Ephesians 6:1-4 - Do not exasperate your children

6:1-3

Now we move from the husband-wife relationship to that of parents and children. First, children are taught to obey their parents. Society encourages children and adolescents to rebel. God says different, and Paul adds that “this is right”. Paul then goes on to refer back to the Ten Commandments, and to point out that it is associated with a promise. Note, by the way, that it refers to honouring your father and mother. The promise is that it may go well with us and that we may enjoy long life. God’s commands are given so that we may have life to the full. When a society rejects God’s commands it makes life more difficult for itself. And when individuals reject God’s commands they make life more difficult for themselves and for everyone else.

6:4

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children”. Note that it is Fathers who are singled out here. Why does Paul say this? Because if we have authority then it is possible for us to use it unwisely, to use it in a way that just drives people nuts. The answer to this problem is not to stop exercising authority, which is the road society is going down, but to “bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord”. So as parents we are not to use our authority to get our own way, but to instill God’s ways in our children.