Husbands are to rule their wives: Wife Spanking P/6

                                                      Read Part One HERE

In this post I continue Larry Solomon's article "Does The Bible Allow A Husband To Spank His Wife?" as found on his website Biblical gender Roles.

Two Biblical Priniciples That Allow For Wife Spanking

Principle #2 - God Allows Physical Punishment As A Form of Discipline (cont)

Larry Solomon: "I also agree that "Women are no more sinful than men" but that is why God has placed men in charge of women. Read 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 and Ephesians 5:22-33. Really read it. These passages show it was no accident and it was not because of sin or God just rolling some cosmic dice that He placed men over women in marriage. These passages show that God created women and the institution of marriage to help men fully image God as husbands and fathers."

Conclusion

Larry Solomon: "God made man to image Him and by doing so to bring Him glory (1 Corinthians 11:7). In order to help man fully image God's attributes as a husband and father He created woman and by extension marriage for man (1 Corinthians 7:9). God created marriage to create a model of the relationship of God to His people and in the New Testament era of Christ to His Church (Ephesians 5:22-33) Just as Christ loved His Church by giving Himself up for her to wash her spiritual spots and wrinkles with the Word of God so too husbands are called to wash their wives' spiritual spots and wrinkles, in other words they are called to discipline their wives." (Ephesians 5:25-27 and Revelation 3:19)

Larry Solomon: "No Scriptural principle or command forbids a man from using physical discipline as a method of discipline with his wife. In fact, Scriptures show God allows physical punishment of adults as a form of discipline in Deuteronomy 25:1-3, Proverbs 19:19 and Proverbs 26:3."

My Comment

Larry Solomon completely misunderstands 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 for that passage is not about men being in charge of women or husbands being in charge of their wives. In this pasage Paul corrects the teachings of some of the religious leaders in Corinth whose words are found in 1 Corinthians 11:4-5 and 1 Corinthians 11:7-9. Paul's correction can be found in 1 Corinthians 11:11-16.

As for Ephesians 5:22-33, Larry Solomon left out Ephesians 5:21. However, we need to at least start with Ephesians 5:21 to make sense of that passage. And we learn from Ephesians 5:21 that believers are to submit to one another so mutual submission is to take place in any marriage.

As for the man to image God in order to bring Him glory (1 Corinthians 11:7), that verse is part of a statement by some of the religious leaders in Corinth and Paul corrects that statement later on in that chapter. Both the man and the woman were created in the image and likeness of God according to Genesis 1:26-28. And both are to give glory to God who will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8). 

As for a man fully imaging God as a husband and father, though we call God Father, He is not male but is Spirit. Moreover, throughout Scripture, God is imaged as a Mother as we know from Hosea 11:3-4; Deuteronomy 32:11; Isaiah 49:15; Isaiah 66:13. However, let's once again remember that God is neither male nor female for He is Spirit!!

As for God having created woman and marriage for man (1 Corinthians 7:9), Paul wrote that as the wife belongs to the husband, likewise the husband belongs to the wife. Once again a picture of mutuality (1 Corinthians 7:3-4). 

As for Christ washing His Church, only He is able to do so. No husband is called by God to wash his wife  by disciplining, including physically disciplining her by spanking her since any husband, as part of the Church, together with his wife is to be washed, disciplined by Christ. Moreover, these are spiritual activities, not physical activities. 

As for Larry Solomon quoting some passages from the Old Testament to defend a husband being allowed to spank his wife, it is clear that he twists Scripture in order to defend his position. Any husband who spanks his wife is to be reported to the police for physical abuse and should be imprisoned for his crime.

In my next posts I will share some testimonies of people wo have either witnessed wife spanking or have experienced wife spanking.

Read Part Seven HERE