Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

25. Husbands ] Here the instruction is equally precise and more full. Cp. 1Pe 3:7.

love ] “in deed and in truth” (1Jn 3:18), “giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel” (1 Pet., quoted above). Monod well says that the Apostle, true to the spirit of the Gospel, speaks to the wife of the authority of the husband, to the husband of devotion to the wife: each party is reminded not of rights, but of duties.

even as Christ ] What a standard for the man’s conjugal love, in point of elevation, holiness, and self-sacrifice! “In Christian domestic life, Jesus Christ is at once the starting point and the goal of everything We may even say that domestic life is the triumph of the Christian faith” (Monod).

loved the church, &c.] Cp. the same words of the individual soul, Gal 2:10, “Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” The two places are in deepest harmony. Cp. also above, Eph 5:2.

“ Loved: ” in the pre-mundane view and grace indicated e.g. Eph 1:3-7. Cp. 2Ti 1:9.

gave ] Lit. (and so Gal 2:20), gave over, delivered up, to suffering and death. The same word is used e.g. Rom 4:25; Rom 8:32.

himself ] The supreme Ransom-gift. Cp. Tit 2:14 (where the Gr. verb is simply “ gave. ”)

for it ] Better, in this vivid context, for her. On the preposition, see above on Eph 5:2.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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 Redeemer toward the church, as the model for a husband to imitate. If a husband wished a rule that would be short, simple, clear, and efficacious, about the manner in which he should regard and treat his wife, he could not find a better one than that here suggested.

Even as Christ loved the church – This was the strongest love that has ever been evinced in this world. It follows, that a husband is in no danger of loving his wife too much, provided she be not loved more than God. We are to make the love which Christ had for the church the model.

And gave himself for it – Gave himself to die to redeem it. The meaning here is, that husbands are to imitate the Redeemer in this respect. As he gave himself to suffer on the cross to save the church, so we are to be willing to deny ourselves, and to bear toil and trial, that we may promote the happiness of the wife. It is the duty of the husband to toil for her support; to provide for her needs; to deny himself of rest and ease, if necessary, in order to attend on her in sickness to go before her in danger; to defend her if she is in peril; and to be ready to die to save her Why should he not be? If they are shipwrecked, and there is a single plank on which safety can be secured, should he not be willing to place her on that, and see her safe at all hazards to himself? But there may be more implied in this than that a man is to toil, and even to lay down his life for the welfare of his wife. Christ laid down his life to save the church; and a husband should feel that it should be one great object of his life to promote the salvation of his wife. He is bound so to live as not to interfere with her salvation, but so as to promote it in every way possible. He is to furnish her all the facilities that she may need, to enable her to attend on the worship of God; and to throw no obstacles in her way. He is to set her the example; to counsel her if she needs counsel, and to make the path of salvation as easy for her as possible. If a husband has the spirit and self-denial of the Saviour, he will regard no sacrifice too great if he may promote the salvation of his family.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Eph 5:25-27

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church.

The love of Jesus for His Church

I. The chosen Church, the object of the Saviours love.

1. Observe what this Church was by nature. Sinful.

2. Nay, more, this Church of Christ is made up of persons who are actually defiled by their own transgressions.

3. The kind of love which Jesus bestows on His Church is that of a husband.

(1) Special.

(2) Constant.

(3) A husband loves his wife with a hearty love, with a love that is true and intense. It is not mere lip service.

II. The work which love seeks to accomplish in its gracious designs. Since the Church is not fit for Christ by nature, He resolved to make her so by grace. When the text says, He gave Himself for it that He might sanctify and cleanse it, is there not allusion here to the double cure of sin? But what is the outward instrumentality which Christ uses? The text says, With the washing of water by the Word. The Word of God has a cleansing influence.

III. The loved one as she is perfected. Glorious. What must a glorious Church be? There is one lamp; well, that is very bright, very pleasing: you like to have it in your room; but think of all London illuminated to the very top of the cross of St. Pauls, and what an idea you then have of brightness. Now, one glorified Christian is a lamp. Think, then, of all heaven, with its domes of glory lit up with ten thousand times ten thousand companies of blood-bought spirits, whom Jesus Christ has taken up–a glorious Church! One flower is very sweet. I smell its perfume. But I walk into some vast conservatories, into some gentlemans garden, acres in extent, and there are beds of flowers, the blue, and scarlet, and yellow. I see the verbena, the calceolaria, and the geranium and many others, all in order, and in ranks. Oh, how glorious is this! Those undulating lawns, those well-trimmed hedges, those trees so daintily kept, all growing in such luxuriance. One flower is sweet, but a garden! a garden! who can tell how sweet this is! So, one glorified saint is one of Gods flowers, but a glorious Church is Christs garden. A drop of water may be very precious to a thirsty tongue, but a river full of it! Children are pleased, when for the first time in their lives they sail across some little lake, but how surprised they are when they come to the deep and rolling sea, which seems without shore or bottom. Well, so pleased am I at the very thought of the glorious Church. But do observe what is said of her. She is to be without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. Without spot–that is much; but you see spots can be taken off. The face is washed, and the spot comes out. The garment is thoroughly cleansed, and there are some chemicals and acids applied, and the spots can be got out.

IV. And lastly, the loved one is to be presented. It is said, He is to present her to Himself. Every day Christ presents His people to His Father in His intercession. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Christs love for the Church

I. In stating and defining this love, I will take notice–

1. Of the general nature of it.

2. The degree.

3. The effects.

First: The general nature of love is the delectation and complacency of the heart in the party loved, from whence followeth a desire of their good, and a seeking and promoting of it to the uttermost of our power. So the husband must love the wife, that his heart may cleave to her, and take delight in her; as it is said: The young man had a delight in Jacobs daughter (Gen 34:19).

Secondly: The degree.

1. There is a common love which belongeth to believers of either sex, as brothers and sisters in Christ (Joh 13:34).

2. It is alone, which in some respects exceedeth that we owe to our parents and other near relations (Gen 2:24).

3. It carrieth it higher yet. They ought to love their wives as their own bodies; for he that loveth his wife, loveth himself (Eph 5:28).

4. As Christ loved the Church. The husband for his pattern of conjugal love is referred to Christ, partly for the degree of his love, and partly for the kind of it.

Thirdly: The effects of it.

1. Delight in her presence and company; not suffering himself to be separated from her for any long time, unless it be for necessary cause. Those that find more pleasure in converse abroad than at home certainly do not heartily love one another, though no filthy and prohibited act should ensue from this liberty which they take.

2. The second act or effect of love is, to direct and instruct in all things that belong to this life and a better, for therefore he is called a head; and the office of the head is to guide the body.

3. In providing all things necessary for them that conduce to health, food, and raiment, and that according to the decency and decorum of their estate; for herein they imitate the care and providence of Christ, who hath provided all things for His spouse; food for their souls, garments of salvation to cover their nakedness, healing grace to cure their distempers. So must the husband do for his wife.

4. In a care to preserve and defend her. As Abraham of Sarah (Gen 20:1-18).

II. Let us now see by what reasons this is enforced.

1. The order of the creation. We pleaded that before for the womans submission, that she was made out of man, after man, and for man. We plead the same argument now for the husbands duty of love to her; for the apostle urgeth this in the same chapter (1Co 11:11-12).

2. It is a relation of love, instituted by God for that very end and purpose.

3. Reason will tell us how much the husband is bound to love her that hath in a manner forsaken all the world, father, and mother, and all her relations, to cleave to her husband, and to share with him in all conditions until death, although she were free before the contract. Surely common gratitude will suggest that a recompense of true affection is due to her for this; otherwise men are unthankful, unholy, and without natural affection, which is the worst character can be given to them.

4. The interest and comfort of the married estate will also persuade it. While love is kept up, all things go on sweetly; but as soon as love faileth, presently everything is out of order and out of joint; for when once they begin to disaffect the persons of each other, all matrimonial duties are stabbed at the heart.

Use 1. To reprove that which is contrary to this love, bitterness and harshness of carriage: Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter to them (Col 3:19). The gall was taken out of the sacrifices offered to Juno, as Plutarch witnesseth. This is seen–

1. Partly in a froward disposition, when men are offended for light causes or small provocations, and, like fine glasses, broken as soon as touched.

2. In sharp words and contumelious language, which leaveth such a grudge and such averseness in the mind as is not easily forgiven. Certainly such bitter speeches must needs destroy all love and breed an unquiet life.

3. Churlish deeds also show this bitterness.

(1) When the husband taketh from her all command in the family, handling her rather like a slave than a consort and companion.

(2) Denying necessaries.

(3) The height of bitterness is when passion and anger proceed to blows.

Use 2. To persuade to this love.

1. Choose one that is amiable. Prevention is better than cure.

2. Marry not till you be sure you can love entirely.

3. Love not as bare husbands, but as Christians.

4. Avoid giving offence.

5. Exercise patience.

Make conscience of your duty, and God will give you strength. Secondly: Now I come to Christs love; in which we have–

(1) The person that loveth, viz., Christ.

(2) The persons loved–The Church.

(3) The fruit of His love–He gave Himself for it, to a painful and ignominious death.

There are solemn notions by which Christs death is set forth–a ransom and a sacrifice.

(a) A ransom: And gave His life a ransom for many (Mat 20:28).

(b) As a sacrifice, a mediatorial sacrifice: When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin (Isa 53:10; Eph 5:2). Great love it was, if we consider–

1. The giver, Jesus Christ, God over all, blessed forever, to whom nothing can accrue from us: It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied (Isa 53:11). When He foresaw what it would cost, and what He should give, He said, It is enough.

2. The gift–He gave Himself: We are not redeemed with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Son of God (1Pe 1:18).

3. For us, whom He after calleth into a Church (Rom 5:6-8). Oh, let us be blessing God for this love, and show our thankfulness both in word and deed.

(1) In word (Rev 5:9). The angels, who are the spectators, ever blessed God for it; and shall not we, who be the parties interested?

(2) In deed, by giving up ourselves to Him (Rom 12:1). (T. Manton, D. D.)

The glory of the Church

I. Christs love for His Church. Love which has in it no element of evil is always a very beautiful, tender, and impressive thing. Whether it is the love of the babe for her doll, or the love of the older children for the babe, or the blessed love of the mother for all her children, it is still the same exquisite, joy-giving sentiment. It is a rose of the same loveliness and fragrance whether it bloom amid the splendours of royal gardens or in the cottagers door yard; it is the nightingale which sings in the night the same song for prince and peasant. Who can read without increased tenderness in his heart the story of the mother who, overtaken by a terrible storm in the Alps, sat down at last in the snow, bared her own tender bosom to the storm, and wrapped her cloak carefully around her babe? The storm raged on, and the poor mother, stripped of her heavy outer garments, died; but the babe was found alive, and greeted its deliverer with a smile. There are deeds of power which elicit more boisterous applause, but there are none which more invoke what is holiest in our nature than these exhibitions of conspicuous love. But, conspicuous and beautiful as these examples are, we feel when we read this text, and others to the same effect, that Christs love for His Church is something transcendent–something unparalleled. We sometimes think the night is glorious, and so it is, with the moon shining in her full splendour; but when the sun rises the moon fades away into the intenser light. So does the love of Christ outshine all other love. The text makes concerning this love but this simple record, He loved the Church, and gave Himself for it. The record is brief, but it is enough; we know from it that the love was infinite. The Alpine mother did much, and suffered much for bet babe; but there was a little possibility, and, therefore, a little hope, that some good monk would come that way and save both her and her babe alive; and even had she formally resolved on death for the infants sake, it would have been but a finite sacrifice. The father did much for his boy when he dashed into the burning house to rescue him; but that was frenzy, the transient ecstasy of love, and it was for his own boy, not for a stranger, much less an enemy. But Christs love for His Church was a deliberate plan, not entered upon in an hour of frenzy, but in calm counsel in the eternal sunshine of heaven, and it was executed through slow-going years of persecution, that the very men who lacerated Him with whips, and thorns, and nails, might be washed in the blood they shed, and come thereby to the fellowship of the firstborn.

II. The character of the Church which Christ thus loved. The Church is described in the text by the general word glorious: and more particularly by the terms cleanse and sanctify it with the washing of water by the Word; and not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. The Church of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth has a glorious character.

1. She has a glorious origin–is a child of heaven. She was not born of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Her Father is a Spirit, and this child has, in this respect, her Fathers character. Her beauty is not material, like the beauty of a flower; it is spiritual, like the beauty of the archangels. Her power is not material, like that of the mountain oak, which, though it defies the tempests of a century, wanes at last from decay; her power is of God, and is like God, not in extent, but in kind: it is spiritual power, and defies all time and change.

