Pictured to the left is a version of the New Testament, known as THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE. Ephesians 5:21-33 read as follows:
"Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord; for the man is the head of the woman, just as Christ also is the head of the church. Christ is, indeed, the Saviour of the body; but just as the church is subject to Christ, so must women be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for it, to consecrate it, cleansing it by water and word, so that he might present the church to himself all glorious, with no stain or wrinkle or anything of the sort, but holy and without blemish. In the same way men also are bound to love their wives, as they love their own bodies. In loving his wife a man loves himself. For no one ever hated his own body : on the contrary, he provides and cares for it; and that is how Christ treats the church, because it is his body, of which we are living parts. Thus it is that (in the words of Scripture) 'a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become a single body'. It is a great truth that is hidden here. I for my part refer it to Christ and to the church, but it applies also individually : each of you must love his wife as his very self; and the woman must see to it that she pays her husband all respect."
In this passage from the New Testament, we see that the husband must love his wife as Christ loved the church: Jesus ( see Matthew 1:16; RSV, for example ) died for the church ( see also Acts 20:28, Romans 3:21-31 ( especially verses 24 and 25, for example ), Philippians 2:5-8 ( especially verse 8, for example ), Colossians 1:9-20 ( especially verses 13 and 20, for example ), and Hebrews 9:12-18 ( especially verses 14 and 15, for example ), for example ). Thus, the husband must love his wife enough to be willing to die for her.
Wives must be subject to their husbands "as to the Lord" ( see verse 22 ), and "in everything" ( see verse 24 ). With these two phrases in mind, the wife does not have to submit to her husband if he threatens her with physical harm ( see Matthew 22:39 and verse 28 ( above ), for example ), or if he commands her to do something sinful ( see Matthew 6:33, Acts 4:19; 5:29, and 1 John 3:4, for example ), for example. Finally, incidents of domestic violence can be avoided if the husband will "love his wife as his very self" ( see verse 33 ), and if the wife will "pay her husband all respect" ( see verse 33 ).
A slide presentation ( associated with the following link ) has been included for you, the reader, to view ( and there is a brief lesson regarding husbands, wives, and younger widows included in this study of the book of 1 Timothy ). Please click on the link below:
If you have any questions about the Holy Bible, you can contact me by e-mail at:
<rewillis1_1@juno.com>
<Russell E. Willis>
NOTE: To exit the slide presentation, you will need to click on the "home" button in your web browser. If you have any comments or suggestions, please send them to my e-mail address as well.
NOTE: To exit the slide presentation, you will need to click on the "home" button in your web browser. If you have any comments or suggestions, please send them to my e-mail address as well.
