Ephesians 6:4
New King James Version
4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
What does Ephesians 6:4 mean?
After three verses dedicated to how children should obey parents, one verse is given specifically for fathers. As the head of the household, the father is charged with ultimate responsibility for the way the children are raised. In practice, this instruction is meant for both parents, and would have been understood that way by Paul’s readers.
Fathers are commanded not to agitate or irritate their children. The Greek word is parorgizete, which implies exasperation or frustration. In practice, this means avoiding unfair and cruel behavior, or blatant favoritism. Godly fathers are not to push their children toward anger. Anger can sometimes be a healthy emotion, yet can often lead to sin (Ephesians 4:26).
Instead, fathers (parents) are given a positive command to “bring them up.” In other words, Christians are expected to be highly involved in raising their own children. Two areas are mentioned. First, Paul includes discipline. Discipline involved learning self–control and the ability to restrain from personal desires in order to do what is right. Second, Paul adds the “instruction of the Lord.” We should be involved in teaching our children about God’s ways through both education and example.
According to Scripture, a father trains the child he loves (Proverbs 3:12), instructs him (Proverbs 13:1), and provides for his children (Proverbs 19:14).
Context Summary
Ephesians 6:1–4 gives instructions for children to obey their parents, and for parents to be careful in how they raise their children. Children who learn respect for proper authority will have a better chance at success in life. And, obedience to parents is the morally right way to behave. Parents, however, are to be careful not to antagonize their children. Instead of pushing them towards anger or frustration, Christian parents should give their children loving, God-centered teaching and discipline.
Chapter Summary
Paul gives specific instructions to children and fathers, stressing obedience and patience, respectively. He also directs servants to serve with sincerity and good intentions, as if they were working for Christ. Masters are warned not to be harsh: the same God who judges all will not give them preference over those they supervised. All Christians are called on to use the tools given us by God for surviving the attacks of the devil. These are imagined as pieces of a suit of armor. Paul ends this letter in his typical style, with prayer, blessings, and news about his plans
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
As father You take the full responsibility of the family you are head of that family we are taught love through everything our children and wife honoring the wife as fathers and head of the family it is in all importance that fathers do not instigate and aggregate their children into spite or actions of aggression and acting gout but to raise them in a loving manner bringing them up in lessons of the lord and rebuke aggression and negativity encouraging positive actions and loving ways of raising children
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