“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. (Colossians 3:18-19 ESV).
To grasp the historical significance behind the instructions given to husbands in this passage, we can look to a source who alerts us to the impact of this message upon the cultural environment of first-century Colossae…
“This was an entirely new thing… Under Jewish law a woman was a thing, the possession of her husband, just as much as his house or his flocks or his material goods. She had no legal rights whatever. For instance, under Jewish law, a husband could divorce his wife for any cause, while a wife had no rights whatever in the initiation of divorce; and the only grounds on which a divorce might be awarded her were if her husband developed leprosy, became an apostate or ravished a virgin.
In Greek society a respectable woman lived a life of entire seclusion. She never appeared on the streets alone, not even to go marketing. She lived in the women’s apartments and did not join her menfolk even for meals. From her there was demanded complete servitude and chastity; but her husband could go out as much as he chose and could enter into as many relationships outside marriage as he liked without incurring any stigma. Under both Jewish and Greek laws and custom all the privileges belonged to the husband and all the duties to the wife.” (1)
With this in mind, we can say that these four words (“Husbands, love your wives…”) are far more significant then their brevity might suggest. They also carry important implications for God-honoring men of every generation.
For instance, the husband is responsible to ensure that his marriage partner is loved, honored, and secure. He is accountable for establishing and maintaining a Godly relationship. He must take the lead in identifying and meeting his wife’s needs within their marriage. He must also be mindful that his wife is a daughter of the God he serves. Any authority he possesses within their relationship is inherited from Him; therefore he must exercise that authority in an appropriate and considerate manner that reflects well upon Christ.
In this respect, we can find an excellent guideline for husbands within the New Testament epistle of 1 Peter…
“If you are a husband, you should be thoughtful of your wife. Treat her with honor, because she isn’t as strong as you are, and she shares with you in the gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers” (1 Peter 3:7 CEV).
(1) Barclay, William. “Commentary on Colossians 3”. “William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb/colossians-3.html 1956-1959.