8 Ways Households in Ephesus Were Different Than the Modern Family
Quick Summary
Household structures in the Roman world shaped daily life, social identity, economic stability, and moral expectations. Understanding these patterns helps illuminate the backdrop of passages like Ephesians 5–6, where Paul addresses households shaped by Roman customs, patronage networks, and cultural hierarchies. In the Roman world, the household was not a private sphere but the core of social order, religious practice, and civic identity.
Introduction
To understand early Christian communities—including the one Paul addressed in Ephesians—it is essential to grasp how the ancient Roman household functioned. The oikos (Greek) or domus (Latin) was far more than a family dwelling. It included extended relatives, enslaved persons, hired laborers, clients, and sometimes business apprentices. A household could have dozens of people under the authority of a single male head, the paterfamilias.
These structures shaped expectations about authority, obedience, marriage, children, social honor, and economic life. When Paul wrote about mutual submission, love shaped by Christ, and relationships transformed by the Spirit, he was speaking into a world whose household norms were tightly connected to Roman law, social customs, and religious duties.
This overview highlights the major features of Roman household life to help readers understand the world behind Ephesians, Colossians, and the household discussions in the New Testament.
The Household in the Roman World
1. The Paterfamilias: Authority and Responsibility
In Roman law, the paterfamilias exercised legal authority over the entire household. His power (patria potestas) included decisions about:
property,
marriage arrangements,
inheritance,
discipline,
and religious practice.
This authority was not merely social but legal. Everyone in the household (children, relatives, and enslaved persons) was under his jurisdiction.
Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 5–6 reimagines household authority through the lens of Christlike love, sacrificial care, and mutual honor (see Instructions to Children, Parents, Slaves, and Masters).
2. Marriage and Household Honor
Roman marriage emphasized social alliances, inheritance, and household continuity. Wives were expected to uphold honor, manage domestic affairs, and maintain the stability of the household.
Paul’s instruction for husbands to love their wives “as Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25) introduced a radically different framework. Instead of authority rooted in honor and control, Paul rooted relationships in self-giving love (see Walking in Love).
3. Children and the Formation of Loyalty
Children were central to Roman social continuity. The father held legal authority, and children were expected to obey and honor their parents. Education took place in the home, shaping moral and civic loyalty.
Paul affirms the importance of honoring parents (Ephesians 6:1–3) but places these instructions within a Christ-centered community that redefines authority, comfort, and discipline.
4. Enslaved Persons in the Household System
Enslaved persons formed a significant portion of Roman households. They served in roles such as:
domestic labor,
education,
financial management,
craft production,
and business administration.
Some household slaves were highly skilled and managed significant responsibilities.
Paul’s teaching regarding slaves and masters (Ephesians 6:5–9) challenges the absolute authority of the master by placing both under the lordship of Christ. This reframing is explored more fully in The Household Code in Context.
5. Religion in the Household
Roman households practiced daily religious rituals. Shrines (lararia) honored household gods (lares and penates). The paterfamilias performed sacrifices and prayers on behalf of the family.
Religious piety reinforced social hierarchy: the father mediated between the household and the gods.
When Christian households shifted worship toward Christ instead of household deities, they redefined the spiritual structure of the home and challenged traditional loyalty. This shift is woven through Paul’s emphasis on prayer, gratitude, and spiritual strength (see Praying in the Spirit).
6. Patronage and Household Networks
Households were part of larger patron-client systems. Wealthy households supported clients who, in return, offered loyalty, labor, political support, or business cooperation.
This patronage system shaped:
social mobility,
economic opportunity,
public honor,
and civic influence.
Early Christian communities challenged these patterns by emphasizing unity across social boundaries (see The Unity of the Body of Christ).
7. Economic Life Within the Household
Many households operated small businesses out of their homes. Workshops, storage areas, and business offices were often part of the household complex.
This blending of home and work helps explain why early Christian gatherings often met in homes. These households became centers of worship, hospitality, and shared life shaped by Christ.
8. Conflict and Transformation in Christian Households
The Christian message brought transformation and tension. New loyalties changed household expectations.
Paul calls believers to:
mutual submission (Ephesians 5:21),
gentleness (see Walking Worthy of Our Calling),
truth in love (see Speak the Truth in Love),
forgiveness,
and sacrificial love.
These practices reshaped Roman household norms from the inside out.
FAQs
Were Roman households similar to modern families?
No. They were larger, multigenerational, and included enslaved persons, apprentices, and clients.
Did early Christian households reject Roman norms?
Some norms were challenged, while others were transformed through Christlike love and mutual submission.
Why did Paul address households in his letters?
Because households were central to social stability, economic life, and spiritual formation.
How does this help us understand Ephesians?
It reveals how Paul reorients traditional hierarchies around the love, humility, and unity found in Christ.
Works Consulted
Dixon, Suzanne. The Roman Family. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992.
Osiek, Carolyn, and David Balch. Families in the New Testament World: Households and House Churches. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1997.
Saller, Richard. Patriarchy, Property, and Death in the Roman Family. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994.
