Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ephesians 6:6
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
6. eyeservice ] The word is found elsewhere only Col 3:22, and was possibly coined by St Paul. It is the “service” which works for another only under the compulsion of inspection, and only in external action.
menpleasers ] With no higher aim than the personal comfort of getting, anyhow, the master’s approval or indulgence. Cp. Gal 1:10 for a close parallel. The underlying fact is that the earthly master can be “pleased” by a merely specious service, but that the Christian is really enslaved to One who sees infallibly whether the service rendered Him is service of the heart. This comes out in the following clauses.
the will of God ] expressed in the present fact of your servile duty.
Thus did the Gospel dignify the lowest walk of human life, in the act of imposing the yoke of Christ on the whole being of the Christian.
“A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine;
Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws
Makes that and th’ action fine.”
Herbert, The Elixir.
the heart ] Lit., the soul. So (Gr.) Col 3:23. A spring of innermost good-will, alike to the Heavenly Master and the earthly, must work within. Cp. 1Ti 6:1-2.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Nor with eye-service – That is, not with service rendered only under the eye of the master, or when his eye is fixed on you. The apostle has here adverted to one of the evils of involuntary servitude as it exists everywhere. It is, that the slave will usually obey only when the eye of the master is upon him. The freeman who agrees to labor for stipulated wages may be trusted when the master is out of sight; but not the slave. Hence the necessity where there are slaves of having drivers who shall attend them, and who shall compel them to work. This evil it is impossible to avoid, except where true religion prevails – and the extensive prevalence of true religion would set the slave at liberty. Yet as long as the relation exists, the apostle would enjoin on the servant the duty of performing his work conscientiously, as rendering service to the Lord. This direction, moreover, is one of great importance to all who are employed in the service of others. They are bound to perform their duty with as much fidelity as though the eye of the employer was always upon them, remembering that though the eye of man may be turned away, that of God never is.
As men-pleasers – As if it were the main object to please people. The object should be rather to please and honor God.
But as the servants of Christ – see the notes on 1Co 7:22.
Doing the will of God from the heart – That is, God requires industry, fidelity, conscientiousness, submission, and obedience in that rank of life. We render acceptable service to God when, from regard to his will, we perform the services which are demanded of us in the situation in life where we may be placed, however humble that may be.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Eph 6:6
Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Not with eye-service
This exhortation is addressed to servants, i.e., to those who serve, whatever their position as servants may be; whether in the position of bond slaves as in the days of Paul, or of hired servants as in our own day, or of merchants, physicians, lawyers, ministers, or young men, who, for remuneration of any kind, undertake to serve individuals or the public, To all such the exhortation of our text is, that they should discharge their duties, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ. But the exhortation of our text is of far wider application. It is equally applicable to masters–to those who are served, as truly as to those who serve. For immediately after addressing himself to servants, or slaves, Paul said (Eph 6:9), And ye masters, do the same things unto them. Paul had the same rule for masters and for servants. And he gave the reason of this, saying, Ye masters, do the same things unto them, knowing that your Master also is in heaven–or, as in the margin, knowing that your and their Master is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with Him.
I. The manner in which we should discharge our duties to our fellow men.
1. Negatively–how it should not be done. Not with eye-service. This is a word which Paul coined and struck in the royal mint of his own ardent and honest mind. I am not aware that it was ever heard before. But it is a word so true and graphic that it tells its own meaning. Eye-service is either service done only to please the eye, but which cannot bear to be tested; or it is good and real service, but only given when the eye of a master sees it. Not with eye-service is happily associated with that other word, not as men-pleasers. For eye-servants care only to please men. The rule of their duty is, not what is fair and honourable, nor even what may reasonably be expected from them, but only as much as will please the eye of their employers. All else is neglected and left undone, if only the failure in service does not appear to be in them. How much there is of eye-service and men-pleasing in all classes!
2. The positive description of our duty–how it should be done: With fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ. With fear and trembling. From other parts of Scripture where this expression is found, it is plain that it does not mean with fear of punishment, as the slave fears the lash, nor with trembling before men, as the slave trembles before his master, but that it means with anxious and tremulous desire to do our duty. And as this anxiety to discharge our duty is the opposite of eye-service, so also, In singleness of heart as to Christ is the opposite or contrary to, as men-pleasers. Not as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, as to Christ.
