What does the Bible say.......?

Question

Is there anything written in the Bible that says in detail/ enumerated "the responsibilities and duties" of a husband to his wife? Please don't refer to the verse that says "husbands love you wife like Jesus loves the church" because some men don't know the meaning of that verse.

Answer 1

The position of the husband in the home and his related responsibilities are quite clearly defined in principle in Ephesians 5:22, 28-31. "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, even as Christ is head of the church; and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so let wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wife as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it . . . So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church . . . For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shal.1 be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh".

It is impossible to completely deal with the responsibilities of the husband in such a short article. I am going to ask you to make some notations of scriptures and then read them at a later time. Let us start with some scriptures that deal with the husband as head of the house. Genesis 3:16, says in part "her desire shall be to man". Then Eph. 5:23, "husband is head of the wife"; then I Tim. 2:11-12, "She shall have no dominion over a man". Now don't stop at these verses and think that the only responsibility of the husband is to be HEAD of the house. By the way, head does not mean master as in a master-slave relationship, nor does it mean a relationship like a general to a private in the army. It is more like a partnership where one is the leader, guide, director. Now consider this. Can you think of any decision that a husband should make WITHOUT consulting or considering his wife and her wishes? I cannot!

Now let us consider some other responsibilities. The husband is to love his wife above all other human beings. Consider Eph. 5:25 and 28; and Col. 3:19. These passages teach that the husband is to be considerate and tender. The verses in Ephesians 5 teach that the husband is to cherish his wife. This means that she is to be treated with tenderness and affection. This would mean that since love must be fed, there is to be a warm demonstrative love relationship. The husband has the responsibility of not only demonstrating his love and concern, but telling her. He should not sit in such self-absorption that he does not talk with her and communicate with her socially, mentally, verbally and physically. The husband will demonstrate his love for his wife in other ways, rather than just at the time of sexual relationship. If this is the only time that affection and consideration is shown, then a wife will get the idea that all a husband is interested in is her body and that she is merely a sex object.

I Peter 3:7, teaches that the husband is to honor his wife. She gave up her name to take yours. Honor means that you should show her respect and this involves courtesy, consideration and emotional support. Be sure that as her husband that you do not hold her up to ridicule in public by the cutting remarks that you make. She wears YOUR name and is to viewed as part of your body. She is not perfect and you are aware of this. Do not expect perfection, but as Ephesians 4:32 teaches, "forbear one another". This means to be gentle toward her. Control of temper, abstaining from physical violence and restraining a sharp tongue that makes one feel so inferior - are ways by which you can exhibit forbearance.

Paul presents another responsibility of husbands in I Timothy 5:8 - "But if any provide not for his own, especially for those of his own household, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel". Marriage is a financial venture and the husband has a responsibility to finance or support or provide for his family. This is talking about money. As a husband, your earnings are not your own but belong to your wife as well and your children.

Another responsibility of the husband is to be active in the area of the discipline and rearing of the children. When the Apostle Paul was giving the qualifications for elders and deacons, he included this statement that is certainly applicable to all men: I Timothy 3:3-5, and he speaks of ruling your own house. Now this discipline should be with love. Many times discipline is administered without love. The Book says in Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers provoke not your children to wrath", and again in Colossians 3:21, "Fathers provoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged". The husband therefore does not leave all the discipline up to his wife, but shares in the molding and direction of your children. It is not a proper division of responsibility to say that as the husband I will provide the living and the wife is to take care of the house and children. The husband has duties even after his days work is done by which lie is earning a living to support his family.

The Christian father should set an example for his family as he earns a living, directs the household with concern for each member, and as he fulfills his role as head of the house. He should see to their spiritual development by the life he lives and the direction in which he leads his family.

Your wife is a part of your body - you are a part of each other. For this reason Paul said, "Love your wife". He didn't say, if you want to. As you love her, you love yourself and are fulfilling the role that the Lord wanted you to have.

Answer 2

The duties of a husband to his wife are spelled out in the Hebrew Scriptures, but you have to use your Gd-given intelligence to understand:::

Exodus 21:10 If he take him another wife; her food,
her raiment, and her due in marriage, shall he not
diminish.

The above verse from Exodus 21:10 states that if a man takes a second wife, then he cannot diminish to the first wife, her food, her clothing, and her sexual satisfaction. This means that what the husband is resposnsible to the wife for is her food, clothing, and her sexual satisfaction.

