Marriage: A Biblical Model of Submission

Craig Keener’s “Marriage: A Biblical Model of Submission”

Keener discussed Aristotle’s “household codes,” a set of values widely regarded in Paul’s day which instructed men to rule over their wives, children and slaves. Paul, in Ephesians 5:18, sets forth his primary charge: “Be filled with the Spirit.” Then he offers practical “how-tos” by adapting the household codes. Men are not to rule their wives but love them, and practice mutual submission; they are not to rule their children but avoid distressing them, instead bringing them up in the way of the Lord; they are not to rule their slaves, but to themselves behave in good will, “rendering service” and acting “as slaves to Christ.”

Keener further discussed how the instructions to wives and slaves are transcultural, parallel statements: “Wives, submit to your husbands as you would to Christ” and “Slaves, obey your masters as you would Christ.” Why then, Keener asks, is one understood as cultural and the other not?

Keener also commented that obedience is not the same as mutual submission, which requires love to work. Sometimes wives disobeyed their husbands in order to follow God’s commands, Keener pointed out, citing Abigail and Rebecca among his examples. Abraham was pointedly told by God to obey his wife.

The two main questions of this seminar were “How would first-century hearers (of Ephesians 5 & 6) have applied this principle (of submission)” and “If Paul were around today, where would he and his principles have lead us?” Paul’s primary principle, says Keener, is to serve one another in the example of Christ. His point was not the subjugation of women (nor slaves) but the freedom of Christ-like service to each other in love.

– Shari