Daily a new Bible text for devotion - EZBB

Ephesians 6:1 and 4

By including these few verses, Paul dignifies the child's place in the home and in the Christian community. Such concern was not the attitude of the ancient world. The Roman system gave the father absolute power over his children. He had the right to punish them as his wrath depravedly dictated, to sell them into slavery if he thought they were too costly or useless to him, or, under certain conditions, to kill them. This power of the father over his children predominated throughout their lives. Childhood life had no value, as revealed in a letter dated 1 BC, written by Hilary, a Roman soldier from Alexandria, Egypt, to his wife, Alis. He orders his pregnant wife to let the child live if it is a boy, but to banish it if it is a girl. Leaving children to fend for themselves as best they could was a common practice in those days. When Jesus called little children to Himself, He was speaking out against this devaluation of young human life (Mt 19:14). Paul sides with Jesus when he sees the infinite value of each child, a fact supported by the careful description of the mutual responsibilities between children and parents.

Much disobedience is the result of children's unwillingness to listen to the instructions they receive and the reasons for those instructions. Children have a moral obligation, as far as they understand it, to keep the lines of communication between themselves and their parents open, being ready to listen and obey. IN THE LORD, defines the sphere in which obedience must occur.

Parents, do not provoke your children to anger. Paul urges parents not to "excite the evil passions of their children by severity, injustice, partiality, or the unreasonable exercise of authority". Discipline at home is absolutely necessary, but too many rules and regulations end up creating righteous rebellion. So what Paul meant was: "Fathers, do not overcorrect your children or make it difficult for them to obey the commandment".