18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
1Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Colossians is a letter that was written by Paul (and Timothy) to the people of Colossae.
The main themes in this book:
Jesus is supreme and sufficient, over all things and all people. Paul reminds us to fix our eyes on Jesus and to remember who we are because of Christ.
Content about slaves
Colossians 3:18-4:6
2. What instructions does Paul give to wives, husbands, children, and fathers in these verses? V18-21
3. How does Paul say slaves should approach their work? V22-25 How does Paul say masters should approach their work? V1
This passage specifically addresses the roles of wives, husbands, children, fathers and employees, but the things it teaches can be applied to us in our relationships with others. We can consider how we can show love and respect to others in a Christ-like way, while also maintaining our own obedience to God. Additionally, we can reflect on how our attitudes and actions at school or in our homes reflect on our faith, and how we can be a witness for Christ to those around us.
5. What does paul encourage believers to do in their prayer lives? v2-4
Paul encourages believers to devote themselves to prayer – being thankful. Paul asks that they pray for him – we should also pray for other Christians.
6. How does paul say believers should act towards those who are not part of the Christian community? V5-6
Walk in wisdom and let your speech be gracious – seasoned with salt. This will show others Christ’s love!
Take some time to pray about what you’ve learnt.
He encourages wives to submit to their husbands, husbands to love and not be harsh with their wives, children to obey their parents, and employees to obey and serve their earthly masters with sincerity of heart. These instructions emphasize the importance of love, respect, and submission in our everyday relationships. We should seek to honour God by showing kindness, forgiveness, and humility towards one another, regardless of our roles or positions in life. By doing this, we reflect the character of Christ who gave himself up for us.
2. What does it mean for a husband to love a wife and what does it mean for a wife to submit to a husband?
Husbands are called to sacrificially love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5).
Wives are called to respect their husbands and to submit to their leadership in the family (Ephesians 5).
3. How would v23 have made a slave feel? How can you apply v23 to your life?
If a slave had heard this verse, it might have been a great source of comfort and encouragement to them. Despite their lowly status in society, they would know that their work was not in vain if they were doing it for the Lord.
Whether we are working at a paid job, studying at school, or doing household chores, we should do it wholeheartedly, knowing that we are serving the Lord.
4. How does Paul address the concept of fairness and accountability in relation to wrongdoers, and what does he imply about God’s justice?
God has made a way for justice to be served and for sinners to be reconciled with God. Paul’s message about God’s justice is that God is both just and merciful. He does not compromise his justice by showing mercy, but he offers mercy to sinners through Christ’s sacrifice. Paul emphasizes that everyone is accountable to God, but that everyone who confesses their sins and believes in Jesus Christ can be saved and receive new life in Him.
5. What does Paul urge the Colossians to do in their prayer life, and how does he describe how they should pray?
Paul understands prayer as being essential to the believers’ life and walk with God. He encourages us to be persistent in prayer, to remain alert, and always be thankful.
6. How does Paul advise the Colossians to conduct themselves towards outsiders, and what does he suggest should guide their speech and behaviour?
He encourages them to let their conversations be always full of grace and seasoned with salt, so that they may know how to answer everyone. His words suggest that he wants the Colossians to be good ambassadors for Christ, giving a positive witness to non-believers.
