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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
E P H E S I A N S.
CHAP. V.
We had several important exhortations in the close of the foregoing
chapter, and they are continued in this: particularly,
I. We have here an exhortation to mutual love and charity,
II. Against all manner of uncleanness, with proper arguments and
remedies proposed against such sins: and some further cautions are
added, and other duties recommended,
III. The apostle directs to the conscientious discharge of relative
duties,
throughout this, and in the beginning of the next chapter.
| Cautions against Impurity. | A. D. 61. |
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1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath
given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweetsmelling savour.
Here we have the exhortation to mutual love, or to Christian charity.
The apostle had been insisting on this in the former chapter, and
particularly in the
of it, to which the particle therefore refers, and connects what
he had said there with what is contained in these verses, thus:
“Because God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven you, therefore be you
followers of God, or imitators of him;” for so the word
signifies. Pious persons should imitate the God whom they worship, as
far as he has revealed himself as imitable by them. They must conform
themselves to his example, and have his image renewed upon them. This
puts a great honour upon practical religion, that it is the imitating
of God. We must be holy as God is holy, merciful as he is merciful,
perfect as he is perfect. But there is no one attribute of God more
recommended to our imitation than that of his goodness. Be you
imitators of God, or resemble him, in every grace, and especially in
his love, and in his pardoning goodness. God is love; and those that
dwell in love dwell in God and God in them. Thus he has proclaimed
his name, Gracious and merciful, and abundant in goodness. As dear
children, as children (who are wont to be greatly beloved by their
parents) usually resemble them in the lineaments and features of their
faces, and in the dispositions and qualities of their minds; or as
becomes the children of God, who are beloved and cherished by their
heavenly Father. Children are obliged to imitate their parents in what
is good, especially when dearly beloved by them. The character that we
bear of God’s children obliges us to resemble him, especially in his
love and goodness, in his mercy and readiness to forgive. And those
only are God’s dear children who imitate him in these. It follows,
And walk in love,
v. 2.
This godlike grace should conduct and influence our whole conversation,
which is meant by walking in it. It should be the principle from which
we act; it should direct the ends at which we aim. We should be more
careful to give proof of the sincerity of our love one to another.
As Christ also hath loved us. Here the apostle directs us to the
example of Christ, whom Christians are obliged to imitate, and in whom
we have an instance of the most free and generous love that ever was,
that great love wherewith he hath loved us. We are all joint sharers in
that love, and partakers of the comfort of it, and therefore should
love one another, Christ having loved us all and given such proof of
his love to us; for he hath given himself for us. The apostle
designedly enlarges on the subject; for what can yield us more
delightful matter for contemplation than this? Christ gave himself to
die for us; and the death of Christ was the great sacrifice of
atonement: An offering and a sacrifice to God; or an offering,
even a sacrifice–a propitiatory sacrifice, to expiate our guilt, which
had been prefigured in the legal oblations and sacrifices; and this
for a sweet-smelling savour. Some observe that the sin-offerings
were never said to be of a sweet-smelling savour; but this is said of
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. As he
offered himself with a design to be accepted of God, so God did accept,
was pleased with, and appeased by, that sacrifice. Note, As the
sacrifice of Christ was efficacious with God, so his example should be
prevailing with us, and we should carefully copy after it.
| Preservatives from Impurity; Cautions and Admonitions. | A. D. 61. |
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3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it
not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which
are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person,
nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these
things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the
Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and
righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are
done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the
light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from
the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as
wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will
of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled
with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
These verses contain a caution against all manner of uncleanness, with
proper remedies and arguments proposed: some further cautions are
added, and other duties recommended. Filthy lusts must be suppressed,
in order to the supporting of holy love. Walk in love, and
shun fornication and all uncleanness. Fornication is folly
committed between unmarried persons. All uncleanness includes
all other sorts of filthy lusts, which were too common among the
Gentiles. Or covetousness, which being thus connected, and
mentioned as a thing which should not be once named, some
understand it, in the chaste style of the scripture, of unnatural lust;
while others take it in the more common sense, for an immoderate desire
of gain or an insatiable love of riches, which is spiritual adultery;
for by this the soul, which was espoused to God, goes astray from him,
and embraces the bosom of a stranger, and therefore carnal worldlings
are called adulterers: You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not
that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Now these sins
must be dreaded and detested in the highest degree: Let it not be
once named among you, never in a way of approbation nor without
abhorrence, as becometh saints, holy persons, who are separated
from the world, and dedicated unto God. The apostle not only cautions
against the gross acts of sin, but against what some may be apt to make
light of, and think to be excusable. Neither filthiness
(v. 4),
by which may be understood all wanton and unseemly gestures and
behaviour; nor foolish talking, obscene and lewd discourse, or,
more generally, such vain discourse as betrays much folly and
indiscretion, and is far from edifying the hearers; nor jesting.
