Eph. 5:22-24 - Wives, Husbands, Church

22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

God’s Heirarchy

This is one of those sets of verses that seems to plant land mines and booby-traps for me. It is one of those topics so fraught with the possibility to be misunderstood. The man-woman relationship is such a hot issue.

From a commentary: “Building on the principle of mutual submission in Eph 5:21 (which itself stems from being filled with the Spirit in v. 18), Paul presents examples of how believers should be subject to one another in household relationships. In the first-century Graeco-Roman world, it was standard for every household member to be subject in daily affairs to the patriarch. This viewpoint was central to Graeco-Roman society.
Paul works within this framework to suggest a model that makes Christ the ultimate authority—his viewpoint is based on mutual love. In these sections of Ephesians, Paul addresses wives and husbands, children and parents, and servants and masters. As he does so, he follows a similar pattern: He first calls on the subordinate—according to Graeco-Roman values—to submit to authority, and then reminds the superior to exercise authority considerately, in ways that honor Christ. Compare Col 3:18–4:1.” (See Note 1, below)

The subject of submission is carried into chapter 6 of this letter. Paul was quite aware of submission - slaves to masters, children to parents, wives to husbands, husbands to Jesus Christ. The church - in fact, all believers - are in submission to Christ. A commentary opined: “Submission does not mean inferiority. As well, submission does not mean silence. Submission means ‘sub-mission.’ There is a mission for the Christian marriage, and that mission is obeying and glorifying God.” (See Note 2, below)

Wives

Vs. 22 - “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord." - The people who are staunchly advocating women’s rights may take umbrage at these sections of verses. However comma…

"as to the Lord." This is about the marriage relationship, not about politics, business, education, etc. This not about men being superior to women; this only concerns the home and church.

I think that David Guzik’s commentary explains this very well: “The words in the fear of God describe what should be our motive for submitting to one another. We should submit to one other — see ourselves no longer in an individualistic way, but as a unit, as a company or a battalion — out of respect for God the Father,  respect for Jesus Christ… The motive for submission is not social kindness. The motive for submission is not the law of God. The motive for submission is respect for Jesus Christ. If we respect Jesus, we then should submit to one another because we love Jesus. Paul uses the term fear in this passage, but it is a fear — a respect — that is compatible with love. It is a fear of disappointing Jesus, a fear of grieving Him. That is totally compatible with love. When you really respect someone, you care about pleasing him or her, and you are afraid to disappoint that one.” (See Note 2, below)

Paul is not saying women are inferior to men, or that wives are inferior to their husbands; those concepts are neither scriptural nor Christian. Paul is emphasizing the ‘team’ or ‘squad’ idea. The idea that a woman is inferior to a man is concentrating on the individuals, a very secular way of thinking. Our salvation is not dependent on our selves, or our abilities, or social status. We are wholly and completely saved only by the power of Jesus Christ. We owe everything to Him. What He wants must be our command, not just a suggestion.
For example: On a football team, every player is necessary. There may be a spectacular play, but the touchdown reception happens when the coach calls the right play, the team blocks the opponents correctly, the receiver runs the right route, the other receivers provide enough deception that they cannot be ignored, the quarterback throws the ball to the correct spot, and the receiver catches the ball. We, the church, are all vital to the mission set before us - to reach the lost and share the gospel. See: “In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Rom 12:5)

Also, from Guzik’s commentary, submission “means: ‘Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands because it is a part of your duty to the Lord, because it is an expression of your submission to the Lord.’ Or, ‘Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands; do it in this way, do it as a part of your submission to the Lord.’ In other words, you are not doing it only for the husband, you are doing it primarily for the Lord Himself… You are doing it for Christ’s sake; you are doing it because you know that He exhorts you to do it. It is well-pleasing in His sight that you should be doing it. It is part of your Christian behaviour, it is a part of your discipleship.” (Lloyd-Jones) (See Note 2, below)

Vs. 23 - “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.”

After the fall in the Garden (Gen 3:1-19), God did not change that symbiotic relationship when He ejected them from the garden, and He has not changed it when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In fact, the concept is enhanced by our Savior, and is the third reason for the submission of wife to husband. Jesus Christ is the head of the church - it does not exist without His sacrifice and resurrection - the church submits to Him. Jesus Christ is the head over man, the man and husband - the Christian man submits to Him, as is fitting and commanded.

“For the husband is the head of the wife” - Here is the second reason regarding submission. We see in Gen 2:18-24, man (the male) was created first, and the woman (the female) was created after. She was created to be a companion and partner for the man - and it was good. They were created for each other, and each had a role with respect to each other.

“as Christ also is the head of the church” - After the fall in the Garden (Gen 3:1-19),when He ejected them from the garden, God did not change that symbiotic relationship; and He has not changed it when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In fact, the concept is enhanced by our Savior, and is the third reason for the submission of wife to husband. Jesus Christ is the head of the church - it does not exist without His sacrifice and resurrection - the church submits to Him. Jesus Christ is the head over man, the man and husband - the Christian man submits to Him, as is fitting and commanded.

Vs. 24 - “But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.”

