Parental authority over adult children: diminishes naturally with age; adult children make their own decisions while still honoring parents
Q from Joel Larson about how much authority a father has over adult children, and whether it differs for sons vs. daughters.
Mike notes that even in the Old Testament, a father's veto power over a daughter's vows applied to young women, implying it lapsed with adulthood. Parental authority appropriately transitions from authoritarian to counselor/advisor during the teen years. A specific example: a man in his mid-20s whose parents asked him to co-sign a loan despite their bad credit—Mike's counsel was that honoring parents means giving them respect and serious consideration, but the decision belongs to the adult child. Genesis 2 (leave father and mother and be joined to spouse) shows that marriage further displaces parental authority. Authoritarian parenting of adults is unhealthy unless the person has a genuine incapacity.
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Scripture Commentary
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The Bible nowhere argues that the authority that parents have over children extends into adulthood. Gen 2:24 clearly shows that a man leaves his mother and father and cleaves to his wife showing that there is a clear break from parental authority and...
The Bible nowhere argues that the authority that parents have over children extends into adulthood. Gen 2:24 clearly shows that a man leaves his mother and father and cleaves to his wife showing that
Theology
verse entry
1 Peter 3:1-9
Sections: cross_references, debate_points, exegesis, greek_analysis
Theology
greek term
ὑπακούω (hypakouō)
to listen to, to hearken, to obey
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