Ephesians 5:22-33
Twelve verses today – three to wives, nine to husbands (although some of those husband verses relate to Christ and His church). Maybe more verses to the men because it takes us longer to figure it out. Actually, given the gender roles in the first century Roman/Greek world, Paul would naturally spend more verses speaking to the men. It was expected that women would be submissive in that family environment – often they fared little better than servants. But the men needed good instruction as to how NOT to behave like the Gentile world around them. And Paul’s association of husbands and wives with Christ and His church brings those “Husbands, love your wives…” (v. 25) words into strikingly clear focus. Look at what Paul says about Christ and His church: He loved her; He gave Himself up for her; He sanctified her (set her apart); He cleansed her; He presented her to Himself in splendor; and He made her holy and without blemish. Do we men treat our wives like that? Women, do your men treat you like that? As Archbishop Beach often says, “If not, why not?”
Slava Bohu!