Dear Complementarian:
If you embrace the theological position that God the Son is eternally (read “permanently”) subordinate to God the Father and then ground your belief that submission of the wife to the husband is permanently true because of this theological position, then what does this text mean?
At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. -Mt.22:30
Presumably the text suggests that in eternity human relationships will not include marriage (the question about human reproduction and human sexual relationships is equally suspect). The uses of γαμέω and γαμίζω (words for a man/woman marrying) make it clear that marriage is not part of the eternal state “at the resurrection life” (Note ”in the resurrection life” is better τῇ ἀναστάσει; not all who have been raised from the dead experience the resurrection life as with Jairus’ daughter, for example). Thus, in some manner angels are a pattern of the human heavenly state and depict a likeness of the roles between male and female in their heavenly state. Of course, Jesus does not say humans will be angels; only humans will be like angels (Note: “ὡς” ἄγγελοι).
It follows, therefore, that since the husband and wife are no longer married “in the resurrection life,” then submission of the wife to the husband can no longer be required, since their roles are changed in eternity. By virtue of this changed state/role between husband and wife, it is merely temporari ly true that the husband has authority over the wife; it cannot be eternally true.
The influence of Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology is considerably large in evangelical camps. It’s sold well over 300,000 copies. Grudem argues that God the Son is eternally subordinate to God the Father and that this is the orthodox pattern held in Scripture and throughout the history of the Church (pp. 249-252. This is seriously brought into question. See Millard J. Erickson’s Who’s Tampering with the Trinity? where he fairly and charitably lays out the views of Wayne Grudem and Bruce Ware and calls into question their understanding of the biblical and historical data and “exposes flaws in familial implications derived from the Trinity.”).
In his Systematic Theology Grudem applies this theological position to the husband and wife roles stating that marriage is “a picture of the relationship between the Father and the Son in the Trinity” (p. 257). Elsewhere, Grudem goes so far as to say that what distinguishes the persons within the Trinity is the notion of authority, stating “If we did not have such differences in authority in the relationships among the members of the Trinity, then we would not know of any differences at all” (Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth, p. 433). Interestingly, in his theology tome no where does Grudem address Mt. 22:30. Even within the chapter on angels, he does not broach this text (p. 397ff). Yet, Jesus draws a clear parallel between angels and humans specifically as it relates to their eternal state.
I find it very confusing, therefore, that the relationship between God the Father and God the Son is used as a model to support hierarchical relationships of husband over wife, and the application to marriage is said to be eternally true! If Grudem’s logic is right, then we would not know the differences between male and female in heaven, since what distinguishes them in eternity is the same as what distinguishes the Father and the Son in eternity. Yet Jesus says otherwise. Can you enlighten me please?
Mutually yours,
A disciple of Jesus
