Normally
I don’t have such a long sermon outline. At time of delivery, it
would be reduced to about 3 pages instead of 11, but since it is
written, I thought I would include all.
I’ve
adopted Natalie Hoffman’s terms of marriage as Christian or
controlling, rather than complementarian and egalitarian. Her
article explains it well.
Ephesians Chapter 5:21-33
Revised
A1 Scripture
B1
Ephesians 5:22-33 WEL 21
Place
yourselves under one another in the fear of God. 22 Wives place
yourselves under your own husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband
is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church,
and Himself is savior of the body. 24 Therefore, since the church is
under the authority of Christ, so let the wives be to their own
husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ
also loved the church even giving himself for her. 26 So that he
might might sanctify her and cleanse her by the washing of water with
the word. 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church
not having a spot or a wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should
be holy and without blemish. 28 So men ought to love their wives as
their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no man
has ever hated his own flesh but takes care of it and cherishes it,
as the Lord [does for] the church. 30 For we are members of his body,
of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this reason a man will leave
his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two of
them will be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery, but I am talking
about Christ and his church. 33 Nevertheless, let everyone of you so
love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she respects her
husband.
B2
Ephesians 5:21-33 GW Place
yourselves under each other's authority out of respect for Christ.
22 Wives, place yourselves under your husbands' authority as
you have placed yourselves under the Lord's authority. 23 The
husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church.
It is his body, and he is its Savior. 24 As the church is under
Christ's authority, so wives are under their husbands' authority in
everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church
and gave his life for it. 26 He did this to make the church
holy by cleansing it, washing it using water along with spoken words.
27 Then he could present it to himself as a glorious church, without
any kind of stain or wrinkle-holy and without faults. 28 So
husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies. A man
who loves his wife loves himself. 29 No one ever hated his own body.
Instead, he feeds and takes care of it, as Christ takes care of the
church. 30 We are parts of his body. 31 That's why a man will
leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two
will be one. 32 This is a great mystery. (I'm talking about Christ's
relationship to the church.) 33 But every husband must love his wife
as he loves himself, and wives should respect their husbands.
A2 Topics
B1
Meaning of submit
C1
The Greek implies no sense of resistance. From TDNTa
hypotássō.
A.
The Greek World.
1.
The active form of this verb means “to place under,” “to
affix,” “to subordinate” (passive “to be subject”).
2.
The middle form means “to subject oneself,” “to be
subservient,” “to submit voluntarily.”
B.
The LXX. The verb is not common in the LXX and stands for 13 Hebrew
words in the usual senses “to place under,” “to subordinate,”
“to subject,” passive “to be subject,” and middle “to
subject oneself,” “to submit,” especially to God (Ps. 37:7).
C.
The NT.
1.
In the NT the term has a wide range of meaning centering on the idea
of enforced or voluntary subordination. The active occurs in Rom.
8:20 to express the thought that creation is subjected to futility
(cf. 5:12). The other active statements are christological. Quoting
Ps. 8:6, 1 Cor. 15:25 says that Christ subjects all things (including
death) to himself. Naturally this does not include God, for it is
finally God who does the subjecting. Ps. 8:6 also underlies Phil.
3:21. Here Christ does the subjecting; he manifests his unlimited
power by transforming the lowly body into the likeness of his
glorious body. In Heb. 2:7-8 (cf. again Ps. 8:6) God subjects the
world, not to angels, but to the Son, who is superior to the angels.
The subjecting has begun but awaits consummation. Eph. 1:22 relates
Ps. 8:6 to the enthronement that has already taken place, and with an
ecclesiological reference. 1 Pet. 3:22 refers similarly to a
subjection that Christ’s ascension and session complete. The common
use of the verb of Ps. 8:6 shows that this verse holds an important
place in the primitive Christian confession.
2.
a. The middle denotes enforced submission in Lk. 10:17, 20, but
elsewhere voluntary submission is at issue. Thus in Rom. 8:7 the
flesh resists submission to God’s demand. Pious Judaism resists
submission to God’s saving work in Rom. 10:3. A play on the active
occurs in 1 Cor. 15:28. In his only use of the absolute “the Son,”
Paul here shows that the Son achieves absolute power only to hand it
back to God. All power rightly belongs to God, but to the very limit
God has given to “the Son” the precedence that is his due.
b.
The middle often occurs in exhortation (cf. submission to God in Jms.
4:7 and to salutary discipline in Heb. 12:9).
c.
Lk. 2:51 stresses the subjection of the boy Jesus to his earthly
parents. Like the subjection of wives to husbands (Col. 3:18; Eph.
5:21ff.; 1 Pet. 3:1; Tit. 2:5), this is according to a divinely
willed order.
d.
Also divinely willed is the submission to authorities in Rom.
