In this oft-quoted passage, Paul compared the relationship between Christ and the church to that between a husband and wife: just as Christ has direct authority over the church, so does a husband have direct authority over his wife.
Paul says that wives should willingly put themselves under the authority of their husbands in every area of life. This does not mean that women are inferior to men in value or in importance to God's plan. On the contrary, as evidenced by Genesis 2, most men can never be truly complete without a woman. This also does not mean that a woman must obey her husband's every command as if he was God incarnate. It makes sense to interpret Paul's command in much the same way as his previous injunction to obey civil authorities: obey as long as obedience does not require you to sin. Obedience falls in line with God's purpose for creating Eve to assist Adam.
Husbands have a definite role to fulfill in marriage as well. A husband is to love his wife in the same manner that Christ loved the church. He taught the disciples and nurtured them in His ways, then He gave up his life in our place, so that we could join Him as a virgin bride--for the impure in sin could never be one with a holy God. Likewise, a husband should be a spiritual teacher and the high priest of his family. He should be willing to sacrifice nearly everything for the spiritual well-being of his wife and family. By doing so, he will also strengthen himself in spirit and in character.
See Mutual Submission in Marriage? Paul’s Real Meaning in Ephesians 5:22-33 and Mutual Submission in Marriage? Part two for a more thorough treatment of this passage.
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