Obedience in the Household

In the modern world we have divided the workplace from the household. But in order to understand what Paul is doing here, we need to bring them back together. Our English word “economics” comes from the Greek word for “household” All of your “economic” labors are “household” labors. You may do it in a different place than the place where you live, but it is still household labor.

After all, think of a Greek merchant. Most of his day would be spent away from the place where he lived. People frequently had to travel for business (like today) but they did not divorce their “economic” life from the “household.”

And so if we would understand what Paul is doing here we need to think about our “economic” life as a part of our “household” life.