Fear And Service

Subjecti invicem in timore Christi Audiant haec episcopi, audiant presbyteri, audiat omnis ordo doctorum: subjectis suis se esse subjectos, et imitentur dicentem Apostloum: Cum enim essem liber ex omnibus meipsum servum feci, ut omnes lucrifacerem. Et in alio loco: Per charitatem servite invicem. Unde et ipse eadem charitate omnibus gentium servivit Ecclesiis. Salvator quoque formam servi accepit, ut serviret discipulis suis, et pedes eorum lavit. Hoc interest inter Gentium principes et Christianorum, quod illi dominantur subditis, nos servimus, et in eo majores sumus, si minimi omnium fuerimus. Sed et hoc quod ait: In timore Christi, sic accipiendum, ut ipsa subjectio non propter hominum gloriam, sed propter timorem Christi fiat, dum illum, timemus offendere. Alius vero sic interpretabitur: subjecti invicem in timore Christi: ut hanc sententiam generalem in consequentibus dividi dicat atque partiri: Mulieres viris suis subditae sint; et: Filii, obedite parentibus; et: Servi, obedite dominis carnalibus cum timore et tremore: ut non solum uxor viro, et filii parentibus, et servi dominis; sed etiam viri  mulieribus, juxta officium quod praeceptum est; et patres filiis, ne illos ad iracundiam provocent: et domini servis, ut remittant minas, et praebeant his quae habent necessaria, invicem sint subjecti: et hoc ex Christi timore faciant: ita quomodo servis suis fuit ille subjectus: sic et hi qui majores videntur, subjiciantur minoribus suis reddendo officia quae jubentur. Possumus hic timorem et pro εὐλαβεία, id est, reverentia accipere, quae magis vicina est charitati. Nequaquam enim convenit Ephesiis, ut timore quid faciant, et non dilectione Christi. Sanctus Hieronimus, Commentarius In Epistolam Ad Ephesios, Lib III, Cap V Source Migne PL 26 530a-c

Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. 1 Let bishops hear this, let priests hear this, let every type of teacher hear this: be subject to your subjects and imitate the saying of the Apostle, 'For when I was free from everything I made myself a servant that I might profit all.' 2 And in other place, 'In love serve one another.' 3 Whence even he with the same charity served the churches of every nation. The Saviour also took on the form of a servant, that he serve His disciples, and He washed their feet. Let this be of concern to the princes of of the nations and Christians, they who rule over their subjects: we serve, and in that we are greater, if we are the least of all. And then when it is said, 'In the fear of Christ,' it should be understood that this subjection is not on account of the greatness of men but of the fear of Christ, that we fear to offend him. However, it may be understood in another manner: be subject to one another in the fear of Christ, and that this in a general sense pertains to dividing and sharing. Let women be subject to their husbands, and let sons be obedient to their fathers, and let servants be obedient to their worldly masters in fear and trembling, and not only a wife to a husband, and children to parents, and servants to masters, but even husbands to wives, according to the duty which is commanded them, and fathers to sons, lest they provoke them to anger, and masters to servants, that they be done with threats and give to them the needed things that they have. Thus are they subject to one another, and this from the fear of Christ, that as He was subject to His servants, so even these who seem greater are subject to their inferiors, returning the duties which are commanded. We can here understand fear as 'eulabeia', that is, reverence, which is nearer to love. For by no means does it befit the Ephesians that they should act in fear, and not in the love of Christ. Saint Jerome, Commentary on The Letter to the Ephesians, Book 3, Chapter 5 1 Ephes 5.21 2 1 Cor 9.19 3 Gal 5.13 4 cf Ephes 5.22-6.9