2. She has a glorious history. Sometimes it has been a history of persecution, and sometimes of victory; and it is difficult to tell which virtue is most conspicuous, her fidelity in persecution or her meekness in triumph.

3. Now at length the Church is glorious in power–in the power which comes of wealth; in the power which comes of learning and literature; in the power which comes of numbers, and of numbers organized; in the power which comes of many edifices and splendid architecture; in the power which comes of elegance, and wealth, and refinement in private life. God grant that this power may not decay through disuse, nor make itself a curse by being perverted I

4. The Church is glorious in her universal adaptations.

III. The destiny of this glorious and much loved Church. My text says, That He might present it to Himself. The figure used is evidently that of an oriental wedding. The bridegroom has a friend, called a paranymph, whose duty it is to find him a bride, to secure an introduction, to prepare for the nuptials, and to be in close attendance on the wedding night. St. Paul evidently has in his mind the figure of a marriage. But Christ is to be His own paranymph, that He might present it to Himself. This is a favourite figure with Christ and His disciples. He is the Bridegroom and the Church the bride. Just when the nuptials are to be celebrated we do not know, but the entrance of this glorious Church upon her glorious destiny as the Lambs wife is to be an event before which all other nuptials shall be as the glimmer of a candle in the light of a midsummer sun. John had a glimpse of the sublime scene in his wondrous vision on Patmos; and as the angel opened out this scene of unparalleled magnificence, this destiny of infinite sweep and indescribable glory, it was more than the spirit of the enraptured seer could endure. He perhaps saw himself in that Church; he, one day a poor fisherman on the shore of Tiberias, now an exile from his native land, he should be there; the shout of the archangel and the trump of God should salute his ear: the rider of the white horse, the Man of the nameless name, with eyes like a flame of fire and vesture dipped in blood, should come even to him; he should be at His wondrous marriage supper. It was more than he could endure. He fell adoring at the angels feet; the visions had so intensified the glory of the angel himself that John thought it had been God. But the angel said, See thou do it not. Worship God. This, then, is to be the glorious destiny of this glorious Church–she shall become the bride of the Lamb. The purest thing on earth shall marry the King of kings and Lord of lords. The bride shall live with her Husband, and be under His protection forever. (J. H. Bayliss.)

Christs love to His Church

I. The fact. Christ loved the Church. I would begin by remarking that the Church of God–the reality of a true Church–is a thing quite unknown to the world. The world talks about Churches, the glory of a Church, and the beauty of a Church; but it does not know what a Church is; it has no true perception of what a Church of Christ is. If there be any gleaming of light upon the point, so far as it sees it, it dislikes it, hates it, despises it. We fully acknowledge that the Church of Christ is just like its Author; it has no form nor comeliness in the eyes of the world, and no beauty that men should desire it; and so, like Himself, it is despised and rejected of men. It has no outward splendour; it has no earthly glory; it has nothing in it, wherefore men should gaze, look at it, bow before it. But who can describe, notwithstanding, its true glory, and the love that Jesus has to it? He loved it in all eternity. Language seems altogether to fail in describing the love that Jesus has to His Church. It seems exhausted. Does an eagle bear her brood upon her wings?–not only to teach them, and not only to nourish them, but to protect them, so that the arrow that toucheth them must touch her, and come through her, before they can be destroyed. This is the figure that sets forth His love to His Church. Does a father pity his child, when others can hardly bear with him, remembering that he is but dust? It is the very figure that sets forth the love of Jesus to His Church.

II. The proof He has given of His love. He gave Himself for it.

1. Who it was that gave Himself. No mean person, no ordinary individual, no common being; but the Son of God.

2. What it was that He gave. It was not His mere tears, nor groans, nor sighs: though the Lord Jesus was a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. He gave Himself–His whole self. He gave His Deity, He gave His humanity; He gave the whole of His Person as God-Man; all that was in man to suffer, and all that was in God to merit. And this He gave freely.

3. And now observe, for what it was that He gave Himself. We find it in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Galatians–He gave Himself for our sins. Two or three remarks, and I close. Here is a door of unutterable consolation opened to us, in the midst of a world of desolation. I see the blessed Jesus giving the most unspeakable proofs of His love. But another door opens: it is the door of solemn inquiry. If the Church of God is so dear to Him, what do you and I for the Church of God? (J. H. Evans, M. A.)

Christs love to the Church

I. The love of Christ to His Church. Christ loved the Church. What else than love could have selected, pardoned, purified, and redeemed the Church? What other feeling could have stooped to such guilt, and raised it to such glory? As a Divine love to a creature so far beneath Him, what matchless condescension there is in it! It is a love of the sinner, but it attempts no compromise with his sin. Christ loved the Church, and He walked in that Church in the radiance of love. Thoughts of love nestled in His heart; words of love lingered on His lips; deeds of love flew from His arm; and His steps left behind them the impress of love. It threw its soft halo over His cradle at Bethlehem, and it fringed with its mellow splendours the gloom of the cloud under which He expired on Calvary. It gave edge to His reproofs, and pathos to His invitations. It was the magnet that guided Him in all His wanderings. It bound Him to the cross and held Him there, and not the iron nail that pierced His hands and His feet. It thrilled in His bosom, and glistened in His eye. Yes: Christ love, said the dying philosopher, Jesus Christ–love–the same thing.

II. The sacrifice as the expression and result of love. In the stead of the Church He died, to deliver her from death, the sentence which so righteously lay upon her.

III. The nearer purpose of his love and death. That death not only affects our state, but also tells upon our character. He died to sanctify the Church. Not only does He originate the change, but He sustains it; for He abides within us. What He commences, He still fosters and perfects.

IV. The ultimate end and result. With what delight and satisfaction will we not now contemplate the ulterior purpose of these preliminary arrangements–That He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. How noble such a destiny–perfect restoration and felicity. The nuptial figure is still continued, and the allusion is to the presentation of the bride to her husband. That presentation does not take place till he can look upon her with complacency. (J. Eadie, D. D.)

Christs love for the Church, and our duty as members of it

What a broad scope of thought is embraced in these few words! The Church militant, labouring, suffering, upon earth? the Church cleansed, purified, glorified, in heaven! The apostle, at a single glance, seemed to see it all. And–

I. First, I remark, that we should love the Church.

II. Again: We should not only love the Church but labour for it. The word itself suggests the idea of unceasing effort and self-sacrifice. But it is not enough to love the Church and to labour in its behalf, we must likewise be willing–

III. To suffer for it. There is no great difficulty in avoiding unpleasant differences with the world, if we do nothing to thwart and oppose it.

IV. Once more. Every true child of God should be willing, if need be, to fight for the Church. (J. N. Norton, D. D.)

Christs love for the Church

I. The Churchs polluted condition without Christ.

II. Christs love to the Church.

1. The antiquity of it (Jer 31:3).

2. An active and operative love (Gal 1:4).

3. A real and sincere love (Hos 2:4).

4. An entire and undivided love (Joh 17:26).

5. A lasting and constant love (Joh 13:1).

III. The evidences of this love.

1. He established and perfected the Church before God (1Th 3:13).

2. By bringing her into a state of union with His person (1Co 6:15).

3. He thoroughly justifies her by His blood and His righteousness:

4. He animates her by the grace of His Holy Spirit.

5. His love constrainedly operates in her heart.

6. He does it by the instrumentality of His word.

7. The administrations of His appointed ministers.

8. In remarkable providences, at some times.

9. By painful afflictions at others.

10. But especially by His Spirit, in, and by all things.

IV. The effects of this wondrous love.

1. Glorious from its nature and worth (Mal 3:17).

2. Glorious from the estimation in which God holds her (Deu 32:9).

3. Glorious from her connection (Joh 17:22-23).

4. Glorious, because she is free from spot, wrinkle, and the slightest mark of blemish.

This appears from–

1. The wisdom which directs–Christ.

2. The righteousness which justifies–Christs.

3. The perfection of her sanctification–Christ.

4. By her complete and eternal exemption from every charge of all her enemies, even by Christ.

Inferences–

1. How completely this demolishes all ideas of human merit.

2. And secures to Jesus Christ all the glory of our salvation. (T. B. Baker.)

Marriage and the heavenly Bridegroom

Adhering to the arrangement of topics in the text, we will speak first of the wifes duty of obedience and then of the husbands duty of love.

I. Order is heavens first law. Every portion of the universe knows its own place, and fulfils its proper function. There can be no happiness amongst mankind without due subordination. A state of society is impossible without this. So the apostle says, Submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God. On the knowledge of each ones true place and the rendering by each of what is due to others, the welfare both of nations and families depends. St. Paul, after laying down the general principle of mutual submission, illustrates and enforces it in the case of wives. They are to submit themselves to their own husbands as unto the Lord. This submission is based on the fact that God has made man the head of the woman. Whatever may be said–and much may be said justly of womans rights–this fact of the mans headship remains, and ever will; established both by nature and revelation, by Gods works and Gods Word. There are features in which woman is very superior to man. The fact remains–that man, as such, is generally the stronger both in body and will. This indicates where authority should reside. Where two or more persons are concerned occasions arise when there must be precedence. Both cannot go first when only one can go at a time. What shall be the law? Among nations and in families authority and power must go together. For what is authority without power to enforce it? The inspired apostle urges as an additional argument that man was created before the woman, but that woman sinned before the man. I suffer not a woman to usurp authority over the man. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived; but the woman, being deceived, was in the transgression (1Ti 2:12-13). The true glory of all things is the accomplishment of the end for which they were designed. The highest honour of every living creature–of men and of angels–is that each occupies aright his own proper sphere–develops his own proper functions–and does not aim at being something else, and doing what appertains to another. Woman, therefore, dishonours and disfigures herself when she attempts to occupy the place of man–aping his dress, his occupations, or his authority; just as a man would make himself contemptible if, laying aside his proper dress and functions, he were to array himself in womanly garments, affect feminine manners, and occupy his time in the details of the household, and the cares of the nursery. The ivy has its beauty, as it gracefully twines around the oak; but were it to become stiff and rigid, and ape the robustness and strength of the tree to which it clings, while it would never become an oak, it would lose all its own special charms. Let it still cling there–following the oaks growth, leaning on it, finding its stability and life in it, while it clothes the oaks strength and ruggedness with grace and beauty. This submission does not mean subservience, the denial of a womans individuality, the having no opinion or wish of her own, and properly urging it. No true man would value his wife for ceasing to be herself. Instead of a companion and counsellor she would only be his echo or his shadow. And this submission will be a delight, when rendered, not only from a consideration of the laws of nature, or the express precept of the Bible, but from that love which is the best bond and guarantee of order; that love without which the marriage relationship should not be formed; that love which renders obedience a luxury, and which itself is the fulfilling of the law. On the other hand, if husbands love their wives as Christ also loved the Church, authority will be divested of all austerity.

II. If the husband is to maintain his just authority, so also is he, and in the first instance, bound to make Christs love for the Church the model of his own. Other motives are superadded. Love to a wife is love to ones self, and neglect or unkindness towards her is as unnatural on the part of a husband as if he inflicted injury on his own body. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. If the standard of the wifes obedience is high, equally so is that of the husbands love: in both cases it is Christ–obedience as to Christ; love, as that of Christ. The relation of Christ to the Church as the heavenly Bridegroom is seen in His love to the Church, His gift to the Church, His treatment of the Church, and His ultimate purpose towards the Church.

1. The love of the Heavenly Bridegroom to the Church. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church. Love is the foundation, the cement, the glory of marriage. There is no true marriage in the absence of it. So, the love of Christ is the origin and the abiding cause of His connection with the Church.

(1) Consider the generosity of Christs love. He loved us first. He loved the world and came to save it. He loved each one of us and besought us to be reconciled to God. He loved us when we were without beauty. Though the marriage relationship should not be based on mere external charms which may deceive and must soon decay, yet beauty is often in the first instance the attractive cause of a pure and abiding affection. But Christ loved us when we were deformed and defiled by sin. Vile compacts are sometimes made under the name of marriage, merely for mercenary and worldly ends; and a husband is chosen not for himself but for his position; or a wife, not to make her happy but to enjoy her estate. But the love of Christ was manifested, not to the rich, the prosperous, and the happy; but to the fallen, the condemned, the ruined, the wretched.

(2) His love is persevering. He long went on to woo us while we persisted in rejecting Him. His love does not grow weary, suffers no reaction, has no intervals of indifference, is not diverted by other objects, does not cool with years, but is unchanging, undying, everlasting.

