Biblical Patriarchy

The basic definition of a patriarch is “the male head of family or tribe”, and is, in part, an accurate definition of what we embrace here at Joshuah’s House. The father and husband is the one who has been charged with the duty and responsibility to lead his family.

Another good definition of a patriarch can be gleaned from Wikipedia. We would replace “autocratic” with theocratic. …

Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a composition of πατήρ (pater) meaning “father” and ἄρχων (archon) meaning “leader”, “chief”, “ruler”, “king”, etc.

The extended family part is especially significant, in that we aim to promote a long term, multi-generational vision that includes and depends upon the greater extended family, as opposed to the small, ineffectual nuclear family so common today. Plural marriage (polygyny) would figure into our definition of biblical patriarchy, as a tool of dominion. We will elaborate on that at a later time.

So we define a biblical patriarch as a man who is the leader or ruler over his extended household, has as his primary task the exercise of dominion over creation as commanded by Yahweh (from the beginning), of passing this on to future generations by teaching this to his children, and relies solely on the Holy Scriptures as the tool and absolute standard by which he goes forth in this task, gauges the families progress, and maintains the proper vision. Sola Scriptura, Tota Scriptura.

The submission to Yahweh’s law, and the understanding of Scripture as the only standard, are the most important aspects for a biblical patriarch. It is by Yahweh’s grace and mercy that a man is made meek enough to submit to His rule. If Yahweh has a task for you, you will complete it, just like Jonah. Sometimes it’s a matter of being made meek. Keep in mind that Moses was the meekest man of all, and Yahweh used him mightily. We will elaborate on meekness later also

Any other plan of dominion will fail, at some point along the way. Civilizations will rise and fall, but the Kingdom of Yahweh will stand forever.

“The third characteristic of the Biblical law or covenant is that it constitutes a *plan of dominion* under God. God called Adam to exercise ,dominion in terms of God’s revelation, God’s law (Gen. 1:26ff.; 2:15-17). This same calling, after the fall, was required of the godly line, and in Noah it was formally renewed (Gen. 9:1-17). It was again renewed with Abraham, with Jacob, with Israel in the person of Moses, with Joshua, David, Solomon (whose Proverbs echo the law), with Hezekiah and Josiah, and finally with Jesus Christ. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is the renewal of the covenant: “this is my blood of the new testament” (or covenant), so that the sacrament itself re-establishes the law, this time with a new elect group. *The people of the law* are now the people of Christ, the believers redeemed by His atoning blood, and called by His sovereign election.” RJ Rushdoony, Vol. 1, The Institutes of Biblical Law, p. 8-9

dominion, biblical patriarchy

God’s perfect law gives us the tools that we need to take godly dominion over the earth. Adam was charged in the very beginning to take dominion, commonly referred to as the Dominion Covenant, and no where do we find where this task of mankind has been changed. That is the aim of biblical patriarchy: for a man to actively guide and direct his family in the way that they should take dominion, according to God’s precepts, judgments, and commandments.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”