Ephesians 6:1-4

Children honor the Lord through obedient honor, and fathers serve the Lord by raising children without provocation in His training and instruction.

Paul applies Spirit-filled household order to children and fathers by commanding children to obey their parents in the Lord and honor them according to the commandment with promise, while commanding fathers not to provoke their children but to raise them in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-4 continues the household section that began in 5:22. The section flows from the command to be filled with the Spirit in 5:18 and to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ in 5:21. Paul first addressed wives and husbands in 5:22-33, grounding marriage in Christ and the church. He now addresses children and fathers, showing that the Spirit-filled household includes the obedience and honor of children as well as the careful, non-provocative nurture of fathers. This passage also continues the broader ethical movement of Ephesians 4-6: the worthy walk, the new self, truth in love, walking in love, walking as light, and walking wisely are now applied inside the home. The next section, 6:5-9, will continue household instruction with slaves and masters, again placing social relationships under the Lordship of Christ.

Ephesians 6:1-4 speaks into the household world of the first century, where the paterfamilias often held significant authority over the household. Paul does not abolish household order, but he reorders it under the Lordship of Christ. Children are addressed directly, which grants them moral agency within the Christian assembly. Fathers are also addressed directly and commanded not to provoke their children to anger. In a world where paternal authority could be severe, Paul places limits and responsibilities on fathers: they must raise children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Household authority is therefore converted into discipleship stewardship.