“so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything” - Jesus Christ is head over the woman - even if she is not married - and the Christian woman submits to her husband and to the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the hierarchy ordained by the Lord.

“Everything” - There may be exceptions to the “everything”, Guzik highlights the following: “When the husband asks or expects the wife to sin, she is free from her obligation to submit. This applies in a place of clearly Biblical sin — such as signing a fraudulent tax return. It also applies in matters of true Christian conscience. But we must be very careful to distinguish between true Christian conscience and mere opinion. Yet the wife does not have to submit to a request to commit sin…When the husband is medically incapacitated or insane, she is free from her obligation to submit… A wife does not have to submit to the requests a husband makes when he is insane or medically incapacitated… When the husband is physically abusive and endangers the safety of the wife or children, the wife is free from her obligation to submit. She does not have to submit to his violence… When the husband breaks the marriage bond by adultery. Obviously, a wife does not have to submit to her husband’s adultery, and just accept it. The Bible says she has the right to ‘come out from under his rank’ in such cases. ‘If the husband has been guilty of adultery the wife is no longer bound to give him obedience in everything. She can divorce him, she is allowed to do so by the Scripture. She is entitled to do so because adultery breaks the unity, breaks the relationship. They are now separate and no longer one. He has broken the unity, he has gone out of it. So we must not interpret this Scripture as teaching that the wife is this irrevocably, inevitably bound to an adulterous husband for the rest of her life. She may choose to be — that is for her to decide. All I am saying is, that this Scripture does not command it.’ (Lloyd-Jones)” (See Note 2)

To Sum up - Three Basic Reasons for Submission: The church is a collection of believers.  Submission to Christ our Lord is a foundational to the mission which is to seek and save the lost, which includes the husband/wife relationship. God has set up a hierarchy for all creation,  which is in submission to Christ, and includes wife/husband relationship. Jesus Christ is Lord, and we submit to Him because we love Him as He loved us - the husband is to demonstrate that love to his wife.

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Note 1: copied from ‘Faithlife Bible” found on Logos App.
Note 2: Guzik, David. “Commentary on Ephesians”, Blue Letter Bible App. There is much more in the commentary mentioned above, and I can’t quote it all here. I suggest that you look it up and read his comments.

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Eph. 5:18-21 - Be Filled by Holy Spirit

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Faith and Nothing but Faith

Paul continues his discussion of living a consistent Christian life. We may wonder how do we do that. We may wonder about the 'rules' for living; what the guidelines may be. We want directions; we want boundaries. Paul boils it down to a simple step.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Vs. 18 - “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,”

“But be filled with the Spirit” - What an interesting juxtaposition: drunk compared to filled with Holy Spirit. I have heard various and sundry explanations for this verse. A view that makes some sense to me is as follows: When you get drunk your behavior is not completely under control. The alcohol has reduced your ability to act in socially normal manners. You have lost control (you do stupid things, or at least behaviors you would never do when sober).

So, Paul is urging us to release our self-control, submit to the Holy Spirit. He has been given to us to lead and teach us everything we need to know to live for Christ. Abandon your ‘natural’ inhibitions to the power of the Holy Spirit. Your ‘natural self’ would advise you to take care of yourself first, to not bother someone with the gospel (they might be offended), to not pray in public, etc. Your new nature, guided by the Holy Spirit will be led to speak openly about Christ; to live and chaste and clean life.

Vs. 19-20 - speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father

“Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody” - Encourage each other with singing and songs. Songs and singing are not to take the place of teaching and preaching. People often sing when they are happy. There are several examples in scripture: the song of Miriam (Exo 15:20-21), Moses and Israel’s song (Exo 15:1-18), Moses’ song (Deut 32:1-43), Mary’s song (Luke 1:45-55), and in heaven (Rev. 5:9, 15:3).

“always giving thanks for all things” - We give thanks to Jesus for what He has done! We give thanks to God the Father for providing to us salvation through His Son! We are thankful for more than salvation - salvation is plenty for which to be thankful! He has given us so much more - life and breath, family and friends, peace with God, the peace of God, day to work, night to rest. All is from Him and through Him!

“To God, even the Father” - To God, that is, the Father of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

Vs. 21 - “and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”

“be subject to one another” - We have a responsibility to each other as Christians, as members of the church, the body of Christ as well as responsibility to Jesus as our savior. Paul writes to other churches concerning care for each other as Christians. In Rom 15:1 he tells us we are to bear “the weaknesses of those without strength.”
Also, Paul writes: “Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. Carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else.” (Gal 6:1-4)

James also lets us know we are responsible to: “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” (Jam 5:16) Dietrich Bonnhoeffer wrote in Life Together:  “A confession of sin in the presence of all the members of the congregation is not required to restore one to community with the entire congregation. In the one other Christian to whom I confess my sins and by whom my sins are declared forgiven, I meet the whole congregation... For here it is not a matter of acting according to one’s own orders and authority, but according to the command of Jesus Christ, which is intended for the whole congregation, on whose behalf the individual is called merely to carry it out.”

As a Christian you are not responsible to Jesus alone. You are definitely responsible to God for your behavior. But you are also responsible to the Christians around you - for your actions will be reflected upon the church of Christ in this world.

