Feminism might throw up its collective hands in horror at the word submission, but I’m happy to submit to my husband. Why? Because it is what the Bible commands Ephesians 5:22. And no, I don’t believe Paul was a male chauvinist who didn’t appreciate women and their ministry.
Paul valued the contribution made by Phoebe, Romans 16:1-2, Priscilla along with her husband Aquila, Romans 16:3-5, and I Corinthians 16:19, Mary, Romans 16: 6 , Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis, Romans 16:12, and others he mentions throughout his letters.
Although Paul wrote the words in Ephesians 5:22, they are inspired by the Holy Spirit. So it is not Paul’s words but God’s words and who am I to go against God?
Too often this verse is plucked out of context and pulled apart from the rest of the passage. This is not the correct way to read God’s Word. We need to read it in context.
If you look at the verse prior to it, Christians are called to live in submission to each other, Ephesians 5:21.And if you look further down this passage you will notice the command to husbands in verses 25-29. ‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. After all, no-one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church.’ A similar point about a husband’s love for his wife is reiterated in Colossians 3:19.
Christ’s love for his church was all encompassing. It was giving and sacrificial. His ministry was one of service, love and compassion. Jesus willingly laid down his life to make you and me and all other believers holy and make us right with God. So for Paul to admonish husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, is asking them to commit to a life of service, self denial and selfless sacrifice. In other words he is urging they do whatever is necessary and within their power to care for their wives, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Submission here is not a case one person giving and the other doing all the taking, because verse 21 talks of us submitting to each other so it is reciprocal. And while wives are called to submit in verse 22, the admonition to husbands actually entails a far deeper expression of commitment, sacrifice and devotion than that required by the wife. The husband’s prime concern is to do all in his power to do what is best for his wife.
Husbands are given a command to love their wives as Christ loved the church. This is God’s plan for Christian marriage and it works beautifully with husband and wife are each looking out for the concerns and needs of the other. It only falls apart when people try and come up with another plan other than God’s plan.
Tomorrow I’ll tell you the second reason why I am happy to submit to my husband and examples of how it works in practice.
Bible verses from The New International Version
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