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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Tag: Household Codes
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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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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Wives, mothers and female masters in the NT household codes
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?
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Wifely Submission and Holy Kisses
Instructions for wifely submission and holy kisses are clearly given in the New Testament. Yet one concept is largely ignored while the other is highlighted. Why is that?
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