Since the Colossian Haustafel assumes the continuation of slavery in the Christian community, most modern commentators promptly dismiss the possibility that τὴν ἰσότητα τοῖς δούλοις παρέχεσθε (Col 4:1a) is a command to grant slaves equality. Likewise, since the Ephesian Haustafel assumes the continuation of slavery, most modern commentators promptly dismiss the possibility that τὰ αὐτὰ ποιεῖτε πρὸς αὐτούς (Eph 6:9a) is a command to serve slaves. However, aside from John Chrysostom’s comments on Eph 6:9, the interpretation of these two commands in the patristic literature has been almost entirely ignored by modern scholars. In this paper, I examine all citations and allusions to Col 4:1a and Eph 6:9a in the extant Greek literature prior to 500 CE, including the citation of Col 4:1a in a recently discovered sermon by Origen. I demonstrate that both the interpretation of Col 4:1a as a command to treat slaves as equals and the interpretation of Eph 6:9a as a command to serve slaves are well attested. This conclusion has important implications not only for our interpretation of the Haustafeln but also for our understanding of slavery in the ancient church.