(3) His love is tender. No man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church. The love of Jesus is a love which is not content with doing great things, but which delights also in tenderness in regard to little things. How often a husband who may bestow large gifts on a wife, grieves her by the lack of delicate sympathy and gentle care for her comfort in the trifles which make up life.

(4) His love is fervent. Sometimes people are warned against loving each other too much, lest they should become idolaters, and thus have the object of such inordinate affection taken from them as a punishment. Nonsense! The Bible never says this. Alas! the general state of society does not require us to say it. The danger is on the side of deficiency, not of excess. Children! love your parents with devotion. Parents! love your little ones with fervour. As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you. Who can fathom this? Well might the apostle speak of the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. The love of Christ, thus generous, persevering, tender, and fervent, is to be the model of our own. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church.

2. The Bridegrooms gift. Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it. Gold and jewels and costly array are given to a bride. But what are all these in comparison to the bridegroom himself, when the marriage is one of affection? So Christ gave Himself; a donation which infinitely transcends all the universe besides. In personal fidelity and devotion husbands should love their wives, even as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it.

3. The Bridegrooms treatment of the Church. That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. The greatest glory of the universe is God, and our greatest glory is our resemblance to God. Christ can do no greater work for us and in us than promoting such resemblance. This He does by the sanctifying influences of the truth through the operation of the Holy Spirit, which is compared to the cleansing of the body by water. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean. So giving himself to his wife, the husband should ever watch over and promote her health and comfort of body, her peace of mind, her purity of heart, her religious, spiritual, and eternal welfare: even as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it.

4. The Bridegrooms ultimate purpose. That He might present it to Himself, a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Let us learn these practical lessons:

1. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church. As the Church is subject to Christ so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

2. Christians, the Bride of Jesus, do not frustrate His gracious purpose by wilful sin. Seek the cleansing of His atoning blood and the daily baptism of His Holy Spirit.

3. Obey Christ As the Church is subject to Christ. Obey His laws, honour His authority, imitate His example.

4. Delight in Christ. Think of His love. Respond to it. Exult in it.

5. Anticipate with holy rapture the heavenly espousals; and walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. (Newman Hall, LL. B.)

Marriage and holiness

Philip Henrys advice to his children with respect to their marriage was–Please God, and please yourselves, and you will please me; and his usual compliment to his newly married friends–Others wish you all happiness. I wish you all holiness, and then there is no doubt but you will have all happiness.

Sanctified marriage

Rev. Robert Newton, the Wesleyan pulpit orator, and his bride, began their married life by retiring twice each day to pray with and for each other. This practice they kept up, when opportunity served, to the end of life. When an old man, Mr. Newton remarked, In the course of a short time, my wife and I shall celebrate the jubilee of our marriage; and I know not that, during the fifty years of our union, an unkind look or an unkind word has ever passed between us.

A man cannot love his wife too much

A gentleman informing Rowland Hill of the sudden death of a ministers wife happened to say, I am afraid our dear minister loved his wife too well; and the Lord in wisdom has removed her. What, sir! replied Mr. Hill, with the deepest feeling, can a man love a good wife too much? Impossible, sir! unless he can love her better than Christ loves the Church.

Lord Lawrence and his wife

The following appears in the Life of Lord Lawrence, published by Messrs. Smith, Elder and Co.:–Lord Lawrence married after his return to England, at the end of a long and tedious illness, and he was warned that it was death to go back to India. His answer was, If I cannot live in India, I must go and die there; and the newly married couple sailed accordingly. The marriage proved a very happy one. Mrs. Lawrence constantly acted as her husbands adviser and amanuensis, she seldom left his side, and her company became almost indispensible to him. A story is told of them, long afterwards, when they had come back to settle finally in England. Lady Lawrence had left the room; and twice in the course of a few minutes her husband asked what had become of her. Why, really, John, said one of his sisters, it would seem as if you could not get on for five minutes without your wife. That was what I married her for, he answered, simply.

The Church loved, washed, presented

A pearl of dew will not hold the sun, but it may hold a spark of its light. A child by the sea trying to catch the waves as they dash in clouds of crystal spray upon the sand cannot hold the ocean in a tiny shell, but he can hold a drop of the ocean water. And in this sense the apostle exhorts, Love, even as Christ also loved.

I. The love of Christ. In human love we perceive much to be admired, but in that of God there is a something which eludes our grasp when we endeavour to fathom it, and battles our conception as we try to find it out. God only knows the love of God.

1. The Divine love is sovereign and supreme. All the attributes of God are glorious, but one shines above the rest and seems to gather up into itself all the others, viz., love. God is love.

2. The practicalness of Christs love. It was not a mere sentiment; it led him to give Himself–the most precious gift that could be offered–for man. Christ was not only a preacher, but a sacrifice; He not only talked, but died.

II. The sublime design of Christs love. Christ loved the world before ever there was a Church in it, and determined out of the very ruins of the Fall to build up for Himself a Temple worthy of being inhabited by Himself. You remember when Edward I received a wound one day from a poisoned dagger, his wife, Eleanor, sucked out the poison, venturing her own life to save her husbands. Even so, when humanity had been stung by the foul and deadly serpent, sin, Christ came forth and volunteered to extract the poison, although the effort cost Him His life. He sacrificed much, in order to show His love for the race who had rebelled and become polluted by sin. And herein is the mystery of godliness.

1. Christ loved the Church because He had determined to effect upon it a mighty transformation. He saw the possibilities of human nature, and the resplendent future to which it was heir by His grace.

1. Cleansing.

2. Presentation to Himself.

He has sought His beloved, and redeemed her from the bondage of sin–redeemed her by no less a price than that of His own most precious blood. He has espoused and called her His, even here, and now, watching over her with fond affection, and supplying all her wants. But the grand presentation day will dawn by and by–the glorious manifestation of the Church, which is His bride. And as on earth there is often jubilation and pomp attending the nuptial feast, so shall the marriage of the Lamb be the signal for untold joy and unutterable splendours amongst the ranks of the heavenly host. And, moreover, as the earthly bride is exalted to the same dignity, and enjoys the immunities and wealth of her husband, so the Church will share the honours and glories of her Husband and Lord. Impossible! do you say, that such can be the destiny of the often poor, despised, and persecuted Church? Ah, brethren, it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. The day of presentation has not yet come–the day of maturity, perfection, and bloom; but come it shall! When the gardener buries the cold, rough, apparently dead bulb in the damp mould, you might in your ignorance be tempted to say, There, now, that is cast aside, and will never be heard of more. You have not, however, long to wait, ere a magnificent flower springs from the unsightly bulb, a flower fit for presentation, perchance, in the palace of royalty itself. Thus has it been, and thus will it be, with the Church. Full often she has been cast down, and trodden under foot, and despised by the nations, who thought they had buried her in oblivion. But no, she has ever sprung again into renewed life and beauty, like the fair flower of which I spoke, and the time of her presentation will be by and by. Nothing can hinder it. He who hath formed His people for Himself controls all adverse as well as auspicious influences; and having set His heart upon His chosen, they shall be His for evermore. (J. W. Atkinson.)

A glorious Church

I. The Church is glorious even now.

1. Glorious in its foundation (Eph 2:20).

2. Glorious in its progress, Although the storms of persecution have beat upon it, yet doth the building rise. Like the ark on the wild waters, it hath safely outridden the fury of every storm till now, nay, hath only been landed on its firm Ararat of rest by the very force of the revolutionary wave.

3. Glorious in its ever-growing empire.

4. Glorious in power in the power which comes from wealth, in the power which comes from learning and literature–in the power which comes of numbers, and of numbers organized–in the power which comes of many edifices and splendid architecture–in the power which comes of elegance, and wealth, and refinement, in private life.

II. The Church will be more glorious yet on the day of presentation.

1. Glorious in position, immunities, and honour. Though now often poor, despised, and persecuted, she shall then be proclaimed the Lambs wife, and be lifted up to sit with Christ on His throne.

2. Glorious in holiness and purity.

(1) Perfect. No spot.

(2) Youthful. No wrinkle.

(3) Without trace of earthly infirmity. No blemish.

3. Glorious in bliss. If pure it must also be happy; for only the pure can be truly glad. Heaven is a very gladsome and blessed place. Its trees are green forever. Its rivers and seas are clear as crystal. Its music is an eternal symphony. Its light is brighter than the sun–it is the light of purity and bliss. (J. W. Atkinson.)

The pattern of love

I. How Christ loved His Church.

1. A love of choice, and special regard.

2. A love of unselfishness.

3. A love of complacency.

4. A. love of sympathy.

5. A love of communion.

6. A love of unity.

7. A love of immutable constancy.

II. How He proved His love.

1. He gave Himself to His Church by leaving heaven and becoming incarnate that He might assume her nature.

2. He gave Himself throughout His life on earth by spending all His strength to bless His beloved.

3. He gave Himself in death; the ransom for His Church.

4. He gave Himself in His eternal life; rising, ascending, reigning, pleading; and all for the Church of His choice.

5. He gave Himself in all that He now is as God and Man, exalted to the throne, for the endless benefit of His beloved Church.

III. How we should think of it. It is set before us as a love which should influence our hearts. We should think of it–

1. In a way of gratitude, wondering more and more at such love.

2. In a way of obedience, as the wife obeys the husband.

3. In a way of reverence. Looking up to love so great, so heavenly, so perfect, so Divine.

4. In a way of holiness. Rejoicing to be like our Holy Husband.

5. In a way of love. Yielding our whole heart to Him.

6. In a way of imitation. Loving Him, and others for His sake. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Conjugal love

Let all things be done in love, saith the apostle. If all thy actions towards others, then, much more all things that concern thy wife, should be done in love. Thy thoughts should be thoughts of love; thy looks should be looks of love, thy lips, like the honeycomb, should drop nothing but sweetness and love; thy instructions should be edged with Jove; thy reprehensions should be sweetened with love; thy carriage and whole conversation towards her should be but the fruit and demonstration of thy love. Oh, how did Christ, who is thy pattern, love His spouse! His birth, life, and death were but, as it were, a stage whereon the hottest love imaginable, from first to last, acted its part to the life. It was a known, unknown love. Tiberius Gracchus, the Roman, finding two snakes in his bed, and consulting with the soothsayers, was told that one of them must be killed; yet, if he killed the male, he himself would die shortly; if the female, his wife would die. His love to his wife, Cornelia, was so great, that he killed the male, saith Plutarch, and died quickly. (George Swinnock.)

The final glory of the Church

I. In describing the future condition of the Church, the apostle has evidently in his mind two previous states of it–its original state when lying dead in trespasses and sins, and its subsequent earthly state, when separated from the mass of the ungodly and partially redeemed.

II. He points out the causes to which it is to be ascribed. Of these he mentions four.

1. The first is the love of Christ. He loved the Church.

2. The next is the sacrifice of Christ. He gave Himself for it.

3. Hence the apostle goes on to bring before us the Holy Spirit as a third source to which the Church must ascribe its future holiness.

4. And how does the Holy Spirit carry on this cleansing process? The text shows us, and its answer to the question reminds us of the fourth means of our sanctification–the Word of God. The washing of water, is by the Word.

III. We have to go on now to our last point–the great end for which all these means of holiness are brought into operation. It is, we are told, to sanctify and cleanse the Church. But why is the Church to be thus sanctified? What is the ultimate object aimed at in this cleansing? All terminates in this one blessed end, that Christ, in the great day of His triumph, may present the Church unto Himself a glorious Church. Nothing dishonours, brethren, but sin; nothing but sin is really shameful. Now take sin from the soul, and you have removed from it everything that can degrade it. We may go farther–the chief glory of God is the holiness of God. His purity is His brightest attribute. His power and immensity strike us more, for our minds are debased, we have lost the perception of that which is most elevated in its character–moral greatness; but go up into heaven, or rather read the language of heaven as we find it in the Bible–power and majesty are both extolled in it, but this is the one great subject of adoration in heaven, in the very world where all the Divine greatness is most fully manifested–the purity of Jehovah; and this the song which, next to the song of salvation, rises most constantly in its splendid courts–Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. No wonder then that the Church will be a glorious Church; the likeness of God will be put on her the image of Godwill shine in her; that attribute of Divinity, which is the perfection of Divinity, will be her crown. (C. Bradley, M. A.)

