ACC ~ Colossians 3 v22 - 4

RECIPROCITY YET AGAIN. ANONYMOUS: But as for servants, what can we say more than that the slave act with good will toward his master, with the fear of God, though his master be impious and wicked; yet the servant should not comply with requests or commands to worship other gods. And the master should love his servant, although he be his superior. Let him observe in what ways they are equal, even as he is a man. And let him who has a believing master love him both as his master, and as of the same faith, and as a father, but still with the preservation of his authority as a master. … In like manner, let a master who has a believing servant love him as a son or as a brother, on account of their communion in the faith, but still preserving the difference in status between the two. CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 4.12.

LOVE THAT EMERGES FROM OBEDIENCE. CHRYSOSTOM: There is also a certain kind of love that does not proceed from nature, as in Paul’s earlier examples, but from habit, and from the nature of authority itself. … In these relationships love’s sphere is narrowed while that of obedience is widened. HOMILIES ON COLOSSIANS 10.

“SLAVERY” ALWAYS A RELATIVE TERM. THEODORET OF CYR: Paul shows that the soul is always free, that it is only the body that is subjected to servitude. INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS.

AMBROSIASTER: Paul implies that God has created all persons to be freeborn and says this to keep masters from arrogance. Slavery is itself a sign of iniquity in the world, of the curse of Cain. In fact, the wise person is always free, though a slave outwardly, while it is foolish sinners who are the true slaves. COMMENTARY ON THE LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS.

ULTIMATELY EQUALS. GREGORY THE GREAT: Slaves are to be admonished in one way, masters in another. That is, slaves are to be admonished to consider always the lowliness of their condition; masters, ever to bear in mind their own nature, namely, that they have been created equal to their slaves. Slaves are to be admonished not to despise their masters, lest they offend God by their proud opposition to his ordinance. Masters are also to be admonished that they offend God by priding themselves on his gift to them, without realizing that they who are held in subjection by reason of their state of life are their equals in virtue of their common humanity. PASTORAL CARE 3.5.