13:1ff., which acknowledges their legitimacy on the basis of their
divine commission to reward good and punish evil. Tit. 3:1 and 1 Pet.
2:13-14 echo this teaching, which possibly rests on the reply of
Jesus in Mk. 12:17 and parallels. At issue, of course, is the
attitude to government as such rather than specifically the Roman
state. Christians do not submit to the state merely because it
provides conditions for their life and mission. They and all people
owe subjection because government is by divine ordination.
e.
Slaves should be subject to their masters, not now because slavery is
by divine ordination, but because it is a reality that Christians are
in no position to set aside. Among themselves, they can and should
set it aside as members of the one family of God (cf. 1 Pet. 2:18; 1
Tim. 6:1-2; Phlm. 16).
f.
1 Pet. 5:5 demands the subjection of the younger to the elder, but
also a general humility corresponding to the mutual subjection of
Eph. 5:21. As a witness to unbelievers, Christians should accept
submission to all human institutions for the Lord’s sake.
g.
The general rule in NT exhortation is that there should be mutual
readiness to renounce one’s own will for others. Even when
believers owe secular subjection, this takes on a new aspect and has
a new basis with the common subjection to Christ. The demand for
mutual subjection shows that Christian hypotássomai bears a material
relation to Christian tapeinophrosýnē.
D.
The Early Church. Among the apostolic fathers Ignatius asks for
submission to the bishop (and to one another) (Magnesians 13.2 etc.).
1 Clem. 57.2 counsels submission to the divinely ordained
authorities. The heavens submit to God in 1 Clem. 20.1 (cf. Diog.
7.2). God in love has subjected creation to us (Hermas Mandates
12.4.2). Slaves should submit to their masters in godly reverence and
fear (Did. 4.10-11). Of the Apologists Justin makes most use of the
term, e.g., for God subjecting the earth to us or for the subjecting
of enemies or demons to Christ (Apology 40.7; Dialogue 30.3).
5293
hypotássō
(from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 5021 /tássō, "arrange")
– properly, "under God's arrangement," i.e. submitting to
the Lord (His plan).
Copyright © 1987, 2011 by
Helps
Ministries, Inc.
B2
Every use in NT:
C1
No hint of resistance—Luke
2:51 KJV - And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was
subject[G5293] unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in
her heart. Comment:
the Lord Jesus does NOT resist, there is nothing for Joseph and Mary
to force.
C2
No resistance—Luke
10:17, 20 KJV - And the seventy returned again with joy, saying,
Lord, even the devils are subject[G5293] unto us through thy name.
... Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are
subject[G5293] unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are
written in heaven. Comment:
There seems to be no resistance here, for the evil spirits could
easily have overpowered the 70.
C3
Not subjected
shows
resistance—Romans
8:7, 20 KJV - Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it
is[G5293][G0] not subject[G5293] to the law of God, neither indeed
can be. ... For the creature was made subject[G5293] to vanity, not
willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected[G5293] the same in
hope. Comment:
not subject implies resistance. The negative is important.
C4
Not submitted
shows
resistance—Romans
10:3 KJV - For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going
about to establish their own righteousness, have[G5293][G0] not
submitted themselves[G5293] unto the righteousness of God.
C5
No hint of resistance—Romans
13:1, 5 KJV - Let every soul be subject[G5293] unto the higher
powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are
ordained of God. ... Wherefore ye must needs be subject,[G5293] not
only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
C6
No hint of resistance—1
Corinthians 14:32, 34 KJV - And the spirits of the prophets are
subject[G5293] to the prophets. ... Let your women keep silence in
the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they
are commanded to be under obedience,[G5293] as also saith the law.
C7
No hint of resistance—1
Corinthians 15:27–28 KJV - For he hath put[G5293] all things under
his feet. But when he saith all things are put under[G5293] him, it
is manifest that he is excepted, which did put[G5293][G0] all things
under[G5293] him. And when all things shall be subdued[G5293] unto
him, then shall[G5293][G0] the Son also himself be subject[G5293]
unto him that put[G5293][G0] all things under[G5293] him, that God
may be all in all. Comment:
The Lord Jesus does not resist and needs to overcome.
C8
No hint of resistance—1
Corinthians 16:16 KJV - That ye submit yourselves[G5293] unto
such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.
C9
No hint of resistance—Ephesians
1:22 KJV - And hath put[G5293] all things under his feet, and gave
him to be the head over all things to the church, Comment:
The fact of the Lord Jesus’s superiority.
C10
No hint of resistance—Ephesians
5:21–22, 24 KJV - Submitting yourselves[G5293] one to another in
the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves[G5293] unto your own
husbands, as unto the Lord. ... Therefore as the church is
subject[G5293] unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands
in everything. Comment:
No resistance! Husband is to submit to wife and wife to husband. The
word is closer to an attitude of humbleness.
