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“Christ and the Church: The Marriage Standard”· Ephesians 5:22–33
Translation
King James Version
That 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.
Complete Jewish Bible
in order to present the Messianic Community to himself as a bride to be proud of, without a spot, wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without defect.
Berean Standard Bible
and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.
American Standard Version
that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
World English Bible Messianic
that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.
Geneva Bible (1599)
That hee might make it vnto him selfe a glorious Church, not hauing spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it shoulde bee holy and without blame.
Young's Literal Translation
that he might present it to himself the assembly in glory, not having spot or wrinkle, or any of such things, but that it may be holy and unblemished;
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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.
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Historical interpretation
Eighteen Centuries of Reception
6 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Ante-NicenePost-NiceneEarly MedievalMedieval
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Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
And then the Son of God will be exceeding glad, and shall rejoice over them, because He has received His people pure.
What Christ is accomplishing [in baptism] is that the church should be “holy and spotless.” It is “holy” in that it has been cleansed by the washing of water by the Word. It is “spotless” in that it is without spot or wrinkle.
For this Church is the daughter of the Highest, which has been in travail of you by the word of grace, and has "formed Christ in you "of whom you are made partakers, and thereby become His holy and chosen members, "not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but as being holy and unspotted in the faith, ye are complete in Him, after the image of God that created you."
"That He might sanctify it having cleansed it," he proceeds, "by the washing of water with the word; that He might present the Church to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish."
"By the washing or layer" He washeth her uncleanness. "By the word," saith he. What word? "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." And not simply hath He adorned her, but hath made her "glorious, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." Let us then also seek after this beauty ourselves, and we shall be able to create it. Seek not thou at thy wife's hand, things which she is not able to possess. Seest thou that the Church had all things at her Lord's hands? By Him was made glorious, by Him was made pure, by Him made without blemish? Turn not thy back on thy wife because of her deformity. Hear the Scripture that saith, "The bee is little among such as fly, but her fruit is the chief of sweet things." She is of God's fashioning. Thou reproachest not her, but Him that made her; what can the woman do? Praise her not for her beauty. Praise and hatred and love based on personal beauty belong to unchastened souls. Seek thou for beauty of soul. Imitate the Bridegroom of the Church. Outward beauty is full of conceit and great license, and throws men into jealousy, and the thing often makes thee suspect monstrous things. But has it any pleasure? For the first or second month, perhaps, or at most for the year: but then no longer; the admiration by familiarity wastes away. Meanwhile the evils which arose from the beauty still abide, the pride, the folly, the contemptuousness. Whereas in one who is not such, there is nothing of this kind. But the love having begun on just grounds, still continues ardent, since its object is beauty of soul, and not of body. What better, tell me, than heaven? What better than the stars? Tell me of what body you will, yet is there none so fair. Tell me of what eyes you will, yet are there none so sparkling. When these were created, the very Angels gazed with wonder, and we gaze with wonder now; yet not in the same degree as at first. Such is familiarity; things do not strike us in the same degree. How much more in the case of a wife! And if moreover disease come too, all is at once fled. Let us seek in a wife affectionateness, modest-mindedness, gentleness; these are the characteristics of beauty. But loveliness of person let us not seek, nor upbraid her upon these points, over which she has no power, nay, rather, let us not upbraid at all, (it were rudeness,) nor let us be impatient, nor sullen. Do ye not see how many, after living with beautiful wives, have ended their lives pitiably, and how many, who have lived with those of no great beauty, have run on to extreme old age with great enjoyment. Let us wipe off the "spot" that is within, let us smooth the "wrinkles" that are within, let us do away the "blemishes" that are on the soul. Such is the beauty God requires. Let us make her fair in God's sight, not in our own. Let us not look for wealth, nor for that high-birth which is outward, but for that true nobility which is in the soul. Let no one endure to get rich by a wife; for such riches are base and disgraceful; no, by no means let any one seek to get rich from this source. "For they that desire to be rich, fall into a temptation and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, and into destruction and perdition." Seek not therefore in thy wife abundance of wealth, and thou shall find everything else go well. Who, tell me, would overlook the most important things, to attend to those which are less so? And yet, alas! this is in every case our feeling. Yes, if we have a son, we concern ourselves not how he may be made virtuous, but how we may get him a rich wife; not how he may be well-mannered, but well-monied: if we follow a business, we enquire not how it may be clear of sin, but how it may bring us in most profit. And everything has become money; and thus is everything corrupted and ruined, because that passion possesses us.
By the same bath of regeneration and water of sanctification all sins of the redeemed are cleansed and healed, not only those which are pardoned at this time in baptism but also those that are subsequently contracted by human infirmity or ignorance.