Judaism understands this to mean the following:::

First, the husband is obligated to the wife to provide her food, which means all forms of her sustainance, emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual.

He must provide her clothing, which means all forms of protection, emotional, physical, mental and spiritual.

And he must provide her sexual satisfaction, which is what the Hebrew Scriptures means when it says, 'her due in marriage.'

Judaism does not hold that the wife is obligated to the groom for anything.

This means that the Bible places the responsibility on the stronger (the husband) to the weaker (the wife), not the weaker to the stronger. It means that since she is not obligated to him for sex, he has no right whatsoever to rape her, she owes him nothing, even though she is his wife. In some states, a man could rape his wife, and the courts would not hold him guilty because of the Christian idea that the wife owes sex to the husband. Only recently have some states changed this law. According to the Jewish understanding of Hebrew Scripture, a man claiming that sex was his right as his wife was obligated to him for sex, would have been hauled off to jail.

Answer 3

"Husbands, likewise, dwell with them (wives) with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." 1 Pet 3:7

The principles that you honor the Lord by in your daily walk are the same principles that should flow over into your relationship with your spouse. The bible refers to the church as the 'bride of Christ', and Jesus the husbandman, a spiritual love story between Creator and creation.

Then there is the verse that you referred to- husband loves your wives as Christ loved the church...Jesus loved the church so much that He died for it. If some men don't know the meaning of that verse, they won't understand the meaning of the rest of the verses available to them.

Answer 4

The Bible says some stuff similar to Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, etc. It's a collection of Fairy Tales - Oh ya - in between it also has a few mentioning of Mr. Bean.

As for the word "Love" - It has been used here and there but it does not have much meaning to it as in the fairy tales - at least the frog turned to a prince because of princesses love - hear God orders to kill nations and villages for the sake of love for some selected people !

Answer 5

Many Christian husbands never learned from their fathers (or from the Bible) God's plan for the relationship between a husband and wife. They only look at the passages pertaining to a wife's behavior and turn a "blind eye" toward those that govern their own behavior.

Many who read Paul's writings on marital relationships overlook several key concepts in Ephesians 5. I've copied it here because men won't learn unless someone teaches them, will they?

"Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church."

Important concept #1: husbands are to love their wives EXACTLY as Jesus loves His church. That means a husband is to:

1) die for her, if necessary;
2) forgive her for anything she repents from;
3) ensure she is following sound Biblical doctrine;
4) nurture and care for her, placing her needs BEFORE his own.

Important concept # 2: Husbands are to love their wives exactly as they love themselves. Many men get into trouble here because they DO NOT love themselves (in a Godly way); therefore, they are not capable of giving true love to a woman.

Important concept # 3: It is completely unscriptural that ONLY wives must submit to "their own husbands." Ephesians 5:21 requires that we all begin "submitting to one another in the fear of God." One (male) theologian I know of says, "If a husband is not submitting to his wife more than she submits to him, he's not doing it right." I agree, as long as the submission is Godly -- i.e. a husband should never submit to a wife's desire to do ungodly things, but that's an exception.

Important concept # 4: 1 Timothy 5:8 "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." That means that any "Christian" husband who fails to support his family (after honestly trying) and abuses his position as spiritual head of that household will NOT be held blameless before God.

I hope this helps.

Peace and love in Jesus.

Answer 6

Ephesians 5
Colossians 3
1 Peter 3

Answer 7

Yes. The Bible is very specific about conduct between wives and husbands. below is a website where you can find all biblical answers you can think of. Put it in favorites. The front page changes each week, expect it.

Answer 8

Go to Corinthians 1 and 2, it explains what a husband and wife should be to each other, they become 1 when they are joined, and should honor each other, also you should not leave your spouse if one of you don't believe, because when one becomes holy, they both do, and their children.

Answer 9

I think the most comprehensive admonition is Eph. 5:21 where it says that husbands and wives should submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Anybody who focuses on "wives submit to your husbands," but fails to mention the mutual submission commanded IN THE SAME PASSAGE is not teaching correctly.

Answer 10

Well, if they don't know the meaning of, "Husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the church."

Hello....Christ died for the church!

They won't get the meaning of a list of responsibilities either!