The bride of Christ

That love is the initiative of everything. We did not love Him; but He loved us. We did not choose Him; but He chose us. Just as afterwards, in the copy, the man is not loved first, but the woman. The mans love is the cause; the womans love is the consequence. The womans love is reflected love. But His love was intense. It had no beginning, and it had no bounds. It was so great that He actually loved us to the death. Christ, then, having loved us, and chosen us, and died for us, and given us life, preceded next to make us fit and worthy for the high position to which He destined us. For this end two things were necessary. First, we must be relieved of our old guilty defilement. Our souls must be washed from the past. The Jews had what they called the bridal bath. So Christ did away with the previous guilt, and its consequence, and our sins were as though they had never been–for they were expunged! When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live Then I washed thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. Of this washing the laver of baptism is the emblem. It prefigures it; it assures us of it; it is intended to be its channel. But it is evident that the forgiveness of past sins, and the removal of their stains, is not all that is necessary for the Church–that it may be the bride of Christ. There must be also real and actual purity and holiness. Now comes the final purpose. What is it all for? Loved; chosen; pardoned; rid of all past guilt; washed; sanctified; clothed; beautified:–what is the Church? Glorious. A glorious Church, not having–that is, not having as God sees us in Christ–not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. Glorious she is–for the glory which God has given Him–which is the Holy Ghost–Christ has given us! Glorious she is–for she reflects the face, and the unity, and the glory of her God! Glorious she is–from rays of light of heavenly beauty upon her! Glorious she is–for God is glorified in her! A glorious Church! And why–again we ask–why so glorious? That Christ may present her to Himself–Himself to Himself–who made her for Himself, that Himself might enjoy her forever and ever. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)

The final state of the redeemed

In this verse we have the last end of our redemption by Christ, the perfection and consummation of our sanctification in the life to come. In setting forth of which take notice–

1. Of our nearness to Christ, That He might present it to Himself; that is, assume or take us home to live with Him, and abide always in His presence.

2. The effect of this union and nearness, which is–

(1) Generally expressed, A glorious Church. It is an allusion to the spouse of a king, or a royal marriage (Psa 45:13).

(2) Particularly explained, or wherein the glory of the Church doth consist.

(a) Negatively, Not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. A spot is in the garments, a wrinkle is in the flesh; and then follow the general words, Or any such thing. Neither with filthy garments, nor with shrivelled flesh, nor blind, nor lame.

(b) Positively, But that it should be holy, and without blemish, perfectly pure, and exempt from either blemish or blame, for the word signifieth both; and the allusion is to a spouse that excelleth in beauty and comeliness. That the final end of our redemption is that we may be presented at the last day glorious in pretty and holiness.

1. Of the final end of our redemption; and there–

(1) Of His love, that Christ could not satisfy Himself with doing us good here, but He would provide for our glorious estate hereafter.

(2) That our glory in heaven is the fruit of Christs death, who procured this eternal inheritance for us. It is not merited by our holiness, but purchased by Christ.

(3) It implies that none but those who are purified by the blood and Spirit of Christ have interest in this privilege.

2. That we enter into this everlasting estate by being presented to Christ; for in the text it is said, That He may present it to Himself, that is, as the bride to the bridegroom, that the marriage may be consummated. In the Scripture there is a three-fold presentation spoken of–

(1) One made by believers themselves (Rom 12:1).

(2) It is ascribed to the apostles, or Christs messengers who have a charge; and when they have done their work, present us to God as the fruit of their labour (2Co 11:2).

(3) This presentation is applied to Christ Himself. Now two ways is Christ said to present us–

(a) To Himself;

(b) To God.

3. I observe in the text, that those who are presented to Christ, and by Christ to God, is His Church, and is a glorious Church.

4. I observe that the principal glory of the Church lieth in its purity and holiness. Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory (Jud 1:24). It must needs be so; for–

(1) This is Gods glory: Glorious in holiness (Exo 15:11).

(2) Sin is the cause of all our misery; and therefore when we are completely holy, our misery which we incurred by the fall of Adam is then at an end. It was sin which was the cause of separation from God (Isa 59:2; Psa 17:15).

(3) Then we are dispositively fitted for the full enjoyment of God. Our glory is begun by holiness, and is still increasing to a further glory (2Co 3:18).

5. This purity and holiness shall then be exactly complete.

While we are in the world, neither is the whole Church perfect, nor particular believers. Now, let us go on to the uses.

1. To exhort you often to think of this estate. Oh, that our hearts were exercised more about these things!

2. Let us improve it.

(1) To glorify God and Christ, who intend so much glory to us.

(2) Let the foresight of this estate comfort us against our abasement in the world. We are now obscure, afflicted, poor, disgraced in the world.

(3) Improve it to holiness. See that this work be begun, for heaven is but the perfection of what is begun in this life; and when it is begun, never give over till you attain this perfect estate. The more eminency in holiness you get, the more glorious you are.

(4) Improve it to the love of Gods people; a necessary lesson in these days, when they fly from others that are in trouble, as the rest of the herd from the wounded deer (Psa 15:4).

(5) Improve it to thankfulness to Christ; for we have all our holiness from Christ; from first to last, He is the Author and Finisher; He purchased and procured the Spirit of sanctification for us (Tit 3:5-6). And also this glorious estate; He gave Himself not only to sanctify His people, but glorify them. Heaven is the fruit of His blood and love. Who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood (Rev 1:5). First He purchased it for us, and then communicateth it to us. (T. Manton, D. D.)

A holy and glorious Church

I. As regards the earthly state. Here the holiness of the Church is but comparative and imperfect: and this in two respects; because there is a mixture of bad and good, of godly and ungodly, of true believers with the insincere and hypocrites; and because even the good themselves, even the best, are but partially good, are never entirely cleansed from all defilement of sin, though they are redeemed from its penalty, and delivered from its tyrannical dominion.

II. We thus come to treat of the second state of the Church in the course of its holy progression, that to which the faithful are removed on their departure from this world. Very few are the notices of this intermediate state, between death add the judgment day; but we are taught to look upon it as a place of entire deliverance from trouble and sin.

III. There is, indeed, another state, in which the Church will be yet further advanced in blessedness; having been made perfect in holiness, it will be made perfect in happiness and glory: and this will be the consummation of the promise in the text, That He might present it to Himself a glorious Church. (J. Slade, M. A.)

The presentation of a glorious Church

I. The first regards the presentation of the Church–That He might present it to Himself. Now, in the Scripture, my brethren, we find a three-fold presentation of believers spoken of.

1. The first of these presentations is what we call personal; and this is made by themselves. Of this the apostle speaks when he admonishes the Romans, saying, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. In the experience of every believer there is a solemn scene in which he has acknowledged Gods claims; has asked, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? and has said, with resolution and zeal, Lord, I am Thine; save me. Other lords besides Thee have had dominion over me; but henceforth by Thee only will I make mention of Thy name. To Thee I dedicate Myself. My understanding is Thine, to know Thee; my will, to choose Thee; my heart, to love Thee; my conscience to fear Thee; my memory, to retain Thee. Thine are mine eyes, to behold Thy glory; mine ears, to hear Thy voice; my tongue, to show forth Thy praise; and my feet, to walk in Thy ways. Thine is my time, and my substance, and my influence; and if I had the innocency of Adam in paradise, the meekness of Moses, the faith of Abraham, the patience of Job, the fervour of Paul, the perfection of angels, they should be equally, they should be mere Thine, than these poor imperfect offerings which I now present.

2. The second of these presentations we call official; and these are made by ministers. This is what the apostle means when in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians he says, I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. And again, in his Epistle to the Colossians, he says, Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Ministers have a charge. It is, to endeavour to bring souls to Christ.

3. The third we call Divine. And this is here intended. And the presentation here unquestionably regards a future day that day for which all other days are made; and which is more than once so emphatically called the day of Christ. This presentation is a very peculiar one, for you see, it is by and to the very same Being. That He might present it to Himself. It is by Him–He presents it; and it is to Him. How is this? By Him; for He shall present them. But when it is here said that He will present it to Himself, it implies some present distance or absence–a want of some present recognition and acknowledgment. And so, while they are at home in the body, they are absent from the Lord. Indeed, there is now a connection and a communion between them; but the distinction is rather this: He is now with them–hereafter they will be with Him. And then, you see where they will be presented with this exceeding joy: before the presence of His glory: that is, His glorious presence. You see also in what state they will be presented with exceeding joy before His presence. He will present them blameless.

II. This brings us to the second part of our subject; which is, the glory of the Church. A glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Here Paul tells us, that the Church then presented will be glorious; and he also reminds us wherein that glory will principally consist. We must review both these. You are ready to ask perhaps, Is not His Church glorious now? It is. It is not a glorious Church indeed in the eyes of the world, for the world knoweth them not; they are often, like their Lord, despised and rejected of men: but they are glorious in the eyes of the Lord. But though the Church is now glorious, and more glorious than the mountains of prey, yet its glory is partially prevented and obscured now. It is so by the thinness of its numbers. Its glory is now partially prevented and obscured by intermixtures. The lilies are among thorns; the tares are among the wheat. It is now also partially prevented and obscured by their outward condition. They are now often poor; then they shall possess all things. Above all, the glory of the Church is now partially prevented and obscured by moral infirmities. Wherein this glory of the Church will then principally consist. And according to the apostle it is this: He will present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. Here we may remark four things very briefly.

(1) We see they have their imperfections now.

(2) You see how these imperfections are metaphorically expressed. They are held forth as spots, and wrinkles. You cannot notice spots in black; and you never do notice spots in coarse and repulsive visages. No; spots suppose comeliness and loveliness upon the whole. Spots are consistent with beauty; but yet they detract from it. There are deficiencies which are compatible with sincerity, and the life of God in the soul. Wrinkles are one of the common symptoms of age or weakness.

(3) We see that from all these blemishes and defects they are to be effectually, completely freed, when they are presented before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy. Yea, without spot or wrinkle, says the text, or any such thing. Oh! the power of Divine grace!

(4) Then you will see, lastly, what it is that achieves and finishes their glory. Why, it is this–that they will no more have any spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. What makes the difference between angels and devils? Holiness makes the angel; the want of it the devil. Devils may have possibly, and I am persuaded they have, knowledge or talent; and Voltaire and Byron would be fools by the side of some of them. Wicked men have often now more knowledge and science than good men; but they do not make a good use of it. And what is the consequence? Why it sinks them the lower in disgrace, and degrades them the more.

1. Let us dismiss these explanatory notes by first asking whether you will be found among the saints, in this glory everlasting?

2. Christians, well should the prospect that we have been imperfectly opening, animate and comfort you.

3. Then it should soothe you under the removal of those who sleep in Jesus. Jesus said to His disciples, who were sorrowing, If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice because I said, I go to the Father, for My Father is greater than I.

4. Then, lastly, how are we bound to the Saviour who has destined such glory for us, and is now preparing us for it! (W. Jay.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 25. Husbands, love your wives] Here is a grand rule, according to which every husband is called to act: Love your wife as Christ loved the Church. But how did Christ love the Church? He gave himself for it-he laid down his life for it. So then husbands should, if necessary, lay down their lives for their wives: and there is more implied in the words than mere protection and support; for, as Christ gave himself for the Church to save it, so husbands should, by all means in their power, labour to promote the salvation of their wives, and their constant edification in righteousness. Thus we find that the authority of the man over the woman is founded on his love to her, and this love must be such as to lead him to risk his life for her. As the care of the family devolves on the wife, and the children must owe the chief direction of their minds and formation of their manners to the mother, she has need of all the assistance and support which her husband can give her; and, if she performs her duty well, she deserves the utmost of his love and affection.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, viz. with a sincere, pure, ardent, and constant affection. As they resemble Christ in the honour they have of being the heads of their wives, so they must likewise in performing the duty of loving them, under which all matrimonial duties are comprehended.

