FYI: It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride’s father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer, and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the “honey month” or what we know today as the “honeymoon.”
. . . speaking of which, did you know that according to Deuteronomy 24.5, "When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any related duty. He shall be free at home one year, to be happy with the wife whom he has married." Nice.
Who’s in Charge?
1Cor 11.3–16
But I want you to understand that Christ
is the head of every man, and the husband is the head of his wife, and
God is the head of Christ. Any man who prays or prophesies with something
on his head disgraces his head, but any woman who prays or prophesies with
her head unveiled disgraces her head—it is one and the same thing as having
her head shaved. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should
cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair
cut off or to be shaved, she should wear a veil. For a man ought not to
have his head veiled, since he is the image and reflection of God; but
woman is the reflection of man. Indeed, man was not made from woman, but
woman from man. Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman
for the sake of man. For this reason a woman ought to have a symbol of
authority on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord
woman is not independent of man or man independent of woman. For just as
woman came from man, so man comes through woman; but all things come from
God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with
her head unveiled? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears
long hair, it is degrading to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is
her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. But if anyone is
disposed to be contentious—we have no such custom, nor do the churches
of God.
Eph 5.21–6.9
Be subject to one another out of reverence
for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the
church, the body of which he is the Savior. Just as the church is subject
to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself
up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing
of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor,
without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes, so that she may
be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their
wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares
for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his
body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined
to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a great mystery,
and I am applying it to Christ and the church. Each of you, however, should
love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband. Children,
obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and
mother”—this is the first commandment with a promise: “so that it may be
well with you and you may live long on the earth.” And, fathers, do not
provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and
instruction of the Lord. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and
trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being
watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the
will of God from the heart. Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord
and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive
the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free. And, masters,
do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you
have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.
Col 3.18–4.1
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as
is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them
harshly. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable
duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose
heart. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while
being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing
the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord
and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive
the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer
will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality.
Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, for you know that you also
have a Master in heaven.
1Tim 2.8–15
I desire, then, that in every place the
men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument; also
that the women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable
clothing, not with their hair braided, or with gold, pearls, or expensive
clothes, but with good works, as is proper for women who profess reverence
for God. Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no
woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent.
For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the
woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through
childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with
modesty.
1Pet 2.18–3.7
Slaves, accept the authority of your masters
with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those
who are harsh. For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure
pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing
wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer
for it, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because
Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should
follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found
in his mouth.” When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered,
he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins,
we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For
you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd
and guardian of your souls. Wives, in the same way, accept the authority
of your husbands, so that, even if some of them do not obey the word, they
may be won over without a word by their wives’ conduct, when they see the
purity and reverence of your lives. Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by
braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather,
let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle
and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight. It was in this
way long ago that the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves
by accepting the authority of their husbands. Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham
and called him lord. You have become her daughters as long as you do what
is good and never let fears alarm you. Husbands, in the same way, show
consideration for your wives in your life together, paying honor to the
woman as the weaker sex, since they too are also heirs of the gracious
gift of life—so that nothing may hinder your prayers.
Compare with the following texts.
Rom 10.11–13
The scripture says, “No one who believes
in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and
Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on
him. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Gal 3.27–29
As many of you as were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there
is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all
of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are
Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
1Cor 12.12–13
For just as the body is one and has many
members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so
it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one
body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one
Spirit.
Col 3.9–11
Do not lie to one another, seeing that
you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed
yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according
to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and
Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free;
but Christ is all and in all!