Ephesians 5:22-24 - The Vocation of Wives

Ephesians 5:22-24 - 22 Wives, [be subject] to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself [being] the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives [ought to be] to their husbands in everything.

Message: The Vocation of Wives

Time: Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime in AD 60–61, around the same time he wrote Colossians and Philemon. Ephesians deals with topics at the core of being a Christian - faith and practice, no matter the situation.

What the Lord is Saying: As I study this today, I remember what I studied and learned in the previous lesson, namely that the husband is to love his wife and be a servant to his wife. Let's face it, our country, the United States, has not done a good job being obedient to the real truths of the Bible. We have misunderstood commands. Often in our history we have focused more on the people which society views as less: the woman, the minority or black person - and in this process the man is able to have whatever power he deems necessary over these. And now it seems society is trying to swing the pendulum in the other direction. But let's face it, these words from Ephesians on these subjects have been completely misunderstood. 

So why have people been viewed as less? It seems that servants have been misunderstood. Yet, Jesus, God in flesh, says he came to serve. As we divide roles in society, we elevate some and lessen others. We do this often by how we pay people. In pay, we think someone is more valuable than another. And with men working and women at home, with the servants, do we also then devalue women. But the slave or servant still had rights and it is unfortunate what has resulted. But it is also unfortunate that in society, in general, we don't allow for differences. We don't allow for different roles and responsibilities. And so along the way much has been the source of confusion. 

It is a hard lesson here but the wife is to submit to the husband and this means the husband is to be a leader in the home. I am thankful to my wife who was taught this and recognizes this and does this. My mom modeled this so well in the home, submitting always to my father as the leader. No one did it better than my mom, but my wife also does it well. And yet this does not mean that I don't always value what my wife thinks and believes because I do. 

But submission is only does as to the Lord. The Lord would never ask us to do something that is contrary to His Word and His ways, so if a husband is asking his wife to do something contrary to scripture and the Holy Spirit's leading then the wife does not and should not submit. So this is not a carte blanche of submission. 

Summary: Wives submit to their husbands, as they would submit to the Lord, and conversely the husband is to be the Godly leader. 

Promise: Husbands are not perfect so submission may mean being led in an imperfect manner or husbands in error but not to husbands in sin. 

Prayer: Thank you God for the awesome example in my home growing up of my mom and her submission. This is a submission that I at times have had a hard time watch her do. Perhaps out of selfishness on my part because I did not want what my dad was doing, but my mom stayed faithful to him always. And thank you to my wife who also submits to me. Help me to serve her always so that she wants to submit. And lead my daughter to do the same.