Reference: Wife
Easton
The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Ge 2:24; Mt 19:4-6). Monogamy was the original law under which man lived, but polygamy early commenced (Ge 4:19), and continued to prevail all down through Jewish history. The law of Moses regulated but did not prohibit polygamy. A man might have a plurality of wives, but a wife could have only one husband. A wife's legal rights (Ex 21:10) and her duties (Pr 31:10-31; 1Ti 5:14) are specified. She could be divorced in special cases (De 22:13-21), but could not divorce her husband. Divorce was restricted by our Lord to the single case of adultery (Mt 19:3-9). The duties of husbands and wives in their relations to each other are distinctly set forth in the New Testament (1Co 7:2-5; Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18-19; 1Pe 3:1-7).
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Then came some of the Pharisees to Him to put Him to the proof by the question, "Has a man a right to divorce his wife whenever he chooses?" "Have you not read," He replied, "that He who made them 'made them' from the beginning 'male and female,
"Have you not read," He replied, "that He who made them 'made them' from the beginning 'male and female, and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be one'?
and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be one'? Thus they are no longer two, but 'one'! What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."
Thus they are no longer two, but 'one'! What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her 'a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?" read more. "Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning. And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery."
But because there is so much fornication every man should have a wife of his own, and every woman should have a husband. Let a man pay his wife her due, and let a woman also pay her husband his. read more. A married woman is not mistress of her own person: her husband has certain rights. In the same way a married man is not master of his own person: his wife has certain rights. Do not refuse one another, unless perhaps it is just for a time and by mutual consent, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer and may then associate again; lest the Adversary begin to tempt you because of your deficiency in self-control.
Married women, submit to your own husbands as if to the Lord; because a husband is the Head of his wife as Christ also is the Head of the Church, being indeed the Saviour of this His Body. read more. And just as the Church submits to Christ, so also married women should be entirely submissive to their husbands. Married men, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up to death for her; in order to make her holy, cleansing her with the baptismal water by the word, that He might present the Church to Himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle or any other defect, but to be holy and unblemished. So too married men ought to love their wives as much as they love themselves. He who loves his wife loves himself. For never yet has a man hated his own body. On the contrary he feeds and cherishes it, just as Christ feeds and cherishes the Church; because we are, as it were, parts of His Body. "For this reason a man is to leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be as one." That is a great truth hitherto kept secret: I mean the truth concerning Christ and the Church. Yet I insist that among you also, each man is to love his own wife as much as he loves himself, and let a married woman see to it that she treats her husband with respect.
Married women, be submissive to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Married men, be affectionate to your wives, and do not treat them harshly.
Hastings
Smith
Wife.
[MARRIAGE]
See Marriage