Early on in my Christian life, I was taught that Titus 2 forbade wives and mothers from working outside the home. Thoroughly persuaded, I even transmitted this teaching to others. In the past several years, however, I have revisited what the Scriptures have to say about this subject. In the process, I’ve discovered that this view puts a heavy burden on women that the Bible does not intend.
Titus 2:5 (NASB) tells us that women are “to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.” While this verse is often interpreted to mean that women are not allowed to work outside the home, we might question this reading for a few reasons.
Working Women in the New Testament
First, let’s consider the historical and cultural context in which Paul wrote. Women in the Roman Empire frequently worked outside the home, especially those who were not wealthy. Furthermore, in the New Testament, we see numerous examples of such women:
- Priscilla: A tentmaker along with her husband Aquila (Ac 18:2-3).
- Phoebe: A deaconess from the church at Cenchreae, a benefactor to Paul, and the one who delivers the epistle to the Romans (Ro 16:1).
- Junia: A woman called “outstanding among the apostles,” implying that she is actively involved in spreading the gospel (Ro 16:7).
- Mary Magdalene: One of the women who follows Jesus and provides for him out of her own resources (Lk 8:2).
- Joanna and Susanna: Women who provided for Jesus and the disciples out of their own resources (Lk 8:3).
- Dorcas: A disciple who makes clothes for widows in her community (Ac 9:36-42).
- Euodia & Syntiche: Paul’s “fellow workers” in the gospel, which implies that they are actively involved in spreading the gospel and building up the church (Ph 4:3).
The Industrial Revolution Changes Societies
We also need to consider the evolution of manual labour. For much of history, work was primarily done in the home or on the land, where women worked alongside men. The Industrial Revolution brought about significant changes in the way goods were produced, and it had a profound impact on the roles and perceptions of women. With the rise of factories and mechanization, work increasingly shifted outside the home and into larger-scale operations largely staffed by men.
As a result, the idea of separate spheres emerged, which held that women should be confined to the domestic sphere of hearth and home. Their charge became to create a haven of peace and order for their husbands in a rapidly changing world, while men were to carry out their labour in the public sphere of work and politics.
Considering Socio-Economic Realities
Another factor to consider is socio-economic status. In wealthier families, women can often stay at home and focus on domestic responsibilities because their husbands earn sufficient income to support the family. However, lower-income families require women to work outside the home to make ends meet.
I have travelled or lived in the developing world for half my life, where I’ve observed the economic realities for women. Their contribution to the household income isn’t merely a luxury. It’s essential to the family’s survival. In fact, I know several Senegalese pastors who wouldn’t be able to serve in ministry if their wives were not the breadwinners, since few churches there can afford to pay their pastor a living wage.
Idle Hands and the Return of Christ
Yet another element to consider is the theological backdrop of Paul’s comment in Titus 2. The early Christian community believed that Christ’s return was imminent and that the end of the world was at hand. As a result, many quit their jobs to await being with Christ. Paul would have none of this. Instead, he wrote, “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.” (2 Th 3:10). Paul’s argument in Titus 2, therefore, is not that women must not work outside the home, but rather that all believers, both men and women, are to work with their hands (1 Th 4:11), to not be idle (2 Th 3:6), and to be found labouring in the harvest at Christ’s return.
Parallels Between Older Women and Elders
We need to consider Paul’s exhortation to women, therefore, in light of his parallel address to elders. A close reading of the pastoral epistles shows us the striking similarities between the Titus 2 list of female virtues and the 1 Timothy 3 list of qualifications for male elders. Women are called to the care of their families and homes in Titus 2, and elders as well are to do the same according to 1 Timothy: “The overseer is to be … faithful to his wife” and “manage his own family well and see that his children obey him,” for “if anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?” (1 Tim. 3:2-5). Not only that, to the elder Paul gives an additional domestic responsibility: to practice hospitality, which many perceive today as a feminine call.
Men and Women as Partners in the Home
Every point I have made so far has not been to denigrate the value of the home, but to elevate it. In her book Keeping Place, Jen Pollock Michel reflects on the importance of the domestic sphere and the work of caregiving, which she sees as undervalued in contemporary culture. Michel argues that the work of creating a home and caring for others is a vital and meaningful task that we should respect and value, rather than dismiss as unimportant or insignificant. She emphasizes that God’s design for human flourishing includes both the work of creating and maintaining a home, as well as the work of contributing to the wider society through vocation and other activities. She argues that both God calls men and women to use their gifts and talents in service to others, both within and outside the home.
We are Free in Christ
When a couple agrees that the husband will provide financially and the wife will stay at home, that’s a valid and valuable decision. I rejoice with those who can afford to make that choice. It’s an especially hard one to make when the culture denigrates it so much. I know such wives and mothers who face a great deal of opposition for being stay-at-home moms. “What do you do all day?” “It’s too bad you haven’t done something with your life!”
I commend the families that choose this lifestyle. We can glorify God well whether we work outside the home or whether we are stay-at-home moms. The Bible does not place a burden on us one way or the other. We are free in Christ to do either. Making a home is a worthy endeavour. Let’s not denigrate it, but rather call one another to it.
Implications
When we recognize that Christ has called women as well as men to serve him both inside and outside the home, we can better encourage our sisters to find their place in carrying out Christ’s mission in the world. Similarly, if we de-stigmatize the domestic sphere so that men see that they play an essential role in caring for the home, we will partner more harmoniously in families. If husbands and fathers model to their children their love and care for their wives by contributing equitably to domestic tasks, they will show the next generation of believers how to love and serve Christ both inside and outside the home.