And in fact, whatever people say, the state called 'being in love' usually does not last. If the old fairy-tale ending 'They lived happily ever after' is taken to mean 'They felt for the next fifty years exactly as they felt the day before they were married', then it says what probably never was nor ever would be true, and would be highly undesirable if it were. Who could bear to live in that excitement for even five years? What would become of your work, your appetite, your sleep, your friendships? But, of course, ceasing to be 'in love' need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense - love as distinct from 'being in love' - is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit, reinforced by (in Christian marriages) the grace which both partners ask, and receive, from God. They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each others; as you love yourself even when you do not like yourself. They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be 'in love' with someone else. 'Being in love' first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise. It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it.
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.
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Summary
Ephesians 5:27 encapsulates the magnificent purpose of Christ's sacrificial love for His Church: to present her to Himself as a glorious Bride, utterly pure and perfect. This verse reveals the eschatological vision of the Church, cleansed and sanctified by Christ's redemptive work, devoid of any blemish or imperfection, and set apart as holy and blameless, fit for eternal union with her divine Bridegroom.
Context
Literary Context
This verse stands as the culmination of Paul's profound analogy comparing the relationship between Christ and His Church to that of a husband and wife. Beginning in Ephesians 5:22, Paul exhorts wives to submit to their husbands, then pivots to the far more extensive and foundational command for husbands to love their wives "as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25). The immediate preceding verse, Ephesians 5:26, details the means of this love: Christ's self-giving was "that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." Thus, Ephesians 5:27 presents the glorious outcome of this sanctifying and cleansing work, revealing the Church's ultimate state of perfection and splendor when presented to Christ.
Historical & Cultural Context
The imagery of a bride being presented to her groom was deeply significant in ancient Jewish and Greco-Roman cultures. A bride's purity and beauty were paramount, often involving extensive preparation, including ritual baths and adorning with fine garments. The concept of being "without spot or wrinkle" would have immediately evoked the ideal of a pristine, youthful, and unblemished bride, ready for the marriage ceremony. Furthermore, the Old Testament sacrificial system, familiar to Paul's Jewish and Gentile Christian audience, frequently required animals to be "without blemish" (e.g., Leviticus 1:3) to be acceptable for offering to God. This cultural and religious backdrop amplifies the profound spiritual reality Paul describes: Christ's work makes His Church perfectly acceptable and beautiful in God's sight, far surpassing any earthly standard of purity.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes woven throughout Ephesians and Paul's broader theology. It underscores the Sovereignty of Christ as the active agent in the Church's sanctification and glorification, highlighting His initiative and power. It develops the theme of the Church as Christ's Body and Bride, emphasizing the intimate union and profound love between them, a love that leads to ultimate transformation. The verse also speaks to the Eschatological Hope of believers, pointing to the future consummation of God's redemptive plan when the Church will be fully perfected and presented to Christ. This perfection is not merely external but involves deep Spiritual Purity and Holiness, reflecting the very character of God, a theme central to Paul's ethical exhortations in Ephesians 4 and Ephesians 5.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From en (in) and doxa (glory), meaning "in glory," splendid, noble, or honorable. It signifies a state of high honor, majesty, and resplendent beauty. When applied to the Church, it denotes a divinely imparted splendor and dignity, reflecting the glory of Christ Himself, making her worthy of presentation to Him.
Of uncertain derivation, meaning a stain or blemish, figuratively a defect or disgrace. In this context, it refers to moral impurities, sins, or defilements that would mar the Church's spiritual purity. Its absence signifies the complete removal of all moral imperfections.
From a (negative particle) and mōmos (blemish), meaning unblemished, faultless, or unblamable. This term was frequently used in the Old Testament for sacrificial animals that had to be physically perfect and without defect to be acceptable to God. Here, it signifies the Church's absolute moral and spiritual perfection, making her completely acceptable and pure in God's sight, suitable for eternal union with Christ.
Verse Breakdown
"That he might present it to himself a glorious church,"
This clause reveals the ultimate purpose and agent of the Church's transformation. Christ Himself is the one who prepares and presents the Church, His Bride, to Himself. The Church is not presented to the world or to others, but to Christ, underscoring the intimate and personal nature of this union. The term "glorious" indicates a state of splendor, honor, and majesty, reflecting the divine beauty imparted by Christ's redemptive work.
