22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
22 He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
23 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.
23 The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing.
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.
23 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.
(Read Ephesians 5:22-33)
The duty of wives is, submission to their husbands in the Lord, which includes honouring and obeying them, from a principle of love to them. The duty of husbands is to love their wives. The love of Christ to the church is an example, which is sincere, pure, and constant, notwithstanding her failures. Christ gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify it in this world, and glorify it in the next, that he might bestow on all his members a principle of holiness, and deliver them from the guilt, the pollution, and the dominion of sin, by those influences of the Holy Spirit, of which baptismal water was the outward sign. The church and believers will not be without spot or wrinkle till they come to glory. But those only who are sanctified now, shall be glorified hereafter. The words of Adam, mentioned by the apostle, are spoken literally of marriage; but they have also a hidden sense in them, relating to the union between Christ and his church. It was a kind of type, as having resemblance. There will be failures and defects on both sides, in the present state of human nature, yet this does not alter the relation. All the duties of marriage are included in unity and love. And while we adore and rejoice in the condescending love of Christ, let husbands and wives learn hence their duties to each other. Thus the worst evils would be prevented, and many painful effects would be avoided.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ephesians 1:22
Commentary on Ephesians 1:15-23
(Read Ephesians 1:15-23)
God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but requires us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. Even the best Christians need to be prayed for: and while we hear of the welfare of Christian friends, we should pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly wisdom. Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God's yoke, though there is no other way to find rest for the soul? Do we not for a little pleasure often part with our peace? And if we dispute less, and prayed more with and for each other, we should daily see more and more what is the hope of our calling, and the riches of the Divine glory in this inheritance. It is desirable to feel the mighty power of Divine grace, beginning and carrying on the work of faith in our souls. But it is difficult to bring a soul to believe fully in Christ, and to venture its all, and the hope of eternal life, upon his righteousness. Nothing less than Almighty power will work this in us. Here is signified that it is Christ the Saviour, who supplies all the necessities of those who trust in him, and gives them all blessings in the richest abundance. And by being partakers of Christ himself, we come to be filled with the fulness of grace and glory in him. How then do those forget themselves who seek for righteousness out of him! This teaches us to come to Christ. And did we know what we are called to, and what we might find in him, surely we should come and be suitors to him. When feeling our weakness and the power of our enemies, we most perceive the greatness of that mighty power which effects the conversion of the believer, and is engaged to perfect his salvation. Surely this will constrain us by love to live to our Redeemer's glory.