Children, Obey Your Parents . . .

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (Ephes. 6:1 KJV)

The word "Children," in this verse is teknon, and it means, "sons and daughters produced."

The word hupakouo, "obey," means to "listen attentively and conform yourself to the authority of your parents."

"Parents," goneus, means "those who were ordained by the Lord to cause you to become [strong mature Christians]."

"For this is right," dikaios, translates as, "equitable, innocent and holy."

As we can see, the "Children" referred to here are not necessarily natural sons and daughters. These are the spiritual children produced by "those who were ordained by the Lord to cause you to become [strong, mature Christians]."

Their willingness to listen attentively and conform themselves to the authority of their spiritual parents in simple obedience is seen as "equitable, innocent, and holy," by the Lord.

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17 KJV)

In this verse, "Obey," peitho, means to "yield to; be reconciled with; assent to the authority of; rely upon and agree with them" that have the "rule," hegeomai, "official authority to lead you," and "submit," hupeiko, "yield yourselves to; surrender self to their leadership" "for they watch," agrupneo, "tirelessly keep watch over you," "as they that must give account," apodidomi, "give back to Christ what was entrusted to them," "that they may do it with joy," chara, "cheerfulness (calm delight, joyfully)" and not with "grief," stenazo, "not as one in straits (groaning under the load)" "for that is unprofitable," alusiteles, "gainless and pernicious" for you.