II. The motive by which Paul calls us to the discharge of our ordinary earthly duties. He exhorts us to sanctify, to hallow, to ennoble our earthly duties, by doing them not as to men, but as unto the Lord. Now, consider this motive.
1. Observe, it is addressed to the disciples of Christ–to those who knew and owned Him as their Lord; to the blood bought, the redeemed, the renewed disciples of Christ; to those who, believing in Him, have been pardoned for all past transgressions, and have been born again of His Holy Spirit. It is not now the Law with its lash and its rewords urging men in general, and saying, Do this and live–do it or die. It is Christ the Saviour who speaks to His saved ones, and says, Ye live, therefore do this–Ye live through Me, do this to Me.
2. Mark how this motive sweetens, sanctifies, ennobles our earthly work. It then becomes a part of our worship. Animated by such a thought, the school boy diligently, joyfully applies himself to his task. The clerk needs no other masters eye over him to keep him to his work. The tradesman carefully executes his orders to the last stitch, when he feels that he works not merely for men, but for Christ. The merchant no longer sells spurious or adulterated goods, when he feels that he sells, not to men, but to the Lord Himself. The minister, the physician, the lawyer, are no longer content with a formal or perfunctory discharge of duty. The creditor, presenting his account, asks no more than is really due, and the debtor faithfully pays it. And now, in conclusion, you can understand why the apostle specially and formally addressed this exhortation to servants–nay, to slaves. The exhortation is equally applicable to masters. Why, then, did Paul primarily and formally address it to slaves? There was wisdom and tenderness in this. Paul saw and pitied the irksome lot of slaves. He could not break their chains, but he sought to gild and lighten them. He told them that they could make their irksome task pleasant by doing it to the Lord. He sweetened their lot by showing them that the Lord did not despise them, and would reward them for the good they might do. It was a tender and touching thing in Paul first to stoop to wipe the sweat from the brow of slaves. But it was also wisely and well done. For when thus, by enjoining obedience on slaves, he had gained the ear and propitiated the heart of their masters, turning to them he could say with power, And ye masters, do the same things to them, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven, who demands the same obedience from you. Paul could not emancipate the slaves; but in that appeal to masters he sowed the seed corn, small as a grain of mustard seed, which has produced the harvest of emancipation in every land to which the gospel has come in power. (W. Grant.)
Eye-service
I saw two boys at work addressing envelopes–or rather, one was at work, while the other, with his pen in his hand, was looking out of the window. Their employer was seated near by; and when he caught my eye he smiled. Which of the two boys is the better workman, and the most valued, do you think? he asked me in a low voice. The one at work, I should suppose, I rejoined. No, sir; that lad who is looking from the window now, does so, because he thinks there is no harm in it–does it, you see, under my eyes. On the other hand, while my eye is on them, the other boy is the most industrious; but I find that in my absence he does nothing. So you see he adds deceit to his fault. I would not trust him out of my sight. It seems to me that neither of them is worth much. To be sure, came the immediate answer, a boy who attended to his duties at all times would be best; but a boy who renders eye-service merely, who cannot be trusted to work without watching, is not to be tolerated. The man who said this had seen much of the world; he knew whereof he spoke.
