“For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.”

Ephesians

Ephesians 5:23

We began to talk about the topic of submission of one to another in the Christian community last time. Paul focuses first on the relationship of husbands and wives. And, as we saw last time, wives are to be submissive to their own husbands.

Today we continue that thought into verses 23 and 24. In giving the rationale for this statement, the Bible tells us that the husband is the head of the wife just like Christ is the head of the church, his body.

We need to ask ourselves in what way Christ is the head of the church. He is the head because the church is His body. The Bible tells us that when they marry, a husband and wife become one flesh just as Christ and the church (verses 31 -32).

Because the picture between Christ and the church and a man and his wife are pictured as a body, what or who represents the head of the body? For the church, Jesus the Messiah is the head. In the husband wife relationship, the man is given the role of the head.

Now, as I mentioned last time, being head does not mean better, smarter, wiser, more talented, etc. We know it doesn’t involve intelligence or ability because the Bible says God is the head of Christ. And we know that they are coequal. But, yes, in the home, there needs to be discussion and mutual planning in marriage, but when the decision or course of action is to be made, someone has to provide the leadership and give the final ok. That person is the husband according to the Bible.

Verse 24 clarifies this even more. Paul writes, “As the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” Notice the word, everything. The church is to submit to Christ. Wives are supposed to submit to their husband.

In this current culture, that is a radical statement. There is an anti-patriarchal sentiment in our culture. As individual Christians we are going to have to decide where we stand on the authority of Scripture as it relates to all aspects of our lives, not just the areas that we choose.

Now, in case you are reading these ideas for the first time, be advised that this passage goes on to explain and command the responsibility of the husband. We will get into that next time, but note that God expects the husband to love his wife like Christ loves the church, and as He has given Himself for her, and as He has served her to increase her beauty and holiness. I would suggest to you that a wife who is treated this way by her husband will have no problem fitting into the role God has for her within that relationship.