Survey of the Letters of Paul:  1 Timothy 6:1

1 Timothy 6:1
Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

1 Timothy 6:1-2
1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

HOW TO BE A SLAVE AND A CHRISTIAN
1 Timothy 6:1–2 ...in paraphrase

Let all those who are slaves under the yoke hold their own masters to be worthy of all respect, in order that no one may have an opportunity to speak evil of the name of God and the Christian teaching. If they have masters who are believers, let them not try to take advantage of them because they are brothers, but rather let them render even better service, because those who lay claim to that service are believers and beloved.

BENEATH the surface of this passage, there are certain supremely important Christian principles for everyday life and work.

Christian slaves were in a peculiarly difficult position. If they were the slaves of a non-Christian master, they might very easily make it clear that they regarded their master as bound for damnation and themselves as the heirs of salvation. Their Christianity might well give them a feeling of intolerant superiority, which would create an impossible situation. On the other hand, if their master was a Christian, the slaves might be tempted to take advantage of the relationship and to trade upon it, using it as an excuse for producing inefficient work in the expectation of escaping all punishment. They might think that the fact that they and their master were Christians entitled them to all kinds of special consideration. There was an obvious problem here. We must note three general things.

(1) In those early days, the Church did not emerge as the would-be destroyer of slavery by violent and sudden means. And it was wise. There were something like 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire. Simply because of their numbers, they were always regarded as potential enemies. If ever there was a slave revolt, it was put down with merciless force, because the Roman Empire could not afford to allow the slaves to rebel. If slaves ran away and were caught, they were either executed or branded on their foreheads with the letter F, standing for fugitivus, which means runaway. There was indeed a Roman law which stated that, if a master was murdered, all his slaves could be questioned under torture and could indeed be put to death in a body. E. K. Simpson wisely writes: ‘Christianity’s spiritual campaign would have been fatally compromised by stirring the smouldering embers of class-hatred into a devouring flame, or opening an asylum for runaway slaves in its bosom.’

For the Church to have encouraged slaves to revolt against their masters would have been fatal. It would simply have caused civil war, mass murder and the complete discredit of the Church. What happened was that, as the centuries went on, Christianity so permeated civilization that in the end the slaves were freed voluntarily and not by force. Here is a tremendous lesson. It is the proof that neither individuals nor the world nor society can be reformed by force and by legislation. The reform must come through the slow penetration of the Spirit of Christ into the human situation. Things have to happen in God’s time, not in ours. In the end, the slow way is the sure way, and the way of violence always defeats itself.

(2) There is here the further truth, that ‘spiritual equality does not efface civil distinctions’. It is a continual danger that people may unconsciously regard their Christianity as an excuse for slackness and inefficiency. Because they and their employer are both Christians, they may expect to be treated with special consideration. But the fact that employer and employees are Christian does not release the employees from doing a good day’s work and earning wages. Christians are under the same obligation to submit to discipline and to earn their pay as everyone else.

(3) What then is the duty of Christian slaves as the Pastorals see it? It is to be good slaves. If they are not, if they are slack and careless, if they are disobedient and insolent, they merely supply the world with ammunition to criticize the Church. Christian workers must commend their Christianity by being better at their work than other people. In particular, their work will be done in a new spirit. They will not now think of themselves as being unwillingly compelled to work; they will think of themselves as rendering service to their master, to God and to other people. Their aim will be not to see how little can be forced out of them, but how much they can willingly do. As George Herbert had it in that fine hymn ‘Teach Me My God and King’:

A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine:
Who sweeps a room, as for thy laws,
Makes that and the action fine.  ~Barclay Commentary

And now to the other commentaries.

We will begin with the Matthew Henry Concise that looks at the first five verses:

Christians were not to suppose that religious knowledge, or Christian privileges, gave them any right to despise heathen masters, or to disobey lawful commands, or to expose their faults to others. And such as enjoyed the privilege of living with believing masters, were not to withhold due respect and reverence, because they were equal in respect to religious privileges, but were to serve with double diligence and cheerfulness, because of their faith in Christ, and as partakers of his free salvation. We are not to consent to any words as wholesome, except the words of our Lord Jesus Christ; to these we must give unfeigned consent. Commonly those are most proud who know least; for they do not know themselves. Hence come envy, strife, railings, evil-surmisings, disputes that are all subtlety, and of no solidity, between men of corrupt and carnal minds, ignorant of the truth and its sanctifying power, and seeking their worldly advantage. ~Matthew Henry Concise

The commentaries I referenced have the verse broken down differently but for our purposes let us us four:

1] Let as many servants.
2] As are under the yoke.
3] Count their own masters worthy of all honour.
4] That the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

1] Let as many servants.

