Ephesians 5:21 says, "and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." Can one legitimately infer from Ephesians 5:21 that husbands are supposed to submit to their wives? I was just wondering because some people think that husbands should submit to their wives just like wives are supposed to submit to their husbands.
Ephesians 5:21
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Romans922
Puritan Board Professor
No.
It is clear that the main point is "Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." Then the Lord through Paul gives specific applications or examples in one's life of this subjection.
1. Wives submit to your Husbands
2. Children submit to Parents
3. Slaves submit to Masters
If Husbands are to submit to their wives, it would say that. The possibility of doing that is right there and in 1 Peter, but it doesn't say that. It calls Husbands to submit to Christ. It gives the illustration. Wives submit to your h6usbands as the Church submits to Christ. Clearly the parallel is Wives/Church (Children/Slaves) submit to Husbands/Christ (Parents/Masters).
It gives specific instructions to husbands as well, but it is not to submit to the wife. Especially with the reason based in creation (Eph. 5:31; cf 1 Tim. 2; 1 Pt. 3:1-6).
It is clear that the main point is "Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." Then the Lord through Paul gives specific applications or examples in one's life of this subjection.
1. Wives submit to your Husbands
2. Children submit to Parents
3. Slaves submit to Masters
If Husbands are to submit to their wives, it would say that. The possibility of doing that is right there and in 1 Peter, but it doesn't say that. It calls Husbands to submit to Christ. It gives the illustration. Wives submit to your h6usbands as the Church submits to Christ. Clearly the parallel is Wives/Church (Children/Slaves) submit to Husbands/Christ (Parents/Masters).
It gives specific instructions to husbands as well, but it is not to submit to the wife. Especially with the reason based in creation (Eph. 5:31; cf 1 Tim. 2; 1 Pt. 3:1-6).
Guido's Brother
Puritan Board Junior
The Greek grammar is important here. "Submitting" in verse 21 fills out "be filled with the Spirit" in verse 18. What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? Partly, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. However, it's important to remember at that point that Paul is addressing the entire church, not families in particular, nor husbands and wives. Church members are to submit to one another in the church. Then in Paul begins addressing home and family life in verse 22. This idea of husbands submitting to wives on the basis of Eph. 5:21 is simply incorrect.
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