The Greek word eutrapelia is the same which Aristotle, in
his Ethics, makes a virtue: pleasantness of conversation. And there is
no doubt an innocent and inoffensive jesting, which we cannot suppose
the apostle here forbids. Some understand him of such scurrilous and
abusive reflections as tend to expose others and to make them appear
ridiculous. This is bad enough: but the context seems to restrain it to
such pleasantry of discourse as is filthy and obscene, which he may
also design by that corrupt, or putrid and rotten, communication
that he speaks of,
Of these things he says, They are not convenient. Indeed there
is more than inconvenience, even a great deal of mischief, in them.
They are so far from being profitable that they pollute and poison the
hearers. But the meaning is, Those things do not become Christians, and
are very unsuitable to their profession and character. Christians are
allowed to be cheerful and pleasant; but they must be merry and wise.
The apostle adds, But rather giving of thanks: so far let the
Christian’s way of mirth be from that of obscene and profane wit, that
he may delight his mind, and make himself cheerful, by a grateful
remembrance of God’s goodness and mercy to him, and by blessing and
praising him on account of these. Note,
1. We should take all occasions to render thanksgivings and praises to
God for his kindness and favours to us.
2. A reflection on the grace and goodness of God to us, with a design
to excite our thankfulness to him, is proper to refresh and delight the
Christian’s mind, and to make him cheerful. Dr. Hammond thinks that
eucharistia may signify gracious, pious, religious
discourse in general, by way of opposition to what the apostle
condemns. Our cheerfulness, instead of breaking out into what is vain
and sinful, and a profanation of God’s name, should express itself as
becomes Christians, and in what may tend to his glory. If men abounded
more in good and pious expressions, they would not be so apt to utter
ill and unbecoming words; for shall blessing and cursing,
lewdness and thanksgivings, proceed out of the same mouth?
I. To fortify us against the sins of uncleanness, &c., the apostle
urges several arguments, and prescribes several remedies, in what
follows,
1. He urges several arguments, As,
(1.) Consider that these are sins which shut persons out of heaven:
For this you know, &c.,
v. 5.
They knew it, being informed of it by the Christian religion. By a
covetous man some understand a lewd lascivious libertine, who
indulges himself in those vile lusts which were accounted the certain
marks of a heathen and an idolater. Others understand it in the common
acceptation of the word; and such a man is an idolater because there is
spiritual idolatry in the love of this world. As the epicure makes a
god of his belly, so the covetous man makes a god of his money, sets
those affectations upon it, and places that hope, confidence, and
delight, in worldly good, which should be reserved for God only. He
serves mammon instead of God. Of these persons it is said that they
have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God; that
is, the kingdom of Christ, who is God, or the kingdom which is God’s by
nature, and Christ’s as he is Mediator, the kingdom which Christ has
purchased and which God bestows. Heaven is here described as a kingdom
(as frequently elsewhere) with respect to its eminency and glory, its
fulness and sufficiency, &c. In this kingdom the saints and servants of
God have an inheritance; for it is the inheritance of the saints in
light. But those who are impenitent, and allow themselves either in
the lusts of the flesh or the love of the world, are not Christians
indeed, and so belong not to the kingdom of grace, nor shall they ever
come to the kingdom of glory. Let us then be excited to be on our
guard against those sins which would exclude and shut us out of heaven.
(2.) These sins bring the wrath of God upon those who are guilty of
them: “Let no man deceive you with vain words, &c.,
v. 6.
