TRV
“Christ and the Church: The Marriage Standard”· Ephesians 5:22–33
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
because the husband is head of the wife, just as the Messiah, as head of the Messianic Community, is himself the one who keeps the body safe.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
American Standard Version
For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body.
World English Bible Messianic
For the husband is the head of the wife, and Messiah also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For the husband is the wiues head, euen as Christ is the head of the Church, and the same is the sauiour of his body.
Young's Literal Translation
because the husband is head of the wife, as also the Christ is head of the assembly, and he is saviour of the body,
See also
In the KJVVerse 29,328 of 31,102 · 94.3%
LawLawHistoryHistPoetryPoetProphetsProphNew TestamentNT
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ephesians 5:21–33.
Passage under commentEphesians 5:21–33
21¶ Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23For 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.
24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27That 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.
28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33Nevertheless 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 Eph 5:21. 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 Eph 5:22 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 (Eph 5:22), 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, Eph 5:23. 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 (Eph 5:24), 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 (Eph 5:25); 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 (Eph 5:26) - 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, etc., Eph 5:27. 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 this and the former verse 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, etc., Eph 5:28. 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, Eph 5:29 - (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, etc. 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, Eph 5:30. 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, Gen 2:24. 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, Eph 5:32. 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, Eph 5:33. "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.
Copy as
Historical interpretation
Seventeen Centuries of Reception
8 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Ante-NicenePost-NiceneEarly MedievalMedieval
20030040050060070080090010001100120013001400150016001700180019002000
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Further, the broad gold mitre indicates the regal power of the Lord, "since the Head of the Church" is the Saviour. The mitre that is on it [i.e., the head] is, then, a sign of most princely rule; and otherwise we have heard it said, "The Head of Christ is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
But he declares that "wives ought to be in subjection to their husbands: " what reason does he give for this? "Because," says he, "the husband is the head of the wife." Pray tell me, Marcion, does your god build up the authority of his law on the work of the Creator? This, however, is a comparative trifle; for he actually derives from the same source the condition of his Christ and his Church; for he says: "even as Christ is the head of the Church; " and again, in like manner: "He who loveth his wife, loveth his own flesh, even as Christ loved the Church.
Pray tell me, Marcion, does your god build up the authority of his law on the work of the Creator? This, however, is a comparative trifle; for he actually derives from the same source the condition of his Christ and his Church; for he says: "even as Christ is the head of the Church; " and again, in like manner: "He who loveth his wife, loveth his own flesh, even as Christ loved the Church.
That man always inclines earthward, he means, and has the ruling faculty darkened. It is true, indeed, that we men have all of us our eyes in our head, if we speak of the mere disposition of the body. But he speaks here of the eyes of the mind. For as the eyes of the swine do not turn naturally up towards heaven, just because it is made by nature to have an inclination toward the belly; so the mind of the man who has once been enervated by pleasures is not easily diverted from the tendency thus assumed, because he has not "respect unto all the commandments of the Lord." Again: Christ is the head of the Church. And they, therefore, are the wise who walk in His way; for He Himself has said, "I am the way." On this account, then, it becomes the wise man always to keep the eyes of his mind directed toward Christ Himself, in order that he may do nothing out of measure, neither being lifted up in heart in the time of prosperity, nor becoming negligent in the day of adversity: "for His judgments are a great deep," as you will learn more exactly from what is to follow.
Then, he proceeds with arguments and says that "the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the Church, being Himself the Saviour of the body. But as the Church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their husbands in everything."
Then after saying, "The husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is of the Church," he further adds, "and He is the Saviour of the body." For indeed the head is the saving health of the body. He had already laid down beforehand for man and wife, the ground and provision of their love, assigning to each their proper place, to the one that of authority and forethought, to the other that of submission. As then "the Church," that is, both husbands and wives, "is subject unto Christ, so also ye wives submit yourselves to your husbands, as unto God."
Note that the church is never called the flesh but always the body of Christ. Whatever lives according to the flesh must necessarily be embodied. That is true. But it is not true that whatever is body is consequently living according to the flesh.
The apostle has been very constrained in setting forth this analogy [of the husband as the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, his body]. Its purpose is to encourage women to respect men and to implant in men an affection for their wives.
Something else, even more unpopular, remains to be dealt with. Christian wives promise to obey their husbands. In Christian marriage the man is said to be the 'head'. Two questions obviously arise here. (1) Why should there be a head at all - why not equality? (2) Why should it be the man?
