Household Rules, Roman Edition
Today I read through the short letter to Titus, and what caught my attention most were the instructions Paul gives for different groups of people: older men, older women, younger women, young men, and even slaves (Titus 2:1–10, NLT). These directions feel like an ancient snapshot of how the early Christian movement tried to organize itself within the wider Roman world.
When Aristotle Meets the Apostles
What stands out is how closely these instructions resemble the household codes common in Greco-Roman society. Roman culture placed enormous importance on the household as the basic unit of order and stability. A well-managed home reflected a well-managed society. Philosophers like Aristotle had written about the duties of men, women, children, and slaves centuries earlier, and it seems that the early Christian writers adapted some of that framework to their own communities.
For example, Titus 2:2 says, “Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.” The emphasis here is on dignity and steadiness—qualities that would have been admired in Roman elders, too. Meanwhile, older women are told to “live in a way that honors God” and to avoid gossip, while also training younger women to “love their husbands and their children” (Titus 2:3–4, NLT). These are domestic roles, reinforcing stability in the family unit.
The Awkward Part: Slaves in the Mix
The part that feels most jarring today is the inclusion of slaves: “Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way” (Titus 2:9–10, NLT). For modern readers, this raises questions. Why would an early Christian leader reinforce the institution of slavery rather than challenge it? One possible answer is that the early church was still a small, vulnerable movement within the Roman Empire. To encourage open rebellion against established norms like slavery could have brought dangerous scrutiny. Instead, the letter frames obedience as a way to reflect well on the community’s teachings.
Reading these instructions alongside their cultural backdrop, it seems the letter to Titus is about more than personal morality. It’s about presenting a community that appeared orderly, respectable, and aligned enough with broader society to avoid conflict—yet still distinct in its motivations and values. The instructions blend familiar Roman household expectations with a new emphasis on faith, love, and grace.
A Balancing Act
What I find interesting is the tension here. On one hand, the early Christians were part of a radical movement claiming allegiance to a different Lord than Caesar. On the other, in their daily lives, they often conformed to existing social structures, perhaps to survive or to spread their message more effectively. The letter to Titus captures that balance: honoring tradition while introducing a new way of thinking about purpose and behavior.
It makes me wonder how much of what we consider “religious teaching” is actually shaped by cultural survival strategies. Titus reads less like a manual for timeless virtues and more like a practical guide for fitting into an empire while quietly nurturing a different identity beneath the surface.