xenophon (cited by Vincent) identifies as the principal virtue of a steward: real regard for the master's interest. Calvin notes that almost all slaves were 'addicted to flattery' when watched and 'indulge freely in contempt' when the master's back was turned, a pattern Paul counters with singleness of heart (v.5). Barnes applies the principle to any difficult situation, arguing that the feeling 'God has ordered the circumstances of our lives' makes us contented even when humans do us injustice. The cross-references to Genesis 31:6, 38, 40 show Jacob's faithful service under Laban, and II Kings 5:2, 3 presents a captive servant girl who shows goodwill toward Naaman, examples of serving with integrity in hard contexts. Paul's command does not condone oppression; it empowers the servant to find dignity and purpose in Christ even when the human system is unjust.

The consulted commentaries and critical editions note no significant textual variants in Ephesians 6:7. The reading is stable across manuscripts.

Early church fathers Chrysostom and Jerome (referenced in Lange's commentary) expounded this verse, emphasizing the inward devotion required of servants. During the Reformation, Calvin and the Geneva Bible framed the command as a rejection of flattery and a call to sincere service before Christ. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Methodists and other evangelical traditions (Clarke, Wesley, Barnes) used the passage both to encourage faithful service and to challenge the institution of slavery, arguing that while servants must serve with good will, masters are equally under God's judgment. In contemporary use, the verse is frequently applied to workplace ethics, reminding believers that every human authority stands under Christ's lordship.

Three-Point Outline

1. The Manner: Good Will (εὔνοια). Paul uses a word that denotes genuine cheerfulness and readiness. Clarke glosses it as 'with cheerfulness'; Gill says 'of a ready mind, with a cheerful spirit, taking delight in their work.' This is the opposite of grudging compliance or eye-service (v.6). Christian service starts in the heart.
2. The Master: As to the Lord. The ultimate recipient of every act of service is Christ. Barnes writes that the servant should 'regard his lot in life as having been ordered by Divine Providence' and serve accordingly. Wesley adds that each action becomes 'a sacrifice to God.' Seeing Jesus in the earthly authority transforms drudgery into devotion.
3. The Motivation: Not to Men. Human approval is not the goal. When the master is unjust, ungrateful, or absent, the servant's eye is on the Lord who sees in secret. The promise of v.8, 'whatever good thing each one does, he will receive the same good again from the Lord', anchors the servant's hope not in human reward but in divine recompense.

Five-Point Outline

1. Reject Eye-Service. Paul first warns against working only when watched (v.6). The command to serve with good will builds on that foundation.
2. Embrace Good Will. εὔνοια means more than obedience; it is a disposition of kindness and eagerness toward the master.
3. See Christ in the Master. 'As to the Lord' does not make the master divine but gives the servant a higher frame of reference.
4. Serve from the Heart. The parallel phrase 'doing the will of God from the heart' (v.6) flows into this verse. The service is wholehearted.
5. Await the Lord's Reward. Verse 8 provides the foundation: God will repay every good deed. This hope sustains good will even in hardship.

Illustration Hooks

• A difficult supervisor. A Christian employee has a boss who micromanages, takes credit, and gives vague feedback. The temptation is to do the minimum when the boss isn't looking. Paul's words invite a different path: working with genuine good will because the Lord is the real audience.
• An unpaid caregiving role. A family member provides daily care for an elderly parent with dementia. The parent cannot say thank you. The work feels thankless. This verse repositions the care as service to Christ, who sees and will reward.
• A volunteer gig. Someone serves on a church committee that is disorganized and full of conflict. The natural reaction is frustration and withdrawal. Paul calls for good will, treating the work as service to the Lord, not to the committee chair.

Questions Your Congregation Is Asking

• How can I serve with genuine good will when I feel taken advantage of by my employer?
• Does this command mean I should never confront injustice or seek a better situation?
• If I serve 'as to the Lord,' how does that affect my attitude toward tasks I consider beneath me?

Paul's instruction to first-century slaves may seem distant, but the call to serve with genuine good will under imperfect authority is timeless. This passage invites us to examine our hearts in every work relationship, asking whether we serve Christ in the people we are called to serve.

Discussion Questions

1. Read Ephesians 6:5-9 together. What do you notice about the way Paul addresses both servants and masters?
2. What does the Greek word εὔνοια ('good will') suggest about the servant's inner attitude? How is this different from merely obeying?
3. Why do you think Paul adds the phrase 'as to the Lord, and not to men'? How does that change the meaning of the command?
4. Barnes says that regarding one's lot as ordered by God makes us contented even when others do us injustice. Do you agree? What are the limits of this principle?
5. First Corinthians 10:31 says, 'Whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.' How does this broaden the application of Ephesians 6:7 beyond the master-servant relationship?
6. Where in your life (work, home, church) do you struggle most to serve with good will? What makes it difficult?
7. If Jesus were physically present as your boss or authority figure, how would your attitude change? How can you cultivate that awareness today?