Ephesians 5:23
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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.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
(Co1 11:3.) even as--Greek, "as also." and he is--The oldest manuscripts read, "Himself (being) Saviour," omitting "and," and "is." In Christ's case, the Headship is united with, nay gained by, His having SAVED the body in the process of redemption; so that (Paul implies) I am not alleging Christ's Headship as one entirely identical with that other, for He has a claim to it, and office in it, peculiar to Himself [ALFORD]. The husband is not saviour of the wife, in which particular Christ excels; hence, "But" (Eph 5:24) follows [BENGEL].
Open source ↗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 (Eph 5:1, Eph 5:2). 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 (v. 3-20). III. The apostle directs to the conscientious discharge of relative duties, from Eph 5:21, throughout this, and in the beginning of the next chapter.
Open source ↗5:23-24 a husband is the head of his wife: To be the head is to have authority (see 1 Cor 11:3). • Christ is the head of the church: See Eph 1:22; 4:15; Col 1:18; 2:10, 19.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.
And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
“Food for the stomach and the stomach for food,” but God will destroy them both. The body is not intended for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.