Daily Devotional Tuesday 29th September 2020

by William Moody

Ephesians 5:21–33

21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives and Husbands

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.1 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.

Footnotes

[1] 5:27 Or holy and blameless

(ESV)

Family life is crucial in living a life of godliness and so Paul now highlights the role of husbands and wives.

Wives are to be submissive to their husbands (v22) because the husband has the God given role of headship (v23-24). In doing this wives are mirroring the obedience and attitude of the church to Christ

Acceptance of this command comes not primarily from respecting your husband but rather from respecting God and His will.

The husband has the greater challenge as he is not just to love his wife, he is to love his wife as Christ loved the church and sacrificed for it.

The husband’s love is to reflect the love of Christ in cleansing the church through His word (v26-27).

The one flesh in marriage means someone loving His wife is loving himself as the two have become one (v28-31).

Wives are you submitting to your husband? Husbands are you loving your wives?

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.