(1) The need for some head follows from the idea that marriage is permanent. Of course, as long as the husband and wife are agreed, no question of a head need arise; and we may hope that this will be the normal state of affairs in a Christian marriage. But when there is a real disagreement, what is to happen? Talk it over, of course; but I am assuming they have done that and still failed to reach agreement. What do they do next? They cannot decide by a majority vote, for in a council of two there can be no majority. Surely, only one or other of two things can happen: either they must separate and go their own ways or else one or other of them must have a casting vote. If marriage is permanent, one or other party must, in the last resort, have the power of deciding the family policy. You cannot have a permanent associated without a constitution.
(2) If there must be a head, why the man? Well, firstly is there any very serious wish that it should be the woman? As I have said, I am not married myself, but as far as I can see, even a woman who wants to be the head of her own house does not usually admire the same state of things when she finds it going on next door. She is much more likely to say 'Poor Mr X! Why he allows that appaling woman to boss him about the way she does is more than I can imagine.' I do not think she is even very flattered if anyone mentions the fact of her own 'headship'. There must be something unnatural about the rule of wives over husbands, because the wives themselves are half ashamed of it and despise the husbands whom they rule.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying Ephesians 5:23 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
CNTR CollationThe earliest Greek manuscripts of this verse, collated letter by letter.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Ephesians 5:23 establishes a profound theological analogy, asserting that the husband's headship over his wife mirrors Christ's headship over the Church. This verse clarifies the nature of authority and leadership within Christian marriage by anchoring it in the divine pattern of Christ's relationship with His redeemed community, emphasizing His role not only as the supreme Head but also as the loving Savior and sustainer of His body.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is deeply integrated into Paul's extended discourse on Christian conduct and household relationships, commencing in Ephesians 5:21. Paul begins this section with the overarching command for believers to "submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God" (Ephesians 5:21). Ephesians 5:23 then introduces the specific application of this principle to marital roles, forming the foundational premise for the subsequent instructions to wives (Ephesians 5:22) and husbands (Ephesians 5:25). The entire passage, Ephesians 5:21-33, presents Christian marriage as a living parable of Christ and the Church.
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul's letter to the Ephesians was written to a church in a prominent Greco-Roman city, where societal norms were heavily influenced by patriarchal household codes (often referred to as Haustafeln). These codes typically prescribed hierarchical relationships, with the male head of the household holding absolute authority. While Paul addresses these existing structures, he radically transforms their meaning by grounding them in Christological principles. His instructions were revolutionary, demanding a form of headship for husbands that was not domineering but self-sacrificial, mirroring Christ's love for the Church, and calling for a submission from wives that was not born of inferiority but out of reverence for Christ, as seen in Ephesians 5:22.
Key Themes
The verse contributes significantly to several major themes within Ephesians and the broader New Testament. Firstly, it underscores Christ's Supreme Headship over the Church, presenting Him as the ultimate authority, source of life, and leader for His people. Secondly, it introduces the theme of Husband's Designated Headship, which, when understood in light of Christ's example, is characterized by loving leadership, protection, and provision, rather than domination. Thirdly, the imagery of the Church as Christ's Body emphasizes the organic unity, interdependence, and vitality of believers under Christ's direction. Finally, the declaration that "he is the saviour of the body" highlights Christ's Redemptive and Preserving Role, reinforcing His comprehensive care and protection for His Church, a role that husbands are called to emulate in their care for their wives, as further elaborated in Ephesians 5:25.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term, while literally referring to the anatomical head, carries significant figurative meaning. In this context, it denotes both "authority" or "leader" and "source" or "origin." Just as the head is the source of direction and life for the body, Christ is the authoritative leader and the life-giving source for the Church. By extension, the husband's headship implies both leadership and a responsibility to be a life-giving, nurturing source for his wife.
This word describes a "deliverer" or "preserver." In relation to Christ and the Church, it emphasizes His redemptive work, His ongoing protection, and His ultimate preservation of the Church from spiritual harm and eternal condemnation. For the husband, this implies a responsibility to protect, provide for, and nurture his wife's well-being, both physically and spiritually, in a way that reflects Christ's saving care.
Used in a wide application, this term refers to "the body as a sound whole." In the context of the Church, it signifies an organic, unified entity, where each member is interdependent and connected to Christ, the Head. This metaphor highlights the intimate and vital connection between Christ and His Church, and by extension, the husband and wife, emphasizing their unity and shared life.
Verse Breakdown
"For the husband is the head of the wife"
This clause establishes a divinely appointed order within marriage. The husband is given a position of leadership and responsibility. Crucially, this is not a statement of inherent superiority, but of functional role, intended to foster order and flourishing within the marital union.
"even as Christ is the head of the church"
This is the interpretive key for understanding the husband's headship. Christ's headship over the Church is the perfect model. His leadership is characterized by self-sacrificial love, humble service, and life-giving provision, not by domination or tyranny. The husband's role is therefore defined by this Christ-like example.
