Dictionary of Bible Themes Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5650 Human relationships » 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 Genesis 1:27 See also Genesis 2:23-24; Malachi 2:15; Matthew 19:4-6 pp Mark 10:6-9 The wife as helper and companion Genesis 2:18 See also Genesis 2:20-22 The husband is head of the wife Ephesians 5:23 See also 1 Corinthians 11:3 The wife is the weaker partner 1 Peter 3:7 See also Genesis 3:16 The Israelites were forbidden to take foreign wives Deuteronomy 7:3-4 See also Exodus 34:16; Joshua 23:12-13 Duties of a wife To submit to and respect her husband Colossians 3:18 See also Ephesians 5:22-24,33; 1 Peter 3:1-6 To care for her husband and household Proverbs 31:10-31 See also Titus 2:4-5 To be faithful to her husband Exodus 20:14 pp Deuteronomy 5:18 See also Numbers 5:11-31; Proverbs 23:27; Matthew 14:3-4 pp Mark 6:17-18; Mark 10:12; Luke 3:19 Advice on widows remarrying 1 Corinthians 7:39-40 See also 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 Childless wives Genesis 25:21 See also Genesis 18:9-15; Judges 13:2-5; 1 Samuel 1:9-20; Luke 1:5-25 Good wives Proverbs 31:10-31 See also 1 Samuel 19:11-17; Samuel 25:14-35; Proverbs 12:4; Proverbs 18:22; Proverbs 19:14; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:1-6 Wives giving good counsel Matthew 27:19 See also Judges 13:22-23; Daniel 5:10-12 Bad wives Proverbs 12:4 See also Proverbs 19:13; Proverbs 21:19; Proverbs 25:24 Wives influencing their husbands for evil Genesis 3:8-12 See also 1 Kings 11:3-4; Kings 21:20-26; Esther 5:9-14; Job 2:9 Israel as the wife of God Jeremiah 3:20 Israel's relationship with God was at times comparable to that of an unfaithful wife ; Ezekiel 16:8 See also Isaiah 62:5; Jeremiah 2:2; Ezekiel 16:32; Hosea 1:2; Hosea 2:2 The church as the bride of Christ Revelation 21:2 See also Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:7 See also
5093 Eve |
  |