Let none flatter you, as though such things were tolerable and to be
allowed of in Christians, or as though they were not very provoking and
offensive unto God, or as though you might indulge yourselves in them
and yet escape with impunity. These are vain words.” Observe,
Those who flatter themselves and others with hopes of impunity in sin
do but put a cheat upon themselves and others. Thus Satan deceived our
first parents with vain words when he said to them, You shall not
surely die. They are vain words indeed; for those who trust
to them will find themselves wretchedly imposed upon, for because of
these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience. By children of disobedience may be meant the
Gentiles, who disbelieved, and refused to comply with, and to submit
themselves to, the gospel: or, more generally, all obstinate sinners,
who will not be reclaimed, but are given over to disobedience.
Disobedience is the very malignity of sin. And it is by a usual
Hebraism that such sinners are called children of disobedience; and
such indeed they are from their childhood, going astray as soon as they
are born. The wrath of God comes upon such because of their
sins; sometimes in this world, but more especially in the next. And
dare we make light of that which will lay us under the wrath of God? O
no. Be not you therefore partakers with them,
v. 7.
“Do not partake with them in their sins, that you may not share in
their punishment.” We partake with other men in their sins, not only
when we live in the same sinful manner that they do, and consent and
comply with their temptations and solicitations to sin, but when we
encourage them in their sins, prompt them to sin, and do not prevent
and hinder them, as far as it may be in our power to do so.
(3.) Consider what obligations Christians are under to live at another
rate than such sinners do: For you were sometimes darkness, but
now, &c.,
v. 8.
The meaning is, “Such courses are very unsuitable to your present
condition; for, whereas in your Gentile and your unregenerate state you
were darkness, you have now undergone a great change.” The apostle
calls their former condition darkness in the abstract, to
express the great darkness they were in. They lived wicked and profane
lives, being destitute of the light of instruction without and of the
illumination and grace of the blessed Spirit within. Note, A state of
sin is a state of darkness. Sinners, like men in the dark, are going
they know not whither, and doing they know not what. But the grace of
God had produced a mighty change in their souls: Now are you light
in the Lord, savingly enlightened by the word and the Spirit of
God. Now, upon your believing in Christ, and your receiving the
gospel. Walk as children of light. Children of light, according
to the Hebrew dialect, are those who are in a state of light, endued
with knowledge and holiness. “Now, being such, let your conversation be
suitable to your condition and privileges, and accordingly live up to
the obligation you are under by that knowledge and those advantages you
enjoy–Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord
(v. 10),
examining and searching diligently what God has revealed to be his
will, and making it appear that you approve it by conforming yourselves
to it.” Observe, We must not only dread and avoid that which is
displeasing to God, but enquire and consider what will be acceptable to
him, searching the scriptures with this view, thus keeping at the
greatest distance from these sins.
2. The apostle prescribes some remedies against them. As,
(1.) If we would not be entangled by the lusts of the flesh, we must
bring forth the fruits of the Spirit,
v. 9.
This is expected from the children of light, that, being illuminated,
they be also sanctified by the Spirit, and thereupon bring forth his
fruit, which is in all goodness, an inclination to do good and
to show mercy, and righteousness, which signifies justice in our
dealings. Thus they are taken more strictly; but, more generally, all
religion is goodness and righteousness. And in and with these must be
truth, or sincerity and uprightness of heart.
(2.) We must have no fellowship with sin nor sinners,
Sinful works are works of darkness: they come from the darkness of
ignorance, they seek the darkness of concealment, and they lead to the
darkness of hell. These works of darkness are unfruitful works;
there is nothing got by them in the long run, whatever profit is
pretended by sin, it will by no means balance the loss; for it issues
in the utter ruin and destruction of the impenitent sinner. We must
therefore have no fellowship with these unfruitful works; as we
must not practise them ourselves, so we must not countenance others in
the practice of them. There are many ways of our being accessary to the
sins of others, by commendation, counsel, consent, or concealment. And,
if we share with others in their sin, we must expect to share with them
in their plagues. Nay, if we thus have fellowship with them, we shall
be in the utmost danger of acting as they do ere long. But, rather than
have fellowship with them, we must reprove them, implying that
if we do not reprove the sins of others we have fellowship with them.
