by Dave Brown
Ye often hear it said ...
“Wives are to be in Total Subjection to their Husbands According to Ephesians 5:22”
but in the previous verse, Paul stated (Eph. 5:21)
...
“... be subject to
one another in the fear of Christ.”
The same expression is used in both places; it is not
even repeated (in the original) in verse 22. So “be subject” must have
identically the same meaning in both. Now, we affirm that a wife must be in subjection
to her own husband, since that is exactly what Eph. 5:22 commands. However, it
is essential that we understand what the bible means by “be subject.” This is
not an unqualified term that gives the husband license to make any and all
demand that he wants. It is qualified by the principles of love that must
exist for a marriage to meet God’s approval. Those who fail to apply these
principles are not observing all of God’s word (Mt. 4:4).
In vs. 21, when it says “be subject to one another,” it
is speaking to all Christians. Thus, if a husband and wife are both
Christians, there is a sense in which he is to be in subjection to her. How
are we to be subject to one another? One answer is given in Phil. 2:3-4: “Do
nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each
of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not {merely} look
out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Now, if this is the attitude that a man is to have for his fellow Christians,
can you give one good reason that he should not have this regard and much, much
more for his own wife? Subjection is a two way street, and it takes a real man
to understand that and to take advantage of his wife’s strengths.