The Christian wife is supposed to be a figure of the church and to "nourish and instruct her children."
The first description of the duties of the Christian wife can be found in the Holy Bible, in Titus 2:3-5, Romans 7:2, and Ephesians 5:29-33, among other passages. The teaching of the Bible, however, has also been interpreted by various writers and philosophers. Although these duties may have been modernized over the generations, their spiritual guidance remains valuable even in modern times.
Biblical Passages
The Bible sets forth the "divine order" in 1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 5:22-25 and Ephesians 6:1-3, which states that the husband is in charge, the wife is second to him, and the children subservient to both of them. Titus 2:5, admonishes women to be "discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands." In addition, they were to avoid blaspheming the word of God. Titus also explains that older wives should be sober, honest and holy teachers of younger wives, instructing them love their husbands. Proverbs 31:10-31, states that a Christian wife must be an example that commands respect, saying that "her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also and he praiseth her."
John Bunyan
John Bunyan's treatise, "Christian Behavior," was published in 1674. In the chapter entitled "Duty of Wives," Bunyan further expounded upon the Biblical descriptions of a good wife. He not only referred to the wife's duty of obedience to her husband, but also to the duty of a Christian wife "to preach the obedience of the church to her husband." In addition, Bunyan addresses the admonition in 1 Timothy 2: 9-12, which warns wives to "learn in silence" and to avoid usurping the authority of men, as well as to adopt a modest gait and means of dress and adornment.
J. R. Miller
J. R. Miller was a popular 18th century Christian writer who produced many works before his death in 1912. Miller states that the ideal Christian wife is not a poetic portrayal of a frail and lovely bride; rather, she has a duty to be faithful, to be affectionate and to manage the household well. She must be a good housekeeper, he said, referencing the Epistles of Paul. According to Miller, the Christian wife must make her husband's life "nobler, stronger, grander, by the omnipotence of her love." She must also be generous and kind; her attractiveness being physical, spiritual, and mental and accentuated by a neat and tidy mode of dress. He sums up his lengthy discussion of the duties of a Christian wife by stating that only a "good" woman can be a good wife and that she can only find this strength of character through Christ.
Modern Interpretations
Modern writings on the duties of the Christian wife are less likely to refer to Biblical passages and tend to focus on the acts themselves. The Christian Assemblies International site, for example, states that a Christian wife has a duty to keep a happy home, to keep her husband's confidences, and to be a helpmate to her husband -- all without explaining the Biblical passages from which these duties derive. Author Richard L. Strauss, another modern writer, returns to Scripture to explain the duties of a Christian wife. Interestingly, his article follows the pattern of Bunyan's writing. It begins with the discussion of the duty of wifely obedience and, like Bunyan, carries through to the duty to minister to an unbelieving husband.
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