Amy Smith
WGS 3464/5960
Essay/Blog 4
The text of Ephesians 5:21-6:9 is
an example of change in the early Christian church between the first and second
centuries, especially in the context of household relationships. Paul outlined a new and radical social order
in Galatians 3:28, in which he asserted an abolishment of cultural hierarchies
through Christ. Social and cultural
divisions of Jew and Greek, male and female, free persons and slaves no longer
exist in Christ. All authority belonged
to Jesus. Women participated in and
enjoyed leadership roles in first century Christianity. However, in the second century church, a
shift occurred that re-established the traditional social order, and reflected
the authority of men within the Christian church and home.
Ephesians 5:22 and 23 marks a clear
designation of roles in the home by gender, as wives are exhorted to be subject
to their husbands. The author compares
the marriage relationship to that of Christ to the church. Christ is obviously positioned as head of the
church and is, in fact, the reason for the church. The author uses the ultimate authority of
Christ to reinstitute authority of the husband in the home, which is in stark
contrast to Paul’s statements in Galatians 3:28. The author commands husbands to love their
wives as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25), but the people of the church
are not of equal status as Christ.
Therefore, in this passage, women cannot occupy equal social status as
their husband. This commandment in
Ephesians reflects traditional Greco Roman social structures in the second
century, as shown in the established household frameworks of the time. Johnson
argues: “The head of the household, the
paterfamilias, held all three superior roles – master, husband, and father –
and his slaves, wife, and children were expected to serve him and the interests
of the family” (Johnson, 578).
The verses of Ephesians 5:22-23
returns women to the subordinate and marginalized status quo in the home and in
the church. And, as Johnson points out,
“…the metaphor of Christ and the church gives the paterfamilias absolute
authority over his household, which has often resulted in enormous abuse of
women, children and people in bondage” (579).
In the second century, the Christian church reflected less of Paul’s
vision and more of the entrenched cultural social standards of the area and
time.
Johnson, E. Elizabeth, “Ephesians”,
Women’s Bible Commentary, Carol A.
Newsom, Sharon H. Ringe and Jacqueline E. Lapsley, eds., Westminster John Knox
Press, 2012, pp. 576-580.
Your final sentence leads to the idea that modern Christian church is divided on the woman's role between Paul's vision and Ephesians. While we'd like to believe that everyone would think less like a cro-magnum and be more enlightened that's simply not the case. It certains Ephesians is still used as an example to marginalize women in both the home and church.
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