Stay at Home Dad: Biblical?

    It has always been assumed that in a biblical marriage the wife is submissive to the husband and that he is head of the household. This authoritative role would imply that in the biblical marriage it is the husbands responsibility to work, provide, and give leadership while the wife stays home and serves the domestic needs of the family.

    Biblical assumptions aside, the domestic role of the husband has changed every now and then throughout the course of history. There are even differences in the husbands role from culture to culture. The Cambri for example was a society in which the wife was the financial provider. The Mosou of Asia are matrilineal, which means they trace their family lineage through the women in their family.

    Even today we are witnessing a shift in the role of the husband. A recent study shows that 50% of husbands in the United States wouldn't mind staying at home with the kids while the wife goes out and works. That's a dramatic shift from the 1950's image of the working business man who comes home in a suit to food on the table prepared by a Betty Crocker mom who's been cleaning in a dress and heels all day. Going back to assumed gender roles based on scripture, one might wonder just how biblical is the "stay at home dad".

    There is one verse in scripture that is absolutely clear on a husband's responsibility toward his wife.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.

                                    Ephesians 5:25

    How did Christ love the church? He laid down His life for her, He gave up everything He had for her. The Bible puts it this way:

Who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather He made Himself nothing taking the very nature of a slave.

                                                                  Philippians 2:6-7

    Christ loved the church by becoming her servant. Now consider the husband who takes upon himself the responsibilities that some say are reserved for the wife. Christ, even though He was king, made Himself a servant to His bride. Stay at home dads serve their wives in the same way. The stay at home dad is not only biblical, he lives God's command to love his wife as Christ loved the Church.

    As we ponder these matters further, let usbe careful not to confuse the teachings of the culture, with the teachings of the Word.