"The husband is the head of the wife": a possible misinterpretation of Ephesians 5:21-33 with special reference to the role of the male in marriage.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine what the possibilities are that Ephesians 5:21-24 is misinterpreted when the conclusion is drawn from it that the husband today should be "the head of the wife" and that the wife should "submit" to him. The study assumes that many problems in Christian marriages arise because the biblical guidance with regard to the mandate that the male has in marriage is taken literally. The literature suggests that the average male in the context of the marriage is in crisis, because of the rise of feminism and the emancipation process from a previously male-dominated society. The study attempts to investigate the meaning of Ephesians 5:21-24, and to look for possible answers to questions posed by those who try to be obedient in a fundamentalistic way. To this end the problems of applying an ancient text to modem circumstances are investigated. The exegetical and hermeneutical investigation that follows reaches the conclusion that the passage in Ephesians cannot be used to justify complete male dominance in marriage. It does indeed imply a hierarchy within marriage, but this is relativized by clear statements in the rest of the epistle. There is a tension within the passage itself, but only one aspect has traditionally been emphasized. It is suggested that this one-sided emphasis amounts to a misinterpretation.