The household codes are about power, not gender
The New Testament household codes in Ephesians 5-6 and Colossians 3-4 are not primarily about gender. They are about power and about mitigating the abuse that often comes with power.
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Category: Equality in Marriage
“Must manage his own household well” (1 Timothy 3:4-5)
I was recently asked if 1 Timothy 3:4a (“managing his own household well”) is a command that shows men, and not women, are to rule or lead their households. Here’s my response.
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Paul on Gender Roles in Ministry and Marriage
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.
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John Paul II on Mutual Submission in Marriage
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).
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A Gentle and Quiet Spirit is not just a Feminine Virtue
In this post I argue against the idea that gentleness, or meekness, is an especially feminine virtue (cf. 1 Peter 3:4), a faulty idea I’ve heard too many times.
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A more beautiful picture than male headship and female submission
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?
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Tertullian on Equality and Mutuality in Marriage
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.
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Jesus on Divorce, Remarriage and Adultery
Churches which misunderstand Jesus’ teaching on divorce increase the suffering and scandal of divorced members. What is the context of Jesus’ teaching on divorce? Did Jesus teach that all second marriages, with a former spouse still living, are adulterous? I argue, from scripture, that he didn’t
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The Responsibilities of Husbands in Ephesians 5
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)
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A “Weaker Vessel” and Gender Justice (1 Peter 3:7)
Why did Peter use the phrase “weaker vessel” in 1 Peter 3:7? This article takes into consideration how the word “weak” was used in papyrus legal documents by women seeking justice.
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Ephesians 5:22-33 in a Nutshell
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?
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Fear or Respect in Christian Marriage (Ephesians 5:33)?
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?
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