Proper 15 (CL)

Ephesians 5:22-33

²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of his body. ³¹ “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³ However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

There are many Husbands or men in general that will point to verse 22. Men desire their wives to submit to them. They desire their wives to respect their wishes and authority in the home. Many wives on the other hand desire their husbands to respect them as well. Wives want to be able to voice their objections and opinions. There are many debates that may be able to ensue over these verses, but there is something more going on here.

Wives do not submit to their Husband, just as we, the children of God, do not submit to Jesus Christ. There is not one of us who does the Will of our Lord. St Paul extends a long-standing metaphor for our relationship with God. God is our Husband. We as his spouse should submit to him in all things.

What does the Husband do? The husband does not lord his power over his spouse. He does not condemn her for her disobedience. He does not beat her into submission. He does not silence all her cries for mercy. He Loves her!

Jesus Christ lays down his life for the bride. He washes her clean of all her sins. He cleanses her from all unrighteousness. The Christ presents his bride without any blemish or wrinkle. She is presented perfect. This is what your Husband does for each of you. Husbands and wives should relate to each other as God and his Church. But when they fail to act as they should, God still cleanses them and forgives them.