22 Wives, [submit yourselves] to your own husbands, as to the Lord, 23 for a husband is head of the wife, as also the Christ [is] head of the assembly. He [is] Saviour of the body. 24 But even as the assembly is subjected to the Christ, so also wives to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your own wives, even as the Christ also loved the assembly, and has delivered himself up for it, 26 in order that he might sanctify it, purifying [it] by the washing of water by [the] word, 27 that he might present the assembly to himself glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or any of such things; but that it might be holy and blameless. 28 So ought men also to love their own wives as their own bodies: he that loves his own wife loves himself. 29 For no one has ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as also the Christ the assembly: 30 for we are members of his body; [we are of his flesh, and of his bones.] 31 Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. 32 This mystery is great, but I speak as to Christ, and as to the assembly. 33 But ye also, every one of you, let each so love his own wife as himself; but as to the wife [I speak] that she may fear the husband.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ephesians 5:22-33
Commentary on Ephesians 5:22-33
(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.