Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
As we compare this passage to yesterday's, which addressed the wives, it took Paul a lot more words of instruction for the husbands. Men really need to hear harder and more often their need to love their wives. This love is self-sacrificing and protective; he needs to cling - to hang close to her, not in a suspicious, jealous manner, but in a protective and nourishing way. Some of the women at Ephesus were being led astray by false doctrines, just like Eve was led astray in the garden. It wasn't all her fault. Adam had failed to lovingly protect her. He may have been "with her" in the garden, but He wasn't "all in" in carrying out his role as spiritual leader. Husbands often do the same.
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