Paul said that all the Christians should be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Thus, wives should be subject to their husbands. The husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. Christ is the savior and the body of the church. so that the church is subject to Christ. Thus, wives are subject in everything to their husbands.
wives
The son of David (Lk 3:31-3:31)
“The son of Melea,
The son of Menna,
The son of Mattatha,
The son of Nathan,
The son of David.”
τοῦ Μελεὰ τοῦ Μεννὰ τοῦ Ματταθὰ τοῦ Ναθὰμ τοῦ Δαυεὶδ
Once again, these genealogies of Matthew and Luke converge with the name of David. However, they both have different sons of David for their lineage. Matthew, chapter 1:6-8, has Solomon, while Luke has Nathan. King David had 6 sons while living in Hebron for a little over 7 years, based on 2 Samuel, chapter 3. Each son had a different mother. After King David moved to Jerusalem, he had some more wives and concubines. Altogether, David had at least 20 named children, as indicated in 2 Samuel, chapter 13. Shimea or Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon (Σολομῶνα), were the 4 sons of him and Bathsheba. Solomon followed David to the throne as king, because of the intrigues of his mother Bathsheba, as found in 1 Kings, chapters 1-2. I Chronicles, chapter 3, lists the kings of Judah, based on 1 Kings and 2 Kings. Based on those 2 books, there was no disruption in the lineage of David via Solomon to all the kings of Judah before the Exile, since there were no revolutions in the southern kingdom of Judah. However, Luke’s Nathan never became a king. Luke listed the genealogy as the son of Melea (τοῦ Μελεὰ), the son of Menna (τοῦ Μεννὰ), the son of Mattatha (τοῦ Ματταθὰ), the son of Nathan (τοῦ Ματταθὰ), the son of David (τοῦ Δαυεὶδ).
King David (Mt 1:6-1:6)
“David was
The father of Solomon
By the wife of Uriah.”
Δαυεὶδ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σολομῶνα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου,
King David had 6 sons while living in Hebron for a little over 7 years, based on 2 Samuel, chapter 3. Each son had a different mother. After King David moved to Jerusalem, he had some more wives and concubines. Altogether, David had at least 20 named children, as indicated in 2 Samuel, chapter 13. Shimea or Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon (Σολομῶνα), were the 4 sons of him and Bathsheba. However, she was not mentioned by name here but was simply called the wife of Uriah (ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου). King David had Uriah killed, while committing adultery with her. Notice that the Greek text did not say wife but only implied it, saying she from Uriah. Solomon followed David to the throne as king, because of the intrigues of his mother Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan, as found in 1 Kings, chapters 1-2. The Greek text used the term ‘begat’ (ἐγέννησεν) to represent the relationships between David and Solomon. However, it seems perfectly acceptable to simply call David the father instead of saying “fathered him.”
The unhumble king (Dan 5:22-5:23)
“‘You!
His son!
King Belshazzar!
Have not humbled
Your heart,
Even though
You knew all this!
You have exalted yourself
Against the Lord of heaven!
The vessels
Of his temple
Have been brought in
Before you.
You,
Your lords,
Your wives,
Your concubines,
Have been drinking wine
From them.
You have praised
The gods
Of silver
Of gold,
Of bronze,
Of iron,
Of wood,
Of stone.
They do not
See,
Hear,
Or know.
You have not honored
The God
In whose power
Is your very breath,
To whom belong
All your ways.’”
Daniel then turned to King Belshazzar himself, because he had not humbled his heart, even though he knew all about his father or grandfather. He too exalted himself against the Lord of heaven. He even took the vessels from his holy temple for his feast or party to drink wine with his lords, wives, and concubines. He even praised the false idol gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone who could not see, hear, or know anything. He did not honor the true God, who controls his life and his actions.
The caretakers of the idol gods (Bar 6:26-6:28)
“Those who serve
These idol gods
Are ashamed.
If any of these gods
Fall to the ground,
They themselves
Must pick them up.
If anyone sets them upright,
These gods
Cannot move themselves.
If they are tipped over,
They cannot straighten themselves.
Gifts are placed
Before them
Just as before the dead.
The priests sell
The sacrifices
That are offered
To these gods.
They use the money themselves.
Their wives likewise
Preserve some of the meat
With salt.
But they give none of it
To the poor
Or the helpless.”
Next this author attacks those who take care of these idol gods. These caretakers were themselves ashamed. If any of these gods fell to the ground, they must pick them up. They have to set these gods upright since they cannot move themselves. If these idols are tipped over, they cannot up right themselves. In other words, there has to be someone around these false idol gods, because if anything happens to them, these caretakers have to straighten things out. Gifts are placed before these images, just like gifts for the dead. However, these caretaker priests often sell the sacrifices that were offered to these gods. Then they would use the money for themselves. Their wives likewise would preserve some of the meat with salt. However, they gave none of it to the poor or the helpless.
The live style of the Rechabites (Jer 35:7-35:10)
“‘You shall not
Build a house!
You shall not
Sow seed!
You shall not
Plant a vineyard!
