The Son’s submission to God the Father in 1 Cor. 15:28 should not inform our understanding of submission in marriage. Here’s why.
I look at the Hebrew word chayil, used in Proverbs 31:10 for an eshet chayil, and at the Greek word andreia (“courageous”), used to describe some Bible and early Christian women.
I look at how the word ezer is used in the Hebrew Bible, including how it is used in people’s names in the Bible. And I show that being an ezer is not an especially feminine role or obligation.
I look at how Paul uses the phrase “in everything” in his letters and at what it means in, “wives submit to your husbands in everything.”
In this post, I discuss Paul’s instructions to husbands in Colossians 3:19. I look at this verse within the broader context of Colossians and I explore what “bitter” means.
Paul’s words to wives in Col. 3:18 contain a phrase that doesn’t occur elsewhere in the New Testament. What does it mean to submit “as is fitting in the Lord”?
Eph. 5:21 is one New Testament verse that encourages mutual submission. 1 Peter 5:5 is another. This post looks 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 and perhaps also in the phrase “makes her an adulterer.”
In this article, I look at 4 passages from the Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 27, Numbers 30, Ecclesiastes 7:28, Isaiah 3:12) which are sometimes used to 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.
What do the New Testament and other early Christian and Jewish documents say about meekness and gentleness? (cf. 1 Peter 3:4)
Is male headship and female submission the best way for husbands and wives who are in Christ to live by New Testament and New Creation principles?
Tertullian wrote about equality and mutuality in marriage; he did not regard the household code in Ephesians as comprehensive or prescriptive.
What is the context of Jesus’ words on divorce with the Pharisees? Did he teach that all second marriages, with a former spouse still living, are adulterous? Probably not.
Do husbands have a particular responsibility for the spiritual growth of their wives? Will husbands one day present their wives to Jesus?
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 we read the NT household codes, we need to keep in mind that some “masters” were women. How does this affect our understanding of these passages?
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?
What did Paul mean by “A wife/ husband does not have authority of her /his body” in 1 Cor. 7:4? This verse has been terribly misunderstood by some.
Some Christians have a mistaken view of our mutuality, or equality, in Christ. In this post, I briefly explain my perspective of Christian Egalitarianism
Titus 2:5 contains a Greek word usually translated as “workers at home,” but the King James Bible has “keepers at home.” Which is the correct? What did Paul mean?
What does the Hebrew word “kenegdo” mean in Gen. 2:18 & 20? Was the woman made to be subordinate, suitable, or similar to the man?
Here are 10+ books and resources on marriage written for engaged and married couples, and for marriage counsellors. They all have an egalitarian, or mutualist, perspective.
Does the Trinity model distinct roles and separate spheres? Is there hierarchy and subordination in the Divine?
Instructions for wifely submission and holy kisses are given in the NT five times each, but one concept is often emphasised while the other is usually ignored.
Ignoring or highlighting the word “likewise” makes a big difference in how we understand 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. Eph. 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? Why did he want the young wives at Crete 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.
Mary Kassian places a great deal of importance on the created order of man first, woman second, given in Genesis 2. Is she correct?
Some Sydney Anglicans have caused a kerfuffle by bringing their pet doctrine of “wifely submission” into the public arena this week.
Are women more easily deceived than men? What does the Bible, including 1 Timothy 2:14, say about Eve and women and deception?
What does submission mean? What does the Bible say about submission in marriage? Is wifely submission relevant in our modern western societies?
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 (“head”) has different senses in ancient Greek. In Colossians, Paul may have used the word about Jesus Christ with a pre-gnostic sense.
Complementarian Mark Chanski seems to think men and women each have just one role, or position, they are to play and maintain throughout their lives. I disagree.
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?
Would you like to support my ministry of encouraging mutuality and equality between men and women in the church and in marriage?
© 2022 Marg Mowczko