And gave himself for it; whereby he testified the greatness of his love.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

25. “Thou hast seen themeasure of obedience; now hear also the measure of love. Do you wishyour wife to obey you, as the Church is to obey Christ? Then have asolicitude for her as Christ had for the Church (Eph5:23, “Himself the Saviour of the body”); and “ifit be necessary to give thy life for her, or to be cut in tenthousand pieces, or to endure any other suffering whatever, do notrefuse it; and if you suffer thus, not even so do you do what Christhas done; for you indeed do so being already united to her, but Hedid so for one that treated Him with aversion and hatred. As,therefore, He brought to His feet one that so treated Him, and thateven wantonly spurned Him, by much tenderness of regard, not bythreats, insults, and terror: so also do you act towards your wife,and though you see her disdainful and wantonly wayward, you will beable to bring her to your feet by much thoughtfulness for her, bylove, by kindness. For no bound is more sovereign in binding thansuch bonds, especially in the case of husband and wife. For one mayconstrain a servant by fear, though not even he is so to be bound toyou; for he may readily run away. But the companion of your life, themother of your children, the basis of all your joy, you ought to bindto you, not by fear and threats, but by love and attachment”[CHRYSOSTOM].

gave himselfGreek,“gave Himself up.”

for itTranslate, “forher.” The relation of the Church to Christ is the groundof Christianity’s having raised woman to her due place in the socialscale, from which she was, and is, excluded in heathen lands.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Husbands, love your wives,…. Which consists in a strong and cordial affection for them; in a real delight and pleasure in them; in showing respect, and doing honour to them; in seeking their contentment, satisfaction, and pleasure; in a quiet, constant, and comfortable dwelling with them; in providing all things necessary for them; in protecting them from all injuries and abuses; in concealing their faults, and covering their infirmities; in entertaining the best opinion of their persons and actions; and in endeavouring to promote their spiritual good and welfare: this love ought to be hearty and sincere, and not feigned and selfish; it should be shown in private, as well as in public: it should be chaste and single, constant and perpetual; it should exceed that which is bore to neighbours, or even to parents, and should be equal to that a man bears to himself; though not so as to hinder, and break in upon love to God and Christ: many are the reasons why husbands should love their wives; they are given to be helps unto them; they are companions of them; they are wives of covenant; they are their own wives, yea, their own bodies, their own flesh, nay, as themselves; they are their image and their glory; and especially the example of Christ, in his love to his church and people, should engage to it:

even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it:

[See comments on Eph 5:2]; the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read, “his own church”; his bride and spouse, whom he betrothed to himself from all eternity, the Father having given her to him; and is no other than the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven, even all the elect of God.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Even as Christ also loved the church ( ). This is the wonderful new point not in Col 3:19 that lifts this discussion of the husband’s love for his wife to the highest plane.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

1) “Husbands, love your wives” (hoi andres agapate tas gunaikas) “You husbands, sincerely love ye your wives.” If the wife’s duty is submission, it is just as clear that the husband’s duty is devout love in marriage relations, a love that will suffer, endure hardships, and even die for his wife, as Christ did for His church, Col 3:19, 1Pe 3:7. Each party (husband and wife) is reminded of their Divine duties to one another.

2) “Even as Christ also loved the church” (kathos kai ho christos agapasen ten ekkiesian) “Just as also Christ sincerely loved the church-assembly body of worship.”

His love for the church was affirmed to be in three tenses: (1) He loved, redeemed, and purchased her, Act 20:28; Eph 5:25; (2) He is sanctifying her, Eph 4:26; Joh 17:17; and (3) He will be married, united, joined to His church (as an institution) in special honor, glory, and dignity at His coming, Eph 4:27; 1Co 11:1-2; Rev 19:5-9.

3) “And gave himself for it” (kai heauton paredoken huper autes) “And gave himself up on behalf of it” In addition to giving Himself for the lost world Jesus gave Himself a ransom price to purchase His own church as a people in, with, and constituting a program of worship for His name’s sake, Mat 5:13-15; Joh 3:28-29; Mar 13:34; Mat 28:18-20; Act 1:8; Act 1:15-21; Act 2:1-4; Act 2:40-42; Act 20:28.

The Greek term “paredoken” means He “delivered Himself over, ” even to the inclusion of His Iife, or to die for His church. In like manner the husband is to respond to the wife’s subjection or obedience in establishing and maintaining the marital relation.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

25. Husbands, love your wives. From husbands, on the other hand, the apostle requires that they cherish toward their wives no ordinary love; for to them, also, he holds out the example of Christ, — even as Christ also loved the church. If they are honored to bear his image, and to be, in some measure, his representatives, they ought to resemble him also in the discharge of duty.

And gave himself for it. This is intended to express the strong affection which husbands ought to have for their wives, though he takes occasion, immediately afterwards, to commend the grace of Christ. Let husbands imitate Christ in this respect, that he scrupled not to die for his church. One peculiar consequence, indeed, which resulted from his death, — that by it he redeemed his church, — is altogether beyond the power of men to imitate.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church.The love of Christ for His Church is such that He counts Himself incomplete without her (Eph. 1:23), and raises her to be one with Himself; that He bears with her weakness and frailty; that He draws her on by the cords of love; and that He gives up Himself for her. Only so far as the husband shows the like love in perfect sympathy, in chivalrous forbearance, in abhorrence of tyranny, in willingness to self-sacrifice, has he any right to claim lordship.

And gave himself for it.Here, as before, the antitype transcends the type. In the character of our Lords sacrifice, as an atonement offered for the Church, and in the regenerating and cleansing effect of that sacrifice (see next verse), none can approach Him. The husband may be said to give himself for his wife, but it cannot be in any higher sense than as taking the chief share of the burden, and if possible the pain, of life for her. He may follow Christ in love, and in that alone. Compare St. Pauls words in Col. 1:24, I fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His bodys sake, which is the Church (where see Note).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

(25-27) In these verses we trace, under the nuptial metaphor, a clear description of the three great stages in salvationjustification in His giving Himself for us, sanctification in the cleansing by water in the Word, glorification in the final presentation to Christ in glory. The metaphor is certainly preserved in the last two clauses, which correspond to the bath of purification of the bride, and the festal presentation of her (usually by the friend of the bridegroom, Joh. 3:29), in all her beauty and adornment, to her husband at his own home; perhaps even in the first also, for the husband used to give a dowry, which was held in the rude simplicity of ancient times to purchase his wife, and here that which Christ gives is the unspeakable price of His own Self. Throughout, in accordance with the whole tenor of the Epistle, it is the Church as a whole, not the individual soul, which is the Spouse of Christ.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

25. Christ gave himself As for the wives St. Paul read their holy duties in the type of the Church, so now, turning to husbands, he reads them a still more powerful lesson in the history and character of Christ. Like our great Exemplar, the husband consecrates and gives up himself to his wife. Hence, polygamy and adultery at once destroy marriage, the very essence of which is the consecration of person to person, by a union made possible only by a created formation of both the persons. This powerful self-consecration, as being primary with the man, St. Paul imposes expressly only upon him, though presupposing it reciprocally from her. And, as representative head, the man is identified with the family, and suffers or prospers vicariously with and for it. He suffers for its sins; being dishonoured in its dishonour, and liable to pay penalties for its offences. And not only does it suffer for his sins, but becomes honourable in his honour and wealthy by his wealth.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for it, that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.’

Although Paul is strictly supposed to be talking about the husband/wife relationship he takes the opportunity of his analogy to bring home some theological lessons, and these soon take over. Here Christ is described as loving the church as the husband should love his wife. There is not strictly a bridegroom analogy. What bridegroom dies for his bride before marrying her? And what bridegroom washes his bride in preparation for the wedding and provides her beauty treatment? He would soon be sent packing! Christ is shown here to be even more than a husband (and certainly more than a bridegroom). He is Saviour, husband, attendant, ladies’ maid, beauty expert and everything. He is depicted as the Carer and Nourisher supreme. Contrast this with Rev 19:7 where the bride makes herself ready! There the thought was of the works of righteousness which result from the Saviour’s saving work. So to His people He is not just the bridegroom, He is all in all, and here we see the Godward side of His working.

‘As Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for it, that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it with the washing of water with the word.’ Here He is acting as ‘Saviour of the body’ (Eph 5:23). His motive is love, and the price paid is Himself. ‘He gave Himself up’ for His people (see Eph 1:7; Eph 2:15; Rom 3:24-25; Rom 8:3 and often). The result is then His continued saving activity as He first washes them with the washing of water with the word (compare 1Co 1:17-18) and then sanctifies them.

‘He gave Himself up for it.’ Voluntarily humbling Himself (Php 2:5-8), and suffering death on their behalf. Always, as with Israel when salvation is spoken of, it is ‘the true church’ that is in mind, that which is made up of all those who are truly responsive to Christ.

‘That He might sanctify it.’ The verb is aorist representing something done once for all. His people are ‘set apart’ as His own once and for all, as ‘holy’ to God and to Himself (each as they respond), and then go through the process of being made perfect before Him.

‘Having cleansed it with the washing of water with the word.’ It is not baptism that washes, but the application of the word, the preaching of the cross (1Co 1:18) (baptism symbolises the life-giving rains from Heaven, representing the Holy Spirit, rather than washing). Compare ‘of His own will He brought us into life by the word of truth’ (Jas 1:18). This is quite clear here. Reference to ‘the word’ refers overwhelmingly to the preached word. Had baptism been in mind he would have said so.

Note. It is a mistake to equate washing with baptism. It is true that the idea of the new birth is related to washing, ‘the washing of new birth (regeneration)’, in Tit 3:5, but even there it is not directly connected to baptism. The idea there is of spiritual renewal as being like the ‘washing’ of rain that regenerates the earth. Indeed Peter specifically warns us not to relate baptism to washing. He says that ‘it is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh’ (1Pe 3:21) precisely because some were seeing it in that way. Rather, he says, it is ‘the appeal of a good conscience towards God (a baptism of repentance and faith) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ’. In other words the emphasis in baptism is on new life.

This is possibly also what Ananias meant in Act 22:16, although he does relate washing there indirectly to baptism. But he uses ’apolouo which is used only once in LXX, and that of washing in the snow (Job 9:30) (thus what comes directly from the heavens) as opposed to louo which is used for ritual washing. Thus even here he does not relate baptism to ritual washing. Apart from this possible reference baptism is never spoken of in terms of ‘washing’ in the New Testament. That is mainly a later idea. Baptism rather represents the coming of the Holy Spirit like rain from heaven, producing grain and fruit and good trees, and new life out of death, and providing spiritual water to drink.

End of note.

However, there are no grounds for referring to baptismal formulae here in Ephesians. That is a mere invention of fertile (and sacerdotal) minds. Of course those who always see any mention of water as referring directly to baptism will see baptism here but that is not sound exegesis. The washing here refers to the purifying activity of the word of God.

‘That He might present the church to Himself, a glorious one, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing.’ Having washed, cleansed and sanctified His people He will remove every blemish so that He can receive His church as fit to bring before God. Every spot or wrinkle or blemish will be done away (see Eph 1:4 where this was promised as part of His plan). Through His sacrifice on the cross we will be presented ‘holy, and without blemish and unreproveable before Him’ (Col 1:22 compare Jud 1:24).

This is often interpreted as signifying that He presents herself to Him as His bride, but this is nowhere clearly suggested and the comparison is more of a husband to a wife all the way through. A bridegroom is not noted for having nourished and cared for his bride until after the wedding. Even then the comparison is indirect. The church is never spoken of in this passage as His wife or His bride. The emphasis is rather on His Headship, and on the loving relationship revealed by His expressed care and concern, and the great efforts He makes for the well-being of His church, the same care and concern that a husband should have for his wife (in general, not in detail).

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Eph 5:25 . If the duty of the wives was , that of the husband is: , . . ., a love, therefore, which is ready to undergo even death out of affection for the wife. “Si omnia rhetorum argumenta in unum conjicias, non tam persuaseris conjugibus dilectionem mutuam, quam hic Paulus,” Bugenhagen.

. . . .] A practical proof of the . Comp. Eph 5:2 . What giving up is meant (namely, that unto death ) is obvious of itself here, where no definition is added to .; Gal 2:20 ; Rom 4:25 .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 2122
THE PERFECTING OF THE CHURCH IS THE END OF ALL THAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR IT

Eph 5:25-27. Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

THE morality of the Gospel, though not more extensive than that of the law, is yet more clearly revealed, and exhibited in a more endearing light. Its obligations are not set forth amidst denunciations of wrath, as those of the law were upon Mount Sinai; but models of perfection are set before us, and we are invited by considerations of love and gratitude to make them the objects of our imitation. Not only our duty to God, but even our relative duties are set before us in this manner. St. Paul, instructing wives in their duty to their husbands, tells them, that the Churchs obedience to Christ is the fittest pattern of their obedience to them. Then instructing husbands how to conduct themselves toward their wives, he proposes to them Christs love to his Church as the model for their love to their wives. It is in this connexion that the words of our text are introduced. But the Apostle can never touch upon so glorious a topic as the love of Christ, without expatiating upon it, and being transported, as it were, to a forgetfulness of his proper argument. The view which he here gives us of it, is deserving of peculiar attention. It will lead us to consider,

I.

The demonstrations which Christ has given us of his love

He loved his Church from before the foundation of the world: and he has displayed his love to it in a manner that must fill both men and angels with everlasting astonishment. Every member of it was dearer to him than his own happiness; more desirable to him, if we may so speak, than his own glory. He loved us to such a degree, that for our sakes he gave up the happiness which he enjoyed in his Fathers bosom, and the glory which he possessed upon his Fathers throne: he gave himself for us, that he might be,

1.

