–Ephesians
5:22–33- Out of love for each other and reverence for Christ, Christians are to
be subject to each other.
For
the Christian, the Gospel does not overturn the order of life, but gives it new
meaning. Each human relationship is reinterpreted “in the Lord.” Wives,
children, and servants look on their husbands, parents, and masters as
representatives of the Lord and submit to them. Husbands, parents and masters
likewise views the ones entrusted to them as Christ viewed the church with
self-sacrificing love.
In marriage the two become one flesh. Paul continues in his series with a passage dealing with the right attitude and conduct of husbands and wives. The relationship is modeled by the relationship of Christ and the church. As Christ is the head of the church a husband is head of his wife. Therefore, she is to be subject to him as the husband is subject to God and as the church is subject to Christ. Although it is not mentioned that a man is subject to God or that the husband should be subject to his wife, verse 21 which precedes the lesson states that each should be subject to the other for Christ’s sake. The wife should have no objections to being subject to her husband because he loves her as Christ loves the church as his own body. What does love have to do with it? It has everything to do with it.
Paul gives us an example for family relationships and duties. The example is expressed in the powerful word “as.” As Christ loves the church, a man is to love his wife. He is to love as deeply as Jesus loved the church –sacrificially. A husband is to love his wife “as” he loves his own body for the two are one flesh. If a man loves his wife as Christ loves the church what woman could object to being subject to him? Christ’s love is what compels each of us to love sacrificially; placing each before self. [2]
Collect for Proper 16: Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know Your Son Jesus, to be the way, the truth and the life that we may boldly confess Him to be the Christ and steadfastly walk in the way that leads to life eternal; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. [3]-19 August 2021
[1] The Lord’s Supper, copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B, John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
[3] Collect for Proper 16, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
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