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Selected Verse: Ephesians 5:23 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Eph 5:23 |
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
(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]. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
For the husband is the head of the wife - see the notes on Co1 11:3.
As Christ is the head of the church - As Christ rules over the church, and has a right to direct and control it.
And he is the Saviour of the body - That is, of the church, represented as "his body;" see notes, Eph 1:23. The idea here seems to be, that as Christ gave himself to save his body, the church; as he practiced self-denial and made it an object of intense solicitude to preserve that church, so ought the husband to manifest a similar solicitude to make his wife happy, and to save her from want, affliction, and pain. He ought to regard himself as her natural protector; as bound to anticipate and provide for her needs; as under obligation to comfort her in trial, even as Christ does the church. What a beautiful illustration of the spirit which a husband should manifest is the care which Christ has shown for his "bride," the church! See the notes on Eph 5:25-29. |
The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
saviour
(See Scofield) - (Rom 1:16). |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
He is the savior of the body
In this particular the comparison between the husband as the head of the wife, and Christ as the head of the Church, does not hold. Hence Rev., properly, renders for and He is, being Himself; Himself separating the clause from what was previously said. The comparison lies in the fact of headship alone. The husband's love and protection cannot be called salvation, in which respect Christ's headship is peculiar to Himself. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
The head - The governor, guide, and guardian of the wife. And he is the Saviour of the body - The church, from all sin and misery. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
For the husband is the head of the wife - This is the reason which the apostle gives for his injunctions. See above.
He is the Savior of the body - As Christ exercises authority over the Church so as to save and protect it, so let the husband exercise authority over his wife by protecting, comforting, and providing her with every necessary and comfort of life, according to his power. |
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 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.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.