A surety for our persons

[The debt which we owed to divine justice could never be discharged by mortal man: nor was there any superior being able or willing to take upon himself our awful responsibility. Our case was desperate, as much so as that of the fallen angels. But the Son of God, of his own infinitely rich grace and mercy, was pleased to undertake for us [Note: 1Ti 2:6.]. What Paul said to Philemon respecting Onesimus, he said to his Father respecting us; What do they owe thee? put it all to my account: I will repay thee. Whatever shall be necessary to ransom them from the hands of incensed justice, let it be exacted of me: I will be answerable for it; I will pay it, to the uttermost farthing [Note: Philemon, ver. 18, 19.].]

2.

A sacrifice for our sins

[It was not by corruptible things, as silver and gold, that we could be redeemed. Satisfaction must be made for all our violations of Gods holy law. Death was the desert of man; and death must be endured by the Son of God himself, if he should put himself in the place of sinful man. This was fully known to our adorable Saviour; and yet he would not shrink from the conditions. He had set his heart upon his chosen people, and he was prepared to pay the price, even though it were his own life. Accordingly he took our nature for the express purpose of offering it up a sacrifice for sin. In that nature he made a full atonement for all our transgressions, and satisfied the utmost demands of law and justice. In short, he so gave himself to be an offering and sacrifice to God, that God smelled a sweet savour, and became instantly reconciled to his offending creatures [Note: Rom 5:8.].

What manner of love was this! Who can ever explore its heights and depths, its length and breadth? Well may God commend his love to us by this particular instance [Note: ver. 2.]; for it is, and ever must be, without a parallel: it as far exceeds our conceptions as it does our deserts.]

To assign any adequate reasons for such love is impossible: but the riches of it will appear in a striking point of view, if we consider,

II.

The ends for which it has been so demonstrated

The design of Jesus in the whole of his mediatory work has been, to bring back our fallen race to the enjoyment of all that they had lost by sin. He gave himself for us, that we might enjoy,

1.

A restoration to his image

[It was not merely a salvation from misery that Christ came to impart, but a salvation from sin, which is the cause of misery. He came to set us apart for God as a holy and peculiar people; and to cleanse us not only in the laver of regeneration in baptism, but by the renewing of the Holy Ghost. The washing of water in baptism was only the external sign of that spiritual grace which it is the delight of his soul to bestow. He will sprinkle clean water upon us, and cleanse us from all our filthiness, and from all our idols [Note: Eze 36:25-26.]. Without this spiritual renovation, all his other mercies would be in vain. Man could not be happy, if he were not first made holy.

The instrument by which this grace is conveyed to the soul, is the word of God. The word, both written and preached, is that whereby we are begotten of him [Note: Jam 1:18.]; by which also, as newborn babes, we are nourished [Note: 1Pe 2:2.]; and by which the whole work of sanctification is carried on [Note: Joh 15:3.]. The Holy Spirit indeed is the agent, who renders the word effectual: but the Gospel is the rod of his strength, and it is by that he renovates and saves the world.]

2.

A participation of his glory

[When sinners are in a measure cleansed with the washing of water by the word, the ministers who have been instrumental to that change, espouse them to one husband, and present them as a chaste virgin to Christ [Note: 2Co 11:2. Psa 45:13-14.]. And while the work of sanctification is advancing in them, they are like those virgins who were destined for the embrace of eastern monarchs, who were purified during several months for that end, till they were judged meet for the dignity to which they were to be exalted [Note: Est 2:12.]. The time for their complete honour and felicity is the day of judgment; when the Bridegroom himself shall come to take them home to himself, and to fix them in the mansions prepared for them. Then they will be without spot or wrinkle; they will be perfectly holy and without blemish. They will be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy [Note: Jude. ver. 24.]. What a glorious Church will they then be! Here their glory is obscured by spots and blemishes: but there they will not have any such thing: they will be pure as God is pure, and perfect as God is perfect.

If any thing can account for the stupendous efforts of Christs love, it must be this. This is an end worthy of the Supreme Being. This will be such a display of his power and grace as will for ever fill all heaven with wonder and admiration.]

Suffer ye now a word of exhortation, grounded on the foregoing subject
1.

Desire holiness

[This is what the Lord Jesus Christ has desired for you. To obtain this for you, he divested himself of all his glory, and endured the accursed death of the cross. He desired this for you, because it was the only medium through which you could arrive at happiness, and because it could not fail of rendering you completely happy. Ah! do not despise it. Do not turn away from it, as inimical to your welfare. Do not consider it as a mere system of restraints, a burthen that is intolerable. It is in truth the perfection of your nature, and the completest liberty: it is a liberty from the thraldom of corruption, and from the tyranny of Satan. Desire it therefore, even as Christ has desired it for you; and never think any sacrifice too great for the attainment of it.]

2.

Use the means of attaining it

[The word is the means which God in every age has made use of for the recovery of fallen man. By that he converted thousands in the primitive ages of the Church: and by that he is still carrying on his work in the souls of men. Let the Scriptures then be searched by you, not to gratify curiosity merely, or to exercise a critical acumen, but to obtain the knowledge of Gods will, and an increasing conformity to his image. Read the sacred volume as a book that is to make you holy. When you hear the word preached to you, hear it with a desire to get a deeper discovery of your sins, and a more perfect victory over them. Whether you read, or hear, or meditate, or pray, let it be with an immediate view to grow in holiness and a meetness for glory.]

3.

Look forward to the perfection of holiness as the consummation and completion of all your wishes

[Higher than this you cannot look; and lower you ought not. This was the ultimate design of all that Christ undertook for you, and of all that he did and suffered for you. Do but consider how happy you will be when not a spot or blemish can be found in you, even by God himself; when you shall be perfectly like your God; and when you shall enjoy the most intimate and endearing fellowship with your Lord, without any alloy, or intermission, or end. Do not rest in any thing short of this. Suffer not any of the pleasures of time and sense to rob you of it. Surely the very prospect of such glory is enough to kindle in your souls the devoutest rapture, and to stimulate you to incessant activity in your Christian course. Yield yourselves now unfeignedly to the Lord [Note: Rom 12:1.], and he will, in the last day, present you to himself, and acknowledge you as his for evermore.]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Ver. 25. Husbands, love your wives ] He saith not, rule over them (in answer to submit, Eph 5:22 ), for this they can readily do without bidding; but love your wives, and so make their yoke as easy as may be. Columbae trahunt currum Veneris. Doves draw the charriot of Venus.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

25 .] I cannot refrain from citing Chrys.’s very beautiful remarks on this next passage, ; . , ; , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . , . . , , , , , .

Husbands, love your wives, as also (see above) Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her (better than ‘it;’ the comparison is thus brought out as in the original. , . . Chr.) that (intermediate purpose, as regarded her ; see below, Eph 5:27 ) He might sanctify her, having purified her ( and might be contemporaneous, and indeed this is the more common usage of past participles with past finite verbs in the N. T. (see ch. Eph 1:9 note). But here, inasmuch as the sanctifying is clearly a gradual process, carried on till the spotless presentation ( Eph 5:27 ), and the washing cannot be separated from the introductory rite of baptism, it is best to take the as antecedent to the ) by the laver (not ‘ washing ,’ as E. V.: a meaning the word never has) of the water (of which we all know: viz. the baptismal water , see ref. Tit. We can hardly set aside the reference to the purifying bath of the bride previous to marriage: see below on Eph 5:27 , and cf. Rev 21:2 ) in the word ( what word? . . , says Chrys. alluding to the formula in Baptism: and so many fathers: the ‘ mandatum divinum ’ on which Baptism rests (Storr, Peile): the ‘ invocatio divini nominis ’ which gives Baptism its efficacy (Erasm.): the preached word of faith ( Rom 10:8 ) of which confession is made in baptism, and which carries the real cleansing (Joh 15:3 ; Joh 17:17 ) and regenerating power ( 1Pe 1:23 ; 1Pe 3:21 (?)) so Aug. Tract. 80 in Joan. 3, vol. iii. p. 1840, Migne; where those memorable words occur, “Detrahe verbum, et quid est aqua nisi aqua? Accedit verbum ad elementum, et fit sacramentum, etiam ipsum tanquam visibile verbum.” And this certainly seems the sense most analogous to St. Paul’s usage, in which is confined to the divine word. But we must not join with nor with ; for the former would require , the latter, , there being no such close connexion as to justify the omission of the article; indeed the specification being here absolutely required, after so common a term as . So that we are referred back to the verb ( . ) and participle ( ) preceding. The former connexion is not probable, on account of the participle intervening: see also below. The latter is on all accounts the most likely. Thus, the word , preached and received, is the conditional element of purification, the real water of spiritual baptism; that wherein and whereby alone the efficacy of baptism is conveyed that wherein and whereby we are regenerated, the process of sanctification being subsequent and gradual),

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Eph 5:25 . , [ ], : husbands, love your wives, even as also Christ loved the Church . The reflexive introduced by the TR after , as in [641] [642] [643] , Syr., etc., is not found in [644] [645] [646] , 17, Clem., etc., and is properly omitted by LTTr WRV. The reading also occurs in [647] . We have now the statement of the corresponding duty of husbands. If the wife’s duty is submission, the husband’s is love a love like Christ’s a love capable even of suffering and dying for the wife as Christ did for the Church. : and gave Himself up for it . , as in Eph 5:2 , Gal 2:20 ( ), Rom 4:25 ( ), without explanation of that to which He gave Himself; that being understood to be death . This is the measure, therefore, of Christ’s love, and this is the manner of love with which the husband is to meet the wife’s obedience.

[641] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[642] Codex Mosquensis (sc. ix.), edited by Matthi in 1782.

[643] Codex Angelicus (sc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[644] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[645] Codex Sinaiticus (sc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[646] Codex Alexandrinus (sc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

[647] Codex Boernerianus (sc. ix.), a Grco-Latin MS., at Dresden, edited by Matthi in 1791. Written by an Irish scribe, it once formed part of the same volume as Codex Sangallensis ( ) of the Gospels. The Latin text, g, is based on the O.L. translation.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eph 5:25 to Eph 6:3

25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27that 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. 28So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30because we are members of His body. 31For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.

Eph 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives” This is a present active imperative which is the only imperative in the paragraph. The husband should set the spiritual atmosphere in the home by continuing to love his wife as Christ loved the church. This was a radically positive statement in its day, but in our day the whole passage seems negative because it reflects the theological concept of male headship in the home (cf. Gen 3:16; 1Co 11:3; 2Ti 2:13). However, Christian husbands are servant leaders, not bosses.

“gave Himself up for her” The Greek preposition huper means “on behalf of.” This refers to the vicarious, substitutionary atonement of Christ. It is also the kind of self-giving love required of husbands.

Eph 5:26 “He might sanctify her” The main verbs in Eph 5:26-27 are both aorist active subjunctives (cf. Joh 17:17-19; Tit 2:14; Heb 10:10; Heb 10:14; Heb 10:29; Heb 13:12). The word sanctify is from the root “holy.” The purpose of justification is sanctification (cf. Eph 1:4; Rom. 8:29-20). The subjunctive mood adds a note of contingency. As the church must cooperate, so too, the wife.

NASB”having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.”

NKJV”cleanse it with the washing of water by the word”

NRSV”by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word”

TEV”by his word, after making it clean by the washing in water”

NJB”He made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words”

This is possibly an OT metaphor for cleansing (cf. Joh 15:3; Tit 3:5). It may refer to

1. the liturgy of baptism (cf. Mat 28:19-20; Act 2:38; Tit 3:5)

2. the public confession of faith at baptism (cf. Act 22:16; 1Co 6:11)

3. a continuation of the marital imagery, a ritual bath of the bride before the ceremony, as a cultural symbol of purity

“The word” probably does not refer to the Bible, but to the words of the administrator of the baptism or of the profession of faith of the candidate.

Eph 5:27 “He might present to Himself the Church” This is another aorist active subjunctive, which presents an element of contingency. This seems to refer to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (cf. Rev 19:6-9). Just as Jesus’ love for the church revolutionized the church, so too, a husband’s love for his wife should stabilize and bless the Christian home.

“spot” This is literally “no impurity.”

“wrinkle” Literally this means “no sign of age.”

“holy” This is from the same root as “sanctify” in Eph 5:26 (cf. Eph 1:4). See Special Topic: Holy at Eph 1:4.

