John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. Let as many servants as are under the yoke , etc.] Not under the yoke of the law of God, or under the yoke of Christ; though the servants here spoken of were under both; but “under the yoke of government”, as the Arabic version renders it; that is, under the yoke of men, in a state of servitude, under the government of masters, and in their service; being either apprentices to them, or bought with their money, or hired by them: count their own masters worthy of all honour ; and give it to them; which includes subjection to them; obedience to all their lawful commands, which are consistent with religion and reason, with the laws of God, and with the light of nature; and all reverence of them, and respect unto them, expressed by words and gestures: and all this is to be given to their own masters to whom they belong; who have a property in them; whose money or goods they are; and that be they what they will, as to their religion and temper; whether they be believers or unbelievers; or whether they be good and gentle, kind and humane; or whether they be froward, peevish, and ill natured: that the name of God and [his] doctrine be not blasphemed ; by unbelieving masters, who, should their believing servants be refractory, disobedient, rebellious, or disrespectful, would be apt to say, what a God do these men serve? is this their religion? is this the Gospel they talk of? does their doctrine teach them such things, to be disobedient to their masters, and carry it disrespectfully to them? does it disengage them from the laws of nature, and dissolve the bonds of civil society, and destroy the relation that subsists between man and man? If this be the case, away with their God and their doctrine too. Wherefore the apostle exhorts, that if believing servants have any regard to that name they are called by, and call upon, and to the doctrine of the Gospel they have embraced and professed; that they would be obedient and respectful to their masters; that they may have no occasion to speak reproachfully of God, and of the Gospel.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Christians were not to suppose that religious knowledge, or Christia privileges, gave them any right to despise heathen masters, or to disobey lawful commands, or to expose their faults to others. And suc as enjoyed the privilege of living with believing masters, were not to withhold due respect and reverence, because they were equal in respec to religious privileges, but were to serve with double diligence an cheerfulness, because of their faith in Christ, and as partakers of his free salvation. We are not to consent to any words as wholesome, excep the words of our Lord Jesus Christ; to these we must give unfeigne consent. Commonly those are most proud who know least; for they do no know themselves. Hence come envy, strife, railings, evil-surmisings disputes that are all subtlety, and of no solidity, between men of corrupt and carnal minds, ignorant of the truth and its sanctifyin power, and seeking their worldly advantage. (1Ti 6:6-10)
Greek Textus Receptus
οσοι 3745 K-NPM εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P υπο 5259 PREP ζυγον 2218 N-ASM δουλοι 1401 N-NPM τους 3588 T-APM ιδιους 2398 A-APM δεσποτας 1203 N-APM πασης 3956 A-GSF τιμης 5092 N-GSF αξιους 514 A-APM ηγεισθωσαν 2233 5737 V-PNM-3P ινα 2443 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N το 3588 T-NSN ονομα 3686 N-NSN του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF διδασκαλια 1319 N-NSF βλασφημηται 987 5747 V-PPS-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. As many servants as are under the yoke (osoi eisin upo zugon douloi). Incorrect. Rather, as many as are under the yoke as bondservants. As bondservants is added in explanation of under the yoke, which implies a hard and disagreeable condition. Yoke is used only here of the state of slavery. In Gal. v. 1; Acts xv. 10, of the Mosaic law. See on Matthews xi. 29.Their own (touv idiouv). Lit. private, personal, peculiar, as 1 Corinthians iii. 8; vii. 7. Sometimes strange, eccentric. Constrasted with dhmosiov public or koinov common. See Acts iv. 32. Sometimes without emphasis, substantially = possessive pronoun, just as Lat. proprius passes into suus or ejus, or oijkeiov belonging to one's house into the simple one's own. See on Gal. vi. 10, and comp. Matthews xxii. 5; xxv. 14. In LXX commonly with the emphatic sense. Very often in the phrase kat' ijdian privately, as Mark iv. 34; Luke ix. 10; Gal. ii. 2, but nowhere in Pastorals.
Masters (despotav). Comp. Tit. ii. 9, and see on 2 Pet. ii. 1. Not in Paul, who styles the master of slaves kuriov Lord. See Eph. vi. 9; Col. iv. 1.
Count (hgeisqwsan). Implying a more conscious, a surer judgment, resting on more careful weighing of the facts. See Philip. ii. 3, 6. Be not blasphemed (mh - blasfhmhtai). Or be evil spoken of. See on blasphemy, Mark vii. 22, and be evil spoken of, Rom. xiv. 16; 1 Corinthians x. 30. Paul uses the word, but not in the active voice as in the Pastorals.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
6:1 {Under the yoke} (hupo zugon). As slaves (douloi, bondsmen). Perhaps under heathen masters (#1Pe 2:18). For the slave
problem, see also #Phm 1; Col 3:22; Eph 6:5; Tit 2:9. See #Mt 11:29 for Christ's "yoke" (zugon, from zeugnumi, to join). {Their own masters} (tous idious despotas). That is always where the shoe pinches. Our "despot" is this very Greek word, the strict correlative of slave
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