Ephesians 5:22-24 (NIV)22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 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. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
According to Merriam-Webster, Submit means a : to yield oneself to the authority or will of another. Therefore, wives must surrender to the authority of their husbands.
Earlier in this chapter, it also states that women must perform their marital duties.1 Corinthians 7:4 (NIV)4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband.
There are other verses which do explain that a man may divorce his wife if there is unfaithfulness in the marriage. But otherwise, divorce is not an acceptable practice.1 Corinthians 7:10-17 (NIV)10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
So, basically speaking - a woman must obey her husband. She must submit to him, including sexually, and she must never leave him unless he's unfaithful.
In general, I wouldn't argue with such statements. Although, as a woman of the 21st century, the concept of obeying our husbands is a bit of a stretch, the rest of this does have merit.
But what if he abuses her? What if he calls her names, and degrades her? What if he rapes her?
The Bible does say that husbands should treat their wives with love and respect. But no where (that I could find) does it say abusing her is wrong. And no where does it say it's ok for a wife to leave her husband (or vice-versa) because of spousal abuse.
I'd love to hear others thoughts on this subject...
Sorry, I must say Rianna Tyler...
ReplyDeleteEphesians 5:25-33
ReplyDeleteHusbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.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 we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
I believe this answers your questions. Husbands are suppose to love their wives as Christ loved the church. They are suppose to lead them into righteousness. This leading comes from a walk that is side by side. They are joined at the rib (Genesis 2:22). Paul elaborates in 1 Corinthians 7: 1-5 on how husbands and wives are to respect each other.
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.