22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Before looking at verses 22-33 on the matter of husbands and wives, we should acknowledge how easily such matters can offend even a mature Christian. The goal here is not to support an agenda, but only to look honestly and fully at what God has said on the matter of husbands and wives: no more, no less.
This simple directive is anything but easy, as the history of every marriage would attest. This biblical mandate is unpopular in today's social and political climate, but that makes it no less true and no less good. As the church – the very Bride of Christ – submits to Christ her husband, the wife is to submit to her husband. See I Corinthians 11:3. This is the order established by the Lord, and He expects us each to be in our place (I Corinthians 14:40). Biblical examples of both good and bad husbands abound; consider Sarah and Abigail as two such examples. The difficulty comes when we take in to account abusive husbands. I can find no explicit direction in Scripture for a woman under those terrible circumstances beyond I Peter 3:1-6, which provides instructions on how to behave if a husband is not obeying the word of God. That being said, we will find that God’s expectations for the husband in verses 25-33 (and all throughout Scripture) are unmistakably clear, and he will be held accountable for his stewardship of his wife and his children, particularly so because he is to be a reflection of Christ for them. However, if a husband is a decent and loving man, this directive in verse twenty-two would only be impeded by the wife's pride. See also Genesis 3:16 and I Corinthians 7: l0-16.
23 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.
Verse twenty-three continues the parallels between temporal marriages and Christ’s relationship with His Bride. It specifically notes that He is the "saviour of the body" here. This parallel carries to the relationship between a husband and wife: In the garden, the woman was the one who was deceived, not Adam, and so husbands – while sharing the fault of Adam – are meant to act as a safeguard against deception for their wives.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Verses 22-23 pretty well cover it all, but this verse adds the important detail that wives are to be subject to their husbands "in every thing.” In the Lord's estimation, it is not enough to be subject in some things or most things. Some may bristle at this idea, but neither women nor men should lose sight of their God-ordained roles and responsibilities. A note on I Timothy 2:12 in the Rock of Ages Study Bible captures this well:
"Although the woman is just as near and dear to God, and has just as exalted a position in God’s family as any man (Galatians 3:28), the women are not to speak with authority over the men in the church or home structure. The Lord has elevated the woman to the place of being provided for (I Timothy 5:8), protected (Ephesians 5:28), loved (Ephesians 5:25, 28, 33), honored (I Peter 3:7), and cherished (Ephesians 5:29). There are many great, godly women who lived for God and were great servants of God in His church, named in the Bible. Women are to ‘teach the young women’ in Titus 2:3-4, but never have authority over men." (1687)
No other systematic religion, faith, or philosophy in the history of the world regards women the way that the Lord does in Scripture! The very fact that this can be a sticking point is evidence of poor reading of the whole counsel of God, and the inherent pride in the human heart that seeks to resist authority of any kind.
NEXT IN THIS SERIES:
Ephesians 5:25-33
Sources Referenced:
Rockwell, Jerry L., et al. Rock of Ages Study Bible. 6th ed., Rock of Ages Press, 2017.
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