to be discreet,
chaste,
homemakers,
good,
obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
Titus 2:5
LORD Jesus, we praise You for this new day that You have made. Thank You for not leaving us alone no matter where we are and which circumstances we are facing. Guide us in our daily walk that we may become more like You, our Master. Help us to live, to learn, and to teach. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.
READ — Let’s read the verse again:
to be discreet, chaste, HOMEMAKERS, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
(emphasis mine)
ENGAGE — Word search
The term we are studying today has been translated from the original Greek as homemakers (NKJV), keepers at home (KJV), or working at home (ESV). Let’s look up the original which is οἰκουρός (oikouros) — G3626 in the Strong’s resource.
This concordance says that it is a compound word coming from οἶκος (oikos) and οὖρος (ouros). The meaning of oikos is dwelling, family, or home. Ouros means “a guard” or be “ware”. So oikouros is another word for “a homemaker who is aware, on guard, of what is going on in her home.”
I also looked up the phrase in an Italian and in two German Bibles. The words diligenti nei lavori domestici in the Italian Nuova Riveduta translate as diligent in housework. The Lutheran Bible calls it häuslich which is German for home-loving or at home (as in: making oneself at home) while the Schlachter Bible names it haushälterisch which we could translate as economical.
APPLY — Putting it all together
The Keeper at Home is:
– guarding her home
– diligent in her housework
– budgeting her time and money well.
DO — Think back and look forward
If you are an older woman, think back in time: When and how did you start off your journey as a homemaker? Were you well trained — at home and during your childhood, while attending school, or through classes later on? Or did you ever wish someone would have told you more about homemaking?
Now we both know that “faith without works is dead” and so is even the best theory if it cannot be put into practice. This does not help the young woman at all. We need to ask: Is this or that method really worth the effort of learning and teaching? Perhaps the younger could teach the older sister a better and quicker way of doing things?
Encourage a young sister in her homemaking skills today.