The reward of service
There comes over to our shores a poor stonecutter. The times are so bad at home that he is scarcely able to earn bread enough to eat; and by a whole years stinting economy he manages to get together just enough to pay for a steerage passage to this country. He comes, homeless and acquaintanceless, and lands in New York, and wanders over to Brooklyn and seeks employment. He is ashamed to beg bread; and yet he is hungry. The yards are all full; but, still, as he is an expert stonecutter, a man, out of charity, says, Well, I will give you a little work–enough to enable you to pay for your board. And he shows him a block of stone to work on. What is it? One of many parts which are to form some ornament. Here is just a querl or fern, and there is a branch of what is probably to be a flower. He goes to work on this stone and most patiently shapes it. He carves that bit of a fern, putting all his skill and taste into it. And by and by the master says, Well done, and takes it away, and gives him another block, and tells him to work on that. And so he works on that, from the rising of the sun till the going down of the same, and he only knows that he is earning his bread. And he continues to put all his skill and taste into his work. He has no idea what use will be made of those few stems which he has been carving, until afterwards, when, one day, walking along the street, and looking up at the front of the Art Gallery, he sees the stones upon which he has worked. He did not know what they were for; but the architect did. And as he stands looking at his work on that structure which is the beauty of the whole street, the tears drop down from his eyes, and he says, I am glad I did it well. And every day as he passes that way he says to himself, exultingly, I did it well. He did not draw the design nor plan the building, and he knew nothing of what use was to be made of his work; but he took pains in cutting those stems; and when he saw that they were a part of that magnificent structure, his soul rejoiced. Dear brethren, though the work which you are doing seems small, put your heart in it; do the best you can wherever you are; and by and by God will show you where He has put that work. And when you see it stand in that great structure which He is building you will rejoice in every single moment of fidelity with which you wrought. Do not let the seeming littleness of what you are doing now damp your fidelity. (H. W. Beecher.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 6. Not with eye-service] Not merely in their presence, when their eye is upon you, as unfaithful and hypocritical servants do, without consulting conscience in any part of their work.
Doing the will of God] Seeing that you are in the state of servitude, it is the will of God that you should act conscientiously in it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Not with eyeservice; not merely having respect to your masters presence, and looking upon you in your work.
As men-pleasers; such as make it their only business to please their masters, right or wrong, and ingratiate themselves with them, though by offending God.
But as the servants of Christ; as becomes the servants of Christ, or as those that are the servants of Christ, and seek to please him.
Doing the will of God; performing obedience to your masters not barely as their will, but Gods will, who requires it, as Eph 6:5.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. (Col3:22). Seeking to please their masters only so long as these havetheir eyes on them: as Gehazi was a very different man in hismaster’s presence from what he was in his absence (2Ki5:1-18).
men-pleasersnotChrist-pleasers (compare Gal 1:10;1Th 2:4).
doing the will of Godtheunseen but ever present Master: the best guarantee for your servingfaithfully your earthly master alike when present and when absent.
from the heartliterally,soul (Psa 111:1; Rom 13:5).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers,…. Doing nothing but when under the master’s eye, and then pretending a great deal of diligence and industry, in order to ingratiate themselves into his affections, and neglecting his business when he is absent; whereas they ought to attend his service in his absence, as well as in his presence, and so seek to please him, which is commendable.
But as the servants of Christ; acting in like manner as the servants of Christ, who are not menpleasers; or as if they themselves were serving Christ, as indeed they are, when they are doing that which is the will of Christ:
doing the will of God from the heart; meaning not the will of God in a religious, but in a civil sense, yielding a cheerful and hearty obedience to their own masters.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But as servants of Christ (‘ ). Better “slaves of Christ” as Paul rejoiced to call himself (Php 1:1).
Doing the will of God ( ). Even while slaves of men.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Eye service – men – pleasers. See on Col 3:22.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Not with eye service” (me kat’ ophtholmodoulian) “Not by way of eye-service,” merely while the master is watching, not merely industrious when the master is looking on, Php_2:12.
2) “As men-pleasers” (hos anthropareskoi) “As men-pleasers,” or satisfiers, as those who look for man’s applause, human approval, Col 3:22.
3) “But as the servants of Christ” (all’ hos douloi christou) “But as slaves of Christ, as becomes honest servants of Christ, servants with integrity of character, enslaved to one who sees and knows whether or not service rendered to Him is heart service, 1Co 10:31.
4) “Doing the will of God” (poiountes to thelema tou theou) “Progressively doing the higher will of God.” To understand and do the will of God in sincerity is the highest ideal for the servant of Christ in any church, Eph 5:17; Joh 13:17; Jas 1:25.
