Seeking a brief rundown on what the Bible says about putting your wife first? The Bible places a high value on the marriage relationship, emphasizing love, respect, and consideration. Specifically, husbands are instructed to love their wives as Christ loved the church—sacrificially and unconditionally. This love involves prioritizing their wife’s well-being, understanding, and honor above their own interests. The Scriptures advocate for a partnership where both husband and wife are valued and cherished, showing that putting your wife first is a key aspect of a loving, God-honoring marriage.
Curious about diving deeper into the biblical perspective on prioritizing your wife? Let’s explore together the richness of this teaching and its impact on marriage.
What Does the Bible Say About Putting Your Wife First?
The Bible’s teachings on marriage are profound, offering guidance that fosters strong, loving, and lasting relationships. Central to its message for husbands is the call to love their wives with a selfless, sacrificial love that mirrors the love of Christ for His church. This encompasses more than just emotional affection; it involves a deliberate choice to prioritize the wife’s needs, well-being, and honor.
Ephesians 5 lays out the foundation for this principle, urging husbands to love their wives as their own bodies. This analogy to Christ’s love for the church illustrates a love that is nurturing, protective, and willing to sacrifice everything for her good. It’s about valuing your wife’s happiness and fulfillment as much as your own.
The concept of putting your wife first is also about partnership and unity. The Bible describes marriage as two becoming one flesh, highlighting the deep connection and mutual respect that should characterize the relationship. This unity is maintained and strengthened by prioritizing each other’s needs and working together towards common goals.
Furthermore, the Scriptures encourage husbands to live with their wives in an understanding way, showing honor to them as co-heirs of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7). This implies a relationship marked by empathy, consideration, and respect, recognizing the wife’s equal value and dignity in God’s sight.
Putting your wife first also means protecting the relationship from anything that could harm or diminish it. This includes guarding against selfishness, bitterness, and neglect, which can erode the love and unity marriage is meant to reflect. It involves regular communication, forgiveness, and a commitment to resolve conflicts in a way that strengthens the bond between husband and wife.
Ultimately, the Bible’s view on putting your wife first is about embodying the love, sacrifice, and service that Jesus demonstrated. It challenges cultural norms of dominance and selfishness, offering instead a model of marriage that is based on mutual love, respect, and submission to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Bible Verses About Putting Your Wife First
- Ephesians 5:25-28 – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her… In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”
- 1 Peter 3:7 – “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
- Ephesians 5:33 – “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
- Colossians 3:19 – “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”
- Proverbs 5:18-19 – “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.”
- Genesis 2:24 – “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
- Proverbs 31:10-11 – “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.”
- Song of Solomon 8:6-7 – “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.”
- Malachi 2:15 – “Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.”
- Ecclesiastes 9:9 – “Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.”
Through these verses, the Bible clearly articulates the importance of cherishing, honoring, and prioritizing your wife within the marriage relationship. It’s a divine mandate that enriches both partners, glorifies God, and reflects His perfect love to the world.