LESSON 7- Ephesians
Chptrs. 5:21-6:9
Marriage, Christ and the Church,
Children and Parents, Bondservants and Masters
Ephesians 5:20-33; 6:1-9
Eph. 5:21 submitting to one another in the fear (awe, reverence) of God.
5:21 Inspired by the awe you witnessed in Christ, (the way he abandoned Himself to the will of God and to us, verse 2) yield yourselves to one another. Mirror Translation
Related Scriptures:
Galatians 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.
Eph.5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
5:22 (Marriage is a portrait of this mutual yielding to one another) wives give yourselves fully unto your husbands as you would to the Lord. (Remember, love is contagious, not reluctant but extravagant. Sacrificial agape love pleases God like the sweet aroma of worship.) Mirror Translation
Submit a present imperative active verb- a command to do something now and in the future which involves continuous and repeated action.
5293 hupotasso { hoop-ot-as’-so} AV – put under; be
subject; submit (one’s) self unto subjection unto under;
to arrange under, to subordinate; to yield to one’s
admonition or advice
This is a non-military meaning: “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”.
One of the key words in 5:21 – 6:9 is “submit.” You’ll discover that submission is not the same as obedience. Nor does Paul does not teach “chain of command” like some have insisted. Let’s see what he does teach.
Hupotasso is a compound of two words hupo – “under” (we get our “hypodermic” from this, “under” the skin”) and tasso “to place, to station, to place in a certain order” (Thayer 615). This word is in the middle voice, which suggests a reflexive idea. Rather than a command “to subject, to subordinate” Paul is saying, “subject yourself to….” Rather than teaching rote obedience in action and word, Paul is teaching a voluntary placement of oneself under another “out of reverence for Christ.”
This is not quite the same as obedience. To voluntarily place oneself under someone else’s authority is much different than to unquestioningly obey or to obey only grudgingly. Children are told to obey (6:1). Slaves are told to obey (6.5-6), but wives are told to voluntarily submit to their husbands.
Notice, most marriage ceremonies now leave out obey, because it is not scriptural, mutually submitting is more acceptable.
This has nothing to do with the inherent worth or value of an individual. Paul teaches equal value and standing before God: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ” (Galatians 3:28).
Peter teaches that wives and husbands are “joint heirs of the grace of life” (1Peter 3:7).
WIVES, SUBMIT TO YOUR HUSBANDS (22-24)
The reason given for a wife to submit to her husband is that he is “the head of the wife as Christ is of the Church” (vs. 23). Those who teach “chain of command” from headship, equate “head” with “boss.” Paul uses Greek kephale, “head,” in a number of ways, some of which overlap:
- SOURCE, CREATOR (Colossians 1:16). We derive our idea of “headwaters” from this concept.
- SUSTAINER (Ephesians 4:16; 1:23; Colossians 1:17; 2:19).
- SOURCE OF GROWTH (Ephesians 4:15-16; Colossians 2:19)
“The husband is the head of the wife (in a similar way) as Christ is the head of the church.”
Vs. 24 indicates that “wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” Does this mean that in all areas the wife is to let her husband make the final decision? Does this mean she is not to disagree with her husband? By no means! Just because the husband has responsibility doesn’t make him wise or right. The wife must do whatever she can to help him see things from a broader perspective. She must lovingly and submissively correct him when he is wrong, not to put him down (that would by placing herself over him), but to build him up and make him a better man (that is true servant hood). Same action with the husband.
Colossians 3:18-19 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
1 Peter 3:1-7 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
As said in the previous lesson, Eph. 5:21 says submitting to one another; then verse 22 says: “Wives submit to their husbands.” And verse 25 says, “Husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church.”
My husband and I submit to one another. He is good in the financial area and I yield to him on decisions in that area. He yields to me in other areas. This must work since we have been married 55 years.
And I’ve heard many of my married women friends say: “They have no problem submitting to their husbands if their husbands love them as Christ loves the church.”
The husband lording or ruling over a wife is a result of the curse; this has been redeemed.
(Gen 3:16) To the woman He said, I will greatly increase your sorrow and your conception. In pain you shall bear sons, and your desire shall be toward your husband, and he shall rule over you.
But notice before that: Husband and wife relationship back to:(Gen 2:20) And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet-mate/helper (someone comparable to him, suitable of him ) for him.
Gen. 2:18 And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
Notice helpmeet is one comparable.
Comparable means: corresponding, akin, parallel, similar
Helpmeet/helpmate
In exploring further, ‘ezer’ mean savior and is used in reference to a saving/strong presence. Lastly, the word that accompanies ezer is kenegdo which means “in front of him,”‘opposite as to him’ or ‘corresponding as to him’. A great visual explanation of the word kenegdo would be two wings on a bird, they are not the same, but are equal. They correspond to each other, both are useful for flight, but they are not identical. When both are used together they accomplish one purpose, movement towards Christ. Kenegdo denotes the idea of equality, a mirror image of a man, but the opposite of him.In Hebrew the word “help mate/help meet,” is derived from two words, ezer and k’enegdo. These words mean “to rescue, to save,” and “to be strong.
I Christ there is neither male nor female.
Galatians 3:27-28 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
We will continue with Lesson 7 next week.
The blessings of the Lord are upon you whether by blood, adoption/sonship or assignment. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22
David & Mary Sue