Ephesians 5:21 is one New Testament verse that encourages mutual submission among Jesus’ followers. 1 Peter 5:5 is another. In this article, I look at the Greek grammar and vocabulary of 1 Peter 5:5.
Jesus used hyperbole in his Sermon on the Mount, especially in Matt 5:17-48. We need to be aware of this rhetoric when interpreting his teaching on divorce.
In this article, I look at four passages from the Hebrew Bible: Leviticus 27, Numbers 30, Ecclesiastes 7:28 and Isaiah 3:12. These verses are sometimes brought up in comments that diminish women.
Does 1 Timothy 3:4a (“managing his own household well”) show that men, and not women, are to rule or manage their households? What was the role of the first church overseers and bishops?
A few verses in Paul’s letters are frequently cited by Christians who exclude women from some ministries. Did Paul really restrict women in either ministry or marriage? This is part 3 of a series on gender roles in the Bible.
The stance of the Roman Catholic Church in regards to mutual submission in marriage is much more egalitarian than the stance of many evangelicals. Here are some interesting excerpts from the Vatican document on the “Dignity of Women” (Mulieris Dignitatem).
In this post, I show that the New Testament does not teach that a gentle and quiet spirit is an especially feminine virtue (cf. 1 Peter 3:4).
Is there a better paradigm than male headship and female submission that more fully conveys NT principles for husbands and wives who are in Christ?
Tertullian, famous for once describing women as “the devil’s gateway,” wrote some wonderful things about equality and mutuality in marriage. He did not regard the household code in Ephesians as either comprehensive or prescriptive.
Churches that misunderstand Jesus’ teaching on divorce increase the suffering and scandal of divorced members. What is the context of Jesus’ teaching on divorce? Did he teach that all second marriages, with a former spouse still living, are adulterous? I argue from scripture that he didn’t.
Do husbands have a particular responsibility for the spiritual growth of their wives? Will husbands one day present their wives to Jesus in much the same way as Jesus will present the church to himself? (Cf. Eph. 5:25-27)
What did Peter mean when he said a wife is a “weaker vessel.” This article considers how “weak” is used of women in ancient documents.
In what way (or ways) is the relationship between Jesus and the church a model for marriage? What does Paul mean in Ephesians 5:22-33?
In Ephesians 5:33 it says that a wife should respect (phobeō) her husband. What is the connection between respect & fear? Did Paul want wives to be afraid?
When people think of the “masters” mentioned in the New Testament household codes, they tend to think of men. Many masters in NT times, however, were women. How does this realisation affect the notion of female submission?
How are we to understand “man was not created for woman, but woman for man”? Does 1 Corinthians 11:9 indicate that service or submission is the role of women and not men?
In this short post, I look at what Paul meant by “A wife/husband does not have authority of her/his body” in 1 Corinthians 7:4, a verse that has been terribly misunderstood by some.
Some Christians have a mistaken view of mutuality, or equality, in Christ. In this post, I briefly explain my perspective of Christian Egalitarianism
Titus 2:5 contains a word which is usually translated as “workers at home,” but the King James Bible has “keepers at home.” Which is the correct phrase? What is meant by “keepers at home”?
What does the Hebrew word “kenegdo” mean in Genesis 2:18 & 20? Was the first woman made to be subordinate or suitable or similar to the first man?
Here are 10+ books and resources on Christian marriage written for engaged and married couples, and for marriage counsellors and pastors. They all have an egalitarian, or mutualist, perspective.
Do you have experience with these resources? Are there others that should be added to this list?
Some Christians believe the Trinity is a model for marriage. Does the Trinity model distinct roles and separate spheres? Is there a hierarchy and subordination in the Divine?
Instructions for wifely submission and holy kisses are given in the NT, but one concept is often highlighted while the other is usually ignored.
Ignoring or highlighting an ordinary word, in this case “likewise”, can make a BIG difference in how we interpret certain New Testament passages that affect women.
Dear Dr Grudem, mutual submission is not a myth.
