{"id":1713,"date":"2009-12-11T05:52:22","date_gmt":"2009-12-11T12:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/strivetoenter.com\/wim\/?p=1713"},"modified":"2015-10-19T20:25:08","modified_gmt":"2015-10-20T03:25:08","slug":"can-a-wifes-authority-be-overruled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/strivetoenter.com\/wim\/2009\/12\/11\/can-a-wifes-authority-be-overruled\/","title":{"rendered":"Can a wife's authority be overruled?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n

\"Couple<\/p>\n

Wade Burleson has an interesting post about marital authorit<\/a><\/strong>y<\/a> <\/strong>and the only time that the Bible uses the word authority in the context of marriage. \u00a0Burleson writes:<\/p>\n

The often quoted book complementarian book\u00a0Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanwood<\/em> (1991), devotes entire chapters to passages like Ephesians 5:21-33, 1 Corinthians 11:3-16. Colossians 3:18-18, and 1 Peter 3:1-7. But the ONLY text in the Bible that actually uses the word \u201cauthority\u201d in the context of marriage, 1 Corinthians 7:1-5, is given no consideration. Likewise, in John Piper\u2019s book\u00a0What\u2019s the Difference? Manhood and Womanhood Defined by the Bible<\/em> (2001) there are two lists of verses dealing with marriage provided, but 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 is not even included (see pages 21,66).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is certainly interesting that the only place were the Bible gives the husband and wife authority over the other is missing in the sections dealing with authority and submission in \u00a0Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. <\/em>RBMW is\u00a0produced by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW). \u00a0In CBMW\u2019s book there is only one short reference to 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 in the overview section under question #46. \u00a0\u00a0Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood<\/em> says:<\/p>\n

\n

Neither husband nor wife is given more rights over the body of the other. \u00a0And when some suspension of sexual activity is contemplated, Paul repudiates unilaterial decision making by the wife or the husband. \u00a0\u201cDo not deprive each other except \u00a0by mutual consent<\/em> and for a time\u201d (v. 5)<\/p>\n

What are the implications of this text for the leadership of the husband? \u00a0Do the call for mutual yielding to sexual need and the renunciation of unilateral planning nullify the husband\u2019s responsibility for general leadership \u00a0in the marriage? \u00a0We don\u2019t think so. \u00a0But this text definitely shapes that leadership and gives added Biblical guidance for how to work it out. \u00a0It makes it clear that leadership will not involve selfish unilateral choices. \u00a0He will always strive for the ideal of agreement. \u00a0He will take into the account the truth that her sexual needs and desires carry the same weight as his own in developing the pattern of their intimacy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So while neither the husband nor the wife has \u201cmore rights\u201d over the body of their spouse, apparently 1 Cor. 7:5 still includes the husband\u2019s leadership by \u201cshaping\u201d that leadership, according to CBMW. \u00a0The door is apparently not closed to the husband\u2019s unilateral choice as long as it is not \u201cselfish unilateral choices\u201d. \u00a0It is apparent that CBMW allows the husband\u2019s \u201cleadership\u201d that is \u201cshaped\u201d in 1 Cor. 7:5 to still override his wife\u2019s will as he considers her needs but takes his leadership \u201cresponsibility\u201d to take out his male trump card out if there is a disagreement. \u00a0The question should be asked whether 1 Cor. 7:5 mentions any leadership responsibilities at all for the man? \u00a0It is an amazing thing for CBMW to be able to pull out a \u201cleadership\u201d role even in a passage that is clear that the decision must be made by both in agreement. \u00a0No pulling out the male entitlement card is even hinted at in this passage.<\/p>\n

\"male_card2<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wade Burleson then quotes from Jon Zens regarding the rule for times of temporary separation that forbids the husband from overruling his wife:<\/p>\n

