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Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 5:22-33

Husbands and wives. I. CHRISTIANITY CONSECRATES AND ELEVATES THE UNION OF HUSBAND AND WIFE . 1. Christianity sanctions marriage . St. Paul, though an unmarried man, casts no slight on marriage. It is true that he discourages it under temporary trying circumstances ( 1 Corinthians 7:1 ), but it is also true that he plainly teaches, not only the lawfulness, but especially the dignity of Christian marriage in itself. The ascetic view of celibacy as a more holy... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the Head of the Church. The woman was made for the man ( Genesis 2:18 ; 1 Timothy 2:13 ), showing the Divine purpose that the man should be the head and center of the household, and that the position of the wife, as wife, should be one of subordination. Parallel to this arrangement is the relation of Christ to the Church. In words, at least, all admit the headship of Christ, and the subordination of the Church to him. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 5:24

But [it exists so far as to enforce this exhortation] as the Church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their husbands in everything. Let there be a subjection in the one case parallel to that in the other, for such is the Divine will and purpose. Any subjection due to the husband must be modified by what is due to God, for as the husband may not require for himself, so the wife may not give to him, what is God's: God's will is paramount over all. Of the three wills that may be in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for her. The husband's duty to the wife is enforced by another parallel—it ought to correspond to Christ's love for the Church. This parallel restores the balance; if it should seem hard for the wife to be in subjection, the spirit of love, Christ-like love, on the part of the husband makes the duty easy. Christ did not merely pity the Church, or merely desire her good, but loved her; her image was stamped on... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 5:25-27

Christ's treatment of his Church. St. Paul describes Christ's treatment of his Church as an illustration of the way in which husbands should behave to their wives. But that vision of the spiritual world which is the ideal of earthly marriage is so attractive that it arrests the apostle's attention on its own account. It may well do the same with us. I. WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR THE CHURCH . We are first directed to Christ's work for the Church in the past. He loved it and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 5:25-32

The union between Christ and the Church. The apostle unites, with an exposition of the duties of conjugal life, a very impressive statement of the nature of the union between Christ and the Church This statement is exceedingly important, quite irrespective of its supplying an illustration of the ground and measure of a husband's affection for his wife. There are three truths here exhibited respecting the union of Christ and his Church. I. CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 5:25-33

The duties of husbands. As the duties of wives are comprehended in the single duty of subjection, the duties of husbands are comprehended in the single duty of love. The injunction is significantly repeated three times, as if to indicate that it was essentially needed to correct or qualify his sense of sovereignty or superiority over her. Consider three points. I. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A HUSBAND 'S LOVE . 1. It is peculiar in its nature , unlike the love of parent or... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife - see the notes on 1 Corinthians 11:3.As Christ is the head of the church - As Christ rules over the church, and has a right to direct and control it.And he is the Saviour of the body - That is, of the church, represented as “his body;” see notes, Ephesians 1:23. The idea here seems to be, that as Christ gave himself to save his body, the church; as he practiced self-denial and made it an object of intense solicitude to preserve that church, so ought the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 5:24

In everything - In everything which is not contrary to the will of God; see the notes on Ephesians 5:23. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives - The duty of the wife is to obey; the right of the husband is to command. But the apostle would guard against the abuse of that right by enjoining the manifestation of such a spirit on the husband as would secure obedience on the part of the wife. He proceeds, therefore, to show, that the husband, in all his conversation with the wife, should manifest the same spirit which the Lord Jesus did toward the church; or, in other words, he holds up the conduct of the... read more

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