Teks -- Ephesians 6:2 (NET)

6:2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely,

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Robertson: Eph 6:2 - Which

Which ( hētis ).

"Which very"= "for such is."

Robertson: Eph 6:2 - The first commandment with promise

The first commandment with promise ( entolē prōtē en epaggeliāi ).

En here means "accompanied by"(Alford). But why "with a promise"? The second has a general promise, but the fifth alone (Exo 20:12) has a specific promise. Perhaps that is the idea. Some take it to be first because in the order of time it was taught first to children, but the addition of en epaggeliāi here to prōtē points to the other view.

Vincent: Eph 6:2 - Honor thy father, etc

Honor thy father, etc.

To what is essentially right the divine ordinance is added. Compare Aeschylus: " For the reverence of parents, this is written third in the laws of much-venerated justice" (" Suppliants," 687-689). So Euripides: " There are three virtues which thou shouldst cultivate, my child, to honor the gods, and thy parents who gave thee being and the common laws of Hellas" (Fragment). Honor expresses the frame of mind from which obedience proceeds.

Vincent: Eph 6:2 - First - with promise

First - with promise ( πρώτη εν ἐπαγγελίᾳ )

First in point of promise, as it also is in order the first with promise.

Wesley: Eph 6:2 - Honour

That is, love, reverence, obey, assist, in all things. The mother is particularly mentioned, as being more liable to be slighted than the father.

Wesley: Eph 6:2 - Which is the first commandment with a promise

For the promise implied in the second commandment does not belong to the keeping that command in particular, but the whole law. Exo 20:12

JFB: Eph 6:2

Here the authority of revealed law is added to that of natural law.

JFB: Eph 6:2 - which is . . . promise

The "promise" is not made the main motive to obedience, but an incidental one. The main motive is, because it is God's will (Deu 5:16, "Honor thy father and mother, as the Lord thy God hath COMMANDED thee"); and that it is so peculiarly, is shown by His accompanying it "with a promise."

JFB: Eph 6:2 - first

In the decalogue with a special promise. The promise in the second commandment is a general one. Their duty is more expressly prescribed to children than to parents; for love descends rather than ascends [BENGEL]. This verse proves the law in the Old Testament is not abolished.

Clarke: Eph 6:2 - Honor thy father

Honor thy father - See the notes on Exo 20:12, etc., where this subject, together with the promises and threatenings connected with it, is particularly considered, and the reasons of the duty laid down at large.

Calvin: Eph 6:2 - Which is the first commandment with promise

2.Which is the first commandment with promise The promises annexed to the commandments are intended to excite our hopes, and to impart a greater cheerfulness to our obedience; and therefore Paul uses this as a kind of seasoning to render the submission, which he enjoins on children, more pleasant and agreeable. He does not merely say, that God has offered a reward to him who obeys his father and mother, but that such an offer is peculiar to this commandment. If each of the commandments had its own promises, there would have been no ground for the commendation bestowed in the present instance. But this is the first commandment, Paul tells us, which God has been pleased, as it were, to seal by a remarkable promise. There is some difficulty here; for the second commandment likewise contains a promise,

“I am the Lord thy God, who shew mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
(Exo 20:5.)

But this is universal, applying indiscriminately to the whole law, and cannot be said to be annexed to that commandment. Paul’s assertion still holds true, that no other commandment but that which enjoins the obedience due by children to their parents is distinguished by a promise.

Defender: Eph 6:2 - Honour thy father and mother

Paul here implicitly endorses all ten of God's commandments to Israel, applying them to Christians as well as Jews. The fifth commandment (Exo 20:12; Deu 5:16) is actually the only commandment accompanied by a specific earthly promise. Obedience and honor to those who give birth and life is regarded as a virtue among all nations and religions; how much more should this be true in the case of children whose parents have led them into spiritual birth and life as well."

TSK: Eph 6:2

Exo 20:12; Deu 27:16; Pro 20:20; Jer 35:18; Eze 22:7; Mal 1:6; Mat 15:4-6; Mar 7:9-13; Rom 13:7

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Eph 6:2

i.e. A special promise annexed to the particular duty commanded. There being promises added to only two commandments, viz. the second and this fifth; that which is annexed to the second commandment is a general one, and which relates to the whole law, but this a special one, and which respects this commandment in particular.

Haydock: Eph 6:2 - With a promise

With a promise. This commandment being delivered with a special promise of a long life, which promise is to be understood conditionally, especially in regard to Christians, i.e. unless it be a greater favour to be taken out of the world young. (Witham)

Gill: Eph 6:2 - Honour thy father and mother // which is the first commandment with promise

Honour thy father and mother,.... This explains who parents are, and points at some branches of obedience due unto them; for they are not only to be loved, and to be feared, and reverenced, their corrections to be submitted to, offences against them to be acknowledged, their tempers to be bore with, and their infirmities covered; but they are to be honoured in thought, word, and gesture; they are to be highly thought of and esteemed; they are to be spoken to, and of, very honourably, and with great veneration and to be behaved to in a very respectful manner; and they are to be relieved, assisted, and maintained in comfortable way when aged, and in necessitous circumstances; and which may be chiefly designed. So the Jews explain כבוד, "the honour" due to parents, by, &c. מאכיל, "giving them food, drink", and "clothing", unloosing their shoes, and leading them out and in ^x. Compare with this 1Ti 5:4; See Gill on Mat 15:4;

which is the first commandment with promise: it is the fifth commandment in the decalogue, but the first that has a promise annexed to it: it is reckoned by the Jews ^y the weightiest of the weightiest commands of the law; and the reward bestowed on it, is length of days, as follows.