by Tony Konvalin
What is it about the word “Patriarchy” that
sets many people into a rage and others into a mode of finding a way around
even speaking about the word? Now of course there is the usual argument
that some person or other has abused the idea of patriarchy but that is not a
valid mode of argumentation and actually avoids the nature of the
subject. Are we to remove every doctrine that is abused or are we to seek
what scripture has to say and then seek to correct the errors that may
exist? Also, there exists the thinking that patriarchy is some sort of
vestige of a bygone era that we are to jettison since we have evolved out of
that archaic way of thinking. Many evangelicals talk this way even if
they do not use the idea of evolution in their language as they still speak of
patriarchy as some form of Old Testament bondage.
I do not think the avoidance and rejection of
“Biblical Patriarchy” is to be separated from the biblical illiteracy that
exists in the church today. Nor are we to separate it from the misguided
view of the Christian life that does not see a need to follow God’s commands
and principles that are found in the “entire” canon of scripture. Both of
these mindsets lead to denying or misunderstanding biblical patriarchy. I
do want to stress “Biblical” when speaking of patriarchy since I readily agree
that there are many that have taken the biblical concept of patriarchy and run
in their own, unbiblical, direction. However as mentioned before, even if
there are those that abuse correct doctrinal principles that does not
necessitate the eradication of that doctrine.
So is patriarchy biblical? I am not going to even come close to dealing with this subject exhaustively. I think Phillip Lancaster in his book Family Man, Family Leader does a great job of setting out what biblical patriarchy looks like. Will there be those that espouse the views of this book that do so imperfectly, or maybe even fail at them, I am sure there are. But the measure of a book is not simply how it is lived out, as we are imperfect people, but how it aligns with scripture. If one simply takes the text of the book and looks at the scripture given and does due diligence in seeking out God’s word I think you will see that the principles put forth are clearly biblical. What I want to do in the rest of the article is to briefly see how the concept of patriarchy is intrinsic to Christianity and thus patriarchy as seen in the family is simply a living picture of God’s working in His world.
First let me make it clear that I not only
find scripture infallible, sadly a place many stop, but also hold to scripture
being sufficient for every good work that God has set out for us (2 Tim
3:16-17). Thus not only has God set out the basics of life but also His
word directs all areas of life, in precept and/or principle. Also, we are
not to limit our search for God’s directions for life to the last third of
scripture, the New Testament, as many are wont to do but are to take 2 Timothy
3:16 seriously and seek God’s direction for a God glorifying life in all of His
word and that includes the Old Testament.
That said, we need to start with the
relationship in the Godhead. In the trinity we see a patriarchal
relationship between the Father, Son and Spirit in that the Father sends the
Son (John 6:44 , 16:28 ) and the Son sends the Spirit. (John 15:26) We also see
the Son do as the Father commands (Luke 22:42; John 14:31). So the
relationship in the Godhead is a patriarchal one.
How about the relationship with Israel and the
people of God seen in the Old Testament which foreshadows His relationship with
us? Throughout scripture God is seen as Father and thus His relationship
with His people is patriarchal as one of a Father to His children. Even
the patriarchs, such as Abraham, Jacob and Joseph, are seen as the leaders of
their families, which is not shown in scripture as a model to be done away with
or to be modified. We see in the Old Testament that the fathers were to
lead as directed by God as fathers today are to lead as directed by the all
sufficient word of God and as empowered by the Holy Spirit. Yes, Christ
is the head of the church as its bridegroom but God, as in the past, still
works through fathers as a picture of Christ leading His church and thus we are
to lead as God directs. That is key since patriarchy is not about fathers
leading families by their every whim. But it is about fathers leading the
families God has them over as directed by His Word and Spirit.
Lastly we see God has set men over the family
in the context of marriage as clearly seen in Ephesians 5:22-31. This is
a passage much maligned and manipulated by those desiring to do away with
patriarchy and male headship as set forth by God. Also, this passage is
often abused by those claiming to hold to patriarchy, I intentionally left out
“biblical,” and is used to claim some sort of unbiblical leadership role.
The Ephesians 5 passage instead sets out that the relationship of the man to
the women is one of head, as in leader, as Christ is the head of the
church. We have seen in our day not only the erosion of male headship and
patriarchy but also, by practice, the dissolution of Christ as head of the
church and I think this is a natural outcome. When the doctrine of Christ
and His relationship to the church is minimized or abandoned there are repercussions
and the loss of a biblical understanding of patriarchy and family is one of
those results.
This was by far not a thorough explanation of
“Biblical Patriarchy” but I hope it showed a connection with the entirety of
scripture and set some ground work for the recovery of biblical
patriarchy. We need to see that patriarchy is not simply a bygone
practice of some other era but is how God has worked, and still works. We
need to not simply regain some outward form of male headship and fathers being leaders
in the home but we need to recover a right view of patriarchy and see it being
implemented in the home for God’s glory and the good of His people.
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