Ephesians 5:25-33
25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are parts of His body. 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.”
Husbands, love your wives: Paul began this section by briefly touching on the submission of wives to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24). But he now devotes a large section to teaching how husbands are to be subject to the needs of their wives. Husbands are to understand the love of Christ for the church and then love their wives with this same servitude.
Nourishes and cherishes it: Husbands are to nourish and cherish their wives. However, this is to happen as Christ nourishes and cherishes the church. Christians are nourished and cherished because we are members of His own body. This is why salvation is permanent. God cannot disown Himself (see 2 Timothy 2:13). Similarly, God cannot be mad at His children because cannot be mad at Himself.
With reference to Christ: The intimacy of marriage is reflection of how close Christ is to the church. Marriage is a reflection of our union with God. Believers are one spirit with Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 6:17). This means that Jesus is behind every door we walk through because He lives in us.
