This podcast raised questions for me. Much is made of the responsibility of a husband as the head of his wife. This is very good, but this is not a complete picture. Or, it is a confused picture, at least.
Let me propose some definitions.
Authority n the power or right to give orders, enforce rules, make decisions, and exact compliance
Responsibility n the duty or obligation to undertake or accomplish a task successfully, assigned by the superior or established by one’s own commitment or circumstances
Accountability n subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something
Power n the ability or potential of an individual to influence others or control their actions
These are all related, but distinct, concepts. An attourney, for example, may be accountable but not responsible for his client. One may possess and exercise power without the authority to do so. And responsibility for a task is conceptually distinct from both the power and the authority that may be necessary to accomplish the task. As Turretin says, “We distinguish.”
So with that framing, I would like to ask questions:
As her head, to what degree or in what area is the husband accountable vs responsible for his wife?
For those ways in which God, the superior, holds a husband responsible for his wife, what authority has God given the husband over her?
What power is a husband given by God commensurate with that authority and how may it be exercised?