Genesis 2:15-21 gives three roles for a man. These three roles apply perfectly to the marriage relationship. Many may disagree with these roles, but it is clear that this was God’s plan for men and husbands. A fourth has been added to expantiate on the others.

The husband is to be a physical provider.
Genesis 2:15 says God put man in the Garden of Eden to dress it and keep it. This establishes him as a provider, which requires that he must work to provide for his wife and children. Since the word husband means occupier and tiller of the soil it tells us that this role has been established since the beginning of language. Being a provider means providing for the physical things found in a home (Genesis 24:67; Deuteronomy 24:5; 1 Samuel 2:20).
A husband must be chaste or sexually faithful to his wife and provide for her sexual needs. 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 says that the husband’s body belongs to his wife and that he should not withhold himself from her sexually (1 Corinthians 7:6-9; Matthew 19:1-19). This is for two reasons: to meet her sexual needs and to protect her from temptation to have a sexual affair. Likewise, he should abstain from things that might lead him to be physically attracted to someone other than his wife.

The husband is to be a Spiritual leader.
Genesis 2:16 says God told man not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or he would die. This makes the man a Spiritual provider. God said this before He created the woman. Adam knew what God said and it was his responsibility to communicate it to his wife. However, Genesis 3:1-6 says that something went wrong.
Satan, in the form of a serpent, questioned Eve about eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She told him that they could not eat from it or touch it because they would die. Satan told her she would not die and added that God did not want her to eat from the tree because He did not want her to be like gods, knowing good and evil.
Since Eve was looking for food (Adam’s responsibility), she saw how beautiful the fruit was and that it would make her wise like God, she took the forbidden fruit and ate it. She then gave some to Adam who was with her and he ate some too. There are two problems here. First, God never said anything about touching it. Second, Adam knew better and Eve didn’t (1 Timothy 2:12-14), yet he still allowed her to eat it and ate it too. The result was the fall of man and separation from God (Genesis 3:7-24).

The husband is to be the head of his household
Genesis 2:18-20 says God wanted to provide a companion for the man. God created every creature and gave man the responsibility of naming them. This demonstrated to Adam that none of these separately created beings were suitable for him. It was after this that God made the woman from the man, which established the idea of man’s dominion and leadership. Genesis 1:26-27 says God gave mankind dominion over all living things on the earth, which includes the husband’s dominion over his household (1 Corinthians 1:1-16; 1 Timothy 2:12-14; Ephesians 5:22-32).

The husband must model Christ
Ephesians 5:22-32 says that marriage is a model of the relationship between Christ and the church. This means that the husband must love his wife first (Ephesians 5:25), like Christ loved us (the church) first (1 John 4:19). He does this by inspiring his wife, not intimidating her as a servant leader. Inspiring her takes much more work and sacrifice to change her heart, but it produces lasting results that intimidation can never accomplish. Like a farmer who patiently plants the seeds and nurtures the crops, a husband must patiently plant the seeds of God’s Word and nurture his wife.
A husband must provide for his wife’s Spiritual needs (Ephesians 5:26-27) like Christ provides for our Spiritual needs (Romans 8:26-31). A husband must provide for his wife’s physical needs (Ephesians 5:28-30) like Christ provides for our physical needs (Matthew 6:25-34). Finally, a husband must provide for his wife’s emotional needs (Ephesians 5:31-33) like Christ provides for our emotional needs (John 14:15-27).


A husband is a man who is tasked with the roles of being a provider, Spiritual leader, and head of his household for his wife. He uses the example and inspiration of Jesus Christ to place the needs of his wife above his own in providing for her physical, emotional and Spiritual needs. In doing so, he glorifies God by modeling the relationship between Christ and the church.

... something men/husbands now a days fail terribly at.

EroticAngelina:
... something men/husbands now a days fail terribly at.

This is because many men/husbands lack a poor foundation in their spirituality.

RiloKiley:

This is because many men/husbands lack a poor foundation in their spirituality.

yea

Hmmm...okay thanks 4 reminding us.