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(1)
No human husband can be called `The saviour of the body' whether `the body'
refers to himself, his wife, the church, or the resurrection.
(2)
The reference to `the body' seems to be included here, and in verses 28 and 30, to
prevent the idea forming in the mind that the church here can be looked upon as
the `wife'. The husband is to love his wife as his own body.
(3)
The quotation from Gen. 2: 24 follows, but lest we should think that Gen. 2: is
speaking of that which was a mystery at that time `hid in God' and so be self
contradictory, the Apostle adds:
(4)
"This is a great mystery", i.e. the fact that in true marriage a man and wife become
`one flesh'.
(5)
This he differentiates from the relationship of Christ in the Church by saying
immediately `But I speak concerning Christ and the church'. Then leaving once
again the type, the Apostle returns to the obligations which devolve upon both
husband and wife saying `Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love
his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband'.
The fact that the exhortation to husband and wives are an integral part of a threefold
exhortation that includes children and parents, servants and masters, must be kept before
the mind throughout the reading of this chapter. Even if there had been no revelation
which indicated the relationship of the church with Christ, it would still have been
necessary to remind husband and wives of their relationship one to another, and to the
need to express in their mutual love and relationship the doctrine already given. That
relationship having been given as that of a `Body' with the `Head' cannot be altered
simply because some believers in that company happened to be married, any more than
the constitution of the one Body could be modified, simply because other believers in that
company were masters or slaves. The blessed truth which can easily be lost sight of in
this argument is that the highest revelation of doctrine, the highest of all callings, the
most wonderful of all spheres of blessing, are not too high but that they may be
exemplified in the daily life in home and business of the humblest member. The
exhortations of Eph. 5: and 6: are but a part of the demand made by the Apostle that all
believers should walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they had been called, the `walk
in love' with which Eph. 5: opened, being most clearly exemplified by the love of the
husband to the wife. If every Christian home could but be run on these lines what a
witness it would be both to men and to angels. In the light of the Saviour's own selfless
love, and subjection for our sakes, such relationships should be nothing more than our
`reasonable service'.