By James Riley Strange, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Religion, Samford University
Life at Home
Ephesians 5:22–28; 6:1–9
In today’s passage the instructions to wives and husbands; children and parents; and slaves and masters work their way down the rigid tiers of the Roman household. The “father of the family” outranks everyone, including his wife, and slaves rank lower than children even when they are in charge of the children’s education. Similar passages appear in Colossians 3:18–19, 1 Timothy 6:1–2, Titus 2:9–10 and 1 Peter 2:18. These teachings are examples of conventional moral instruction in Paul’s day (“household tables” or “household codes”) and appear in secular writings as well.
Identity in Christ defines human relationships. (5:22–28; 6:1–9)
Some read these passages to say that in today’s Christian family structure God has established a role for each member. In such a reading God has ordained the wife’s submission to her husband as He has established children’s obedience of their parents. Hierarchy is seen as a reflection, not of value, but of the divine created order.
However, in Roman society, people did indeed place a value on social rank and status, including a person’s sex. Moreover we cannot simply import the passage unaltered into modern practice. If we did, in light of the many forms of slavery that exist today, we should have to inform slaves everywhere that God tells them to obey their masters and that they should not seek freedom any more than the buying and selling of human beings should be abolished.
Christians who wish to establish godly families might also wish to read other parts of the Bible. They might read Genesis 2 in which God makes (literally “builds”) the woman from the man’s side to be “a helper who stands beside him.” As we know happens, the humans disobey God and the woman’s subordination results from sin rather than from God’s plan.
Other biblical passages help Christians understand the possibility that wives and husbands can build relationships based on cooperation. For example in Matthew, Jesus proclaims a coming Kingdom in which earthly hierarchies, which do indeed reflect value, will be upended. God’s people start living now as if the Kingdom is fully present and realized.
Paul himself proclaims a new reality for believers “in Christ.” He calls that reality a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17), suggesting the brokenness of creation that results from sin, including Eve’s subordination to Adam, is passing away. Similarly in Galatians 3:27–28, Paul declares: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Paul appears to be saying all such distinctions between people no longer pertain. Of course, they still exist. It would be silly to say that baptism erases one’s ethnicity or slavery or sex. What is gone then? Apparently, for those who have been baptized “into Christ,” what no longer remains are distinctions that result in one person’s subordination to another, whether the distinctions are human-made or God-created.
Finally take a look at what Paul says at the very start of the passage. He may well be saying, in Christian families, everything that follows is governed by this commandment: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Paul envisions a Christian household that contrasts with the Roman norm, in which the dominant male has the authority of life and death over every other member. Romans arbitrarily established the male as the household head without regard for his capabilities or ethics. Paul suggests that mutual submission, first to Christ and then to one another, is a better model.
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