We must prudently and in our places witness against the sins of others,
and endeavour to convince them of their sinfulness, when we can do it
seasonably and pertinently, in our words; but especially by the
holiness of our lives, and a religious conversation. Reprove their sins
by abounding in the contrary duties. One reason given is, For it is
a shame even to speak of those things, &c.,
They are so filthy and abominable that it is a shame to mention them,
except in a way of reproof, much more must it be a shame to have any
fellowship with them. The things which are done of them in
secret. The apostle seems to speak here of the Gentile idolaters,
and of their horrid mysteries, which abounded with detestable
wickedness, and which none were permitted to divulge upon pain of
death. Observe, A good man is ashamed to speak that which many wicked
people are not ashamed to act; but, as far as their wickedness appears,
it should be reproved by good men. There follows another reason for
such reproof: But all things that are reproved are made manifest by
the light,
v. 13.
The meaning of this passage may be this: “All those unfruitful works of
darkness which you are called upon to reprove are laid open, and made
to appear in their proper colours to the sinners themselves, by the
light of doctrine or of God’s word in your mouths, as faithful
reprovers, or by that instructive light which is diffused by the
holiness of your lives and by your exemplary walk.” Observe, The light
of God’s word, and the exemplification of it in a Christian
conversation, are proper means to convince sinners of their sin and
wickedness. It follows, For whatsoever doth make manifest is
light; that is, it is the light that discovers what was concealed
before in darkness; and accordingly it becomes those who are
children of light, who are light in the Lord, to discover
to others their sins, and to endeavour to convince them of the evil and
danger of them, thus shining as lights in the world. The apostle
further urges this duty from the example of God or Christ: Wherefore
he saith, &c.
(v. 14);
as if he had said, “In doing this, you will copy after the great God,
who has set himself to awaken sinners from their sleep, and to raise
them from the death of sin, that they might receive light from Christ.”
He saith. The Lord is constantly saying in his word what is more
particularly expressed in
Or, Christ, by his ministers, who preach the everlasting gospel, is
continually calling upon sinners to this effect: Awake, thou that
sleepest, and arise from the dead. The same thing in the main is
designed by these different expressions; and they serve to remind us of
the great stupidity and the wretched security of sinners, how
insensible they are of their danger, and how unapt they naturally are
to spiritual motions, sensations, and actions. When God calls upon
them to awake, and to arise, his meaning is that they would break off
their sins by repentance, and enter on a course of holy obedience, and
he encourages them to essay and do their utmost that way, by that
gracious promise, And Christ shall give thee light; or Christ shall
enlighten thee, or shall shine upon thee. “He shall bring
thee into a state of knowledge, holiness, and comfort, assisting thee
with his grace, and refreshing thy mind with joy and peace here and
rewarding thee with eternal glory at length.” Observe, When we are
endeavouring to convince sinners, and to reform them from their sins,
we are imitating God and Christ in that which is their great design
throughout the gospel. Some indeed understand this as a call to sinners
and to saints: to sinners to repent and turn; to saints to stir up
themselves to their duty. The former must arise from their spiritual
death; and the latter must awake from their spiritual deadness.
(3.) Another remedy against sin is circumspection, care, or caution
(v. 15):
See then, &c. This may be understood either with respect to
what immediately precedes, “If you are to reprove others for their
sins, and would be faithful to your duty in this particular, you must
look well to yourselves, and to your own behaviour and conduct” (and,
indeed, those only are fit to reprove others who walk with due
circumspection and care themselves): or else we have here another
remedy or rather preservative from the before-mentioned sins; and this
I take to be the design of the apostle, being impossible to maintain
purity and holiness of heart and life without great circumspection and
care. Walk circumspectly, or, as the word signifies, accurately,
exactly, in the right way, in order to which we must be frequently
consulting our rule, and the directions we have in the sacred oracles.