5) “From the heart” (ek psuches) “From the soul,” by volitional spirit and mind service to God, from the deeper emotions of the Divine will, 2Co 8:3; 2Co 8:11-12. The very character of the bond-slave of Christ should be to do the will of God, the Father, heartily and with readiness, not with grudging or formality, as expressed of love, Mar 11:30.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(6) Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers.This verse is merely an expansion of the idea of singleness of heart. The word eyeservice (used here, and in Col. 3:22) is peculiar to St. Paul, and to these passages; the word menpleasers is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, but is used in the LXX.; and the antithesis of pleasing men and pleasing God is not unfrequent with St. Paul. (See Gal. 1:10-11; 1Th. 2:4.) To a slave, looking on his masters authority as mere power imposed by the cruel laws of man, this eyeservice is found to be an all but irresistible temptation. It is only when he looks on himself as the slave of Christwho Himself took on Him the form of a slave (Php. 2:7) in order to work out the will of God in a sinful world, and to redeem all men from bondagethat he can possibly serve from the heart.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Eyeservice Service performed only because the eye of the master would detect its omission or slight performance. This is serving the eye and not the interest of the man we profess to serve. Alford quotes an anecdote from the Greek of Xenophon: for which we may give the following condensed equivalent. A farrier being asked what would quickly fatten a horse, replied, “The eye of the master.”
Servants Or, as Alford frankly renders it, slaves, of Christ, who alone has a right to be your master, and, as such, requires your faithful service even to your wrongful masters. For be it noted once for all, that St. Paul does not say of the obedience of slaves as he does of children, this is naturally and intrinsically right. Eph 6:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eph 6:6. Not with eye-service, “Not as attending on their business only while their master’s eyes are upon them.” Grotius takes notice of the great elegance of the compound words made use of here in the original; which our translators have endeavoured to imitate. But as the Greek abounds more in such compound words than any other language, so St. Paul has frequently introduced them in his writ
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eph 6:6-7 . The just spoken of is now more precisely described.
. .] not after an eye-serving manner as men-pleasers . The word occurs nowhere else than here and Col 3:3 , but its meaning is, from its composition, clear. Comp. in the Constitt. Apost. iv. 12. 2. It is the service which is rendered to the eyes of the master, but in which the aim is merely to acquire the semblance of fidelity, inasmuch as one makes himself thus noticeable when seen by the master, but is in reality not such, acting, on the contrary, otherwise when his back is turned. Theodoret: , .
] Comp. Psa 53:5 ; Psalt. Sal. iv. 8. 10, in Fabric. Cod. Pseud , i. p. 929; and see Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 621. The men whom such slaves endeavour to please are just their masters , and the fault of this behaviour lies in the fact that such endeavour is not conditioned by the higher point of view of serving Christ and doing the will of God, but has as its aim simply human approbation. Even of slaves Mat 6:24 holds good. Comp. Gal 1:10 .
, ] but as slaves of Christ, in that ye do the will of God from the heart . The contrast lies in (comp. Eph 6:7 ), and . . . is a modal definition of this their service, whereupon there follows in Eph 6:7 yet a second modal definition. Now to be a slave of Christ and not to do the will of God, and that indeed ex animo (from a genuine impulse of the soul), would be a contradiction, seeing that God is the Father of Christ, has sent Christ, and is the Head of Christ (1Co 11:3 ; 1Co 3:23 ). According to Rckert, is subordinate , and . . . forms the contrast: “but doing as Christ’s servants the will of God from the heart.” But after , comp. with Eph 6:5 , this subordination of . is altogether arbitrary and opposed to the context. is no doubt attached to what follows by Syriac, Chrysostom, Jerome, Bengel, Koppe, Knapp, Lachmann, Harless, de Wette; but (comp. Xen. Oec. xii. 5. 7), since it expresses the well-meaning disposition , already in fact includes in itself the sense of ( ex animi sententia , Col 3:23 ; Mar 12:30 ; Mar 12:33 ; Luk 10:27 ; Joseph. Antt. xvii. 6. 3; Xen. Anab. vii. 7. 43; Nicarch. epigr. 2; Theocr. Idyll , iii. 35); and it is arbitrary to assume, with Harless, that . expresses the relation of the true servant to his service , and his relation to his master .
] sc . , as to the Lord , the true mode of regarding his service as rendered to Christ .