"and he is the saviour of the body"
This final clause further elaborates on the nature of Christ's headship, adding the crucial dimension of His redemptive and preserving work. Christ not only leads the Church but also protects, nurtures, and ultimately delivers it. This aspect of Christ's role provides a profound paradigm for the husband's responsibility to care for and protect his wife, ensuring her well-being in every sense.
Literary Devices
Ephesians 5:23 is rich in literary devices that enhance its theological message. The most prominent is Analogy/Simile, indicated by the phrase "even as" (καθὼς). This explicitly draws a parallel between the relationship of husband and wife and that of Christ and the Church, establishing the latter as the divine archetype for the former. This analogy is further reinforced by the consistent use of Metaphor, particularly "head" and "body." "Head" serves as a metaphor for leadership, authority, and source, while "body" represents organic unity, interdependence, and the collective entity. The verse also employs Parallelism in its structure, presenting two distinct but analogous relationships side-by-side (husband-wife and Christ-Church), which serves to illuminate the human relationship by referencing the divine.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ephesians 5:23 elevates the institution of marriage from a mere social contract to a profound theological reality, presenting it as a living icon of the relationship between Christ and His Church. The husband's headship is not a license for authoritarianism but a sacred calling to emulate Christ's sacrificial love and servant leadership. Christ's role as "Saviour of the body" underscores His comprehensive care, protection, and redemptive work for the Church, setting the ultimate standard for how a husband is to nurture and cherish his wife. This verse teaches that the health and vitality of a Christian marriage are directly tied to how well it reflects the divine pattern of Christ's love and authority over His redeemed people.
Reflection and Application
Ephesians 5:23 calls both husbands and wives to a higher standard, challenging them to view their marital roles through the lens of Christ's relationship with His Church. For husbands, the command to be "head" is not about asserting power, but about embracing a profound responsibility to love, serve, protect, and provide for their wives in a self-sacrificial manner, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her. This leadership is nurturing, not domineering, focused on the wife's flourishing and spiritual well-being. For wives, while this verse primarily addresses the husband's role, the parallel implies a call to respect and respond to this Christ-like leadership, recognizing the divine order and trusting in a husband who leads with Christ's love. Ultimately, this verse invites all believers to deepen their understanding of Christ's supreme authority and tender care for His Church, fostering greater trust and dependence on Him as the ultimate Head and Savior of their lives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is "head" in this verse about superiority or authority?
The Greek word for "head" (kephalē, G2776) in this context carries both the sense of authority/leader and also "source" or "origin." While it does denote a position of leadership and responsibility, it is fundamentally reinterpreted by the example of Christ. Christ's headship is not one of domineering superiority but of sacrificial love, humble service, and life-giving provision. As Ephesians 5:25 clarifies, Christ "loved the church and gave himself for her." Therefore, the husband's headship is a call to loving, serving, and protecting leadership, not a license for domination or a claim to inherent superiority.
Does this verse promote male domination or suppress women?
No, when properly understood within its full biblical context, this verse does not promote male domination. Paul's teaching is revolutionary for its time, transforming the prevailing patriarchal norms by grounding the husband's leadership in Christ's self-sacrificial love. The command for the husband to be the "head" is immediately qualified by the example of Christ, who is the "saviour of the body." This means the husband's leadership is characterized by protection, provision, and a willingness to lay down his life for his wife, mirroring Christ's ultimate sacrifice for the Church. It is a call to profound responsibility and selfless care, not to oppressive rule. The passage, particularly Ephesians 5:21-33, presents a vision of marriage where both spouses are called to mutual submission out of reverence for Christ, expressing distinct but complementary roles that reflect divine truth.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Ephesians 5:23 finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is not merely a model for the husband's headship; He is the very reality of the divine Head and Savior. Christ's headship over the Church is absolute and perfect, characterized by His sovereign authority and His tender, life-giving care. He is the source of all life and direction for His body, the Church, and His redemptive work on the cross, as described in Ephesians 5:25, is the ultimate act of "saving the body." Through His death and resurrection, He delivered His people from the dominion of sin and death, becoming the "author of eternal salvation" (Hebrews 5:9) to all who obey Him. The Church, as His body, lives, moves, and has its being in Him, entirely dependent on His guidance and sustained by His preserving power. Just as the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11), Christ, our Head, actively protects, nourishes, and cherishes His Church, ensuring its ultimate glorification. His headship is not abstract but active, continually working for the sanctification and perfection of His bride, the Church, until she is presented to Him "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing" (Ephesians 5:27).