Not as fools, who walk at all adventures, and who have no
understanding of their duty, nor of the worth of their souls, and
through neglect, supineness, and want of care, fall into sin, and
destroy themselves; but as wise, as persons taught of God and
endued with wisdom from above. Circumspect walking is the effect of
true wisdom, but the contrary is the effect of folly. It follows,
redeeming the time
(v. 16),
literally, buying the opportunity. It is a metaphor taken from
merchants and traders who diligently observe and improve the seasons
for merchandise and trade. It is a great part of Christian wisdom to
redeem the time. Good Christians must be good husbands of their time,
and take care to improve it to the best of purposes, by watching
against temptations, by doing good while it is in the power of their
hands, and by filling it up with proper employment–one special
preservative from sin. They should make the best use they can of the
present seasons of grace. Our time is a talent given us by God for some
good end, and it is misspent and lost when it is not employed according
to his design. If we have lost our time heretofore, we must endeavour
to redeem it by doubling our diligence in doing our duty for the
future. The reason given is because the days are evil, either by
reason of the wickedness of those who dwell in them, or rather “as they
are troublesome and dangerous times to you who live in them.” Those
were times of persecution wherein the apostle wrote this: the
Christians were in jeopardy every hour. When the days are evil we have
one superadded argument to redeem time, especially because we know not
how soon they may be worse. People are very apt to complain of bad
times; it were well if that would stir them up to redeem time.
“Wherefore,” says the apostle
(v. 17),
“because of the badness of the times, be you not unwise,
ignorant of your duty and negligent about your souls, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is. Study, consider, and
further acquaint yourselves with the will of God, as determining your
duty.” Observe, Ignorance of our duty, and neglect of our souls, are
evidences of the greatest folly; while an acquaintance with the will of
God, and a care to comply with it, bespeak the best and truest
wisdom.
II. In the
the apostle warns against some other particular sins, and urges some
other duties.
1. He warns against the sin of drunkenness: And be not drunk with
wine,
v. 18.
This was a sin very frequent among the heathens; and particularly on
occasion of the festivals of their gods, and more especially in their
Bacchanalia: then they were wont to inflame themselves with wine, and
all manner of inordinate lusts were consequent upon it: and therefore
the apostle adds, wherein, or in which drunkenness, is
excess. The word asotia may signify luxury or
dissoluteness; and it is certain that drunkenness is no friend
to chastity and purity of life, but it virtually contains all manner of
extravagance, and transports men into gross sensuality and vile
enormities. Note, Drunkenness is a sin that seldom goes alone, but
often involves men in other instances of guilt: it is a sin very
provoking to God, and a great hindrance to the spiritual life. The
apostle may mean all such intemperance and disorder as are opposite to
the sober and prudent demeanor he intends in his advice, to redeem the
time.
2. Instead of being filled with wine, he exhorts them to be filled
with the Spirit. Those who are full of drink are not likely to be
full of the Spirit; and therefore this duty is opposed to the former
sin. The meaning of the exhortation is that men should labour for a
plentiful measure of the graces of the Spirit, that would fill their
souls with great joy, strength, and courage, which things sensual men
expect their wine should inspire them with. We cannot be guilty of any
excess in our endeavours after these: nay, we ought not to be satisfied
with a little of the Spirit, but to be aspiring after measures, so as
to be filled with the Spirit. Now by this means we shall come to
understand what the will of the Lord is; for the Spirit of God
is given as a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding. And because those
who are filled with the Spirit will be carried out in acts of devotion,
and all the proper expressions of it, therefore the apostle exhorts,
3. To sing unto the Lord,
Drunkards are wont to sing obscene and profane songs. The heathens, in
their Bacchanalia, used to sing hymns to Bacchus, whom they called the
god of wine. Thus they expressed their joy; but the joy of Christians
should express itself in songs of praise to their God. In these they
should speak to themselves in their assemblies and meetings
together, for mutual edification. By psalms may be meant David’s
psalms, or such composures as were fitly sung with musical instruments.
By hymns may be meant such others as were confined to matter of
praise, as those of Zacharias, Simeon, &c. Spiritual songs may
contain a greater variety of matter, doctrinal, prophetical,
historical, &c. Observe here,
(1.) The singing of psalms and hymns is a gospel ordinance: it is an
ordinance of God, and appointed for his glory.
(2.) Though Christianity is an enemy to profane mirth, yet it
encourages joy and gladness, and the proper expressions of these in the
professors of it. God’s people have reason to rejoice, and to sing for
joy. They are to sing and to make melody in their hearts; not
only with their voices, but with inward affection, and then their doing
this will be as delightful and acceptable to God as music is to us: and
it must be with a design to please him, and to promote his glory, that
we do this; and then it will be done to the Lord.
