Hey Pastor John,
What exactly does a man being the head of his house mean and entail him doing?
Jacob
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Hi Jacob:
Good question, Jacob. Thanks for writing.
Every home is different, and so it is difficult to describe being “head of the house” as being “always this” or “always that”. However, in every case, it does mean that it is the man’s responsibility to teach his wife and children the standards that God plainly has set for the family and that are in the Bible. This means, at a minimum, that the husband is required to establish and to maintain God’s standards in his own home. Paul and Peter both describe some of the standards God requires for the family unit, as the family unit existed in his time (which frequently included slaves). Paul’s description can be found in Ephesians 4:22 through 5:9, and Colossians 3:18 through 4:1. Peter’s can be found in 1Peter 2:1-7.
Generally, we can tell how well a man has done his duty as head of his house by looking at and listening to his wife and young children.
Also, Jacob, it should be pointed out that the husband being “head of the family” never implies that a man is free to abuse his wife or children, or be cruel or overbearing. That is not the way Christ is head of the family of God, and he is the husband’s example.
Pastor John