Read Part One HERE
In this post I will continue to focus on bible teacher and author Martha Peace. This time we will look at a statement from Chapter Five of her book "The Excellent Wife."
Martha Peace: "Husbands are to lead their wives. Immature Christian husbands may act foolishly from time to time by making harsh or unreasonable demands or accusations against their wives for instance when pointing out their wives' failure to carry our responsibilities.This may especially be true if the husband has not yet learned how to lead his wife biblically. Instead of leading her in a loving way, he may sinfully resort to intimidation, manipulation, harsh criticism, or hostile teasing to accomplish his purposes. This abuse of his God-given authority often throws a Christian wife into total confusion. How is a wife to respond to an emotionally abusive husband? By quietly and gently responding with scripture, by not answering during the heat of the moment, and by acknowledging if she has done anything wrong."
My Comment
The problem lies with the first sentence of Martha Peace's statement: "Husbands are to lead their wives." for that is not what God Word teaches.This statement is, no doubt, based on a faulty understanding of the term "head." In Ephesians 5:22 we read that the husband is the "head" of the wife. Similarly, in I Corinthians 11:3 we read that the man is the "head" of the woman. In both cases the Greek word "kephale" is used which means "source," "source of life," or "origin." However, it does not mean "authority" which is how Martha Peace understands it. Paul does, therefore, not teach that the husband is the authoritative leader of his wife. Instead, they are called to partner together as a team on an equal basis as designed by God in Genesis 1:26-28. That equal partnership was lost at the time of the Fall when the first man began to rule over the first woman (Genesis 3:16), which started a pattern that has continued until today, sadly including in much of the Church. However, in Christ, that equal partnership of Genesis 1:26-28 has been restored so, in Christ, husbands and wives are to lovingly submit to/serve each other under the Lordship of Christ as we know from Ephesians 5: 21 where we read "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
In this post I will continue to focus on bible teacher and author Martha Peace. This time we will look at a statement from Chapter Five of her book "The Excellent Wife."
Martha Peace: "Husbands are to lead their wives. Immature Christian husbands may act foolishly from time to time by making harsh or unreasonable demands or accusations against their wives for instance when pointing out their wives' failure to carry our responsibilities.This may especially be true if the husband has not yet learned how to lead his wife biblically. Instead of leading her in a loving way, he may sinfully resort to intimidation, manipulation, harsh criticism, or hostile teasing to accomplish his purposes. This abuse of his God-given authority often throws a Christian wife into total confusion. How is a wife to respond to an emotionally abusive husband? By quietly and gently responding with scripture, by not answering during the heat of the moment, and by acknowledging if she has done anything wrong."
My Comment
The problem lies with the first sentence of Martha Peace's statement: "Husbands are to lead their wives." for that is not what God Word teaches.This statement is, no doubt, based on a faulty understanding of the term "head." In Ephesians 5:22 we read that the husband is the "head" of the wife. Similarly, in I Corinthians 11:3 we read that the man is the "head" of the woman. In both cases the Greek word "kephale" is used which means "source," "source of life," or "origin." However, it does not mean "authority" which is how Martha Peace understands it. Paul does, therefore, not teach that the husband is the authoritative leader of his wife. Instead, they are called to partner together as a team on an equal basis as designed by God in Genesis 1:26-28. That equal partnership was lost at the time of the Fall when the first man began to rule over the first woman (Genesis 3:16), which started a pattern that has continued until today, sadly including in much of the Church. However, in Christ, that equal partnership of Genesis 1:26-28 has been restored so, in Christ, husbands and wives are to lovingly submit to/serve each other under the Lordship of Christ as we know from Ephesians 5: 21 where we read "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
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