Abstract
This article employs the descriptive and exegetical methods. It found several ways by which patriarchy precipitates marital disharmony in Nigeria. For instance, the custom of the bride price instils in the husband the feeling of ownership of the wife, which encourages some men to treat their wives like their property. The nature of marital disharmony varies with couples, but there are some common characteristics. The husband may withdraw from his wife, avoiding all forms of contact and communication with her; wife beating is also common. Ephesians 5:22-33 mitigates the patriarchal view of marriage, redefining the concepts of submission and leadership. The wife should submit to her husband’s authority as she would to Christ whilst the husband should exercise his authority with love in imitation of Christ. When this new definition of marital relationship is understood and applied by Christian couples, disharmony will be considerably alleviated. The church should be involved in the application of the text, teaching husbands particularly the need to exercise their authority in sacrificial love. Contribution: The article endorses the journal’s focus on the combination of the notions ‘source’ and ‘interpretation’ by its emphasis on the exegesis of writings in the field of early Christian literature.
Highlights
A large number of studies have been conducted on patriarchy, as it engenders violence against women in Africa, and several of these studies are applied to the Nigerian context (e.g. Ademiluka 2019; Agbonkhese & Onuoha 2017; Babajide-Alabi 2017; Igbelina-Igbokwe 2013)
This article identifies ways in which patriarchal tendencies pose disharmony amongst Nigerian Christian couples and examines how Ephesians 5:22–33 can be applied as a remedy
The article undergoes an exegesis of Ephesians 5:22–33 and applies the interpretation to alleviate marital disharmony amongst Nigerian Christians
Summary
A large number of studies have been conducted on patriarchy, as it engenders violence against women in Africa, and several of these studies are applied to the Nigerian context (e.g. Ademiluka 2019; Agbonkhese & Onuoha 2017; Babajide-Alabi 2017; Igbelina-Igbokwe 2013). In verses 23 and 24 Paul places the Christian wife under her husband’s authority, for which reason some interpreters have accused him of being conservative and patriarchal, being the ‘source of an infamous Christian injunction’ that makes women subservient to men (Miles 2006:76).
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