Titus 2:4-5 "That they may teach the young women...to be...keepers at home..."

The word for "keepers at home" is "oikouros" - the noun. Strong's says: the (watch or) keeper of the house; keeping at home and taking care of household affairs. Like the Proverbs 31 woman, "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."

This word "oikouros" (in that form) is used only one time in the New Testament. (the rest of this paragraph is an edit with more information) There are two parts to this word; the root word is "oikos" (house) and "ouros" (a guard, beware) and. "Oikos" is used 114 times.

In addition to Strong's we have secular writings to tell us how the word "oikouros" was used. The word "oikouros" is used to describe Athena, the Greek goddess. "Oikouros" (home- protecting) ophis (serpent). Notice the statue of Athena to the right with the serpent beside her (behing the shield); she is dressed for battle and she carries a weapon and a shield.

The ancient Greeks thought they had ""Oikouros ophis" protecting their homes. The goddess of wisdom, war, arts, industry, justice and skill. Paul would have known of this reference when he wrote his letter to Titus.

There is a verb form of the root word, "oikodespoteo" that Strong's defines as "to rule a household, manage family affairs"; this is our job.

"Oikouros" is no goddess. "Oikouros" is us! We, as women, have the God-granted responsibility of guarding our homes against those who would do it harm.

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I don't see "hupotasso" as a "life sentence", a punishment or limitation on my "personhood".

To me, it's an incredibly romantic dance of love. I'm talking about the dance. The jigsaw puzzle.

The way it all fits together in a way that can only be planned out.

It's not true that every dance needs a lead. But the more involved (and the more intimate) the dance and the closer the dancers are, the greater the need for a lead. Imagine a "tango dip" without a lead! If he is doing his job and she is doing her job, it all works out well. If not...yikes.

Imagine "hupotasso" in the context of Ephesians 5, where a husband/wife are compared to Christ/the church. Let's not debate whether or not "hupotasso" exists in "that verse", it appears in other verses in the same context. I'm specifically talking about the relationship between husband and wife, compared to Christ and the church.

Does Christ's authority over the church make her any less important or loved? No, not at all! Does the church's mandate to serve Christ make her any "less"?

It is the church's yielding to the will of God that allows God to work in her.

If a Godly marriage is to resemble Christ and the church, how does that look?

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