"not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing;"
This negative description emphasizes the absolute perfection and purity achieved by Christ's work. "Spot" refers to moral stains or impurities, while "wrinkle" metaphorically suggests the effects of age, wear, or imperfection—a lack of smooth, youthful perfection. "Any such thing" serves as an encompassing phrase, ensuring that no form of defect or blemish, whether moral or metaphorical, remains. This signifies the complete eradication of sin and its defiling effects from the Church.
"but that it should be holy and without blemish."
This positive affirmation defines the perfected state of the Church. "Holy" (Greek: hagios) means set apart for God's sacred use, consecrated, and morally pure. "Without blemish" (Greek: amōmos) signifies faultless perfection, often used for sacrificial animals without defect. Together, these terms declare the Church's complete moral and spiritual perfection, making her fit for sacred, eternal communion with God and her Bridegroom, Christ.
Literary Devices
Ephesians 5:27 is rich in Metaphor, primarily extending the central metaphor of the Church as Christ's Bride. This imagery powerfully conveys intimacy, love, and the sacred bond between Christ and His people. The verse employs vivid Imagery through the use of terms like "spot" (a moral stain or impurity, like a dirty mark) and "wrinkle" (a physical imperfection, suggesting age or wear). These negative images are contrasted with the positive imagery of being "glorious," "holy," and "without blemish," painting a picture of radiant purity and perfection. The structure of the verse also demonstrates Antithesis, contrasting what the Church will not have ("not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing") with what she will be ("but that it should be holy and without blemish"). This rhetorical device highlights the completeness and thoroughness of Christ's sanctifying work, emphasizing the radical transformation from imperfection to absolute purity.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ephesians 5:27 speaks profoundly to the doctrine of sanctification and glorification, revealing Christ's ultimate purpose for His Church. It underscores that the Church's purity and perfection are not achieved by human effort but are the direct result of Christ's sacrificial love and ongoing cleansing work. This verse points to an eschatological reality—the Church's final, perfected state at the consummation of history, when she will be presented to Christ in full glory, utterly free from sin and its effects. It assures believers of their ultimate destiny: to be perfectly holy and blameless in God's sight, reflecting the very character of their Savior. This divine transformation is the culmination of God's redemptive plan, securing the Church's eternal union and communion with Christ.
Reflection and Application
Ephesians 5:27 offers immense comfort and a profound challenge to every believer and to the Church as a whole. It assures us that our ultimate perfection and blamelessness are secured by Christ's finished work on the cross and His ongoing sanctifying power. This truth should foster deep humility and gratitude, recognizing that our standing before God is entirely due to His grace, not our merit. While we are called to strive for holiness in our daily lives, this verse reminds us that true purity is a divine gift and a future reality guaranteed by Christ. It encourages perseverance in faith, knowing that the Bridegroom is actively preparing His Bride. For the Church collectively, this verse serves as a powerful vision and a call to live out its identity as a people set apart. It challenges us to pursue unity, purity, and a life that reflects the holiness of our Savior, anticipating the glorious day when we will be presented to Him without spot or wrinkle.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "glorious church" mean the Church is already perfect now?
No, the verse points to an eschatological reality, meaning a future perfection. While believers are declared righteous and set apart (sanctified) in Christ positionally at conversion, the process of practical sanctification (becoming more like Christ) is ongoing. The "glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle" describes the Church in its ultimate, perfected state at Christ's return, when all sin and its effects will be finally eradicated. It is a promise of what the Church will be when presented to her Bridegroom.
What is the significance of "spot" and "wrinkle"?
"Spot" (Greek: spilos) refers to moral stains or impurities, representing sin and defilement. "Wrinkle" (Greek: rhytis) is a metaphor for the effects of age, wear, or imperfection, suggesting a lack of youthful beauty or vitality. Together, they symbolize every form of moral and spiritual imperfection that would mar the Church's beauty and purity. Their absence signifies Christ's complete and thorough work of cleansing and perfecting His Church, making her absolutely pure and beautiful for Himself.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Ephesians 5:27 finds its complete fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is both the zealous Bridegroom and the perfecter of His Bride. His sacrificial love, described as "giving himself up for her" in Ephesians 5:25, is the foundational act that secures the Church's future glory. It was through His atoning death on the cross that He cleansed us from sin, as foreshadowed in passages like Isaiah 53:5. The "washing of water with the word" (Ephesians 5:26) is His ongoing work of sanctification, applying the truth of His redemptive work to our lives through the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, the vision of a "glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle" is a testament to Christ's power to fully redeem and transform His people, presenting them to Himself as a pure and holy offering, a reality anticipated in Revelation 21:9. He is the one who "is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy" (Jude 1:24). Thus, the Church's glory is not inherent but is entirely a reflection of the glory of her Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, who perfectly accomplished her redemption and sanctification.