“blameless” This is an Old Testament sacrificial term (cf. 1Pe 1:19). This same concept is mentioned as God’s will for the church in Eph 1:4. See Special Topic: Blameless at Col 1:22.

The cumulative weight of all of these terms is that God desires the complete holiness of His people (Eph 1:4). The goal of Christianity is Christlikeness (cf. Rom 8:28-29; Gal 4:14). The image of God in man will be restored!

Eph 5:28 “as their own bodies” When Christian husbands love their Christian wives, they love themselves because in Christ they are “one flesh” (cf. Gen 2:24). As the Church is the extension of Christ, husbands and wives are an extension of each other.

Eph 5:29 “nourishes” This is a bird metaphor that means “to feed to maturity.” It is used of the rearing of children in Eph 6:4.

“cherishes” This is another bird metaphor, “to warm.” These two terms should motivate every mature Christian husband’s actions toward his wife. Husbands are stewards of their wives’ (and children’s) gifts as well as their own! The spiritual leader of the home must seek the maturity of each member of the family in Christ.

Eph 5:30 “we are members of His body” The church as a physical body is one of Paul’s corporate metaphors which stresses unity amidst diversity (cf. 1Co 12:12-27).

Eph 5:31 This is a quote from the Septuagint (LXX ) of Gen 2:24. As the Christian family is an organic unit, so is the church and Christ. The family is to be one inseparable unit, just as the church and her Lord are (cf. Joh 17:11; Joh 17:21-22) one body (cf. 1 Corinthians 12). This truth rejects the exclusivism of the false teachers of that day and every day.

Eph 5:32 “mystery” The Latin Vulgate has “sacrament,” but this is a textual insertion following Roman Catholic sacramentalism. Paul uses the term “mystery” several times probably because it was a favorite term of the Gnostic false teachers. Paul uses it in several ways. Here it relates to the metaphorical comparison between husbands and wives/Christ and the church. For a full discussion see Eph 1:9 and Eph 3:3.

Eph 5:33 “love. . .respect” This is a present active imperative and present middle (deponent) subjunctive. The husband is commanded to continue to love his wife as himself (one flesh, Eph 5:31) and wives are called on to yield to and respect their husbands, which would enhance and strengthen the bonds of love between them. This is the summary statement of the entire passage (Eph 5:21-33).

Copyright 2013 Bible Lessons International

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

love, loved. App-135.

gave = gave up. See Eph 5:2.

it = her (feminine pronoun).

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

25.] I cannot refrain from citing Chrys.s very beautiful remarks on this next passage,- ; . , ; , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . , . . , , , , , .

Husbands, love your wives, as also (see above) Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her (better than it; the comparison is thus brought out as in the original. , . . Chr.) that (intermediate purpose, as regarded her; see below, Eph 5:27) He might sanctify her, having purified her ( and might be contemporaneous, and indeed this is the more common usage of past participles with past finite verbs in the N. T. (see ch. Eph 1:9 note). But here, inasmuch as the sanctifying is clearly a gradual process, carried on till the spotless presentation (Eph 5:27), and the washing cannot be separated from the introductory rite of baptism, it is best to take the as antecedent to the ) by the laver (not washing, as E. V.: a meaning the word never has) of the water (of which we all know: viz. the baptismal water, see ref. Tit. We can hardly set aside the reference to the purifying bath of the bride previous to marriage:-see below on Eph 5:27, and cf. Rev 21:2) in the word (what word? . . , says Chrys. alluding to the formula in Baptism: and so many fathers:-the mandatum divinum on which Baptism rests (Storr, Peile):-the invocatio divini nominis which gives Baptism its efficacy (Erasm.):-the preached word of faith (Rom 10:8) of which confession is made in baptism, and which carries the real cleansing (Joh 15:3; Joh 17:17) and regenerating power (1Pe 1:23; 1Pe 3:21 (?))-so Aug. Tract. 80 in Joan. 3, vol. iii. p. 1840, Migne; where those memorable words occur, Detrahe verbum, et quid est aqua nisi aqua? Accedit verbum ad elementum, et fit sacramentum, etiam ipsum tanquam visibile verbum. And this certainly seems the sense most analogous to St. Pauls usage, in which is confined to the divine word. But we must not join with nor with ; for the former would require ,-the latter, ,-there being no such close connexion as to justify the omission of the article; indeed the specification being here absolutely required, after so common a term as . So that we are referred back to the verb (.) and participle () preceding. The former connexion is not probable, on account of the participle intervening: see also below. The latter is on all accounts the most likely. Thus, the word, preached and received, is the conditional element of purification,-the real water of spiritual baptism;-that wherein and whereby alone the efficacy of baptism is conveyed-that wherein and whereby we are regenerated, the process of sanctification being subsequent and gradual),

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Eph 5:25. , gave Himself up) from love to the Church.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Eph 5:25

Eph 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;-Having illustrated the duty of the wife to the husband by the churchs subjection to Christ, he refers to the love of Christ for the church to illustrate and enforce the duty of the husband to love and cherish his wife. [The love here required of the husband is not of passion, but of the soul in its spiritual purity and from its innermost depths. It should be Christ-like, patterned after Gods love, self- forgetful, self-sacrificing, and self-devoting, even unto death.]

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

even as Christ

Christ’s love-work for the church is threefold: past, present, future:

(1) For love He gave Himself to redeem the church (Eph 5:25);

(2) in love He is sanctifying the church (Eph 5:26);

(3) for the reward of His sacrifice and labour of love He will present the church to Himself in flawless perfection, “one pearl of great price” (Eph 5:27) Mat 13:46.

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

love: Eph 5:28, Gen 2:24, Gen 24:67, 2Sa 12:3, Pro 5:18, Pro 5:19, Col 3:19, 1Pe 3:7

loved: Eph 5:2, Mat 20:28, Luk 22:19, Luk 22:20, Joh 6:51, Act 20:28, Gal 1:4, Gal 2:20, 1Ti 2:6, 1Pe 1:18-21, Rev 1:5, Rev 5:9

Reciprocal: Gen 26:7 – She is my sister Lev 8:22 – the ram of consecration Lev 9:12 – General Num 19:19 – shall sprinkle Rth 4:10 – have I Psa 16:3 – in whom Pro 31:10 – can Ecc 3:8 – time to love Son 1:11 – General Son 2:6 – General Son 4:7 – General Isa 54:5 – thy Maker Isa 62:4 – Beulah Hos 2:16 – Ishi Hos 2:19 – And I will Zec 13:1 – a fountain Mat 1:21 – for Mat 12:50 – and sister Mat 16:18 – my Mat 25:1 – the bridegroom Luk 5:34 – bridegroom Joh 3:29 – hath Joh 11:36 – Behold Joh 13:1 – having Joh 18:8 – if Rom 8:37 – him 1Co 7:33 – how 1Co 14:35 – let Eph 3:19 – to know Eph 5:23 – he Eph 5:33 – let 2Th 2:16 – which 1Jo 3:5 – to 1Jo 3:16 – perceive 1Jo 5:6 – by water and Rev 12:1 – a woman Rev 21:2 – as

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

AN EVERYDAY EXHORTATION

Husbands, love your wives.

Eph 5:25

This exhortation was never more needed than in the present day. The decay of home life is due to the loosening of the marriage tie, and this in turn is the result of a want of that true heart affection which is the great secret of a happy married life. Where marriage is a failure, where home life is unhappy, the fault too oftenalthough not alwaysrests primarily upon the husband. He is the head of the wife, and when he fails the ruin is complete.

Husbands, love your wives. Love is a plant which yields precious fruit, as

I. Faithfulness.What means the violation of the marriage vow but an absence of love?

II. Loyalty.To the man who truly loves his wife there is no woman in the world like unto her, and he yields her the loyalty of his heart and life.

III. Comradeship.There is no home so happy as that in which husband and wife are comrades, but there can be no comradeship without the truest love.

Illustration

Said a dignitary of the Church, well advanced in years, to a young curate just about to marry: My son, I have had more than fifty years of unclouded happiness as a married man. Let me give you this advice: Love your wife, and often take occasion to tell her that you do. Be lovers till the end of your days.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

(Eph 5:25.) , -Husbands, love your own wives. The apostle now turns to the duties of husbands. There is some doubt as to the word . Lachmann and Tischendorf reject it; A and B want it; but D, E, K, L, have it. Some MSS., such as F and G, read instead. But there is not sufficient ground to reject it. As wives are summoned to obedience, so husbands are commanded to cherish love. The apostle dwells upon it. In Eastern countries, where polygamy was so frequent, conjugal love was easily dissipated; and among the Jews, the seclusion of unmarried young women often made it possible that the bridegroom was a stranger not only to the temper and manners of his bride, but even to the features of her face. Disappointment, followed by quarrel and divorce, must have been a frequent result. Therefore the apostle wished Christian husbands to be patterns of domestic virtue, and to love their wives. If love leads to conjugal union, and to the selection of a woman to be a wife, surely the affection which originated such an alliance ought to sustain and cheer it. Surliness, outbursts of temper, passionate remonstrances for mere trifles, are condemned. Husbands are not to be domestic tyrants; but their dominion is to be a reign of love. As the example of the church in her relation to Christ is set before wives, so the example of Christ, in His relation to the church, is set before husbands-

-as also Christ loved the church. For , see Eph 1:4, and , Eph 4:32 and Eph 5:2; and for , see Eph 1:22. That church was originally impure and sinful-an infant exposed on the day of its birth, to the loathing of its person; but the Divine Lover passed by and said to it, Live, for its time was the time of love. The exposed foundling was His foster-child before it became His bride. Ezekiel 16. Similar phraseology as to love embodied in atonement has been employed in the 2nd verse of this chapter. What infinite pity and ineffable condescension are found in Christ’s love to His church! Every blessing enjoyed by her must be traced upward and backward to the attachment of the Saviour. The church did not crave His love: He bestowed it. It was not excited by any loveliness of aspect on the part of the church, for she was guilty and impure-unworthy of His affection. But His love for her was a fondness tender beyond all conception, and ardent beyond all parallel-

-and gave Himself for her. This phraseology has also occurred in the 2nd verse of this chapter, and been there considered. Christ’s sacrificial death in the room of His church, is the proof and expression of His love. What love to present such a gift! None could be nobler than Himself-the God-man-and so cheerfully conferred! That gift involved a death of inexpressible anguish, rendered still more awful by the endurance of the terrible penalty; and yet He shrank not from it. Who can doubt a love which has proved its strength and glory in such suffering and death? Now the love of the husband towards his wife is to be an image or reflection of Christ’s love to the church; like it, ardent and devoted; like it, tender and self-abandoning; and like it, anxious above all things and by any sacrifice to secure the happiness of its object. He gave Himself-

Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians

Eph 5:25. When a man asks a woman to become his wife, it is presumed that he loves her; but too often he ceases to have the affection that prompted his proposal, and he may even become “bitter” against her as the companion passage in Col 3:19 expresses it. The love of Christ for his church is cited as an example of the love a true husband has for his wife. Christ proved his love by giving his life for the church, and a devoted husband will do all he can for the sake of his wife.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Eph 5:25. Husbands, love your wives. This is the husbands duty, corresponding to the relative position, as indicated in Eph 5:23.

Evan as Christ alto loved the church. Comp. Eph 5:2, with which the latter part of this verse closely corresponds. Here, however, the matter is made more special. The husbands love for his wife is to be of such a kind as leads to self-sacrifice, since the next clause is explanatory: and gave himself up for it (lit, her, and so throughout), thus, especially by His death, proving the character of His love. This is the example and in fact becomes a motive to husbands. The exhortation is to the husband, and is no warrant for the selfish exactions of a wife; just as in the other case the duty of submission is no warrant for tyranny. Submission is to be met with self-sacrificing love, self-sacrificing love with submission. The fulfilment of ones own duty is, however, the surest way to secure the fulfilment of the reciprocal duty. Yet the exhortation in each case is based, not on the fulfilment of the others duty, but upon the relation to Christ. There can be no stronger enforcement of both precepts than this: since this example of Christ has its instruction for both parties, as appears from the further setting forth of the similarity of the relations existing between Christ and His Church and between husband and wife.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

The apostle having propounded the wife’s duty first, recommends the husband’s duty next; her’s was the duty of submission; his, of love and entire affection. This the apostle mentions, because the husband, for want of love, is too ready to abuse that sovereignty and superiority which God has given over his wife, by proving rigorous and bitter unto her; therefore, says he, Husbands, love your wives, that is, with a special, peculiar, conjugal love, such as no other must share in.

