Marriage, Christ and the Church (Eph 5:25-33)

[Eph 5:25-33]

Here the Holy Spirit continues the marriage analogy. He started with the wife in verses 22-24, now He turns to the husband.

[5:25-26] Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, [26] so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.

Notice the Greek pronoun for the church here is “her,” not “it.” Jesus gave Himself – his all for the church. Likewise there should be an absolute love in the husband-wife relationship, where the husband gives himself for the wife in everything. When you give yourself, you give everything that belongs to you. In the marriage covenant, both give totally to one another. Jesus held nothing back when He made us joint heirs with Him (Rom 8:17).

Word here is the Greek word “rhema.” Rhema is the spoken Word of God. When you were born again, you were cleansed by the spoken word of God. Communication of the Word of God produces faith. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Rhema of God” (Rom 10:17). Husbands should speak words that agree with God’s Word, to edify and encourage their wives. When we receive God’s Word, we are cleansed and He is glorified.

[5:27] that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

Rhema glorifies, brightens, and takes out spots and wrinkles. Marriages break down when communication breaks down. As long as husbands and wives talk out their problems and differences in love, they can work out most spots and wrinkles.

Or any such thing: The church will always be in agreement concerning Christ’s great commission. But until the resurrection there will always be new-born Christians, along with carnal believers added to the body of Christ. As long as the church age continues, we will not agree on all beliefs and doctrines, that is why we must “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3). I love carnal Christians, but I don’t agree with them on all things.

The church will finally be totally spotless and free of wrinkles at the judgment seat of Christ. Then all the wood, hay, and stubble will be burned out and the gold, silver, and precious stones will remain.

[5:28] So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.

A husband loving his wife is loving his own body, since they are one flesh. Jesus, the head, loves his own body, since we are one Spirit. You became one spirit when you accepted Jesus in salvation. Husband and wife became one flesh when they accepted each other in marriage. You, as the church, are the body of Christ. As the Church is the extension of Christ, husbands and wives are an extension of each other.

[5:29-30] for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, [30] because we are parts of His body.

Husband, just like you take care of your own body, take care of your wife the same way. Supply all her needs, because she is a part of you.

[5:31-32] FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. [32] This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

For this reason, the joining together and becoming one flesh. Man is to “leave” (or distance himself from) his parents “and be joined to his wife” (Gen 2:24). “The two become one flesh,” and this physical union is only for marriage. The church becomes one spirit with the Lord, by praying in the Spirit, worship and praise, and this spiritual union is only for believers.

In scripture a mystery is a revealed truth, and the “great mystery” here is “two becoming one flesh,” a union stronger than a parent-child bond. And it is a picture of the relationship Jesus has with His Spirit-filled believers.

[5:33] Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Respect means “honor, revere, and admire.” Wives, just as you honor, revere, and admire the Lord, you are to respect your husband. Look at him in faith. You can have what you believe for.

Husband, love your wife as Jesus loves the church. She belongs to you, give her your absolute love.

God bless you my friend,

— Dwight Hammond