“Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them — husbands are commanded to 'love' (agapeō), not merely lead. 'Do not be harsh' (pikraino, embitter) forbids cruelty. The mutual command (wives submit, husbands love) establishes reciprocity: love enables submission; submission enables love. The household is not patriarchal tyranny but mutual covenant.
Church Fathers on Colossians 3:19
Why does he not give these commands everywhere, and in all the Epistles, but only here, and in that to the Ephesians, and that to Timothy, and that to Titus? Because probably there were dissensions in these cities; or probably they were correct in other respects, so that it was expedient they should hear about these things. Rather, however, what he says to these, he says to all. Now in these things also this Epistle bears great resemblance to that to the Ephesians, either…
Read all 2 entries in the readerNicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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