“In the fear of Christ” - God says in Isaiah 8:13, “The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.” If you have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, you have peace, you are forgiven. God is a fierce and loving God. Fear for that fierceness, and thanksgiving for that love propels us to follow His commands for us.

We show our love for Him, because as Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them... Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’” (John 14:21, 23)

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Eph. 5:15-17 - Be Careful

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,
16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

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The Days Are Evil

Vs. 15 - “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,”

“Therefore be careful how you walk” - Take care in how you live out your Christian life. The world around you will be watching - ready to pounce if you stray, ready to cry “Hypocrite! Hypocrite!” Ready to pronounce you a failure as a Christian. Whereas others may try to keep parts of their lifestyle hidden, yours should open for all to see.

“not as unwise men but as wise” - 'Unwise' is living as if God does not exist, or doesn’t care how you live. See: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart. And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.” (Heb 4:12-13)

The essence of being ‘wise’, especially in the Wisdom writings in the Old Testament, is following God’s word or commands. Ignoring God, or turning on Him is unwise. See: “Do you thus repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is not He your Father who has bought you? He has made you and established you.“ (Deut 32:6) God is telling them, “After all that I have done for you; things you could never have done for yourself...”

Vs. 16 - “making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

“making the most of your time” - A saying circulated a few years ago, “You are confusing motion with progress.” Another asked the question, “You say you have 15 years of experience of Christian life, are you sure it isn’t 1 year’s experience 15 times?” Paul is urging them to be sure they are focusing on Jesus and what He wants done. Listen to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Follow Him where He leads. Otherwise you are ‘running in place’, getting all sweaty and exhausted but getting nowhere.

“because the days are evil” - We live in a fallen and broken world - it seems all the days are fraught with evil. We know that Satan is always working to frustrate the cause and ministry of the church. The best way to get us to follow false teachings is to make them an admixture of the truth and lies. Most will not be sucked in by the outrageous big lie, such as stuff you see in movies - e.g., “The DaVinci Code” - or heresies such as Mary Magdalene and Jesus were sexual partners. But more subtle jabs, such the TV series “The Good Place”, or “God Friended Me”, are portraying God as needing help, or just not aware of what is happening. (I am not saying these TV comedies are evil - they don’t have a scriptural basis.) We always must be aware, checking what we are being told or taught with scripture.

Vs. 17 - “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

“Do not be foolish” - Don’t be deceived by false teachers. We can be lead on the wrong path, if what is being taught is almost correct; it has that hint of believability. Compare the teachings to the Bible. See: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” (2 Cor 11:3 , Also: James 1:16; 1 Cor 15:33)
“We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ.” (Col 1:28)
“I say this so that no one will deceive you through arguments that sound reasonable.” (Col 2:4)
“Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” ( Col 2:8 )

“Understand what the will of the Lord” - One of the reasons I love my faith, Christianity, is that it is simple yet deep; it is pure and uncluttered. No secret handshakes, no mysterious puzzles to solve. No secret ‘knowledge’ available to only a select few - who we must ‘trust’ since they have it and we don’t. No pilgrimages, no quests, nothing I need to do except believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. He paid the penalty for the sin of the world - mine are lumped in there. He died. He is resurrected and sitting with God the Father, ready to welcome me to my new home with them. It will be a joyous wedding of church as the bride and the Lord Jesus as the bridegroom. God’s will is that I will be with face-to-face to commune and worship, and share His glory!

Eph. 5:13-14 - Exposed by Light

Ephesians 5:13-14

13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.
14 For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you."

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All Things Become Visible

Vs. 13 - “But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”

“all things become visible” - This is about more than exposing evil. If that was all it takes to get rid of evil, pornography, prostitution, sexual sins, any criminal act would go away when revealed. In our experience, is that so? No, it is not! We fight tooth and nail, scratch and claw at crime and evil. Yet it is still here, and sometimes seems to prevail. The hope and prayer is that as evil deeds are shown to be what they are - evil, there will be people won to Christ who compare the deeds of those doing evil to the deeds of those living the Christian life.
See: John 3:19-21 - “Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God

“everything that becomes visible is light” - Not that visible things emit light, or are light sources, but that everything that has light shone upon it becomes visible. We can see the evil of pornography as it is exposed. See the spiritual destruction of sexual deviations, or sexual crimes, of crime of any sort. See the coarsening of our morals and culture - all because of tolerating evil deeds. 

These types of human behaviors should never be allowed in the church - especially in the church. We can speak out against pornography, prostitution, adultery, etc., but the natural world has no remedy - they do not have Jesus. Many times they do not want to hear that what they are doing is harmful to their soul.

Vs. 14 - “For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

“Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead” - Quoted from: Isa 51:17, 52:1, 60:1, 26:14a, 19a. This not a reference to the rapture, or resurrection. Wake up from your spiritual darkness. Turn from spiritual death. See: “Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and ‘live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel?' “ (Eze 33:11 )

Indeed, why should you die in your sin? Wake from your stupor. Turn from your confusion. Let the Light of God shine into your heart and soul. Be born again to new life, eternal life in Christ Jesus!

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