4. Thanksgiving is another duty that the apostle exhorts to,
We are appointed to sing psalms, &c., for the expression of our
thankfulness to God; but, though we are not always singing, we should
never want a disposition for this duty, as we never want matter for it.
We must continue it throughout the whole course of our lives; and we
should give thanks for all things; not only for spiritual
blessings enjoyed, and eternal ones expected (for what of the former we
have in hand, and for what of the other we have in hope), but for
temporal mercies too; not only for our comforts, but also for our
sanctified afflictions; not only for what immediately concerns
ourselves, but for the instances of God’s kindness and favour to others
also. It is our duty in every thing to give thanks unto God and the
Father, to God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
Father in him, in whose name we are to offer up all our prayers, and
praises, and spiritual services, that they may be acceptable to
God.
| Duties of Husbands and Wives. | A. D. 61. |
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21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the
Lord.
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.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the
wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the
church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of
water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not
having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be
holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He
that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and
cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his
bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and
shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and
the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his
wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her
husband.
Here the apostle begins his exhortation to the discharge of relative
duties. As a general foundation for these duties, he lays down that
rule
There is a mutual submission that Christians owe one to another,
condescending to bear one another’s burdens: not advancing themselves
above others, nor domineering over one another and giving laws to one
another. Paul was an example of this truly Christian temper, for he
became all things to all men. We must be of a yielding and of a
submissive spirit, and ready to all the duties of the respective places
and stations that God has allotted to us in the world. In the fear
of God, that is, so far as is consistent with the fear of God, for
his sake, and out of conscience towards him, and that hereby we may
give proof that we truly fear him. Where there is this mutual
condescension and submission, the duties of all relations will be the
better performed. From
to the end he speaks of the duties of husbands and wives; and he speaks
of these in a Christian manner, setting the church as an example of the
wife’s subjection, and Christ as an example of love in husbands.
I. The duty prescribed to wives is submission to their husbands in the
Lord
(v. 22),
which submission includes the honouring and obeying of them, and that
from a principle of love to them. They must do this in compliance with
God’s authority, who has commanded it, which is doing it as unto the
Lord; or it may be understood by way of similitude and likeness, so
that the sense may be, “as, being devoted to God, you submit yourselves
unto him.” From the former sense we may learn that by a conscientious
discharge of the duties we owe to our fellow-creatures we obey and
please God himself; and, from the latter, that God not only requires
and insists on those duties which immediately respect himself, but such
as respect our neighbours too. The apostle assigns the reason of this
submission from wives: For the husband is the head of the wife,
v. 23.
The metaphor is taken from the head in the natural body, which, being
the seat of reason, of wisdom, and of knowledge, and the fountain of
sense and motion, is more excellent than the rest of the body. God has
given the man the pre-eminence and a right to direct and govern by
creation, and in that original law of the relation, Thy desire shall
be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Whatever there is
of uneasiness in this, it is an effect of sin coming into the world.
Generally, too, the man has (what he ought to have) a superiority in
wisdom and knowledge. He is therefore the head, even as Christ is
the head of the church. There is a resemblance of Christ’s
authority over the church in that superiority and headship which God
has appointed to the husband. The apostle adds, and he is the
Saviour of the body. Christ’s authority is exercised over the
church for the saving of her from evil, and the supplying of her with
every thing good for her. In like manner should the husband be employed
for the protection and comfort of his spouse; and therefore she should
the more cheerfully submit herself unto him. So it follows,
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ
(v. 24),
with cheerfulness, with fidelity, with humility, so let the wives be
to their own husbands in every thing–in every thing to which their
authority justly extends itself, in every thing lawful and consistent
with duty to God.
II. The duty of husbands (on the other hand), is to love their wives
(v. 25);
for without this they would abuse their superiority and headship, and,
wherever this prevails as it ought to do, it will infer the other
duties of the relation, it being a special and peculiar affection that
is required in her behalf. The love of Christ to the church is proposed
as an example of this, which love of his is a sincere, a pure, an
ardent, and constant affection, and that notwithstanding the
imperfections and failures that she is guilty of. The greatness of his
love to the church appeared in his giving himself unto the death for
it. Observe, As the church’s subjection to Christ is proposed as an
exemplar to wives, so the love of Christ to his church is proposed as a
pattern to husbands; and while such exemplars are offered to both, and
so much is required of each, neither has reason to complain of the
divine injunctions. The love which God requires from the husband in
behalf of his wife will make amends for the subjection which he demands
from her to her husband; and the prescribed subjection of the wife will
be an abundant return for that love of the husband which God has made
her due. The apostle, having mentioned Christ’s love to the church,
enlarges upon it, assigning the reason why he gave himself for it,
namely, that he might sanctify it in this world, and glorify it in the
next: That he might sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of
water by the word
(v. 26)–
that he might endue all his members with a principle of holiness, and
deliver them from the guilt, the pollution, and the dominion of sin.
