The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet #5173 KCEphesians13

A husband should consider his wife as part of himself, so that in loving her he is loving himself.

We pick up where he has just instructed husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and sacrificed His life for her.

Ephesians 5:26 That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
This verse has nothing to do with baptism, but rather with the ceremonial cleansing, i.e. purifying, using the laver, which was a large basin used in connection with the tabernacle services.

You can read about this in a good Bible dictionary.

However, just know that this ceremony symbolized the holiness that is required in the service of God.

Therefore, to be washed by the Word is to be cleansed.

And think about this: you can't get very clean with only a thimble full of water, i.e. one or two verses won't make you very clean.

Take a bath, or shower yourself with the Word, every day.

[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.
Look up "glorious" in Strong's concordance.

It means not just splendid, but GORGEOUS.

That's how Christ looks upon His church.

Read the Song of Solomon and you'll know.

To be holy and without blemish means to be "purified".

[28] So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Verses 28 and 29 really describe in one of easiest of all analogies how closely the husband should consider he and his wife as "one".

He should consider her as part of himself, so that in loving her he is loving himself.

[29] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
And this verse says it all.

No man ever yet hated his own flesh!

Of course you could relate this, in part, to the reason why Viagra is such a hot seller.

I have yet to meet the man that hates this aspect of his flesh.

But there are many other aspects of how a man nourishes and cherishes his own body.

This is especially noticeable when one of his members gets hurt.

Whether it's his little finger or little toe that becomes injured, you can bet he will make a big fuss over it.

Most women I know tell me "men are such big babies when they get sick or hurt".

So once again nature itself documents God's Word.

The point is that a man (a woman too) is very attentive to his own body, always caring for it both in sickness and in health.

So shall a husband love his wife, as his own flesh, i.e. when she hurts, he hurts, etc.

[30] For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.
Jesus Christ, likewise cares for His body, His church, of whom we are all members (fitly joined together, as one, remember?).

And so He cares for us both in "sickness" and in "health", nourishing and cherishing His own.

[31] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
For what cause?

For the reason of becoming "one".

(Not only does a husband and wife become one flesh in the unity we are speaking of here, but in that joining together they literally become one flesh when a child is born. Think about it.)

We hear this verse, taken from Gen. 2:24, read at most wedding ceremonies.

If you can "see it" you will notice that our Father demonstrated this concept, of the wife being part of husband, right in the garden of Eden, when he created Eve from Adam, even from the beginning.

Genesis 2:23-24
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. [24] Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
And so the analogy for Christ loving His many membered body was set.
[32] This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Do you See?

If you do, then it is no longer a mystery.


 
Before we conclude the analogy describing the great mystery concerning (vs. 32) Christ and His church, let's understand what Paul is doing here.

The following verse, written by this same apostle Paul to the church at Rome, is one of the most profound (they're all so profound, but I can't helping saying this about each one) concepts in understanding God's Word.

However, you must first believe that God created all things, and then, that there is purpose and reason why He created them as He did, which is the basis of all common sense.

Romans 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
The relationship between Christ and His church is spiritual, and therefore to our flesh eyes, invisible.

But the eyes of the "inner man" can often be made to "see" (clearly) that which is spiritual by observing that which is physical, i.e. through nature and creation itself.

Even His eternal power and Godhead.

For example, if you wish to better understand your relationship to our heavenly Father, then look at the relationship of children to their earthly fathers.

That's why we have them!

Do you understand?

You'll gain an even deeper understanding of that relationship when you have children of your own.

Believe me, much deeper!

You can also learn a great deal about prayer, which often involves "asking" your Father for something, doesn't it (hopefully giving thanks and praise for all He's done occupies the majority of the discussion).

But, through observation of the love of a parent, you can learn the depth of the answers NO and YES.

Children tend to ask for those things which are not always proper nor good for them.

NO doesn't mean you don't care, it means you do!

The Apostle Paul is a master at using the most fitting "things that are made" to illustrate God's love and His plan of salvation, and the things that we should do.

In this great chapter 5 of Ephesians he is using marriage and the natural flesh itself (something we all know and have) as an analogy to show the unity of the body of Christ.

[33] Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
As prefaced in verse 21 and concluded here in verse 33, the obligations of husband and wife are reciprocal.

Yet sadly, for many today who walk in darkness and selfishness, even that simple principle remains a mystery.

The divorce statistics document it.

Nevertheless means "moreover", but I'll say, even if you don't understand the full analogy concerning Christ and the church, follow the principles of the husband and wife relationship so beautifully described here in Ephesians by the great apostle, Paul.

Be good to one another, for you are one, don't you see.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them {the ancient Israelites} for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

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