Sermon Tone Analysis

Premise:

Paul commands wives to be subject to their husbands and for husbands to love their wives; these roles mirror Christ and the Church.

Opening:

Introduction of the Text:

Reading of the Text:

Ephesians 5:21-32.

and being subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.23

For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.24

But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless.28

So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his own wife loves himself;29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,30 because we are members of His body.31

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.32

This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.33

Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Behold, the Word of God.

Let’s pray.

Prayer:

Transition:

An Introduction to the Idea of Covenant Unity.

We are one, therefore, subjection does not mean lesser.

One can be completely equal and yet be subject.

The picture of marriage unity of a husband and wife and Christ and the Church is that of a head and a body.

Perfectly one under the authority and rule of the head.

1 Corinthians 7:4, “4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”

We also see this picture in the Trinity.

Subjection and unity in equality.

R.C. Sproul puts it well when he says, “The best model we have for this is to be found in the Trinity.

In the economy of redemption, the Son is subordinate to the Father, and the Holy Spirit is subordinate to both the Father and the Son.

Yet at the same time we insist that the Son and the Spirit are co-eternal, co-essential, and equal in power and dignity with the Father.

The Son is not inferior to the Father and the Spirit is not inferior to the Son and the Father.”

So let us put away this notion that subjection means “inferior.”

Biblically, it is just not true.

Be Subject to One Another in the Fear of Christ.

v. 21 and being subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

We are all subject to one another.

What we conclude from this is that the word subject does not innately imply a hierarchy.

Subjection does mean obedience, service, and honoring or reverencing.

But we are all called to this.

There is a sense in which congregants are subject to the rule of the pastor.

But here we see that it cannot mean that I am greater and you are lesser.

No, what it means is that, as equals, we mutually subject ourselves to one another.

Calvin, “where love reigns, mutual services will be rendered.

I do not except even kings and governors, whose very authority is held for the service of the community.

It is highly proper that all should be exhorted to be subject to each other in their turn.”

Wives, Be Subject to You Own Husbands, As to the Lord.

v. 22-24 22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.23

For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.24

But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

Explanation:

Calvin, “He begins with wives, whom he enjoins to be subject to their husbands, in the same manner as to Christ,—as to the Lord.

Not that the authority is equal, but wives cannot obey Christ without yielding obedience to their husbands.”

You cannot obey Christ if you are not submitting to your husband.

Paul’s Explanation:

For the Husband is the Head of the Wife.

Explanation:

v. 23 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.

1 Corinthians 11:3, But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

Does this mean that the woman is silent and has nothing to say?

By no means.

In Proverbs there are multiple times where wisdom is personified.

When it is, it is personified as a woman.

A wise man consults and cultivates the wisdom of his wife.

But he is the one who must be the covenant head.

He must rule and rule well.

He must make wise decisions.

And as the head, the responsibility for the wife and family falls on him.

Argumentation: The word patriarchy is not bad.

Patriarchy means father rule.

This is not an evil concept.

Fathers are to rule the household, but they must rule it in the way God commands.

Just as Christ is the Head of the Church.

Explanation:

Christ being the Savior of the Body.

Explanation:

Christ saved the Church.

This is obvious.

Paul is painting a picture of something.

Not that husbands bring salvation to their wives, but that the Husband is not just the physical but also the Spiritual Head of the Household.

The Wife is to be the Image of the Church, and Be Subject in Everything.

Explanation:

R.C. Sproul, “In a sense, God made Adam king over the creation and gave Eve to him as his queen, not as his slave-girl.

There is all the difference in the world between a queen and a slave-girl.”

Husbands, Love Your Wives, Just as Christ Also Loved the Church.

v.25.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

The Husband is to Image Christ.

Explanation:

The Husband is to Show Perfect, Unfailing Love to His Wife.

Explanation:

That He Might Sanctify Her.

v.26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

Explanation:

Christ Sanctifies the Church by Baptism and Word.

Baptism, the initial obedience post salvation.

The physical proclamation that Christ is Lord as entry into the church.

The Word, the continual sanctifier.

Our Authority and standard.

John 17:17, “17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

So Also a Husband is to see His Wife Sanctified.