Nevertheless
[even though you cannot fully comprehend this] so love everyone after the manner
[of Christ and] particularly love your wives even as yourselves [and wives to fear[1] husbands]--Ephesians 5:33
[1] The Greek word translated reverence or respect, in this verse, is phobeō. This is the root of the English word, phobia (fear). Examples of New Testament scriptures where the word “respect” would have been just as appropriate, if not more so, [than translating the Greek word, phobeō, as reverence] include: Matthew 21:37, Mark 12:6, Luke 20:13, and Hebrews 12:9. Another option is to translate the word with its most literal meaning of, “fear.” In Ephesians chapter six, Paul admonished slaves to fear and tremble before their lords. He was not advocating slavery. This advice stemmed from concern for their physical safety, and despite the egalitarianism of the early church, wives were in just as much physical danger from husbands as slaves were from masters. During that time, there was no legal recourse for women against domestic violence, and nothing but moral constraint to prevent husbands from beating wives. Sadly, history has shown that moral constraints without legal clout, often prove inadequate in protecting women from marital violence
Ephesians 6:5 Slaves obey lords
according to the flesh with fear and trembling[1] in
singleness of your hearts as [to] Christ
[1] The apostle meant what he said to
Christian slaves about fear and trembling before their masters. Slaves were
considered sub-human, and Roman Lords could do anything they liked with their
slaves. They could harm or kill them in any manner they chose. Paul was not
condoning slavery, when he wrote this, but rather he was intent on the physical
safety of those in his congregations who were slaves.
A side-note about wives
must be inserted here as well. The standing of women, in Roman society and in
Jewish Tradition, was only slightly higher than that of slaves (women were
honored and respected in the Hebrew scriptures,
but not in the Tradition’s [Jesus had nothing good to say about the Traditions]),
so Paul would have been greatly concerned for the physical safety of the wives
in his congregations as well. Christian women of the first century, experienced
an equality of the sexes almost unheard of in all of history, either before or
after that era, and this would certainly pose a serious physical threat to
wives of violent controlling husbands. Such men would show little or no
tolerance of wives who dared to exhibit autonomy. This liberty among early Christians
would naturally have the effect of escalating tension and violence would have
increased in such marriages. The apostle knew this, and also that there was no
legal recourse for either Jewish or Roman wives in cases of marital violence,
hence his advice in Ephesians chapter five, for wives to fear (usually translated respect or reverence)
their husbands.
Woman Submit! Christians & Domestic Violence, is for anyone experiencing domestic abuse or violence, and also for those they are most likely to turn to for help--family, friends, pastors, etc... The evangelical Christian woman whose spirit is being crushed and life possibly endangered by domestic violence is faced with a unique burden. She needs straight answers--not unrealistic expectations or clichéd, stereotypical platitudes. In this book, she will get straight answers, clear scriptural direction, and some tough challenges from one who has been there but is there no longer.
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