I’m going through Titus 2:4-5

(ESV) “…and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”

(NIV)”…Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”

(NASB)”…so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”

(KJV)”…That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

1) who is the “they”? “They” are the older women. God has given these wise, dear women a job - a vital job! We don’t grow old in a vacuum and if we (I’m sort of a “tweener”) don’t listen to those who are older - and given this job by God - we shouldn’t expect to be listened to by those God has instructed us to teach.

2) What are these wonderful teachers supposed to be modeling? I’m going to go with the Greek:

- sophron {so’-frone}; curbing one’s desires and impulses, self-controlled, temperate

- hagnos {hag-nos’}; exciting reverence, venerable, sacred, pure

- agathos {ag-ath-os’}; of good constitution or nature, useful, salutary,good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright, honourable

- hupotasso {hoop-ot-as’-so}; to subject one’s self, obey, to yield to one’s admonition or advice,to obey, be subject (to their husband’s)

- oikouros {oy-koo-ros’}; caring for the house, working at home, the (watch or) keeper of the house,keeping at home and taking care of household affairs.

There is a website that is advocating to accept an alternate meaning for “hupotasso”.

Submit to is out.

“Identify with” is the phrase of the day. Here’s the problem: “Hupotasso” is formed from two root words. “hupo” (under) and “tasso” (in an orderly fashion). We can all do the math. Wives, (hupotasso) to your husbands. Under + in an orderly fashion. The word was used to describe a military under the command of a leader.

Military men don’t “identify” with their leaders. They follow them.

In non-military use, “hupotasso” meant a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden.

None of this means that the Bible says that women are inferior to men! NOT AT ALL! It means that the roles are different. Men have been given the duty of head of household, of providing. Women are under, in an orderly fashion, the man’s authority.

This does not mean blind obedience. There is a Greek word for that, and “hupotasso” isn’t it.

No, we voluntarily (under the Lord’s instruction and with His help) have an attitude of giving in, of cooperating, of helping our husbands bear the burden that the Lord has placed on him.

We are the “help” that God promised Adam.

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The other word, “oikouros” is a wonderful word, keeper of the home…but for now, I’m heading for bed, I’ve got a lot of thoughts on “oikouros”.

~~~~~~~~Here is a comment that got "lost" in the move:

I like that you mentioned the use of hupotasso in the military.

I was just thinking about the military way the other day and how some people could never deal with the submission part of it. But it makes such sense as you can’t be out on the battlefield and have everyone doing whatever they think is best. One person needs to make the final decisions and lead or it would be chaos.

God in his infinite wisdom established a marriage relationship that can work effectively...Carrie,