Let as many servants - On the word here rendered “servants” - δοῦλοι douloi - see the notes on Ephesians 6:5. The word is that which was commonly applied to a slave, but it is so extensive in its signification as to be applicable to any species of servitude, whether voluntary or involuntary. If slavery existed in Ephesus at the time when this Epistle was written, it would be applicable to slaves; if any other kind of servitude existed, the word would be equally applicable to that. There is nothing in the word itself which essentially limits it to slavery. The addition of the phrase “under the yoke,” however, shows undoubtedly that it is to be understood here of slavery. ~Barnes Notes
 
Quoted verse with commentary:

Ephesians 6:5
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Servants - οἵ δοῦλοι hoi douloi. The word used here denotes one who is bound to render service to another, whether that service be free or voluntary, and may denote, therefore, either a slave, or one who binds himself to render service to another. It is often used in these senses in the New Testament, just as it is elsewhere. It cannot be demonstrated that the word here necessarily means “slaves;” though, if slavery existed among those to whom this Epistle was written - as there can be little doubt that it did - it is a word which would apply to those in this condition. On the general subject of slavery, and the Scripture doctrine in regard to it. Whether the persons here referred to were slaves, or were those who had bound themselves to render a voluntary servitude, the directions here given were equally appropriate. It was not the design of the Christian religion to produce a rude sundering of the ties which bind man to man, but to teach all to perform their duties aright in the relations in which Christianity found them, and gradually to modify the customs of society, and to produce ultimately the universal prevalence of that which is right.

Be obedient to them - This is the uniform direction in the New Testament. The idea is that they were to show in that relation the excellence of the religion which they professed. If they could be made free, they were to prefer that condition to a state of bondage 1 Corinthians 7:21, but while the relation remained, they were to be kind, gentle, and obedient, as became Christians. In the parallel place in Colossians 3:22, it is said that they were to obey their masters “in all things.” But evidently this is to be understood with the limitations implied in the case of wives and children, and a master would have no right to command that which was morally wrong.

Quoted verses:
1 Corinthians 7:21
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

Colossians 3:22
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

According to the flesh - This is designed, evidently, to limit the obligation to obedience. The meaning is, that they had control over “the body, the flesh.” They had the power to command the service which the body could render; but they were not lords of the spirit. The soul acknowledged God as its Lord, and to the Lord they were to be subject in a higher sense than to their masters.

With fear and trembling - With reverence and with a dread of offending them. They have authority and power over you, and you should be afraid to incur their displeasure. Whatever might be true about the propriety of slavery, and whatever might be the duty of the master about setting the slave free, it would be more to the honor of religion for the servant to perform his task with a willing mind than to be contumacious (kŏn'tə-mā'shəs, -tyə-) [Obstinately disobedient or rebellious] and rebellions. He could do more for the honor of religion by patiently submitting to even what he felt to be wrong, than by being punished for what would be regarded as rebellion. It may be added here, that it was presumed that servants then could read. These directions were addressed to them, not to their masters.

In singleness of your heart - With a simple, sincere desire to do what ought to be done.

As unto Christ - Feeling that by rendering proper service to your masters, you are in fact serving the Lord, and that you are doing that which will be well-pleasing to him; see 1 Corinthians 7:22. Fidelity, in whatever situation we may be in life, is acceptable service to the Lord. A Christian may as acceptably serve the Lord Jesus in the condition of a servant, as if he were a minister of the gospel, or a king on a throne. Besides, it will greatly lighten the burdens of such a situation, and make the toils of an humble condition easy, to remember that we are then “serving the Lord.” ~Barnes Notes

Quoted verse:
1 Corinthians 7:22
For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

Now continue in the commentary of today's verse, 1 Timothy 6:1

Still under 1] Let as many servants.

Christians were not to suppose that religious knowledge, or Christian privileges, gave them any right to despise heathen masters, or to disobey lawful commands, or to expose their faults to others. And such as enjoyed the privilege of living with believing masters, were not to withhold due respect and reverence, because they were equal in respect to religious privileges, but were to serve with double diligence and cheerfulness, because of their faith in Christ, and as partakers of his free salvation. We are not to consent to any words as wholesome, except the words of our Lord Jesus Christ; to these we must give unfeigned consent. Commonly those are most proud who know least; for they do not know themselves. Hence come envy, strife, railings, evil-surmisings, disputes that are all subtlety, and of no solidity, between men of corrupt and carnal minds, ignorant of the truth and its sanctifying power, and seeking their worldly advantage. ~Matthew Henry Concise

2] As are under the yoke.