.] Comp. on Gal 1:1 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Ver. 6. Not with eyeservice ] And yet it were well if we would do God, our great Master, but eyeservice. For his eye is ever upon us, and pierceth into the inward parts. So that they much deceive themselves, who think all is well because no man can say to them, Black is thine eye.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eph 6:6 . : not in the way of eye-service . TWH prefer the form . Negative explanation of what means. points to the principle or rule of action. The noun occurs only here and in Col 3:22 ; but is found also in the Constit. Apost. , Eph 4:12 . It is the service that is done only when one is under the master’s eye an obedience to save appearances and gain undeserved favour, which is not rendered when the master is absent as it is when his scrutiny is on us. : as men-pleasers . is another non-classical word, occurring only in biblical and ecclesiastical Greek, and in the NT limited to this passage and Col 3:22 ; cf. Psa 53:6 , in LXX, and Ps. Salom. , Eph 4:8 ; Eph 4:10 . [ ] : but as bond-servants of Christ. is found in [740] 3 [741] [742] , etc., but not in [743] [744] [745] [746] * [747] , etc., and is omitted by LTTrWH. The contrast is with , servants of Christ , not pleasers of men . The , therefore, is a clause by itself, only explained by what follows. Some, mistaking this, make it one sentence with , etc.; in which case it loses its force, and the emphasis is on the . : doing the will of God from the heart . Statement of what is appropriate to the “bond-servants of Christ”. It belongs to the character ( ) of the bond-servant of Christ to do the will of God, the God and Father of Christ, in his condition in life, and to do that not grudgingly or formally, but ex animo , with hearty readiness , lit, “from the soul,” cf. “with all thy soul,” Mar 12:30 . The is attached by not a few (Syr., Chrys., Jer., Beng., Harl., De Wette, Alf., Abb., WH) to the following clause. Tregelles, again, would attach both and to the . But on the whole the simplest and most congruous connection is as it is given both in the AV and the RV. The addition of to the is not superfluous; for to be true to the character of the bond-servant of Christ requires not merely the doing of God’s will, but the doing of that will ex animo. But such definition is enough, and there is no need of the further description . On the other hand the is as pertinent as an explanation of the as is as an explanation of the .
[740] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.
[741] Codex Mosquensis (sc. ix.), edited by Matthi in 1782.
[742] Codex Angelicus (sc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.
[743] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.
[744] Codex Sinaiticus (sc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.
[745] Codex Alexandrinus (sc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).
[746] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.
[747] Codex Augiensis (sc. ix.), a Grco-Latin MS., at Trinity College, Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its Greek text is almost identical with that of G, and it is therefore not cited save where it differs from that MS. Its Latin version, f, presents the Vulgate text with some modifications.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
with = according to. App-104.
eyeservice. Only here and. Col 3:22.
menpleasers. Only here and Col 3:22.
the. Omit.
will. App-102.
God. App-98.
from. App-104.
heart = soul. App-110. Eph 6:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eph 6:6. , as men-pleasers) The antithesis immediately follows, as the servants of Christ, doing, etc. Whom does he call the servants of Christ? Ans. Those who do the will of God. Such persons are anxious to please God (). We have the same antithesis, Col 3:22, where it is thus expressed, fearing God: for doing the will of God, in Eph., and fearing God, in Col., are parallel.- , from the heart [soul]) So , Col 3:23. So 1Ma 8:25; 1Ma 8:27, and are parallel.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Eph 6:6
Eph 6:6
not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers;-Eyeservice is either work done only to please the eye, which cannot bear to be tested; or it may be good work done only when the masters eye is upon the worker. This was a vice not peculiar to slavery, but it enters into all forms of service. Dishonest work is to be avoided quite as much as dishonest words. An acted lie is as dishonorable as a spoken one.
but as servants of Christ,-The servants of Christ must apply the principles of Christ to their work.
