09.08.2013 Colossians 3 - The Supremacy of Christ in Relation to Husbands, Wives, Children, Slaves, and Masters

20130908 from Grace Summit on Vimeo.

20130908 from Grace Summit on Vimeo.

The video begins with Communion...

Colossians 3:17-24
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 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.
There are many obstacles to modern readers – causing questions and concerns – and it runs the gamut of where people are at. We don’t always understand what Paul is doing, and people tend to pull this type of passage out of context – like, at marriage conferences, or during a wedding – A parallel/sister passage to Ephesians 5. A hermeneutical principle we must always do – first, understand what the passage meant in its historical context. We must know what is going on there – what is being communicated to them in their circumstances before we can apply it to our circumstances. Two errors – we either fail to understand it in their circumstance or in ours! We have to look at 3:11 to see what Paul is doing –
3:11 Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.
Because Jesus makes one – there is no Greek nor Jew (and Ephesians adds male or female) – and Paul is tearing down distinctions in the church – categories that institutions set up – a class system is being dissolved by Paul. So it is in that context of WHO Christ is that all of this is being written. We can’t forget that!
We also must go back to 17 – Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.
What he is doing here – taking positions that people hold – positions that place roles. Roles that people possessed – and Paul is transforming those – all of those places and positions – transformed.
In the Greco-Roman world, there were 6 primary roles – first 3 are husband/Father/Master – positions of authority and privilege. These three roles held the cards – had all of the rights. The next 3 positions were those of subordination – Wives/Children/Slaves – inferiority and disadvantage.
We only have one perspective on slavery – one that this country is deeply ashamed of. In their world, it ran from simple home servants – often young teenage girls who would serve in the home. Yes, it is important – they were slaves – but they were treated as almost part of the family. And it runs from that to what we had in this country – very abusive/sex slaves, etc.
Paul is transforming the Colossians understanding of these positions – yet, he does not dismantle the system.
Let me read – President of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School on Colossians “In other words, the conventional authority structures of the ancient household are subverted even while they are left in place”
Wives – women – submit. Some strongly affirm that passage within the church. But even within that – there is a wide array of how that is applied and how it works out and what it looks like to a couple. And there are also those with concerns about that passage. And cautions. And there are those who reject it outright – and so there is tension – how it is applied, how it should be applied.
With children – not so much controversy – most think that children should be obedient to their parents, except for maybe children.
Slaves – this brings up the most concerns. People ask, why in the world would Paul (and God) not eliminate slavery! That is not an easy question. Let me say – this passage has been misused in the history of the church.
Howard Thurman – Two or three times a week I read the Bible aloud to her. I was deeply impressed by the fact that she was most particular about the choice of Scripture. For instance, I might read many of the more devotional Psalms, some of Isaiah, the Gospels again, and again; but the Pauline epistles, never - except, at long intervals, the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians. With a feeling of great temerity I asked her one day why it was she would not let me read any of the Pauline letters. What she told me I shall never forget. During the days of slavery, she said, the master’s minister would occasionally hold services for the slaves. Old man McGhee was so mean that he would not let a Negro minister preach to his slaves. Always the white minister used as his text something from Paul. At least three or four times a year he used as a text: “Slaves, be obedient to them that are your master as unto Christ. Then he would go on to show how it was God’s will that we were slaves and how, if we were good and happy slaves, God would bless us. I promised my Maker that if I ever learned to read and if freedom ever came, I would never read that part of the Bible (Stony the Road We Trod: African American Biblical Interpretation 62)
Throughout history, Christian preachers have used these verses to support slavery. A thing that is important to understand – Paul had zero political influence. What he does – where he has influence and power in the church – there is neither slave nor free – master nor servant – you are all one in Christ. Paul equalizes them. Paul is creating the church to be countercultural – a separate and distinct environment, filled by Christ.
As we head into this passage – whatever you do, do as unto the Lord.
Let’s say you go to a fancy steakhouse – and you sit down for your meal – and you have a baked potato, and corn on the cob, and a salad. That is what this passage is – wives/children/slaves – are the baked potato, corn, and salad – even though they are important and need to be eaten, but if you go to a fancy steakhouse, what are you going for? Yes, there are different roles mentioned (and these roles don’t come with butter – oh man, that is really bad – but it just came to me and it should have stayed on the inside!) – but what are you going for? STEAK! What is the primary point of this passage? CHRIST IS LORD – seven times in 10 verses – Christ’s authority is highlighted. This is about living under the authority of Jesus Christ within the human structures of authority in the world. This is about living under Christ as authority, regardless of whatever position you have. Your real position is to submit to and serve Christ.
All relationships are to be transformed by the gospel. He is transforming every relationship with the gospel.
Wives – Paul lifts the wife up from under the husband’s authority – and places her under Christ’s authority. Submit – why? Because of the Lord – in a way that is honoring to the Lord – because you are submitting to the Lord. He has already let us know there is equality, but we are to be subject to Christ. This does not mean that roles in society are eliminated, but our understanding of all roles in society are to focus on Jesus Christ.
Within marriage, the scripture focuses on oneness and partnership.
In Ephesians, Paul starts it off by saying to be subject to one another. Then he goes on to describe roles in society.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.
Some hate this verse.
Husbands – in the Greco-Roman world – there are almost no instances of encouragement of husbands to love their wives – most documents laid out rights over the wife.
Under Christ, you are to be the servant of all – to lay your life down for those you have authority over.
Children obey your parent – most agree with that.
Fathers, do not provoke your children – responsibility is the focus of the passage – because of Christ.
Slaves – this causes the most trouble – but it introduces the most transformation.
Slaves – don’t obey because of who your master is, but because of the Lord.
In Paul’s world, it could not enter his mind that slavery could be done away with. It would be like us conceiving of transformers coming down and taking over the earth. It was all that existed – all that they knew. The Roman Empire was not going to attack slaveholders and declare civil war on them. Paul tells them they are free in Christ – now as under Christ, you have roles and positions that you are stuck in – do them as unto Christ. As to the Lord, and not for people – you know you will receive your inheritance from the Lord – serve the Lord Christ!
The one who does wrong will be paid for it.
Masters – you also have a master in heaven. He turns the table on the masters. Some have treated their slaves miserably. They have been in a place of privilege and authority – that is all they have ever known. And he is saying – those you have mistreated? You have become one with them. You need to change your view of yourself. Paul brings about equality not by making all of us masters, but by making all of us slaves to Christ – fully loyal and obedient to Christ. He flips things around. Even though he can’t change what was going on in society – that is not the type of world they lived in – but within the church – he completely transforms it.
Philippians 2 – have this attitude in yourself – he existed with the greatest privilege, the greatest power – and whatever authority/power/privilege, superiority you possess – it is nothing in comparison to Christ and His supremacy. Do not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped – a thing to be coveted – but emptied himself – taking the form of a bondservant – and being made a man – He humbled Himself.
If the ultimate Master is able to become the ultimate Slave – then why not us? Why not us?
Whatever position you hold – you may be the boss at work – do you see yourself filled with authority, or are you a servant to those you lead?! Would work not be much better?! Who wants to be like Christ in the working world – we possess our authority – but Jesus did not grasp at it – that He might go to a cross to life us up to Him. To bring us up to be part of His family. And now – have this attitude in YOU!
Real simple challenge – whatever your position – high or low, that is irrelevant – with one another we are equal and in this world we are bondservants. Let’s pray…