point of great importance to the
gospel cause--the Apostle left Timothy for the purpose of watching
against the false teachers, and particularly against the abolitionists.
In addition to a letter which he had addressed to this church
previously, in which the mutual duty of master and servant is taught,
and which has already been referred to, he further instructs Timothy by
letter on the same subject: "Let as many servants as are under the yoke
count their masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his
doctrine be not blasphemed."--1 Tim. vi: 1. These were unbelieving
masters, as the next verse will show. In this church at Ephesus, the
circumstances existed, which are brought to light by Paul's letter to
Timothy, that must silence every cavil, which men, who do not know God's
will on this subject, may start until time ends. In an age filled with
literary men, who are employed in transmitting historically, to future
generations, the structure of society in the Roman Empire; that would
put it in our power at this distant day, to know the state or condition
of a slave in the Roman Empire, as well as if we had lived at the time,
and to know beyond question, that his condition was precisely that one,
which is now denounced as sinful: in such an age, and in such
circumstances, Jesus Christ causes his will to be published to the
world; and it is this, that if a Christian slave have an unbelieving
master, who acknowledges no allegiance to Christ, this believing slave
must count his master worthy of all honor, according to what the Apostle
teaches the Romans, "Render, therefore, to all their dues, tribute to
whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom is due, fear to whom fear,
honor to whom honor."--Rom. xiii: 7. Now, honor is enjoined of God in
the Scriptures, from children to parents--from husbands to wives--from
subjects to magistrates and rulers, and here by Jesus Christ, from
Christian slaves to unbelieving masters, who held them as property by
law, with power over their very lives. And the command is remarkable.
While we are commanded to honor father and mother, without adding to the
precept "all honor," here a Christian servant is bound to render to his
unbelieving master "all honor." Why is this? Because in the one case
nature moves in the direction of the command; but in the other, against
it. Nature being subjected to the law of grace, might be disposed to
obey reluctantly; hence the amplitude of the command. B