The Glory of Goodness

This passage effectively concludes the book and also summarizes it.

Audience

You

Wives-Husbands

Children-Fathers

Bondservants-Masters

You

Talk about how even the laws in the Old Testament relate to social justice and caring for the least of these in society.

Talk about the power dynamic. There are commands for both those in power and those in positions without formal authority.

Show the comparison on the whiteboard sandwiched by “you” meaning everyone.

Commands

submit to your husbands (3:18)

love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. (3:19)

obey your parents in everything (3:20)

do not provoke your children (3:21)obey in everything those who are your earthly masters (3:22)

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men (3:23)

treat your bondservants justly and fairly (4:1)

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving (4:2)

pray also for us (4:3)

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time (4:5)

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt (4:6)

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (3:17)

All commands flow out of this one. And this is a universal command.

Motivation

as is fitting in the Lord (3:18) (x2 application for both wives and husbands)

for this pleases the Lord (3:19)

lest they become discouraged. (3:21)

Fearing the Lord (3:22) (or in fear of the Lord)

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (3:24)

For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. (3:25)

knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. (4:1)

Why is Paul really giving all of these commands

Paul is calls for tenderness, love, devotion, and care, and God-centeredness for those in power.

People in power will be held accountable for how they stewarded their power and for how they treated those whom they had authority over. (3:25)\

Paul Effectively Models This in Philemon

Let us not blow past the conclusion and greetings. In fact these greetings help make the very point that the previous passage makes.

If you just read Colossians you would have no idea that Onesimus was a slave

See Philemon and show how Paul lives out his advice in that book

Many in the tradition argue that Onesimus later became the Bishop of Ephesus.