The instrumental means whereby this is affected are the instituted
sacraments, particularly the washing of baptism and the preaching and
reception of the gospel. And that he might present it to
himself, &c.,
Dr. Lightfoot thinks the apostle alludes here to the Jews’
extraordinary carefulness in their washings for purification. They were
careful that there should be no wrinkle to keep the flesh from the
water, and no spot nor dirt which was not thoroughly washed. Others
understand him as alluding to a garment come newly out of the fuller’s
hand, purged from spots, stretched from wrinkles, the former newly
contracted, the latter by long time and custom. That he might
present it to himself–that he might perfectly unite it to himself
in the great day, a glorious church, perfect in knowledge and in
holiness, not having spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing,
nothing of deformity or defilement remaining, but being entirely
amiable and pleasing in his eye, holy and without blemish, free
from the least remains of sin. The church in general, and particular
believers, will not be without spot or wrinkle till they come to glory.
From
together we may take notice that the glorifying of the church is
intended in the sanctifying of it: and that those, and those only, who
are sanctified now, will be glorified hereafter.–So ought men to
love their wives as their own bodies, &c.,
The wife being made one with her husband (not in a natural, but in a
civil and in a relative sense), this is an argument why he should love
her with as cordial and as ardent an affection as that which he loves
himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh,
v. 29—
(no man in his right senses ever hated himself, however deformed, or
whatever his imperfections might be); so far from it that he
nourishes and cherishes it; he uses himself with a great deal of
care and tenderness, and is industrious to supply himself with every
thing convenient or good for him, with food and clothing, &c. Even
as the Lord the church: that is, as the Lord nourishes and
cherishes the church, which he furnishes with all things that he sees
needful or good for her, with whatever conduces to her everlasting
happiness and welfare. The apostle adds, For we are members of his
body, of his flesh and of his bones,
v. 30.
He assigns this as a reason why Christ nourishes and cherishes his
church–because all who belong to it are members of his body,
that is, of his mystical body. Or, we are members out of his
body: all the grace and glory which the church has are from Christ,
as Eve was taken out of the man. But, as one observes, it being the
manner of the sacred writings to express a complex body by the
enumeration of its several parts, as the heaven and earth for the
world, evening and morning for the natural day, so here, by body,
flesh, and bones, we are to understand himself, the meaning of the
verse being that we are members of Christ.–For this cause
(because they are one, as Christ and his church are one) shall a man
leave his father and mother; the apostle refers to the words of
Adam, when Eve was given to him for a meet help,
We are not to understand by this that a man’s obligation to other
relations is cancelled upon his marriage, but only that this relation
is to be preferred to all others, there being a nearer union between
these two than between any others, that the man must rather leave any
of those than his wife.–And they two shall be one flesh, that
is, by virtue of the matrimonial bond. This is a great mystery,
v. 32.
Those words of Adam, just mentioned by the apostle, are spoken
literally of marriage; but they have also a hidden mystical sense in
them, relating to the union between Christ and his church, of which the
conjugal union between Adam and the mother of us all was a type: though
not instituted or appointed by God to signify this, yet it was a kind
of natural type, as having a resemblance to it: I speak concerning
Christ and the church.
After this, the apostle concludes this part of his discourse with a
brief summary of the duty of husbands and wives,
“Nevertheless (though there be such a secret mystical sense, yet
the plain literal sense concerns you) let every one of you in
particular so love his wife even as himself, with such a sincere,
peculiar, singular, and prevailing affection as that is which he bears
to himself. And the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
Reverence consists of love and esteem, which produce a care to please,
and of fear, which awakens a caution lest just offence be given. That
the wife thus reverence her husband is the will of God and the law of
the relation.
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