Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
It's not loving to submit to one's wife, but foolish. Adam submitted to his wife Eve, and look what happened. When Eve offered Adam the fruit, the most loving thing Adam could have done is reject the offer and correct her. Adam taking the fruit and saying submissively "thankyou dear for the forbidden fruit" is not love at all, but something else.
The command to obey and respect is given to the one in subjection i.e. the wife (1 Peter 3:1, Eph 5:22). Their greatest temptation is to disobey, disrespect etc, because they are in a position of weakness and subjection.
The command to love is given to the one who is to rule over the other, the husband. Their greatest temptation is to abuse, because of their position of power.
The concept of husbands obeying and submitting to wives is just not in the bible in a descriptive or prescriptive sense. Greek scholars (e.g. Wallace) and Christian history agrees.
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The foolish is the one who does not understand the command to submit to one another. There was no exception provided. The specific statements made were not stated as reasons that it does not also go the other way.
Besides, it is only the fool who thinks that an environment in which all are commanded to submit to all that there is any one of them who is not required to submit to every one of the others in some aspects. And the way in which we submit to each other is not precisely the same or it would be like the two people standing on opposite sides of a doorway insisting that the other go through first with neither yielding to the other's request, but instead insisting upon being second.
Outside of the extreme situation of servitude and of our submission to God, we all do (or should) submit to the others around us in some things, and find that they submit to us in others. There is no place in which anyone has absolute position above any other in all things.
And that is exactly what you are suggesting (even insisting) when you say that it is foolish for a man to submit to a woman, and especially not his wife. You make it a statement of absolutes and therefore allow for nothing in which the husband should be in submission to his wife.
Now, "lemon" passages notwithstanding, it may be that the Bible actually provides certain ways in which a woman should always be in submission to a man, and more specifically to her husband. But it is not in all ways and in all times. And you will find that you cannot demand submission while simultaneously claiming to love and cherish. To give yourself for her is to submit your life to her. I suspect that those who fight the good fight of "never ever submit to a woman in anything" will not be found stepping in front of the bullet aimed at his wife's heart. That might seem extreme since few of us would quickly make that sacrifice for anyone without a moment of consideration. Or maybe the real evidence is what we do before we think.