AUTHORITY IN THE FAMILY

The family is the basic unit of human society.  Within it a husband and wife can find rewarding companionship, and children can be safeguarded  and trained for adulthood. ( Proverbs 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:1-4) Such a noble arrangement  needs to be organized in a way that enables family members to live in peace and harmony. Jehovah's way of accomplishing this is through the principle of headship, summed up in these words, found at 1 Corinthians 11:3: "The head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of the Christ is God."

The husband is the family head. However, there is a head above him-Jesus Christ.  Paul wrote: "Husbands, continue loving your wives, just as the Christ also loved the congregation and delivered up himself for it." (Ephesians 5:25) A husband reflects his subjection  to Christ when he treats his wife in the way that Jesus has always treated the congregation. (1 John 2:6) Great authority has been conferred upon Jesus, but he exercises it with the utmost gentleness, love and reasonableness. ( Matthew 20:25-28) As a man, Jesus never abused his position of authority. He was "mild-tempered and lowly in heart," and he called his followers "friends" rather than "slaves." "I will refresh you," he promised them, and that is what he did. -Matthew 11:28 29; John 15:15.

Jesus' example teaches husbands that Christian headship is not a position of harsh domination. Instead, it is one of respect and self-sacrificing love.  This would clearly rule out mistreating a mate physically or verbally. (Ephesians 4;29, 31,32; 5:28, 29; Colossians 3:19) If  a Christian man were thus to mistreat his wife, his other good works would be valueless, and his prayers would be hindered . -1 Corinthians 13:1-3; 1 Peter 3:7.

When a husband imitates Christ's example, it is easier for his wife  to comply with the words of Ephesians 5:22,23: "Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord, because a husband is head of his wife as the Christ  is head of the congregation." Just as a husband is to be submissive to Christ, a wife must be in subjection to her husband. The Bible also makes it clear that capable wives merit honor and praise for their godly wisdom and industriousness. -Proverbs 31:10-31.

Next time:Conclusion of AUTHORITY IN THE FAMILY

The Book - KNOWLEDGE That Leads To Everlasting Life, 1995