MEN ARE FROM MARS . . . (Ezra 1)

Every man is master of his own house; whatever he says, goes. (Esther 1:22)

"A man's home is his castle."  The familiar proverb was first included in The Institutes of English Law by Sir Edward Coke back in 1628. Although legally it established an owner's right to defend his home, we often hear it to indicate a man has to live as he pleases in his own home. He is not the the king of his house, but of the people who live there as well. 

Thank goodness the verse I quoted above is a law created by a Gentile king and not part of "The Revelation" God gave to Moses as our rule of conduct. The war between men and women has been going on a long time.

The story challenged me because it could happen today as well as id did 2500 years (or so) ago. 

In case you don't remember the details, King Xerxes held a banquet for everyone in his capital, poor and rich alike--for a week. He entertained the men while Vashti entertained the women.

At the end of the week, fueled by alcoholic stupidity, Xerxes demanded that the beautiful Vashti appear in front of the men. 

We're not told if the women drank as heavily as the men. I can imagine, that like women's conventions everywhere, family was the center of conversation. Each one bragging how her husband and children were better than everyone else's. And listening patiently while Vashti extolled the virtues of the king. 

Somehow I doubt that she mentioned his demand for her appearance in front of a room full of drunken, leering men.

Vashti refused, Xerxes divorced her, and the process of choosing the next queen--Esther--began. 

I won't attempt to discuss the definition of a wife's "submission" to her husband in this post.  But I think it's safe to safe to say that the expression of a woman's sexuality should be reserved between husband and wife. 

Never in the ancient version of a strip bar. 

And men, by the way? Home is the queen's castle as well. 

(In fact, that's how  American Alexander Chase put it: "A man's home is his wife's castle." 1966)