Today’s class is a study of Ephesians 5:21-33. A group of verses that are controversial, often attacked and many times misunderstood.
Ephesians 5:21-22 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, [submit] yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.” In the original Greek text the second [submit] word is not there. There is not a verb in this sentence and so in traditional Greek practice, you take the verb from the previous sentence and insert it into the next sentence. Please note that this is really important – because what this is saying is, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, to your husbands as you do to the Lord.” Meaning husband and wife alike are to submit to each other, to look out for one another, in service and submission to the Living God.
There is no denying that throughout history many men have treated many women shamefully. But that is not biblical. It is never approved. Instead, the Scriptures tell us that God intends for married people to be a unity and to willingly submit to one another because of their reverence for Christ. Men and women are to treat their husbands in a way that is consistent with their faith.
Ephesians 5:23 goes on to say, “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.” Please note the word is “head” not the boss, not the dominant individual. It says he is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church.
How does Jesus show He is the head of the church. He seeks what is best for her, He loves her, He sacrifices Himself for her, He gives Himself completely to her. And here it says the husband is to love His wife in that very same way. Loving, caring, supporting, defending, protecting, doing whatever it takes for the woman he loves.
Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her…” That is what submission is all about. It says, because I love the Lord, I will love my wife in the way He loves me.
Both husbands and wives are to practice submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:32 goes on to say, “This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church.” God designed marriage to be a picture of the kind of love that Jesus has for his body, the church. Marriage is a reflection of Jesus’ love.
Verse 33 concludes: “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” God made us male and female and He knows we each have unique needs. Husbands thrive when their wives respect them. Wives thrive when they know how deeply their husbands love them.
These verses are a prescription for a happy, joy-filled, life-long marriage.
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