Authority, in the home

The exercise of God-given authority within the husband-wife and parent-child relationships.

A husband is given headship over his wife

Ephesians 5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.

The basis for this headship

God's headship over Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 11:3

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Jesus Christ's headship over the church

Ephesians 5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.

God's order of creation

1 Corinthians 11:8–9 See also Genesis 2:20–22

For man did not come from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

This headship has been affected by the fall

Genesis 3:16

To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

How this headship is to be exercised

Lovingly and sacrificially

Ephesians 5:25 See also Ephesians 5:28, Ephesians 5:33; Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her

As Jesus Christ rules as head of the church

Ephesians 5:25–29

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.

Regarding his wife as part of himself

Ephesians 5:28–29 See also 1 Peter 3:7

In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.

Christian wives are to submit to their husbands

Ephesians 5:22 parallel Colossians 3:18

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

They are to follow the example of the submission of the church to Jesus Christ

Ephesians 5:24

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Fathers are heads of their families

Genesis 18:19 See also Genesis 35:2; Joshua 24:15; Ephesians 6:4; 1 Timothy 3:4, 1 Timothy 3:12; Titus 1:6

For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”

Fathers' authority is to be exercised reasonably

Ephesians 6:4 See also Colossians 3:21

Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

The response of children to parental authority

Obedience

Ephesians 6:1 parallel Colossians 3:20 See also Proverbs 6:20, Proverbs 23:22

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Respect

Ephesians 6:2–3 See also Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 20:12, Exodus 21:15, Exodus 21:17; Deuteronomy 27:16; Proverbs 19:26, Proverbs 20:20; Matthew 19:19 parallels Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20

“Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.”

Kinds of authority within the family

Authority to discipline

Proverbs 19:18 See also Proverbs 23:13, Proverbs 29:17

Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be party to his death.

Authority to teach

Proverbs 1:8 See also Proverbs 3:1, Proverbs 13:1

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.

Authority to command

Colossians 3:20 parallel Ephesians 6:1 See also Proverbs 6:20–23

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.