Submission is not always, or necessarily, to a person in authority (cf Ephesians 5:21-22).
Wifely submission is never mentioned in the Old Testament or in the Gospels. It is mentioned, however, in a few of the later New Testament letters. Why is that?
What are the timeless principles in Paul’s instruction in Titus 2:4-5 about the young wives at Crete? Why did he want them to be workers (or keepers) at home?
If you’re wondering how egalitarian Christian marriages work, reading some of these real-life stories from Christian couples is a great place to start.
1 Corinthians 11:2-16 is a difficult passage to understand, but it makes more sense when read as a chiasm. What are Paul’s concerns and instructions here?
While reading Plutarch’s “Advice to the Bride and Groom,” it struck me that some Christians sound like Plutarch ( a 1st-century pagan author), rather than like Paul, in what they say about men and women and marriage.
In support of their views of male authority and female submission, hierarchical complementarians place a great deal of importance on the created order of man first, woman second, given in Genesis 2.
Some Sydney Anglicans have caused a kerfuffle by bringing their pet doctrine of “wifely submission” into the public arena this week. If Peter Jensen isn’t shy about continuing the debate on this subject, I guess I shouldn’t be shy either.
Does the Bible teach that women are more easily deceived, or more deceptive, than men? In this article I take a quick look at what the Bible says about women and deception, and especially at Eve.
What does submission mean? What does the Bible say about submission in marriage? Is wifely submission relevant in our society?
This is a critique of Mary Kassian’s article “Sex in the Shadowlands” in which she applies the word “head” to more than God, Jesus, and husbands.
A woman recently told me that it was God’s will she suffer in her marriage. Today I read a verse that shows God wants women to be happy in marriage.
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul deals with the subjects of sex, marriage, divorce, and singleness. Paul’s instructions here reveal an egalitarian ethos.
Leviticus 19:3 says “Every one of you shall reverence his mother and father …” I decided to search for other verses that also mention “mother” first. Here’s what I found.
Ephesians 5:22-33 is written as a chiasm with a highlighted point at the centre of the passage. We misinterpret this passage if we miss this main point.
There are differences between the Old and New Testaments in how women are described, especially in regard to beauty, marriage, motherhood, and ministry.
Kephalē has different senses in Ancient Greek, including “beginning.” In Colossians, Paul may have used the word with a pre-gnostic sense about Jesus Christ.
Complementarian Mark Chanski seems to think that men and women each have just one role or one position they are to play and maintain throughout their lives. I disagree. A short video demonstrates my point.
Here are 4 reasons why I’m staying out of gender discussions that use the Trinity as a model for marriage.
Does Paul’s statement in Ephesians 5:23, “the husband is the head of the wife,” mean that the husband has leadership or authority over his wife? And what about 1 Corinthians 11:3?
Many Christians believe that submission in marriage is the duty only of wives. In 1 Peter 3:7 Peter comes very close to saying that husbands are to be submissive to their wives too.
In 1 Peter 3:1-6, Peter instructs wives to be submissive and he uses the examples of “the holy women of the past” and Sarah to help make his points. Who were these “holy women of the past”? In what way did Sarah submit to Abraham?
This is my account about how I went from thinking that a gender hierarchy in marriage and ministry was God’s design to realising that equality and mutuality is scriptural and God’s ideal.
I have included some of my personal views on topics related to biblical equality or “Casteless Christianity”. [3000 words]
Do the concepts of wifely submission to husbands and the submission to governing authorities require that Christians put up with harmful people, practices, and policies? According to some Christians, the answers are “yes” for wives and “no” for citizens.
Mary Kassian recently posted an article on her website about “Scary Straw Women of Complementarity”. But she failed to mention two important women of complementarianism.
Mary Kassian claims that Complementarianism represents the Church’s “traditional, orthodox, historic belief” on gender. She must be reading different accounts of Church history to me.
Would you like to support my ministry of encouraging mutuality and equality between men and women in the church and in marriage?
© 2021 Marg Mowczko