Ephesians chapter 5

vs 23

For all I could say about this verse, I would like to point out that Paul doesn't fall back on creation principles here, but on the principle of Christ's headship. It doesn't make the conclusion any different, but it might make other assumptions different.

vs 24

Marriage then becomes less a picture of creation (and more regularly the fall, with one in dominance over the other), and more a picture of Christ's sacrificial love (with one in submission to the other). Again - same result, but different reason.

vs 25

People say that this is the harder command - I say baloney. So much easier to love your wife than to submit to someone else. We husbands are called to submit anyway (don't forget verse 21), but loving your wife as Christ loved the church is still not as big a difficulty I think.

vs 26

This verse does indicate a form of spiritual responsibility for the growth and maturity of your wife.

vs 27

Remember, this is a picture of what Christ did for Christians, and as such husbands aren't going to be able to do it as well as Christ did. But the purpose is still important. It doesn't mean preaching sermons to your wife, at least in my opinion, but it does mean encouraging her to go to BSF or KYB or similar, and looking after children while she does so if necessary.

vs 28-29

Paul here is agreeing with me - how hard is it to look after our own bodies? Well, that's what it should be like looking after a wife.

And Christ sees his own responsibility for the church - to feed it and take care of it.

vs 30

Again, the unity of the church is paramount here. Paul can't escape from its importance even while teaching about marriage.

vs 31

Well known verse from Genesis.

vs 32

This is a profound mystery indeed! Understand what Paul is doing here. He is not saying that the more recent is an allegory of a past truth, but instead is saying that the past state is a reflection of an eternal truth!

Remember that marriage is not an eternal union (according to Jesus), but Christ's unity with the church is eternal. It is the eternal which is the truth, and the temporary which is the picture.

vs 33

But Paul hastens to add that even though marriage is temporary it is still in existence, so make sure you both respect your respective sides of the bargain.