The key text concerning submission of wives to their husbands is taken from the Apostle Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus, found in Ephesians 5:22-33 “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. … Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:22 and 25, ESV). “[Submit] to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21, ESV).
“A submissive wife in a Christian marriage is a supportive wife. You work together with your spouse, and respect and support him in your marriage.” “Within a Christian marriage, a wife freely expresses her thoughts, trusting her husband's response will lovingly support her and look out after her best interests.”
"If a husband is harsh, verbally abusive, or uses excessive forms of punishment (including physical abuse), a wife has a moral obligation to protect the children regardless of her husband's requests or demands" (4). Because of physical power dynamics, this protection may require fleeing and/or legal help.
Here are some of the typical external signs of a submissive wife are that she: Curbs her opinions and thoughts to ensure peaceful communication without arguments. Glorifies the husband and makes him feel on top of the world by showing eagerness to please.
Here's a key passage from Scripture, Ephesians 5:22-30: Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Submission in marriage means selflessness, service, accountability, and respect for your partner, which should be mutual; it is not slavery or a woman's call to lose her voice. The fundamental rubric on which The Christian marriage is built is love, and love is anything but the desire to control.
Ephesians 5:24 restates the previous admonition by reversing the order: “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” Just as the church voluntarily submits to Christ, so also wives should freely and willingly submit to their husbands.
Submission in marriage is a spirit of respect a wife has toward her husband. It is an attitude intended to help her and her husband to live a more contentful, peaceful life together. Problems and disagreements between a husband and wife in marriage are inevitable.
“When a woman submits to a man, it's the most precious gift she can give. Herself. Unreservedly. The man has to respect and honor that gift above all else.
In Ephesians 5:22-25, Paul directs wives to “submit” to their husbands, and husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church. Traditionally, this text has been understood to teach that a husband should be the leader of his family and that a wife should follow the leadership of her husband.
Some Bible verses are quoted to oblige them to submit to and obey their husbands: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22 KJV); “as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything” (Ephesians 5:24 KJV); “Wives, submit yourselves unto ...
As a wife, she is expected to serve her husband, preparing food, clothing and other personal needs. As a mother, she has to take care of the children and their needs, including education. As a worker, she has to be professional, disciplined and a good employee.
Often, submission is learning to consider your spouse's opinion as just as important as your own when making major decisions. It can look like listening as your husband shares the stress of his day, even though your day has been every bit as wearing.
Interestingly, research shows that putting your spouse first provides the security, comfort, and stability that helps children thrive. And, when couples put each other first, it sets the stage for a fantastic relationship where each person feels loved, supported, and secure.
"The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband... Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control" (1 Cor 7:3, 5).
Addressing a Couple
NOTE: Traditionally, a woman's name preceded a man's on an envelope address, and his first and surname were not separated (Jane and John Kelly). Nowadays, the order of the names—whether his name or hers comes first—does not matter and either way is acceptable.
Submission is to be the natural response of a godly wife to a loving husband, and when he is not loving her as he should, submission is still the response of the wife who desires to obey her Lord and Savior in everything.
The ideal wife in Proverbs is loyal, merry, capable, and strong, the perfect helper for her man. For more than one man, his wife is the best thing he has going for him, refusing to use his weaknesses as an excuse for not fulfilling her marriage vows.
Women were responsible for "maintenance activities" including economic, social, political and religious life in both the household and the community. The Old Testament lists twenty different professional-type positions that women held in ancient Isarael.
In Ephesians 5:33, the bible commands wives to respect their husbands. This means revering, admiring and honoring their husbands. A good wife values her husband's opinions, admires his values and character, and is considerate of his needs, such as the need for self confidence and the need to be needed.
As Ephesians 5:33 instructs, “However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” What is this? Just as women need love, men need respect. And as a husband feels respected by his wife, he will begin to live in such a way that he is worthy of respect.