Free Bible Commentary
“Colossians 3:18-21”
Categories: Colossians“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.”
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The Apostle Paul covers in a few, terse words what is an enormous part of being a new creation in Christ: the proper treatment of our family. It is “fitting” for wives to be subject to their husbands because that has been God’s plan for marriage from the very first espoused couple (Genesis 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:14). It is appropriate in God’s sight for wives to submit to the leadership of her husband, but it is even more the right thing to do when she is “in the Lord.” A woman who is a Christian has double motivation to be the kind of wife that God wants her to be.
Husbands are to love their wives and not be “embittered against them.” A husband’s authority over his wife is not absolute. God expects men to lovingly lead their wives in an understanding way (1 Peter 3:7). He is to love her as Christ also loves His church and “gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). That is a devoted and sacrificial love, but when great sacrifice is consistently required, bitterness can ensue. Husbands must be careful to quell their anger and moderate their temper, and not treat their wives with harshness and roughness.
Children are to obey their parents “in all things.” This is a command of God that must be expected by parents from their children even when they are young and immature; so it is imperative for the parents to patiently discipline and train their children to be compliant to their leadership (Proverbs 22:6). Any older and more mature child who converts to Christ is commanded by God to submit to the authority of their parents, and mom and dad should remind them of this on a regular basis if necessary.
As husbands are prone to be harsh and bitter towards their wives if they are not overly careful, they also may be inclined to “exasperate” their children. When parents are hypercritical of their children, it has the tendency to discourage them and suppress their emotional and spiritual development. It takes a group of careful and attentive hearts guided by the Lord’s direction to keep a healthy balance in a family composed of a variety of personalities, temperaments and maturity levels. But just remember the words of Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Please read Colossians 3:22 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
- Louie Taylor
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