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In this article we included St. Jerome’s standpoint on Gomer — the prostitute and wife of Hosea. This topic was presented in two stages. First, we analysed an issue of ideal woman according to St. Jerome. Then we presented a picture of Gomer in St. Jerome’s comment on the Book of Hosea 1–3. The main point of this article was an attempt to answer a question how St. Jerome deals with conveying the biblical meaning, according to which the prophet on God’s command marries an adulterous woman. This issue is very interesting, because the author of Vulgate had rather unfavourable attitude towards the institution of marriage and Gomer was not only married, but also a prostitute.

The good wife, as Plutrach taught, ought to have no feeling of her own, but she should join with her husband in seriousness and sportiveness, in soberness and laughter. The husband has to be pure and clean from all connexion with others when he approach his wife and her virtue, her exclusive devotion to her husband, her constancy, and her affection, ought to be most in evidence. The man ought to exercise control over the woman, not as the owner has control over a piece of property, but, as the soul colonists the body, by entering into her feelings and being knit to her through goodwill. He is teacher of philosophy, she is his disciple: for his wife husband must collect from every source what is useful and carrying it within his own self impart it to her, and then discusses it with her, and makes the best of these doctrines her favourite and familiar themes.

In Apuleius novel we have a seeming attack on bad character, bad behaviour of women for example main character is turn in to donkey by the witch. If we carefully analyse his literature that cover a topic of in family relationships, it can be notice thesis that, it is husband fault, by the rash and botched decision, lack of communication, starts conflicts that sometimes lead women to commit crimes. This confirm thesis that also Church Fathers preach about great responsibility of the husbands and fathers for shaping relation in his family.

The division of family responsibilities, which are designed for each house­hold member and harmonious family relationships are one of the most important keynotes of St. John’s Chrysostom preaching. In order to explain this issue he wrote homily on the Epistle to the Ephesians. According to it, the role of father in household is based on following Christ. Husbant’s relationship to his wife, especially respect for her, should be built by analogy to the relationship between Christ and the Church. The author calls the family a “small church”, comparing it to the Church as the Mystical Body. Living of the “small Church” is permeated with prayer and Holy Scripture reading. Firstly husband – the head of the family, performs the following Christian actions: reads inspired texts, strengthens himself by the sacrament of the Eucharist (that is , he takes the Holy Communion). And thanks to that going to church and celebrate the Lord’s Day, are the usual practice of all members of the parva Ecclesia.

Like many others Church fathers John Chrysostom considers virginity prefe­rable to marriage. At the same time, being an interpreter of Saint Paul’s doctrine, he repeats that marriage is a splendid God’s mystery (Ephesians 5, 31-33). That is why he explains to the Christian men what kind of women they have to marry in order to become happy husbands, as well as draws Christian wives’ attention to their duties. According to Chrysostom, a man who seeks a wife should follow example of the servant, sent by Abraham back to his homeland to get a bride for his son, Isaac. First of all, he must aim to find a righteous woman. Bride’s wealth, as well as physical beauty are able to make her husband happy only provided that she lives faithfully serving God. Saint John teaches that God expects married Christian women to submit to their husbands, to live a chaste life, to take care of household while the man is about his public business, to be modest in their appearance and manners. Many ti­mes he sharply points out women’s vices and faults. On the other hand he holds in high esteem their virtues and sensibility, as well as demands that husbands should love their wives, treat them with respect, be loyal to them. Analyzing female cha­racters pictured by John Chrysostom, we often come across the types well-known through ancient Greek poetry.

nie dotyczy

In "Confessiones" by Augustine the ideal of wife and mother was based on the authority of his mother - Monica. Superficiality him we can say, he was very conservatist. The wife was submit to a strong will of her husband. She didin't lay down the Iow to his son, she gave oneself to him.

Le but du communique c’est d’attirer l’attention sur les vieux et nouveaux elements contenus en Eph 5,22-33.