Ephesians 6:9 Commentary: Masters Under One Impartial Lord

Ephesians 6:9 belongs to a “household code” (Haustafel) that runs from 5:21 to 6:9. Such codes were common in Greco-Roman moral philosophy, where the household was seen as a microcosm of the state. The head of the household (paterfamilias) held near-absolute authority over wife, children, and slaves. Roman law granted masters enormous power over slaves, including the right to punish, torture, or even kill them. Against that backdrop, Paul’s address to masters is remarkable. He does not call for the abolition of slavery, but he does something more radical: he places the master, slave relationship under the lordship of Christ and the law of love.

The phrase “do the same things” echoes the preceding verses where servants were told to serve “as to Christ” with goodwill and singleness of heart (v.5-7). Calvin calls this a “law of analogy”: masters are not servilely to imitate servants but to fulfill the duties proper to their station with the same Godward motivation. Forbidding “threatening” undermines the terror-based control that characterized Roman slavery. The Greek verb ἀνίημι (aniēmi) means to “relax, loosen, let go”; Clarke and Barnes see it as a call to mitigate harshness and to lean toward mercy even when punishment is deserved.

The theological motivation is the knowledge (εἰδότες, a perfect active participle: “having known, knowing fully”) that both slave and master have a common κύριος in heaven. Jewish tradition had already affirmed this: Clarke cites a rabbinic saying that God shows no respect of persons, unlike human judges. The cross-references (Deut 10:17, Acts 10:34, Rom 2:11) all reinforce that God judges without regard to social status. The plural “heavens” (οὐρανοῖς) locates the true Master beyond the reach of human power, making him the ultimate overseer of every human relationship.

Paul does not call for a social revolution, but his principles, equal standing before God, the obligation of love, the end of terror-based authority, set forces in motion that would lead Christians to question slavery itself. As Barnes notes, “He taught them their duty … which, if followed, would lead ultimately to universal freedom.”

The textual variant in this verse concerns the phrase describing the Master in heaven. The majority of later manuscripts read “your Master also” (ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ὁ κύριος, as in the KJV), while the earliest witnesses (P⁴⁶, א, B) support “the Master both of them and you” (ὁ κύριος καὶ αὐτῶν καὶ ὑμῶν). The latter reading is now preferred by most critical editions (NA²⁸, UBS⁵). It makes the point of shared lordship explicit: Christ is not just “also” your Master, but specifically Master of both groups. Vincent and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown both note this reading and its stronger rhetorical force. No other significant variants are noted in the sources consulted.

The church has read Ephesians 6:9 in several ways across history. Early writers like Chrysostom used it to urge Christian masters toward gentleness, stressing that the same Lord watches over all. In the medieval period, it was often cited within the framework of a fixed social order: authority was divinely ordained, but must be exercised with justice and mercy. During the Reformation, Calvin and the Geneva Bible stressed the equality of believers before God, using this verse to argue that no human authority is absolute.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the verse became a battlefield in the slavery debate. Abolitionists like John Wesley (who preached against slavery) and Adam Clarke (who called the harsh treatment of slaves “of the devil”) drew on the principle of impartiality. Pro-slavery advocates pointed to Paul’s failure to condemn the institution outright as evidence that it was permissible, though they often downplayed the force of “give up threatening” and the call to treat servants with the same goodwill. Modern readers across traditions see the verse as a key text for Christian leadership ethics, one that calls every authority to humility and accountability before the impartial God.

The Unity of the Household: A Three-Point Outline

1. The standard of reciprocal love. Masters must “do the same things” as servants, act out of goodwill, singleness of heart, and reverence for Christ (Eph 6:5-7). This is not a call to exchange roles but to embody the same faithful posture.
2. The posture of release. “Give up threatening” means to let go of fear as a management tool. The habitual threat must be relaxed. Authority is exercised through kindness and justice, not intimidation.
3. The perspective of shared lordship. Both master and servant have the same Master in heaven. He shows no partiality. This truth relativizes earthly hierarchies and holds every authority accountable.

A Five-Point Outline

1. Masters are addressed personally. Paul does not ignore them or write them off. The gospel transforms those with power as well as those without.
2. The “same things” means analogous faithfulness. Just as servants serve Christ in their work, masters serve Christ in how they direct their households. Both are stewards.
3. Threatening gives way to forbearance. The command to “give up” (ἀνιέντες) suggests a deliberate loosening of a default pattern. Mercy, not terror, defines Christian leadership.
4. God’s impartiality levels the ground. The word προσωπολημψία (partiality) literally means “receiving of faces”, judging by outward appearance. God does not do this, and neither should his people.
5. Heavenly perspective alters earthly power. Knowing the Master is “in the heavens” (ἐν οὐρανοῖς) reminds every authority that they are themselves under authority.

Illustration Hooks

• A small business owner whose faith leads her to stop using fear to motivate employees. She begins to treat them as partners in a mission, not tools for profit.
• A school principal who removes the punitive “zero tolerance” policy and replaces it with restorative practices, still holding students accountable, but without threats.
• A parent who realizes that constant yelling and ultimatums are their “habitual threatening.” They choose instead to speak calmly, laying out consequences without anger.

Questions Your Congregation Is Asking

• Does this verse mean Paul approved of slavery? If not, why didn’t he condemn it outright?
• I’m not a “master” in the ancient sense, how does this apply to my role as a boss, parent, or leader?
• How do I stop using threats when they seem to work? What does “forbearing threatening” look like in practice?

This verse brings the household code to a close by turning directly to those who hold authority. As you discuss, notice how Paul refuses to let masters off the hook. He commands them to mirror the same faithful disposition that servants are to show, and he grounds everything in the reality that both stand before the same impartial Lord. These questions will help your group move from the text to their own spheres of influence.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think Paul means when he says masters should “do the same things” to their servants? The same things as what? (Look back at Eph 6:5-8.)
2. Why do you think Paul singles out “threatening” as a behavior for masters to abandon? What feelings or attitudes does threatening reveal?
3. The Greek phrase “giving up” (ἀνιέντες) means to loosen or relax. How might this apply to the way you use your authority, at work, at home, or in church?
4. How does knowing that “there is no partiality with Him” change the way you view people who are in positions above or below you?
5. Consider the cross-reference to Deuteronomy 10:17 and Acts 10:34. How does God’s impartiality shape the way his people treat one another in a world full of status differences?
6. If a Christian employer wanted to follow this verse today, what specific practices might they adopt or abandon?
7. Paul does not call for the end of slavery. Does that mean he accepted it as a permanent institution? How would you explain his approach to someone who thinks the Bible is pro-slavery?