\n

First, 1 Cor.7:1-5 is the only place in the NT where the word \u201cauthority\u201d (Greek, exousia) is used with reference to marriage. But it is not the authority of the husband over the wife, or vice versa, that is in view, but rather a mutual authority over each other\u2019s body. 1 Corinthians 7:4 states that the wife has authority over her husband\u2019s body. One would think that this would be a hard pill to swallow for those who see \u201cauthority\u201d as resting only in the husband\u2019s headship.<\/p>\n

Second, Paul states that a couple cannot separate from one another physically unless there is mutual consent (Greek,symphonou<\/em>). Both parties must agree to the separation or it doesn\u2019t happen. The husband cannot override the wife\u2019s differing viewpoint.<\/p>\n

John Piper suggests that \u201cmature masculinity accepts the burden of the final say in disagreements between husband and wife, but does not presume to use it in every instance\u201d (p.32). The problem with a dogmatic statement like this is that it will allow for no exceptions. But 1 Corinthians 7:5 contradicts Piper\u2019s maxim. If the wife disagrees with a physical separation, the husbandcannot overrule his wife<\/em><\/strong> with the\u00a0\u201cfinal choice\u201d<\/em> (p.33). Such separation can occur only if both husband and wife are in\u201csymphony\u201d<\/em> (unity) about such an action.<\/p>\n

Now if mutual consent applies in an important issue like physical separation from one another for a period of time, wouldn\u2019t it seem proper that coming to one-mindedness would be the broad model for decision-making in a healthy marriage? Piper feels that \u201cin a good marriage decision-making is focused on the husband, but is not unilateral\u201d (p.32). In light of 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 I would suggest that\u00a0decision-making should focus on finding the Lord\u2019s mind together<\/em>. Over the years the good ideas, solutions to problems and answers to dilemmas will flow from both husband and the wife as they seek the Lord as a couple for \u201csymphony.\u201d<\/p>\n

1 Corinthians 7:5 throws a wrench into the works for those who would include the husband\u2019s\u00a0\u201cfinal say\u201d <\/em>in male headship. Paul teaches that unless the couple can agree on a course of action, it cannot be executed. I suggest that this revelation invites us to re-examine what the husband\u2019s headship really entails (cf. Gordon D. Fee, \u201c1 Corinthians 7:1-7 Revisited,\u201d Paul & the Corinthians: Studies On A Community in Conflict, Trevor J. Burke\/J. Keith Elliott, eds., Brill, 2003, pp.197-213).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I appreciate Jon Zen\u2019s words about the husband\u2019s obligation not to overrule his wife\u2019s will in this important passage. \u00a0Dr. Zens has been very supportive to my own ministry and he recommends and sells my DVD set Women in Ministry Silenced or Set Free?<\/em><\/p>\n

What do you think? \u00a0Is there a \u201cleadership role\u201d for the husband in 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 as CBMW claims?<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wade Burleson has an interesting post about marital authority and the only time that the Bible uses the word authority in the context of marriage. \u00a0Burleson writes: The often quoted book complementarian book\u00a0Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanwood (1991), devotes entire chapters to passages like Ephesians 5:21-33, 1 Corinthians 11:3-16. Colossians 3:18-18, and 1 Peter 3:1-7. But the ONLY text in the Bible that actually uses the word \u201cauthority\u201d in the context of marriage, 1 Corinthians 7:1-5, is given no consideration….<\/p>\n

Read More Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13,14,47,52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-authority-and-leadership","category-authority-and-women","category-marriage","category-opposing-viewpoints"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nCan a wife's authority be overruled? - Women in Ministry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/strivetoenter.com\/wim\/2009\/12\/11\/can-a-wifes-authority-be-overruled\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can a wife's authority be overruled? - Women in Ministry\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Wade Burleson has an interesting post about marital authority and the only time that the Bible uses the word authority in the context of marriage. \u00a0Burleson writes: The often quoted book complementarian book\u00a0Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanwood (1991), devotes entire chapters to passages like Ephesians 5:21-33, 1 Corinthians 11:3-16. 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