Series: Identity – The Book of Ephesians
Sermon: Wise Living 2
Bible Passage: Ephesians 5:21-24
I. Introductory comments:
1. We subscribe to complementarian view of marriage, i.e., there is no question of who is first or second between a husband and a wife, both are two sides of the same coin
2. We do not subscribe to non-biblical views such as egalitarianism or hierarchy in a marriage relationship
3. We do not espouse any type of feminism; we are perfectly satisfied with biblical teaching on family relationship, where there is God ordained order
4. We believe that marriage has been affected by sin and depravity, the roles and relationships in marriage is severely exploited and abused (cf. Gen 3:16)
5. We are sorry to say that the passage Eph 5:22-24 has been abused in history due to erroneous translation of the passage
6. The New Testament does not teach superiority of husbands nor inferiority of women (cf. Gal 3:28)
II. About the passage:
1. Verse 21 is a continuation of verse 18b
2. In verses 22-24 Paul clarifies the point he just made in verse 21 i.e.,
a. Verse 21: “submitting voluntary to one another in the household of God” as a result of being filled with the fullness of God by the Spirit
b. Immediately, Paul clarifies how “submission” would look when it comes to wives
3. There is no command in verses 21-24, but there is only statement of the facts
4. A life principle is used in this passage: an action done in the visible world by the members of God’s household is an action done to God and Christ1
5. “Church-Christ” are prototype/archetype to relationship between wife and husband
a. 1:23: he subjected all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way—The Church is the body of Christ; Christ the Head
b. 5:29-30: The believers are members of Christ’s body—Christ the Head
c. The body connected to the Head and Head’s caring relationship with the body is the dream relationship we have that God created (3:10 )
d. The body has all it need in the Head and the Head is willing give all that the body needs!
e. The body has its identity only through the Head
f. So, this relationship, “church-Christ,” transcends any relationships of the world!
III. Now, to the Passage:
1. At the outset, lets look at the word “to submit”
a. “to place under,” “to arrange under a rubric”
b. “to bring to order,” “to take a position”
c. “to cooperate,” “to yield”
d. The verb “to submit” in all four places in 21-24 is in middle voice, i.e.,
i. the action is done voluntarily without an external agency
ii. “submitting oneself,” “yielding oneself,” “taking a position voluntarily”
e. With the use of this word, Paul seems to imply a voluntary yielding towards a godly harmony or order by taking one’s appropriate place
2. Verse 21: Submitting voluntarily to one another in the church “in fear of Christ”
a. In the household of God (i.e., in the church), each member understands their role and yield to the role of the other members
i. by not ignoring them or dominating them
ii. but by acknowledging their role and their relationship with them
b. “submitting to one another” in verse 21 applies to all members of the household of God—husbands, wives, singles, children, slaves, employers, officers, kings, …
c. This intentional behavior amounts to honoring/revering Christ—applied worship
d. Such humble behavior in a church is the result of “being filled by the Spirit” (verse 18b)
e. Principle: One action is treated as an action done to another
3. Verse 22: wives submitting voluntarily to their own husbands as to the Lord (verse 22)
a. Check the sentence: Paul quickly clarifies “submitting voluntarily to one another”
b. When it comes to wives “submitting to one another,” Paul gives a proactive corrective explanation “the wives to their own husbands”
c. One action is treated as an action done to another
d. Wives’ yielding to the role of their own husbands is treated as “yielding” to the Lord—it is an applied theology
e. What does he not meaning what does he mean?
i. He does not mean that she shows servitude or inferiority
ii. But, wife takes her rightful position in her marriage relationship which is, in effect, a submission done to Christ
4. Verse 23b: “because husband is ‘the head’ of his wife”
a. What is the meaning of the metaphor “head”?
b. Paul does not seem to imply ideas like ruler, authority, source, preeminence, or prominence
c. But, he implies something different which can be understood from verse 23b
5. Verse 23b: “even as Christ is the head of the Church, the body of which he is the savior”
a. The word “savior” explains the word “the head”
b. Here, the word “savior” implies a helper, care-giver, rescuer, preserver, deliverer,
c. As the Head, Christ continues to serve the Church, His body
d. The implied teaching is that husband continues to serve his wife—instead of body serving the head, head serves the body
e. Therefore, wives’ voluntary submission keeps them healthy and protected
6. Verse 24a: “Church submits voluntarily to Christ”
a. i.e., Church acknowledges the role and function of Christ and yields voluntarily to Him
b. A church cannot be a church without its voluntary yielding to its Head, Christ
c. One truth illustrates the other
d. Wives submit voluntary to their husbands in everything
i. Follows the lead of the husband
ii. Complies with the God-made order
IV. Principles
1. A healthy household is essential for the stability of the church, society, and nation
2. A healthy household happens when the believers “are filled by the Spirit”
3. It is not that wife and husband build their marriages, but “being filled by the good of God and the will of the Lord” by the Spirit builds the marriage
4. Healthy homes yield to God-established roles in family
5. Christian marriage is defined by the Gospel
6. In a marriage relationship, there is no question of who is big and who is small, it’s all about how you imitate God and how you subscribe to the redemptive order
Take Away:
Desire God’s Word dwell in your heart richly through which you will understand the will of the Lord