Ephesians 5
Bible Devotional
Ephesians 5:22-24 (NLT)
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
I've been preaching on the book of Ephesians for some time now. There is so much to learn and understand, but one of the main misunderstandings concerns what it means for wives to submit to their husbands.
I won't be able to go too deep on this topic, but I will explain a few important points that men should understand about what it means by "submission" and for "a woman to submit to her husband."
From the beginning, we have understood that Adam was created first, then Eve. Most of us understand that Eve is the "helper," but many do not fully understand what that means. When you look into the original language, the "helper" means to "help the man see God." It is important to note that the original design for the woman was to "help Adam see God." A woman will be at her greatest "help" by empowering a man to know God more in a marriage setting; in return, the man will love his wife more. Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."
The Greek word translated "submit," hupotasso, pronounced hoop-ot-as'-so means a continual attitude, which becomes a pattern of behavior. So, when a woman or even a man submits to God, it is not a one-time act, but a continuous behavior of submission to God. As we discussed on Sunday, regarding submission to others (Ephesians 5:21). 1 Corinthians 11:2-3 teaches us that husbands are to submit to Christ (as Christ did to God the Father) and the wife is to submit to her husband.
Husbands submit to God (1 Corinthians 11:2-3)
Wives submit to husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Submit is not a reflection of inferiority or lesser worth. Christ constantly submitted Himself to the will of the Father (Luke 2:42). As Jesus submitted to God the Father, so does a woman submit to one man - her husband, but the husband is also to submit to Christ, first. So, when a woman submits to her husband, then she does not need to submit to other men. The rule to submit does not extend to a woman's place in society at large. A wife is to willingly submit to her husband in personal obedience to the Lord Jesus. She submits to her husband because she loves Christ. Remember, when a woman submits to her husband, it does not imply she is of lesser value or even unworthy. Rather, because she is worthy and valuable to God's kingdom, she is called to "help her husband see God."
Furthermore, a godly wife can even win her unbelieving husband to the Lord "without words" simply by her holy behavior (1 Peter 3:1). Thus, submission should be a natural response to loving leadership. When a husband loves his wife as Christ loves the church, then submission is a natural response from a wife to her husband. So, when the Bible tells the woman to "submit to her husband as to the Lord," it reminds the wife that there is a higher authority to whom she is responsible. She submits to what is right, lawful, and God-honoring. God's command to the husband is to "love" in verse 25, and he is responsible before God to fulfill that command. A man should not require a woman to submit when he does not love, as Christ loves His church. When a wife is loved by her husband as the church is loved by Christ, submission is not hard.
Remember that Eve was made out of Adam's side, not out of his head, nor out of his feet. She is not to be trampled upon, but by his side as an equal, but in different roles in the marriage and family. When you are filled by the Holy Spirit, submission becomes easy and natural for both men and women. But it begins with the first submission to Christ.
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
I've been preaching on the book of Ephesians for some time now. There is so much to learn and understand, but one of the main misunderstandings concerns what it means for wives to submit to their husbands.
I won't be able to go too deep on this topic, but I will explain a few important points that men should understand about what it means by "submission" and for "a woman to submit to her husband."
From the beginning, we have understood that Adam was created first, then Eve. Most of us understand that Eve is the "helper," but many do not fully understand what that means. When you look into the original language, the "helper" means to "help the man see God." It is important to note that the original design for the woman was to "help Adam see God." A woman will be at her greatest "help" by empowering a man to know God more in a marriage setting; in return, the man will love his wife more. Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."
The Greek word translated "submit," hupotasso, pronounced hoop-ot-as'-so means a continual attitude, which becomes a pattern of behavior. So, when a woman or even a man submits to God, it is not a one-time act, but a continuous behavior of submission to God. As we discussed on Sunday, regarding submission to others (Ephesians 5:21). 1 Corinthians 11:2-3 teaches us that husbands are to submit to Christ (as Christ did to God the Father) and the wife is to submit to her husband.
Husbands submit to God (1 Corinthians 11:2-3)
Wives submit to husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Submit is not a reflection of inferiority or lesser worth. Christ constantly submitted Himself to the will of the Father (Luke 2:42). As Jesus submitted to God the Father, so does a woman submit to one man - her husband, but the husband is also to submit to Christ, first. So, when a woman submits to her husband, then she does not need to submit to other men. The rule to submit does not extend to a woman's place in society at large. A wife is to willingly submit to her husband in personal obedience to the Lord Jesus. She submits to her husband because she loves Christ. Remember, when a woman submits to her husband, it does not imply she is of lesser value or even unworthy. Rather, because she is worthy and valuable to God's kingdom, she is called to "help her husband see God."
Furthermore, a godly wife can even win her unbelieving husband to the Lord "without words" simply by her holy behavior (1 Peter 3:1). Thus, submission should be a natural response to loving leadership. When a husband loves his wife as Christ loves the church, then submission is a natural response from a wife to her husband. So, when the Bible tells the woman to "submit to her husband as to the Lord," it reminds the wife that there is a higher authority to whom she is responsible. She submits to what is right, lawful, and God-honoring. God's command to the husband is to "love" in verse 25, and he is responsible before God to fulfill that command. A man should not require a woman to submit when he does not love, as Christ loves His church. When a wife is loved by her husband as the church is loved by Christ, submission is not hard.
Remember that Eve was made out of Adam's side, not out of his head, nor out of his feet. She is not to be trampled upon, but by his side as an equal, but in different roles in the marriage and family. When you are filled by the Holy Spirit, submission becomes easy and natural for both men and women. But it begins with the first submission to Christ.
Posted in Weekly Devotional