Homilies on First Corinthians

² “Let the husband pay the wife the honor due to her: in like manner the wife the husband.”

Now what is the meaning of “the due honor? The wife has not power over her own body;” but is both the slave and the mistress of the husband. And if you decline the service which is due, you have offended God. But if you wish to withdraw yourself, it must be with the husband's permission, though it be but a for short time. For this is why he calls the matter a debt, to show that no one is master of himself but that they are servants to each other.

When therefore you see an harlot tempting you, say, “My body is not mine, but my wife's.” The same also let the woman say to those who would undermine her chastity, “My body is not mine, but my husband's.”

Now if neither husband nor wife has power even over their own body, much less have they over their property. Hear ye, all that have husbands and all that have wives: that if you must not count your body your own, much less your money.

Elsewhere I grant He gives to the husband abundant precedence, both in the New Testament, and the Old saying, (ἡ ἀποστρόφή σου, LXX. Genesis 3:16.) “Your turning shall be towards your husband, and he shall rule over you.” Paul does so too by making a distinction thus, and writing, “Husbands, love your wives; and let the wife see that she reverence her husband.” But in this place we hear no more of greater and less, but it is one and the same right. Now why is this? Because his speech was about chastity. “In all other things,” says he, “let the husband have the prerogative; but not so where the question is about chastity.” “The husband has no power over his own body, neither the wife.” There is great equality of honor, and no prerogative.