5744 wife

The female partner in a marriage relationship. The origin of this God-ordained institution is traced back in the Bible to the Garden of Eden. Scripture stresses that marriage is a God-ordained institution, within which the husband should love and care for his wife, just as the wife should obey, honour and care for her husband. A good wife is portrayed as a great blessing, but a bad wife influences her husband for evil. In the OT, Israel is sometimes portrayed as God’s wife; in the NT, the church is described as Christ’s bride.

God’s pattern for marriage

Husband and wife are one flesh Ge 1:27 See also Ge 2:23-24; Mal 2:15; Mt 19:4-6 pp Mk 10:6-9

The wife as helper and companion Ge 2:18 See also Ge 2:20-22

The husband is head of the wife Eph 5:23 See also 1Co 11:3

The wife is the weaker partner 1Pe 3:7 See also Ge 3:16

The Israelites were forbidden to take foreign wives

Dt 7:3-4 See also Ex 34:16; Jos 23:12-13

Duties of a wife

To submit to and respect her husband Col 3:18 See also Eph 5:22-24,33; 1Pe 3:1-6

To care for her husband and household Pr 31:10-31 See also Tit 2:4-5

To be faithful to her husband Ex 20:14 pp Dt 5:18 See also Nu 5:11-31; Pr 23:27; Mt 14:3-4 pp Mk 6:17-18; Mk 10:12; Lk 3:19

Advice on widows remarrying

1Co 7:39-40 See also 1Co 7:8-9

Childless wives

Ge 25:21 See also Ge 18:9-15; Jdg 13:2-5; 1Sa 1:9-20; Lk 1:5-25

Good wives

Pr 31:10-31 See also 1Sa 19:11-17; 1Sa 25:14-35; Pr 12:4; Pr 18:22; Pr 19:14; Tit 2:3-5; 1Pe 3:1-6

Wives giving good counsel

Mt 27:19 See also Jdg 13:22-23; Da 5:10-12

Bad wives

Pr 12:4 See also Pr 19:13; Pr 21:19; Pr 25:24

Wives influencing their husbands for evil

Ge 3:8-12 See also 1Ki 11:3-4; 1Ki 21:20-26; Est 5:9-14; Job 2:9

Israel as the wife of God

Jer 3:20 Israel’s relationship with God was at times comparable to that of an unfaithful wife; Eze 16:8 See also Isa 62:5; Jer 2:2; Eze 16:32; Hos 1:2; Hos 2:2

The church as the bride of Christ

Rev 21:2 See also Eph 5:25-27; Rev 19:7

See also