You shall not
Own a vineyard!
You shall live
In tents
All your days!
Thus you may live many days
In the land where you reside.’
We have obeyed
This charge
Of our ancestor Jonadab
The son of Rechab,
In all that he commanded us.
Thus we ourselves,
Our wives,
Our sons,
Our daughters
Do not drink wine
All our days.
We do not build houses
To live in.
We have no vineyard.
We have no field.
We have no seed.
But we have lived in tents.
We have obeyed Jonadab.
We have done
All that our ancestor Jonadab
Commanded us.”
These Rechabites followed the commandments of Jonadab the son of Rechab. Thus they lived a unique nomad live style. Jonadab had commanded them not to build houses or sow seeds. They were to live in tents. They did not practice any kind of agriculture, so that they neither planted nor owned any vineyards or fields. They would live a long life, as long as they abstained from intoxicants, as they, their wives, and their children did not drink any wine. Since they did not cultivate grapes, they drank the milk of their animals. Thus they seem to be closer to the Hebrew Nazirites, who vowed a sacred separate life style, but only for a set time period, not cutting their hair, not drinking intoxicating liquids, and not touching unclean things. These Rechabites seem to be like a religious order or communal monks, actually like wandering desert Arabs.
The letter suggests that they assimilate into Babylon (Jer 29:4-29:7)
“The letter said.
‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts!
The God of Israel!
To all the exiles
Whom I have sent
Into exile
From Jerusalem
To Babylon.
Build houses!
Live in them!
Plant gardens!
Eat what they produce!
Take wives!
Have sons!
Have daughters!
Take wives for your sons!
Give your daughters
In marriage!
Thus they may bear sons.
Thus they may bear daughters.
Multiply there!
Do not decrease!
But seek the welfare
Of the city
Where I have sent you
Into exile.
Pray to Yahweh
On its behalf.
In its welfare
You will find your welfare.’”
Interesting enough, this letter is very favorable to the Babylonians. After all, it was going to the king of Babylon. Once again it is the classical Jeremiah oracle with Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, as the source of this letter. They were to build houses, live in them, plant gardens, and eat from their produce. They were to have wives and children. They were to take wives for their sons and give their daughters in marriage, so that they could become grandparents. They should multiply there, not decrease. In fact, they were to get involved in the city there by praying to Yahweh for its welfare. After all, if the city did well, so would they. This seems like a clear attempt to assimilate into the Babylonian culture and society.
The fate of the Jerusalem inhabitants (Jer 6:11-6:12)
“‘Pour it out
On the children in the street!
Pour it out also
On the gatherings of young men!
Both husband with wife shall be taken.
The old folk shall be taken.
The very aged shall be taken.
Their houses shall be turned over to others.
Their fields shall be turned over to others.
Their wives also shall be turned over to others.
I will stretch out my hand
Against the inhabitants of the land.’
Says Yahweh.”
Yahweh, via Jeremiah, says that this information should be spread to the children in the streets and the young men. However, both husbands and wives will be taken away, as well as the old and very old people. Their houses, wives, and fields will be turned over to others. Yahweh was going to stretch out his hand against the inhabitants of this land.
Financial independence (Sir 33:19-33:23)
“To son or wife,
To brother or friend,
Do not give power over yourself,
As long as you live.
Do not give your property
To another.
In case you change your mind,
You must ask for it.
While you are still alive,
While you have breath in you,
Do not let anyone take your place!
It is better
That your children
Should ask from you
Than that you should look
To the hand of your children.
Excel in all that you do!
Bring no stain upon your honor!
At the time when you end
The days of your life,
In the hour of your death,
Distribute your inheritance.”
Sirach points out the important of keeping your money until you die. He did not want people to give up their property to sons, wives, brothers, or friends as long as they were alive. He would be against the modern power of attorney concept. He seems to prefer the old fashioned last will and testament. His reasoning was that you might change your mind. Then you would have a hard time getting it back. No one should take your place as long as you were living. It is better that your children come to you, rather than you depend on your children. During your life, you should excel in all that you do. You should bring honor to your family. However, at the end, when you are near death, then you can distribute your goods via a will or anyway you please.
The punishment of the unjust (Wis 3:10-3:13)
“But the ungodly will be punished.
As their reasoning deserves,
They disregarded the righteous.
They rebelled against the Lord.
Whoever despises wisdom,
Whoever despises instruction,
Are miserable.
Their hope is vain.
Their labors are unprofitable.
Their works are useless.
Their wives are foolish.
Their children are evil.
Their offspring are accursed.”
The ungodly, unjust ones (ἀσεβεῖς) will be punished because they disregarded the righteous. They rebelled against the Lord (τοῦ Κυρίου ἀποστάντες). Whoever despises wisdom and instruction (σοφίαν γὰρ καὶ παιδείαν) will be miserable. Their hope is useless. Their labors are not profitable. Their wives are foolish (αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν ἄφρονες) and their children are evil (πονηρὰ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν). They will have accursed offspring (ἐπικατάρατος ἡ γένεσις αὐτῶν).
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 