Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. 24 As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her 26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, 27 that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 So [also] husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave [his] father and [his] mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church. 33 In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.
In the Greco-Roman world at the end of the first century, a hierarchical household code was followed. The husband was the head of the family and wives were considered socially inferior and served their husbands. Paul explains to the Ephesians how the Christian household should conduct itself under such household codes. Husbands and wives should be humble and live in mutual love in service to Christ (Col. 3:18). Wives should show the same reverence to their husbands as they do the Lord as an example to their husbands (1 Pet. 3:1-2).
Although through Baptism all Christians are equal in the Lord, in Greco-Roman society in general there is a hierarchy with the husband as the head and the wife subject to him just as Christ is Lord over his body the Church. Christ loves the Church, his bride, and gave his life for her, cleansing and baptizing her so that she may appear before him, consecrated to God, holy and pure. Husbands must use Christ’s love for the Church as their model and care for their wives as Christ cares for his Church. The marriage covenant forms a complete unity instituted by God (Gen 2. 24). This mystery is the union of Christ and his Church.
Almighty God, make clear all mysteries that
lead us closer to you and help us to live in mutual love as Christ loves his Church. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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