The term "domestic" in a biblical context refers to matters pertaining to the home and family life. The Bible provides extensive guidance on domestic relationships, responsibilities, and the spiritual significance of the household. The family unit is often depicted as a microcosm of the larger community of faith, with its structure and dynamics reflecting God's order and purpose.

Family Structure and Roles

The Bible outlines specific roles within the family, emphasizing the importance of order and mutual respect. Ephesians 5:22-25 instructs, "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her." This passage highlights the complementary roles of husbands and wives, rooted in love and respect.

Children are also given a significant place within the domestic sphere. Ephesians 6:1-4 states, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' (which is the first commandment with a promise), 'so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.' Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." This underscores the responsibility of parents to nurture and instruct their children in the ways of the Lord.

Hospitality and Stewardship

Hospitality is a key aspect of domestic life in the Bible. Believers are encouraged to open their homes to others, reflecting God's love and generosity. Romans 12:13 exhorts, "Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality." The home is seen as a place of ministry and service, where the needs of others are met with kindness and generosity.

Stewardship of the household is another important theme. Proverbs 31:27 describes the virtuous woman: "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." This verse highlights the diligence and care required in managing a home, ensuring that it functions smoothly and reflects God's order.

Spiritual Significance of the Home

The home is often portrayed as a place of spiritual instruction and growth. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 commands, "These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." This passage emphasizes the role of the home as a primary setting for teaching and living out God's commandments.

Moreover, the domestic sphere is a reflection of the church and the broader community of believers. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 states that a church leader "must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity. For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?" This connection underscores the importance of domestic faithfulness as a foundation for broader spiritual leadership.

In summary, the Bible presents the domestic sphere as a vital context for living out one's faith, emphasizing roles, responsibilities, and the spiritual significance of the home. Through its teachings, believers are encouraged to cultivate households that honor God and reflect His love and order.1. (a.) Of or pertaining to one's house or home, or one's household or family; relating to home life; as, domestic concerns, life, duties, cares, happiness, worship, servants.

2. (a.) of or pertaining to a nation considered as a family or home, or to one's own country; intestine; not foreign; as, foreign wars and domestic dissensions.

3. (a.) Remaining much at home; devoted to home duties or pleasures; as, a domestic man or woman.

4. (a.) Living in or near the habitations of man; domesticated; tame as distinguished from wild; as, domestic animals.

5. (a.) Made in one's own house, nation, or country; as, domestic manufactures, wines, etc.

6. (n.) One who lives in the family of an other, as hired household assistant; a house servant.

7. (n.) Articles of home manufacture, especially cotton goods.

3609. oikeios -- to have seen or perceived, hence to know
... hence to know. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: oikeios Phonetic Spelling:
(oy-ki'-os) Short Definition: of one's family, domestic Definition: of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3609.htm - 6k

3610. oiketes -- a household (of servants)
... household servant. From oikeo; a fellow resident, ie Menial domestic -- (household)
servant. see GREEK oikeo. (oiketai) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3610.htm - 6k

3733. ornis -- a bird, spec. a rooster or hen
... hen. Probably from a prolonged form of the base of oros; a bird (as rising in the
air), ie (specially), a hen (or female domestic fowl) -- hen. see GREEK oros. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3733.htm - 6k

2934. ktenos -- a beast of burden
... beast. From ktaomai; property, ie (specially) a domestic animal -- beast. see GREEK
ktaomai. (ktene) -- 2 Occurrences. (ktenos) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2934.htm - 6k

2012. epitropos -- an administrator (one having authority)
... steward, guardian. From epi and tropos (in the sense of epitrope); a commissioner,
ie Domestic manager, guardian -- steward, tutor. see GREEK epi. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2012.htm - 6k

563. aperispastos -- without distraction
... Adverb from a compound of a (as a negative participle) and a presumed derivative
of perispao; undistractedly, ie Free from (domestic) solicitude -- without ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/563.htm - 7k

3537. kad -- a jar
... barrel, pitcher. From an unused root meaning to deepen; properly, a pail; but generally
of earthenware; a jar for domestic purposes -- barrel, pitcher. ...
/hebrew/3537.htm - 6k

Domestic Worship.
... SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC WORSHIP. 924. " Domestic Worship. 924. 8s. & 7s. M.
C. Wesley. Domestic Worship. 1 Peace be to this habitation ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/924 domestic worship.htm

