January 20th, 2021
by Jim Blue
by Jim Blue
Wednesday – January 20th – Ephesians 5:22-24
5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Today is Wednesday and mid-week. If you are still reading at this early point in our scripture blog -THANKS!! First, let me lead with the reality that if we don’t first set-up some pre-understanding to what we are reading, this part of Paul’s fifth chapter to the Ephesians can usher in a few challenging days ahead for us. One of the very first things is to understand the biblical and first century rendering of the word “submit” while removing it from our 21st application. In the original Greek, Paul uses the word - Hupotassō. This word is found in several places throughout the Bible, but here and in most places, it refers to being “arranged under”, or “to yield to”. In our modern times even these terms can be considered relationally unhealthy and objectionable. This is not Paul’s intent, and certainly not God’s will for the relationship between spouses. So, bear with me over the next few days – as it will take all the verses in this section to help us better understand that which is confusing - and together we will unpack God’s will for relationships between spouses and all believers.
First, let me say that this passage of scripture gets out of whack when it is mis-interpreted and even more so when mis-applied. This is one of the most controversial, misused and misunderstood marriage teachings in the Bible. Taken out of context, some men have used the Apostle Paul’s exhortation for wives to submit to their husbands as a license to enforce their will over their wives with an iron fist. Some have used this verse as a trump card to end every disagreement and to make sure his preferences always came before hers. If the legalistic, chauvinistic, misogynistic application of this submission concept leads only to bullying, heartache and divorce, then its application is off base. That’s certainly not God’s vision for marriage, so it cannot be the correct interpretation of this concept. It probably would have been more helpful and less confusing if Paul would have reversed the order of how this larger passage was laid out. Everything in this passage connects to our relationship with Jesus. For believers our human interaction is based on mutual respect and not on one person displaying power or authority over another. Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow.
Blessings
Pastor Jim
Thursday – January 20th – Ephesians 5:25-27
5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Today is Wednesday and mid-week. If you are still reading at this early point in our scripture blog -THANKS!! First, let me lead with the reality that if we don’t first set-up some pre-understanding to what we are reading, this part of Paul’s fifth chapter to the Ephesians can usher in a few challenging days ahead for us. One of the very first things is to understand the biblical and first century rendering of the word “submit” while removing it from our 21st application. In the original Greek, Paul uses the word - Hupotassō. This word is found in several places throughout the Bible, but here and in most places, it refers to being “arranged under”, or “to yield to”. In our modern times even these terms can be considered relationally unhealthy and objectionable. This is not Paul’s intent, and certainly not God’s will for the relationship between spouses. So, bear with me over the next few days – as it will take all the verses in this section to help us better understand that which is confusing - and together we will unpack God’s will for relationships between spouses and all believers.
First, let me say that this passage of scripture gets out of whack when it is mis-interpreted and even more so when mis-applied. This is one of the most controversial, misused and misunderstood marriage teachings in the Bible. Taken out of context, some men have used the Apostle Paul’s exhortation for wives to submit to their husbands as a license to enforce their will over their wives with an iron fist. Some have used this verse as a trump card to end every disagreement and to make sure his preferences always came before hers. If the legalistic, chauvinistic, misogynistic application of this submission concept leads only to bullying, heartache and divorce, then its application is off base. That’s certainly not God’s vision for marriage, so it cannot be the correct interpretation of this concept. It probably would have been more helpful and less confusing if Paul would have reversed the order of how this larger passage was laid out. Everything in this passage connects to our relationship with Jesus. For believers our human interaction is based on mutual respect and not on one person displaying power or authority over another. Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow.
Blessings
Pastor Jim
Thursday – January 20th – Ephesians 5:25-27
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