Christian Marriage Basics

I’ve used the Complete Jewish Bible for many of the references on marriage so it can speak with more depth on what the cultural take of the translation would be as these were originally written towards practicing Jews and gentiles joining Judaism (later this sect of Judaism was called Christianity) 

HUSBANDS:

Love your wife like his own body

Ephesians (Eph) 5:28 CJB

[28] This is how husbands ought to love their wives — like their own bodies; for the man who loves his wife is loving himself. 

Focus on your wife and no other woman 

Proverbs 5:15-21 GNT

[15] Be faithful to your own wife and give your love to her alone. [16] Children that you have by other women will do you no good. [17] Your children should grow up to help you, not strangers. [18] So be happy with your wife and find your joy with the woman you married— [19] pretty and graceful as a deer. Let her charms keep you happy; let her surround you with her love. [20] Son, why should you give your love to another woman? Why should you prefer the charms of another man’s wife? [21] The Lord sees everything you do. Wherever you go, he is watching. 

Never treat your wife harshly 

Colossians (Col) 3:19 CJB

[19] Husbands, love your wives and don’t treat them harshly.

(Colossians (Col) 3:20-21 CJB

[20] Children, obey your parents in everything; for this pleases the Lord. [21] Fathers, don’t irritate your children and make them resentful, or they will become discouraged.)

Husbands, be the spiritual leader of your wife and home. Be a man who is worth following. Show your families what it looks like to seek after God so they can follow you.

Ephesians (Eph) 5:23-33 CJB

[23] because the husband is head of the wife, just as the Messiah, as head of the Messianic Community, is himself the one who keeps the body safe. [24] Just as the Messianic Community submits to the Messiah, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. [25] As for husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community, indeed, gave himself up on its behalf, [26] in order to set it apart for God, making it clean through immersion in the mikveh, so to speak, [27] in order to present the Messianic Community to himself as a bride to be proud of, without a spot, wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without defect. [28] This is how husbands ought to love their wives — like their own bodies; for the man who loves his wife is loving himself. [29] Why, no one ever hated his own flesh! On the contrary, he feeds it well and takes care of it, just as the Messiah does the Messianic Community, [30] because we are parts of his Body. [31] “Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and remain with his wife, and the two will become one.” [32] There is profound truth hidden here, which I say concerns the Messiah and the Messianic Community. [33] However, the text also applies to each of you individually: let each man love his wife as he does himself, and see that the wife respects her husband.

Husbands, be understanding with your wifes or it will BLOCK YOUR PRAYERS! I Peter 3:7 NKJV

[7] Husbands, likewise, dwell with them 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. 

[7] You husbands, likewise, conduct your married lives with understanding. Although your wife may be weaker physically, you should respect her as a fellow-heir of the gift of Life. If you don’t, your prayers will be blocked.

WIVES:

Let your Beauty come from within. 

1 Kefa (1 Peter) 3:4-6 CJB

[4] rather, let it be the inner character of your heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit. In God’s sight this is of great value. [5] This is how the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves and submit to their husbands, [6] the way Sarah obeyed Avraham, honoring him as her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not succumb to fear.

Why would it be telling women not to succumb to fear in marriage? 

Wives when we give place to fear, we don’t trust our husbands leadership. When we give way to fear it leads to accusation, mistrust, and jealousy in the household. 

How we treat our husbands the kids learn to treat him the same. How husbands treat their wives the children learn to treat them the same. We must treat each other with respect and love. Wives we must encourage our husbands in a biblical way, exhorting him to righteousness not by arguing but by encouragement in righteousness and on the word. We set the thermostat of our home. When we attack our husbands they shut down their hearts and cannot hear what we say. When we speak with grace and love and truth and when we pray and fight in the spirit for the change we are seeking, then we see our husbands receptive to the discussions. 

Colossians (Col) 3:18 CJB

[18] Wives, subject yourselves to your husbands, as is appropriate in the Lord.

The husband is like the coach and the wife the assistant coach. They are both leaders in the home but they must work together and respect and love each other in a Christian marriage. 

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