Marriage

Ephesians 5:21-28 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”

Contraversy associated with these verses

Ideal for marriage, Vows

As support for a godly order within marriage

Male Headship

Used to subjugate women

Literary Context

Unity

Ephesians - Jews and gentiles - Unity

The New International Version Chapter 2

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Gal 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Speaking to everyone he call on them to love one another

Eph 5:1-2 “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Eph 5:21 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Submit to one another

Cultural Context

“Written for us but not to us”

Male Patriarch

Over women, children, slaves

Marriage in Greco Roman Context

Marriage - Man 30 yrs - Women 14-16 yrs

Social status of women, children and slaves were inferior

Household code

House was the foundation of society

Written to the male patriarch to tell them how to govern and rule their houses

Three pairs often present

Didnt consider the weaker part of the pair

All supreme Power was given to the male patriarch

Christian movement

Was different.

Creating an issue

Everyone is equal in God’s sight

Paul’s Response

Follow the culture as it is? It seems like that

Is he trying to create a hierarchy within the home?

How do we understand it today?

Mutual Submission (Eph 5:21)

Unheard of in that time.

Refers to the weaker party first

Women, CHildren, Slaves

Agency

In social science, agency is defined as the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices.

Example of number of wives who have been married of without their consent

Story of women’s workshop

He tells them both to do the same thing

Meaning of headship:

What does it mean?

Not final decision

Or the one who manages the finance

But the one who gives away

The New International Version Chapter 10

You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Christ’s example

Not Divine characteristics but human

Ephesians 5:1–2 NIV

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The New International Version Chapter 2

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

Paul speaks to the Spiritual Status and not Social Status

Sometimes they are different. But that doesnt matter to God. He does want to protect those who are weaker.

Gospel message:

Power is meant to be given away

The New International Version Chapter 13

3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

The New International Version Chapter 2

6 Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

It is not about equal distribution of power

The message of the gospel lies in the act of giving away your own power.

It is done through the act of submission

Of coming under.

In Marriage how does it work?

Husbands and wives are both called to love