What does "it may go well with you" mean in Ephesians 6:3? Setting the scene Ephesians 6:2-3 quotes the fifth commandment: “Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.” Paul lifts this promise straight from Deuteronomy 5:16 and applies it to New-Covenant believers. The phrase “it may go well with you” is the heart of that promise. What the phrase means •Whole-life blessing—well-being of body, soul, relationships, and work •Enjoying God’s favor and protection rather than His discipline •Experiencing “shalom”: wholeness, peace, security, prosperity •A general principle, not a mechanical guarantee—God ordinarily rewards honoring parents with a good, fruitful life Roots in the Old Testament promise Deuteronomy 5:16 adds, “…in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” •In Israel, honoring parents preserved family stability, property, and national welfare. •That social order principle carries over; wherever children respect parental authority, families and societies flourish. How the New Testament carries it forward •Colossians 3:20—“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.” The same promise of God’s pleasure and favor is implied. •1 Peter 3:10 (citing Psalm 34)—“Whoever would love life and see good days…” shows the continuing link between obedience and enjoying life. •Galatians 6:7-8—sowing to the Spirit brings blessing; dishonor sows trouble. The scope of “it may go well” 1.Personal level—health, safety, provision (Proverbs 3:1-2; 4:10) 2.Family level—trust, stability, faith passed to the next generation (Psalm 128:1-4) 3.Civic level—a culture of respect for authority undergirds law and order (Romans 13:1-4) “Long life on the earth” •Length and quality are linked; God often grants both to those who honor parents. •Even when life’s length is cut short in God’s sovereign plan, the time given is still “well” because it is lived under blessing (Philippians 1:20-21). Practical outworking today •For children at home: prompt, willing obedience safeguards them and shapes character. •For adult children: respectful speech, care in parents’ old age, grateful hearts (1 Timothy 5:4). •For parents: lead lives worthy of honor (Ephesians 6:4); our example helps children receive the promise. Why God attaches a promise •He motivates obedience by highlighting its good fruits. •The family is His foundational human institution; when it thrives, all else thrives. •Obedience to parents trains hearts for obedience to the Father, positioning believers under ongoing covenant blessing. In summary “It may go well with you” is God’s assurance that honoring father and mother invites His comprehensive blessing—health, peace, longevity, and societal stability. The promise, rooted in the unchanging moral law, still stands for every believer who takes His Word at face value and puts it into practice. |
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