What does Ephesians 5–6 teach about household relationships?

• A. Only spiritual matters, with no guidance for families
• B. Instructions for husbands and wives, children and parents, slaves and masters
• C. A system of rulers and subjects
• D. Rejection of any family structure

Answer: (B)

In these chapters, the focus is how faith shapes daily life at home, giving clear duties for those relationships that make up a household. Paul lays out specific instructions for different roles within the family and the broader household: husbands are to love their wives with a self-giving, sacrificial love that mirrors Christ’s care for the church; wives are to respond with respect and a willing partnership that aligns with that Christ-centered dynamic. This guidance emphasizes harmony and a gracious, protective leadership rather than domination.

Children are told to obey their parents within the Lord, recognizing the God-given order and blessing that comes with honoring parental authority. Parents, in turn, are cautioned not to provoke their children to anger, but to nurture them with disciplined guidance and instruction that flows from the Lord.

The passage also addresses the realities of the broader household in the ancient world by including slaves and masters: slaves should serve their earthly masters sincerely, as if serving the Lord, and masters are to treat their slaves fairly, mindful that they share the same Lord in heaven. This set of instructions shows that Christian ethics are meant to govern everyday, practical relationships, not just private devotion.

So the best answer is that these chapters provide instructions for husbands and wives, children and parents, and slaves and masters.