Husband and Wife Roles in Marriage According to Bible
Marriage, as an institution, dates back to the creation of humanity, originating with Adam and Eve in Paradise [1, 4]. The Bible presents marriage as a covenant relationship between a man and a woman, rooted in the created order and reflecting the unity of man and wife [4, 10]. This union is characterized by a shift of loyalty from parents to spouse and is designed to be inseparable and exclusive [10].
Biblical texts outline specific roles and duties for both husbands and wives within this covenant. Husbands are called to have only one wife [2]. They are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, regarding them as themselves [2, 14]. This love is to be sacrificial, as Christ gave himself up for the church [2]. Husbands are also instructed to respect their wives and to dwell with them for life, providing comfort and consulting with them [2]. While the husband is identified as the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, this headship is balanced by the equal status men and women share in God's gift of new life [6, 13]. The husband's role includes protecting and caring for his wife, especially considering that women were often physically weaker and had less social standing in ancient societies [13].
Wives, in turn, have duties that include managing the household and raising children [1]. They are to fulfill their marital duty to their husbands [5]. The New Testament also speaks to the wife's submission to her husband, though this is often presented within the context of mutual respect and love [15]. The Old Testament law regulated marriage, including provisions for wives' legal rights and duties [1]. While polygamy was practiced in ancient Israel, monogamy was the original law established at creation [1, 4]. The concept of a "concubine" also existed, denoting a female united to a man in a relation inferior to that of a wife, with specific laws for their protection but without authority in the family [3].
The marriage relationship is frequently used in the Bible as a symbol for the covenant between God and his people, and between Christ and the church [8, 9, 10, 12]. Adultery, in this symbolic language, represents spiritual unfaithfulness [8, 9]. While the fall introduced an element of antagonism into the marriage relationship, with the woman desiring to control her husband and the husband ruling over her, new life in Christ allows for the restoration of this relationship [11]. Marriage is considered honorable, and the marital bed undefiled [7].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Wife — The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6). Monogamy was the original law under which man lived, but polygamy early commenced (Gen. 4:19), and continued to prevail all down through Jewish history. The law of Moses regulated but did not prohibit polygamy. A man might have a plurality of wives, but a wife could have only one husband. A wife's legal rights (Ex. 21:10) and her duties (Prov. 31:10-31; 1 Tim. 5:14) are specified. She could be divorced in special cases (Deut. 22:13-21), but could not divorce her husband. Divorce wa”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Husbands — Should have but one wife -- Ge 2:24; Mr 10:6-8; 1Co 7:2-4. Have authority over their wives -- Ge 3:16; 1Co 11:3; Eph 5:23. Duty of, to wives To respect them. -- 1Pe 3:7. To love them. -- Eph 5:25-33; Col 3:19. To regard them as themselves. -- Ge 2:23; Mt 19:5. To be faithful to them. -- Pr 5:19; Mal 2:14,15. To dwell with them for life. -- Ge 2:24; Mt 19:3-9. To comfort them. -- 1Sa 1:8. To consult with them. -- Ge 31:4-7. Not to leave them, though unbelieving. -- 1Co 7:11,12,14,16. Duties of, not to interfere with their duties to Christ -- Lu 14:26; Mt 19”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Concubine — In the Bible denotes a female conjugally united to a man, but in a relation inferior to that of a wife. Among the early Jews, from various causes, the difference between a wife and a concubine was less marked than it would be amongst us. The concubine was a wife of secondary rank. There are various laws recorded providing for their protection (Ex. 21:7; Deut. 21:10-14), and setting limits to the relation they sustained to the household to which they belonged (Gen. 21:14; 25:6). They had no authority in the family, nor could they share in the household gov”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — + Its origin and history .--The institution of marriage dates from the time of man's original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied in her being formed out of man. (2) The indissolubleness of the marriage bond, except on; the strongest grounds, Comp. (Matthew 19:9) (3) Monogamy, as the original law of marriage (4) The social equality of man and wife. (5) The subordination of the wife to the husband. (1 Corinthians 11:8,9; 1 Timothy 2:13) (6) The respective duties of ”
- I Corinthians “I Corinthians 7:3 (BSB) — The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 5:23 (BSB) — 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.”
- King James Version “[KJV] Hebrews 13:4 — Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
- Ezek (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezek 23:4: 23:4 Marriage is commonly used in the Bible as a symbol for the covenant relationship between God and his people (e.g., Isa 54:1-8; Eph 5:22-33). Adultery symbolizes Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness (e.g., Hos 1–3). God makes his covenants in spite of, not because of, his people’s character (Rom 5:6-11).”
- Ezekiel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezekiel 23:4: 23:4 Marriage is commonly used in the Bible as a symbol for the covenant relationship between God and his people (e.g., Isa 54:1-8; Eph 5:22-33). Adultery symbolizes Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness (e.g., Hos 1–3). God makes his covenants in spite of, not because of, his people’s character (Rom 5:6-11).”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 2:24: 2:24 Marriage between a man and a woman is not just a human social construct but is rooted in the created order. • a man leaves . . . and is joined: Marriage entails a shift of loyalty from parents to spouse. • the two are united into one: Marriage and its commitments make it the most fundamental covenant relationship observed among humans. Marriage is a powerful image of Israel’s covenant with God (Hos 2:14-23) and of Christ’s relationship to the church (Eph 5:22-32). Marriage is designed as an inseparable, exclusive relationship between a man and a woman. The f”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 3:16: 3:16 Judgment falls on the woman’s unique role of childbearing and on her relationship with her husband. • And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you: The marriage relationship now included an element of antagonism rather than just security and fulfillment. New life in Christ allows for the restoration of a man and a woman’s marriage relationship (Eph 5:18-32; cp. Matt 20:25-28).”
- 2 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Corinthians 11:2: 11:2 The church is called to be a pure bride to one husband—Christ. This metaphor goes back to the Old Testament, where Israel is the bride of the Lord (Isa 54:5; 62:5). Paul saw himself as the “best man” (the bridegroom’s close friend) who acted for the bridegroom (cp. John 3:29).”
- 1 Peter (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Peter 3:7: 3:7 In the same way: Like slaves and wives (2:18–3:6), husbands also have a particular responsibility within the household. • She may be weaker than you are: Peter was probably thinking of the woman’s physical strength and perhaps her social status. Since women are typically physically weaker than men and were often less able to assert themselves in that society, the husband had the duty of protecting and caring for his wife. • your equal partner in God’s gift of new life: The husband’s headship is balanced and informed by the equal status that men and women have ”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:31: For--The propagation of the Church from Christ, as that of Eve from Adam, is the foundation of the spiritual marriage. The natural marriage, wherein "a man leaves father and mother (the oldest manuscripts omit 'his') and is joined unto his wife," is not the principal thing meant here, but the spiritual marriage represented by it, and on which it rests, whereby Christ left the Father's bosom to woo to Himself the Church out of a lost world: Eph 5:32 proves this: His earthly mother as such, also, He holds in secondary account as compared with His spir”
- 1 Peter (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 3 (introduction): Wherein the apostle describes the duties of husbands and wives one to another, beginning with the duty of the wife (Pe1 3:1-7). He exhorts Christians to unity, love, compassion, peace, and patience under sufferings; to oppose the slanders of their enemies, not by returning evil for evil, or railing for railing, but by blessing; by a ready account of their faith and hope, and by keeping a good conscience (Pe1 3:8-17). To encourage them to this, he proposes the example of Christ, who suffered, the just for the unjust, but yet punished the old world for ”