Ephesians 5:21-33

Ephesians 5:21: does it belong with the preceding passage or the following passage? TBD - To Be Debated, probably forever. I will present cases for both, and how it could be seen as a "hinge" between the previous passage and the following.

First of all, it belongs with the preceding passage because the verb is in the participial form. It literally means "submitting," which follows suit as another point to the instructions above. Read 5:1-21, and see how it fits perfectly to the end of that passage.

Now, it also belongs with the following passage because there is no verb in verse 22. Literally, it says "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, to your own husbands, as to the Lord." To me that needs no other explanation.

So if verse 21 fits with both passages, what do we do with it? It's a transition. It concludes a passage of general instructions and moves into a passage of more specific instructions. Paul felt the need to explain how we are to submit to one another, the order of things we are to live by. Never did Paul say any person was more important than the other. In fact, in Galatians 3, he says we are all one in Christ Jesus. However, there is an order of leadership which we must live by, and here, in Ephesians 5:21-6:9 we have some explanation.

But of all the beautiful language in this chapter, and the description of the marriage relationship, 5:33 sums it all up. If you get nothing else out of this passage, 5:33 is the main point. Husbands love you wives as yourselves. Wives, respect your husbands. It doesn't say "as long as they treat you well." No matter the circumstances, husbands love your wives; wives, respect your husbands. If we get this right, it will fail-proof our marriages.

I love the way Emerson Eggerichs explains this whole idea. Men have a blue air hose, women have a pink air hose. When a man acts unloving toward his wife, it's like stepping on her air hose. Similarly, when a wife disrespects her husband, she is stepping on his air hose. We need those things to thrive, just like air. If we can't breathe, we frantically try to find a way to get air. We react. We should each remember that our spouse needs their air. Love for wives, and respect for husbands.

What will you do today to give your spouse the air they need to breathe?