The Domestic Relation.
... The Domestic Relation. ... It is a just cause of lament that so comparatively few wives
have a perfect knowledge of their rightful position in the domestic circle. ...
/.../orr/the gospel day /chapter xiii the domestic relation.htm

In Times of Domestic Distress.
... SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC WORSHIP. 931. " In Times of Domestic Distress. 931. CM Heber.
In Times of Domestic Distress. 1 O God, that madest earth and sky! ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/adams/hymns for christian devotion/931 in times of.htm

On Domestic and Social Life.
... constitutions of the holy apostles. Book IV. Sec. II."On Domestic and Social
Life. Of Parents and Children. XI. Ye fathers, educate ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec ii on domestic and social.htm

Whether a Part of Prudence Should be Reckoned to be Domestic?
... OF THE SUBJECTIVE PARTS OF PRUDENCE (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether a part of prudence
should be reckoned to be domestic? Objection 1: It ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether a part of prudence.htm

Epistle Lxiii. Limenius, Bishop of Vercell??, Having Died, the See ...
... Ambrose. Epistle LXIII. Limenius, Bishop of Vercell??, having died, the
see remained long vacant owing to domestic factions.? ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/epistle lxiii limenius bishop of.htm

That they are Frequently to be Corrected who do Wrong in Domestic ...
... Third Book. 105. That they are frequently to be corrected who do wrong in
domestic duty. In Solomon: "He who spareth the rod, hateth ...
/.../three books of testimonies against the jews/105 that they are frequently.htm

Of the Internal Disasters which Vexed the Roman Republic, and ...
... Book III. Chapter 23."Of the Internal Disasters Which Vexed the Roman Republic,
and Followed a Portentous Madness Which Seized All the Domestic Animals. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 23 of the internal disasters.htm

Of Equitable Rule.
... And therefore, although our righteous fathers [1289] had slaves, and administered
their domestic affairs so as to distinguish between the condition of slaves ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 16 of equitable rule.htm

Episcopal Missions.
... The Episcopal Church in the United States established a Domestic and Foreign Missionary
Society in 1820; and the General Convention of 1835 resolved, That the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/episcopal missions.htm

Domestic (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Of or pertaining to one's house or home, or one's household or family; relating
to home life; as, domestic concerns, life, duties, cares, happiness ...
/d/domestic.htm - 8k

Ass (95 Occurrences)
... long ears. The tame or domestic ass is patient, slow, and sure-footed,
and has become the type of obstinacy and stupidity. There ...
/a/ass.htm - 48k

Goat (92 Occurrences)
... varieties, esp. the domestic goat (C. hircus), which is raised for its milk,
flesh, and skin. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. GOAT. got ...
/g/goat.htm - 48k

Fire (602 Occurrences)
... (2.) For domestic purposes, such as baking, cooking, warmth, etc. (Jeremiah
36:22; Mark 14:54; John 18:18). But on Sabbath no fire ...
/f/fire.htm - 78k

Cattle (277 Occurrences)
... (n. pl.) Quadrupeds of the Bovine family; sometimes, also, including all domestic
quadrupeds, as sheep, goats, horses, mules, asses, and swine. Int. ...
/c/cattle.htm - 52k

Home (270 Occurrences)
... ancestors dwell or dwelt. 4. (n.) The abiding place of the affections,
especially of the domestic affections. 5. (n.) The locality ...
/h/ - 36k

Home (270 Occurrences)
... ancestors dwell or dwelt. 4. (n.) The abiding place of the affections,
especially of the domestic affections. 5. (n.) The locality ...
/h/home.htm - 36k

Fowl (73 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Any domesticated bird used as food, as a hen, turkey, duck; in a more
restricted sense, the common domestic cock or hen (Gallus domesticus). ...
/f/fowl.htm - 36k

Tame (3 Occurrences)
... 2. (superl.) Reduced from a state of native wildness and shyness; accustomed
to man; domesticated; domestic; as, a tame deer, a tame bird. ...
/t/tame.htm - 8k

Egg (3 Occurrences)
... maintained. Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (n.) The oval or roundish body
laid by domestic poultry and other birds, tortoises, etc. It ...
/e/egg.htm - 10k

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