This duty of love is very comprehensive, and it includes a very affectionate regard to her, tender care over her, cohabitation with her, contentment and satisfaction in her alone, a patient bearing with her weaknesses, a prudential hiding of her infirmities, a providing a supply of her wants suitable to her rank, a readiness to instruct and direct her, a willingness to pray for her, and with her. Where true conjugal love is found, these duties included will be performed.

Observe next, As the apostle propounded the church for a pattern of subjection to the wife, so he propounds Christ as a pattern of love to husbands: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church. Did he love his church with an active and operative love, with a real and sincere love, with an entire and undivided love, with a lasting and constant love, notwithstanding all his church’s weaknesses and failings? such ought the husband’s love to be, that is, every husband to his own wife. No meanness of birth, no want of education, no homeliness of person, no frowardness of disposition in the wife, will discharge the husband from the obligation of this duty towards her: Christ’s example has both the force of an argument to excite us to it, and is also an exact rule to guide and direct us in it: Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church.

Observe farther, The instances and evidences which Christ has given of his love unto his church; he gave himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse, and present her to himself a glorious church, without spot or blemish.

Here note, 1. The church’s polluted and impure condition supposed, before Christ gave himself for her; the church in herself was, as the world is polluted, otherwise she had stood in no need of Christ’s washing and cleansing.

Note, 2. The care of Christ to purify and cleanse his church from this pollution; he gave himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse her; he loved her, and washed her from her sins in his own blood.

Note, 3. The instrumental means of the church’s sanctification; it was with the washing of water, by the word; the word and sacraments are the great instrumental means, in the hand of Christ, by which he applies the virtue and efficacy of his death, for the sanctifying and cleansing of his church and children.

Note, 4. The holy and glorious condition which the church shall be found in at the great marriage-day: without spot or wrinkle; that he might at the last day, present her to himself, a spotless spouse, a glorious churh, having no spot of sin, or wrinkle of deformity, or any such imperfect thing, but be perfectly beautiful, holy, and without blemish; intimating that the church hath her spots and wrinkles now in her militant state; but when Christ shall at last present the church triumphant to himself, then shall she be like himself, without spot.

Blessed be God, believers have now a righteousness in Christ, without spot or wrinkle; then shall they have an holiness in themselves, without spot or wrinkle; nothing of imperfection cleaving to them, or inhering in them. The blood of Christ has already perfectly justified, and thoroughly cleansed, believers from sin’s guilt; ere long the Spirit of Christ will perfectly cleanse them from all sin’s filth.

O, what a pure and spotless, what a perfect and beautiful creature, will the church come out of Christ’s hands, and be presented to the Father, at the great day, in the shining beauty of perfect holiness! God strengthen our faith in the belief of it, and prepare us for the full fruitation and final enjoyment of it.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

The Love of Husbands for Their Wives

If the husband exhibits the love talked about in 5:25, most wives would readily submit to him. The love a husband is to have is not erotic or passionate, but intellectual commitment to the best interests of his wife. Christ is the perfect example of such love in his sacrificial death on the cross for the church. Husbands are urged to imitate Christ’s self-sacrificing nature in their relationship with their wives.

Christ gave his life to set the church apart from the world through the cleansing his blood provides ( Eph 1:7 ; Act 20:28 ). The means of the church reaching that blood is through the baptism of each who would be a part of that sanctified body. There is a cleansing which takes place when one is lowered into the watery grave in obedience to the word (5:26; Mar 16:15-16 ; Act 2:38 ; Act 22:16 ; 1Pe 3:21 ).

Having purchased the church with his own blood, Jesus is ever working toward its perfection (4:15-16). His desire is also for her purity that she may be ready to be taken home by her bridegroom in the great day of judgment ( 2Co 11:2-3 ). The perfection of the church can only be attained through constant and faithful teaching of the truth ( Col 1:28 ; 1Pe 2:2 ). The church will not be fully ready for presentation to Christ until her members have put on immortality and stand purified before him because of having completed their walk in the light where Christ’s blood kept them pure ( Rev 19:6-8 ; Rev 21:2 ; 1Co 15:5-57 ; 1Jn 1:7 ). Christ’s bride will be pure and without the spot of sin (5:27).

Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books

Eph 5:25. The apostle now proceeds to speak of the duty of husbands to their wives, the principal of which consists in their loving them, without which they would abuse their power to tyranny and oppression. But how are they to love them? The apostle says, as Christ loved the church Namely, with a love that is sincere, pure, ardent, constant, and persevering, and notwithstanding the imperfections and failures that they are chargeable with. The true model this of conjugal affection! with this kind of love, with this degree of it, and to this end, should husbands love their wives. Christ loved the church, and gave himself a ransom for it, when it was in a state of slavery and misery; and husbands, if called to it by God, should lay down their lives for their wives. Observe, reader, as the churchs subjection to Christ is proposed as an example to wives, so the love of Christ to his church is proposed as a pattern to husbands: and while such examples are offered to the imitation of both, and so much is required of each of them, neither has reason to complain of the divine injunction. The love which God requires from the husband toward his wife, compensates for that subjection which he demands from her to her husband: and the prescribed subjection of the wife is an abundant return for that love of the husband which God hath made her due. In what follows we are told that the end for which Christ loved the church, was that he might make her holy and save her; therefore, if husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, they must endeavour to promote their faith and piety, must strive to make them wise and holy.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

25. Husbands love your wives with Divine love, as Christ also loved the Church with Divine love, and gave himself for her. According to this Scripture, it is the duty of every man to get his soul saved before he takes a wife; as he is utterly incompetent to love her with Divine love till he receives it, poured out into his heart by the Holy Ghost in regeneration. You must not confound the popular Church with the Church of God here described, consisting only of the souls having been called out from this wicked world by the Holy Ghost, and separated unto God. Mark it down, the Church of God does not contain a solitary sinner. Hence, these Churches professing and practicing a sinning religion are all Satans bogus.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The church is to be all of the following things, because it is the desire of Christ. He died on the cross that the church might exist in this condition. I shudder to consider whether the church really exists in this condition today, for I fear it does not – probably in some churches and in some countries, but I doubt many in America would measure to this standard.

“Sanctified” is the process by which something is made into something else – holy. It is a related word to the word normally translated saint. He wants us holy, and He has done the work on the cross so that we can become holy and He wants to make the church holy.

A man I know that is a pastor found that his son and the son’s fiancad made some very poor adult decisions and had sinned. The pastor counseled them and they went before the church to confess their sin. What a testimony to others that might have been contemplating that same sin. This church’s leaders seek to hold people accountable and to help maintain the church purity.

“Cleansed” relates to the action of cleaning something. Washing the dishes would come under this classification, or in our case cleaning up our lives – making them clean.

The young couple mentioned above took this step before the Lord, by confessing and seeking forgiveness.

Now we have a point that gives some a little difficulty. Washing to many automatically relates to baptism, thus we see that baptism washes away our sin – NOT. Let’s look at this a little closer.

“Washed by water by the word” is specifically tied to the Word, not the water. The word translated “word” means the content of something said. It is that message, that information conveyed by the spoken word. It is an understandable message.

Young translates this verse as follows: ” that he might sanctify it, having cleansed [it] with the bathing of the water in the saying,” This follows other translations and indicates that the water is in the saying or in the words, thus indicating the saying is doing the action, and the water is the medium within the word that the word uses.

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown declare that the outward rite of baptism cleanses the church. “He speaks of baptism according to its high ideal and design, as if the inward grace accompanied the outward rite; hence he asserts of outward baptism whatever is involved in a believing appropriation of the divine truths it symbolizes, and says that Christ, by baptism, has purified the Church

Now, I would suggest another alternative theory. Baptism is the ordinance that brings the person into the church in most churches. If you are baptized, you are automatically members of that church. Baptism was such in the book of Acts as well. The two were closely related.

Could this passage not relate to the fact that by baptism the church is purified? Note that the context is the church, not the individual, thus the requirement of baptism for church membership automatically purifies the church – not that unsaved don’t get in unaware – but generally speaking if a church requires believer baptism, the church will naturally be pure.

“To be presented” to Himself. This is a one time event not an ongoing process of people being purified by the waters of baptism, but rather a one time presentation that He has or will make to Himself. The two choices would be at the cross/resurrection when He took possession of the Old Testament saints and set into motion the church, or at some future date yet to be revealed when all is done and the church is completed.

There is no indication as to the time of this event in the text, but I would suggest that it is yet future because the church is yet to be completed. It would seem most logical that the church would be complete at the presentation.

“Glorious” or something that is full of glory, something Christ can be proud of throughout all eternity.

“Without spot” is the goal, pure, no sin, nothing sullied, or clean as a whistle.

“Without wrinkle” is an old term that Paul used, he did not have the knowledge that we have, of wrinkle free materials – wash and wear, if you like the term. The church is to be without any of these moral hindrances, it is to be pure and ready for service without any encumbrance from the world.

“Without any such thing” or nothing is to be keeping us from what God wants us to be as an assembly or as an individual. Sin detracts from all that we can be, we ought to seek to avoid sin at every opportunity, or if we stumble we should seek immediate forgiveness so that the sin holds us back from the work of the Lord.

“Holy” is related to the word translated saints. Pure people of God.

“Without blemish” is very similar to holy in that both indicate without sin, or holy. The difference however is that holy relates to our acts or lack thereof, while “without blemish” is speaking of how others view us. We are to be without blame, without fault or with no blemish.

Barnes takes a slightly different tack after he uses the common thought of the husband giving his all for the wife and her physical enjoyment, and relates the whole to the salvation of the wife. I might point out that the unequally yoked concept would negate his thoughts, but if a husband finds his wife to be lost then Barnes note is appropriate.

“And gave himself for it. Gave himself to die to redeem it. The meaning here is, that husbands are to imitate the Redeemer in this respect. As he gave himself to suffer on the cross to save the church, so we are to be willing to deny ourselves and to bear toil and trial, that we may promote the happiness of the wife. It is the duty of the husband to toil for her support; to provide for her wants; to deny himself of rest and ease, if necessary, in order to attend on her in sickness; to go before her in danger; to defend her if she is in peril; and to be ready to die to save her. Why should he not be? If they are shipwrecked, and there is a single plank on which safety can be secured, should he not be willing to place her on that, and see her safe at all hazards to himself? But there may be more implied in this than that a man is to toil, and even to lay down his life for the welfare of his wife. Christ laid down his life to save the church; and a husband should feel that it should be one great object of his life to promote the salvation of his wife. He is bound so to live as not to interfere with her salvation, but so as to promote it in every way possible. He is to furnish her all the facilities that she may need, to enable her to attend on the worship of God; and to throw no obstacles in her way. He is to set her the example; to counsel her if she needs counsel; and to make the path of salvation as easy for her as possible. If a husband has the spirit and self-denial of the Saviour, he will regard no sacrifice too great if he may promote the salvation of his family.”

See also Eph 1:4″According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” and Col 1:22″In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:”

Paul isn’t done with the husbands yet for he continues.

Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson

5:25 {12} Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

(12) The husbands duty towards their wives is to love them as themselves, of which love the love of Christ towards his Church is a graphic image.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

The duty of husbands 5:25-33

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

In the Greco-Roman world in which Paul lived, people recognized that wives had certain responsibilities to their husbands but not vice versa. [Note: Wood, p. 76.] Paul summarized the wife’s duty as submission and the husband’s duty as love. The word he used for love (agapate) means much more than sexual passion (eros) or even family affection (philia). It means seeking the highest good for another person (cf. Eph 2:4). Husbands are to love their wives in the same way that Christ loved the church. The extent to which He went for her welfare was giving Himself up in death to provide salvation for her (cf. Eph 5:2; Php 2:5-11). He gave up His rights yet maintained His responsibilities. The biblical concept of authority emphasizes responsibility, not tyranny.

Love requires an attitude of unconditional acceptance of an imperfect person not based on her performance but on her intrinsic worth as God’s gift to her husband. The verbalization of this acceptance is part of loving. Love also requires sacrificial action. It involves doing something, specifically, placing the wife’s needs before his own, such as doing something for her that she hates to do. It also involves self-denial, such as giving up something he would enjoy doing to do something she would like to do. This kind of love arises out of a commitment of the will, not just passing feelings.

Different people feel loved as a result of receiving different expressions of love. Giving words of affirmation effectively communicates love to some people, giving quality time does to others, giving gifts, giving acts of service, and giving physical touches communicate love to others. [Note: Gary D. Chapman, The Five Love Languages.] The husband who wishes to make his wife feel loved should discover which of these expressions of love best communicate his love to his wife.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)