As are under the yoke - On the word yoke, the phrase here properly denotes slavery, as it would not be applied to any other species of servitude. It may be remarked here that the apostle did not regard slavery as a light or desirable thing. He would not have applied this term to the condition of a wife or of a child. ~Barnes Notes

Let as many servants as are under the yoke - The word δουλοι here means slaves converted to the Christian faith; and the yoke, is the state of slavery; and by masters, despots, we are to understand the heathen masters of those Christianized slaves. Even these, in such circumstances, and under such domination, are commanded to treat their masters with all honor and respect, that the name of God, by which they were called, and the doctrine of God, Christianity, which they had professed, might not be blasphemed - might not be evilly spoken of in consequence of their improper conduct. Civil rights are never abolished by any communications from God’s Spirit. The civil state in which a man was before his conversion is not altered by that conversion; nor does the grace of God absolve him from any claims, which either the state or his neighbor may have on him. All these outward things continue unaltered. ~Adam Clarke

Let as many servants as are under the yoke - Not under the yoke of the law of God, or under the yoke of Christ; though the servants here spoken of were under both; but "under the yoke of government", as the Arabic version renders it; that is, under the yoke of men, in a state of servitude, under the government of masters, and in their service; being either apprentices to them, or bought with their money, or hired by them: ~John Gill

3] Count their own masters worthy of all honour.

Count their own masters worthy of all honour - Treat them with all proper respect. They were to manifest the right spirit themselves, whatever their masters did; they were not to do anything that would dishonor religion. The injunction here would seem to have particular reference to those whose masters were not Christians. In the following verse, the apostle gives particular instructions to those who had pious masters. The meaning here is, that the slave ought to show the Christian spirit toward his master who was not a Christian; he ought to conduct himself so that religion would not be dishonored; he ought not to give his master occasion to say that the only effect of the Christian religion on the mind of a servant was to make him restless, discontented, dissatisfied, and disobedient. In the humble and trying situation in which he confessedly was - under the yoke of bondage - he ought to evince patience, kindness, and respect for his master, and as long as the relation continued he was to be obedient. This command, however, was by no means inconsistent with his desiring his freedom, and securing it, if the opportunity presented itself. ~Barnes Notes

Count their own masters worthy of all honour - and give it to them; which includes subjection to them; obedience to all their lawful commands, which are consistent with religion and reason, with the laws of God, and with the light of nature; and all reverence of them, and respect unto them, expressed by words and gestures: and all this is to be given to their own masters to whom they belong; who have a property in them; whose money or goods they are; and that be they what they will, as to their religion and temper; whether they be believers or unbelievers; or whether they be good and gentle, kind and humane; or whether they be froward, peevish, and ill natured: ~John Gill

4] That the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

That the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed - That religion be not dishonored and reproached, and that there may be no occasion to say that Christianity tends to produce discontent and to lead to insurrection. If the effect of religion had been to teach all who were servants that they should no longer obey their masters, or that they should rise upon them and assert their freedom by violence, or that their masters were to be treated with indignity on account of their usurped rights over others, the effect would have been obvious. There would have been a loud and united outcry against the new religion, and it could have made no progress in the world. Instead of this, Christianity taught the necessity of patience, and meekness, and forbearance in the endurance of all wrong - whether from private individuals or under the oppressions and exactions of Nero, or amidst the hardships and cruelties of slavery. These peaceful injunctions, however, did not demonstrate that Christ approved the act of him “that smote on the one cheek,” or that Paul regarded the government of Nero as a good government, - and as little do they prove that Paul or the Saviour approved of slavery. ~Barnes Notes

That the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed - by unbelieving masters, who, should their believing servants be refractory (rĭ-frăk'tə-rē) [Obstinately resistant to authority or control], disobedient, rebellious, or disrespectful, would be apt to say, what a God do these men serve? is this their religion? is this the Gospel they talk of? does their doctrine teach them such things, to be disobedient to their masters, and carry it disrespectfully to them? does it disengage them from the laws of nature, and dissolve the bonds of civil society, and destroy the relation that subsists between man and man? If this be the case, away with their God and their doctrine too. Wherefore the apostle exhorts, that if believing servants have any regard to that name they are called by, and call upon, and to the doctrine of the Gospel they have embraced and professed; that they would be obedient and respectful to their masters; that they may have no occasion to speak reproachfully of God, and of the Gospel. ~John Gill

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