doing the will of God from the heart;-The service was to be a faithful service, rendered from the heart, with a singleness of heart for the benefit of the master. [To do the will of God in this way may sometimes require Christian courage. In these days there are labor unions and combinations among workmen, with a view of protecting their rights. They may sometimes be dominated by selfishness, and act tyrannically; and a Christian workman may be in the position of choosing between the Lord and incurring the ill will of his fellow workers. If he is worthy of the Lord, he will not, to please his fellow workers, render unfaithful work, but will brave the consequences of rendering faithful service because he must be faithful to Christ rather than to men.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
eyeservice: Phi 2:12, Col 3:22, 1Th 2:4
doing: Eph 5:17, Mat 7:21, Mat 12:50, Col 1:9, Col 4:12, 1Th 4:3, Heb 10:36, Heb 13:21, 1Pe 2:15, 1Pe 4:2, 1Jo 2:17
from: Jer 3:10, Jer 24:7, Rom 6:17, Col 3:23
Reciprocal: Gen 16:9 – submit Num 14:24 – followed me Mat 6:10 – Thy will Mat 8:9 – Do 1Co 7:22 – is the Gal 1:10 – for if Eph 6:1 – in Eph 6:7 – as Col 3:24 – for 1Pe 2:16 – but
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
(Eph 6:6.) , -Not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers; , Winer, 49, d. The duty is explained, first negatively, and then positively. The two nouns have their meaning indicated sufficiently by their composition. The first of them, which occurs only elsewhere in Col 3:22, is an expressive term of the apostle’s own coinage. In an allusion to this place the adjective occurs, . Apostol. Const. 4.12, p. 98, ed. Ultzen, 1853. The second noun belongs to the later Greek. Psa 53:5; Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 621. Eye-service is labour when the master is present, but relaxation and sloth so soon as he is gone, labour only- . Theophylact. Need we add that this is a vice which slavery everywhere creates and exhibits? Hence the necessity for drivers and overseers, whips and collars, treadmills and dungeons. The slave has usually no higher aim than to please him who has in his hands the power of punishment and sale; and whether in deception, or in an ingenious show of obedience, or a cunning feint of attention, this one motive prevails-to prevent his master taking offence at him. But the apostle presents another and deeper inducement, which should lead to punctual and honest industry carried on to please the Lord in heaven. For the slaves were to work not as man’s-
-but as the slaves of Christ-His by peculiar purchase and special proprietorship. The article in the Received Text before is struck out on the authority of A, B, D1, F, G, etc.
-doing the will of God from the soul. Mar 12:30; Luk 10:27; Col 3:23. This clause, according to some, is not to be joined with the one before it-as the servants of Christ, but with the first clause of the verse-not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, . . . doing the will of God. There is no reason to adopt such a view. Though they were slaves to a human master, they were to live and labour in the character of Christ’s servants, the characteristic of whose industry is, that they do God’s will from the heart. That sphere in which they had been placed was of God’s allotment; and when they discharged its duties, they were to labour not to please men, as if simply doing man’s bidding, but to please God, and under the idea that they were doing His will. Such an impression must create motives which no secular premiums or penalties could ever have originated.
But the connection of has been disputed. Numerous and eminent authorities join the words to the next verse. So the Syriac reads-and serve them with all your soul. Chrysostom adopts this disposition of the clauses, with OEcumenius and Jerome, followed by Bengel, Koppe, Harless, de Wette, Stier, and Alford, as well as by the editors Knapp and Lachmann. But we see no reason for following such a connection, as the keeping of the words in union with the preceding clause yields a good and appropriate sense. Col 3:23. The phrase signifies heartily, and stands in contrast with eye-service. Delitzsch, Psych. p. 160. The slave is to do the will of God from the soul-not reluctantly, and as if from mere conviction that it should be done. This cordiality is an essential element of Christian service. The limbs of the slave move with a reluctant tardiness and heartlessness; and such forced or feigned obedience is one of those inevitable results of slavery, against which the apostle is cautioning this class of his readers. But if the words be joined to the next verse, its first clause will then have the aspect of tautology, , . Had there been a connecting the two nouns, this exegesis might have had some probability. Harless distinguishes the two nouns thus, that points out the relation of the servant to his work, and characterizes the relation of the servant to his master. See Passow, Liddell and Scott, and Pape, sub vocibus; Xenophon, OEconom. p. 673; Cyrop. iii. p. 54; Elsner, ii. p. 228. But though such a distinction be just, it is no argument for connecting the two terms in one clause. It rather affords to us the best reason for separating them, because the clause to which we attach speaks of work to be done, and that cordially; while the next clause, to which belongs, turns attention to the master for whom this labour is to be performed. That master being Christ, goodwill to Him must characterize the performance of it.
