Hattie’s Hangout: Biblical Fatherhood Is Under Attack

Letting the secular world create new definitions to Biblical rhetoric is dangerous, and it is happening every day. 

An illiteracy of scripture allows this behavior to happen. We see this now in the secular world’s definition of the word patriarchy, which leaves a sour taste in many people’s mouths. 

The secular world took hold of the word patriarchy and spit out a new definition, redefining the word as something that symbolizes aggression and demonization over male headship. 

Unfortunately, this defiance of biblical fatherhood was let into the church through the side door. People who profess Christianity on the Counsel of Biblical Equality (CBE) now believe that patriarchy is not a Biblical ideal but a result of sin. 

According to the CBE, they believe “the Bible reflects patriarchal culture but does not teach patriarchy in human relationships.” 

This piggybacks off their foggy interpretation and belief that Christ’s redemptive work frees all people from patriarchy. 

When I read scripture and see the way God used the patriarch Abraham as the father of Israel I am perplexed by the demonization of this term, for there is rich beauty in seeing the Fatherhood of our Lord  depicted through the establishment of Israel and later within the creation of the Church family.

Many modern feminists who vilify patriarchy as oppressive behavior continues to mislabel the root problem in humanity, for the explanation of all bad behavior and pain is not male authority – it is sin. 

People who believe a patriarchy suffocates and oppresses women have blinded their eyes to the Bible and opened their ears to what the world defines patriarchy to be. If we want to be good stewards of the Word, these falsehoods have to be broken down and brought back to what scripture says.

In Genesis 15, the Lord bestows a covenant with Abraham saying, “To your offspring I give this land,” fulfilling the name Abraham given to him by God, which means father of multitude. Continually, in Acts 2:29 Peter reminds the crowd at Pentecost of the “Patriarch David” whose line bore the line of Christ. These examples of fatherhood are used in scripture to not amplify the works of man but to uplift the faithfulness of God, whose promises are true and trustworthy forever. 

Family was created by God and must be built according to the scriptures of God. Letting the secular world delineate from the real meaning of fatherhood and family is a slander to the truths in the Bible. The reason the Bible beholds several instances of patriarchal headship is to better the understanding of the headship of Christ, giving examples of patriarchs throughout the Scriptures. 

The use of patriarchal examples does not stay within the Old Testament context, for the same message reiterates itself through the life of Jesus and his 12 disciples, members of the Pauline circle and elders in the early church. When I read in Ephesians 6 and 1 Peter 3, I am once again reminded of the significance of the submission under patriarchy has in reflecting the way “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” In the same way Paul goes on to show in Eph. 3:28-33 how the husband must care for his wife as Christ cares for the church, leading through their sacrificial love. 

Hebrews 11 acknowledges heroes of the faith, listing out several instances of a patriarch’s faith in action, all of whom cannot be justified by the works of their hands but only by their faith in God. 

Looking at the obvious implementations of patriarchy within the Bible, how can we not glorify the Lord more for giving us a glimpse of the meaning of his Fatherhood over his people. He is our “Father who art in heaven” as well as the Creator of the world, calling us his children. Many aspects of God’s creation reflect his character, and the family characterizing the fatherhood of God is no different. 

Satan, however, hates the family structure and despises how it reflects the gospel. 

Since this false definition of patriarchy seeped into the church, Christians who hold the truth of God’s word as a conviction on their life cannot quiver when speaking on the real meaning of Biblical terms – even when it’s controversial. 

Hattie Troutman is the Editor-in-Chief. Follow her on Twitter at @hattrout.