1 Timothy 6:1-2

1 Timothy 6:1-2

[1] servants  as  under  the yoke  count  their own  masters  worthy  of all  honour,  the name  of God  and  his doctrine  blasphemed.  [2] And  they that have  believing  masters,  not  despise  them, because  brethren;  but  rather  do them service,  because  faithful  and  beloved,  partakers  of the benefit.  teach  and  exhort. 

What does 1 Timothy 6:1-2 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

As he had done previously (e.g, 1 Timothy 5:1-2) Paul urged the adoption of proper attitudes toward others that would normally make it easier to produce proper actions. Christian slaves were to "regard" their masters as worthy of all "honor" (cf. 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 5:3; 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Timothy 6:16) if for no other reason than that God had placed them in a position of authority over them. Such an attitude would lead to service that would not bring dishonor on the God the slave professed to serve or the faith he professed to follow (cf. Isaiah 52:5).
Christian slaves who had believing masters had a second reason to give their masters honor and faithful service. They were their brethren. As such they deserved even greater consideration than unbelieving masters. Disrespectful behavior was inappropriate in such a case, as was shoddy service, since the person who benefited from the ministry of the slave was a brother in Christ (NIV, NASB, NRSV). Another view sees "those who partake of the benefit" as the Christian slaves who, because of their respectful service, reaped benefits from their unbelieving masters (TNIV). I prefer the first view.
"A first-century slave"s hope for manumission was more than a dream, and the realistic possibility of obtaining freedom served to motivate the slave to excel in service." [1]
Timothy was to communicate this instruction to the church. Perhaps Paul wrote no instructions for Christian masters of slaves because there were none in the Ephesian church or because they were behaving properly. Perhaps Paul wrote Timothy (and Titus [2]) about the conduct of slaves but not masters because many slaves had become Christians and most of them undoubtedly had non-Christian masters. [3] Elsewhere in the New Testament other instructions for slaves and masters appear ( 1 Corinthians 7:20-24; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-25; Phile.; 1 Peter 2:13-25). Paul probably did not discuss other family relationships (e.g, husband, wife, children, masters) because he was addressing a specific Ephesian situation and not teaching on family relationships in general. [4] What Paul said to slaves here is applicable to employees today.
"How could a Christian leader such as Paul tolerate the existence of oppressive, dehumanizing slavery without denouncing it? To answer this question, we must note that the time was not propitious for a Christian to secure freedom for slaves by denouncing slavery. Paul"s modification of the servant-master relationship in Ephesians 6:5-9 destroyed the very essence of slavery. Also the New Testament consistently calls Christians to a role as servants ( Mark 10:43-45)." [5]
"While not condoning slavery or calling for its dissolution, Paul makes it clear that the deeper and more significant relationship is that between two believers rather than how society defines their relationship on the surface." [6]