OUR FATHER WHO INAUGURATED MARRIAGE AS METAPHOR FOR CHRIST AND HIS BRIDE

In the 5th chapter of Paulˋs letter to the Ephesians from verses 32 - 33, Paul descibes marriage as a mystery from the point of view that marriage is a metaphor for the union that Christ will have with His bride who will be the body of His faithful servants.

Because marriage is a prophetic picture of the eternal love relationship between Christ and His Bride, Paul  outlines the expected conduct in marriage that would properly represent what the spiritual union would be like.

In the same way that it is appropriate for the church to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ, it is fitting that a wife submit to her husband.

Likewise, in the same way that Christ love the church and died for her, Husbands should  love their wives and be prepared to give their lives for them.

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

The apostle Paul elaborates on how the injuction that makes married couples become one flesh  reflects how Christ and His bride become one body of His flesh and of His bones. 

Therefore, men, in playing their part in this metaphor, are to love their wives as they love themselves and women, in completing their part in the metaphor, should endeavour to respect their husbands.

Amen.

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