Ephesians 5:24 and Relationships
By mikinikih
@mikinikih (201)
United States
August 27, 2008 9:54am CST
I recently have taken up the habit of reading the Bible again (something I haven't done regularly since I took confirmation classes as a teenager). While reading through the New Testament, I came across Ephesians 5:24, which says: "Now as the Church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything" (NIV). I do attend a Bible study once every two weeks, and our recent discussion has surrounded interpretation of the Bible (as a whole, not passage by passage). We all agreed that society should adjust to the word of the Bible, NOT that the Bible should be changed to conform to today's society. So as a woman who sees her husband as a partner, I don't know how to interpret this passage. Am I really supposed to let my husband make all the decisions? In 1 Corinthians the Bible talks about how love is patient and kind, but submitting doesn't seem to fall in the same category. So what's your take on this passage?
Please, if you are not a believer in the Bible, don't bother responding. No disrespect intended, but my faith is not faltering or in question, I'm just looking for a better interpretation of the Word. Thank you!
1 person likes this
2 responses
@redkathy (3374)
• United States
27 Aug 08
I believe the whole passage is about the nature of marriage. The give and take, the unconditional love and support, the being one. It says that men should love their wives as Christ loved the church, a very deep and "to die for" love! Wives should submit to their husbands, he is the head of the household, she can rely on him and should support him. God is love. If a decision is made by a husband and a wife disagrees, or it is hurtful or harmful or just downright silly, she should discuss with him. He should love her enough to listen and then maybe what she has said will impact his decision. I don't think the passage says a wife can not or should not discuss decisions. That would be, in my opinion, the same as a wife not offering support to her husband. †††
1 person likes this
@mikinikih (201)
• United States
27 Aug 08
That's a great take on it. I like the idea that support means discussion, not just blind agreement, even of faulty ideas. Thank you for your insight!
1 person likes this
@filmore (44)
• Barbados
27 Aug 08
I am a relatively new convert, and I funny enough this passage had some kind of nodge at my understanding it.
In all I do agree that this passage is telling us as wives to respect that our husbands are the head, even if he is not employed "As Christ loves the church" If you are married and your husband is not a believer neither is he involve in "church related events," He believes in God, but have not made that commitment to the church, will the wife who knows and relates to this passage should still submit or will this frictions cause conflict? The believing wife knows what she is called to do by the word of God, it is written, but the husband has no association with the bible and is offended when the wife makes a suggestion, what are your views?
It is accomodating when the two are believers together.
@mikinikih (201)
• United States
27 Aug 08
Thank you for your response. In answer to your questions, I turn to 1 Corinthians 7:13-17 which says: "And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know husband, whether you will save your wife? Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him." So from my understanding, even if the husband is not a believer, the wife is required to support him unless he is the one who chooses to leave. In that circumstance, I think she should pray that God make Himself known to the husband, so that they may believe together. I personally am blessed with a husband who is as strong a believer as I, though he wasn't always. I believe prayer helped him find God.
As for the friction, I refer to Proverbs 21:19 "Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife". While I don't think a wife should blindly agree with all her husband says, I do think it should be discussed in a loving, prayful manner (as God would want it), instead of intiating an argument.
@filmore (44)
• Barbados
28 Aug 08
Thank you so much for those passages. I feel a lot better now. I will read them, as we always told at church, if a scripture is quoted to us we must read it for ourselves.
I am so blessed that my husband and I seldom disagrees, but just is case anyone has this problem, I could refer them to these scriptures.
Thanks and God Bless
Filmore