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Eph 6:6. Both Thayer and Robinson explain eyeservice to be “service performed only under the eye of the master.” Such service would not spring from a conscientious motive, and would indicate that if the master were absent the servant would come short of his duty. Doing the will of God. It is the Lord’s will that all men who are employed by others shall fulfill their obligation with a pure motive.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eph 6:6. Not in the way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers. A further description of the last clause, in singleness, etc. Eyeservice is a word coined by the Apostle to express that kind of service which seeks the appearance of fidelity, namely, under the masters eye; hence rendered as men-pleasers, solely to please the master.
But as servants (bondmen) of Christ (not as men-pleasers); doing the will of God from the heart (Greek, soul), not in the way of eye-service. The last clause, however, defines how as servants of Christ their service is rendered. Some without sufficient reason join from the heart to the next verse.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
“Menpleasers” is one that does things in front of his master. It is one that does things to impress the master and relates to those that do what they do to please the one watching them in the hope of impressing. The implication is that they don’t necessarily do what they should when the master is not watching. The next word gives further explanation to the thought – one that wants to please man rather than God.
We are to do this as the servants of God, rather than as servants of men – we ought to want to please Him rather than all others. We are not only to be doing for God, but we are to be “doing” within his will and not our own. We are to do all this from the heart – with all our soul. “Heart” is not the normal word for the pump within our chest, but it refers to the soul, our thought center or who we really are under the cover of any and all facades.
I could never count the people that are in the ministry for the purpose of pleasing those around them. This would include the congregation they pastor, or the pastor’s fellowship that they belong to or the fellowship of churches that their church belongs to – they do what they do and are always in tune with those around them so that they might be sure to please others, and not offend them in anyway.
I also have observed that this activity is usually in the hope of finding respect and/or recognition. There is often a desire to have position in the fellowship or group that is in view. If they find no respect they feel they have failed.
I must wonder just where this drive for recognition and acceptance comes from – it certainly isn’t the Lord because many of these groups tend to reduce the whole to the spiritual level of the least spiritual in the group.
It seems logical to me to seek a higher spiritual plain rather than the lesser. This might well illustrate the verse, seeking the pleasure of man or the pleasure of God. We have to be told to do that which pleases God, thus we must naturally seek to please man.
I must admit that seeking the recognition of man is needed if you are ever going to be the “in” type of person. If you are going to find a church to pastor, if you are going to find a ministry, if you are going to find a financial support base, you MUST get “in” with the right group. Otherwise you will be out in the cold with no hope of doing what you might feel the Lord calling you to do.
This also relates well to staying within a group. You will either comply with the whole, or you will be out. You will be like everyone else or you won’t fit and probably won’t survive.
NOW, I say these things not to get you to comply with the norm, but to do what God leads you to do, and be what God leads you to be. This will quite often leave you out in the cold – without a group to fellowship with, without a support base, and without anyone of like mind.
You might as well face reality that if you aren’t complying with the group, you are alone with God. Personal opinion – being alone with God is much preferable to the group – it is He that we must satisfy, and no one else. Satisfaction of the group can only lead to lessening of who and what you are before God.
Any time you place yourself under someone else in a Christian organization you tend to lessen your ability to follow what God wants you to be. Not necessarily, but the tendency is there. If there is a lesser standard set, you will be expected to follow it by the one above you. If you stick to your own standard, often you will be looked down upon by the superior. It will likely lessen your chances for advancement, it will likely lessen your respect, and it will likely lessen your own feeling of yourself.
HOWEVER, serve God and all this stuff is for the other guys and will not weigh on your mind.
Lonely? Yes, it will be lonely as far as man is concerned, but then how lonely can you be if God is with you? He is our supply, He is our strength, and He is our sustenance – why do we feel we need to please men?
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, {9} doing the will of God from the heart;
(9) To cut off occasion of all pretences, he teaches us that it is God’s will that some are either born or made servants, and therefore they must respect God’s will although their service is ever so hard.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fifth, service was to be consistent, whether the master was watching or not. Paul may have also had in mind doing work that the human master could not check on. Sixth, it needed to arise from proper motives, not to please men only but, more importantly, to please the Lord.