C11
No hint of resistance—Philippians
3:21 KJV - Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned
like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is
able even to subdue[G5293] all things unto himself.
C12
No hint of resistance—Colossians
3:18 KJV - Wives, submit yourselves[G5293] unto your own husbands, as
it is fit in the Lord.
C13
No hint of resistance—Titus
2:5, 9 KJV - To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good,
obedient[G5293] to their own husbands, that the word of God be not
blasphemed. ... Exhort servants to be obedient[G5293] unto their own
masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
C14
No hint of resistance—Titus
3:1 KJV - Put them in mind to be subject[G5293] to principalities and
powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, Comment:
Christians are NOT to resist, so this can’t refer to resistance.
C15
This speaks of leadership and authority, not resistance.
Hebrews 2:5, 8 KJV - For unto the angels hath he[G5293][G0] not put
in subjection[G5293] the world to come, whereof we speak. ... Thou
hast put[G5293][G0] all things in subjection[G5293] under his feet.
For in that he put[G5293][G0] all in subjection under[G5293] him, he
left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all
things put under[G5293] him.
C16
No hint of resistance—Hebrews
12:9 KJV - Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which
corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we[G5293][G0] not
much rather be in subjection[G5293] unto the Father of spirits, and
live? Comment:
It is implied that no resistance will be offered by a believer.
C17
No hint of resistance—James
4:7 KJV - Submit yourselves[G5293] therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee from you. Comment:
we don’t resistance ourselves and over us.
C18
No hint of resistance—1
Peter 2:13, 18 KJV - Submit yourselves[G5293] to every
ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as
supreme; ... Servants, be subject[G5293] to your masters with all
fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
C19
No hint of resistance—1
Peter 3:1, 5, 22 KJV - Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection[G5293] to
your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may
without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; ... For
after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in
God, adorned themselves, being in subjection[G5293] unto their own
husbands: ... Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of
God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject[G5293] unto
him.
C20
No hint of resistance—1
Peter 5:5 KJV - Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves[G5293] unto
the elder. Yea, all of you be subject[G5293] one to another, and be
clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace
to the humble.
B3
English word shows overcoming resistance.
D1
Macmillan
Dictionary:
[INTRANSITIVE]
to accept that someone has defeated you or has power over you submit
to: In the end, they submitted to the Americans.
D2
Oxford
Dictionaries:
[no
object] Accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or
will of another person. ‘the original settlers were forced to
submit to Bulgarian rule’
E1
transitive
verb 1a : to yield to governance or authority.
E2
intransitive
verb
1a
: to yield oneself to the authority or will of another : SURRENDER
b
: to permit oneself to be subjected to something had to submit to
surgery
2
: to defer to or consent to abide by the opinion or authority of
another
B4
Submit to each other
C1
Passage: Ephesians 5:21 GW Place
yourselves under each other's authority out of respect for Christ.
C2
As noted above, the word translated submit in most translations,
refers to a humility, not pushing for one’s rights. It does not
refer to control that must overcome resistance.
C3
The husband must submit, place himself under, the wife’s authority,
just as the wife must submit, place herself under, the husband’s
authority.
C4
Compare:
D1
1 Peter 5:5 GW Young
people, in a similar way, place yourselves under the authority of
spiritual leaders. Furthermore, all of you must serve each other with
humility, because God opposes the arrogant but favors the humble.
D2
Ephesians 4:1-3 GW I,
a prisoner in the Lord, encourage you to live the kind of life which
proves that God has called you. 2 Be humble and gentle in every
way. Be patient with each other and lovingly accept each other. 3
Through the peace that ties you together, do your best to maintain
the unity that the Spirit gives.
B5
Wives to husbands and husbands to wife is important for a fellowship
marriage.
B6
Head of church
C1
These Scriptures teach husbands places themselves under their wives
and wives under their husbands, but it does not teach that Messiah
Jesus places Himself under the members of His church.
C2
His style of leadership is a shepherd; it is not a controlling
monster.
C3
Husbands to love wives
D1
Love is a choice.
D2
The actions of love on recorded in 1 Corinthians 13.
D3
There is no hint of any form of control or abuse.
C4
Church is all believers from Pentecost to the Rapture.
C5
Sanctification
D1
Is a separation from what is displeasing and disgusting to God.
E1
Positional Sanctification is also termed justification. It is the
total renewing of the heart by God after believing faith into Jesus
Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NRSV So
if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has
passed away; see, everything has become new!
E2
Experiential sanctification is also termed progressive
sanctification. It is from the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of
the believer to conform it to God’s ways.
F1
Hebrews 12:9-12 GW On
earth we have fathers who disciplined us, and we respect them.
Shouldn't we place ourselves under the authority of God, the father
of spirits, so that we will live? 10 For a short time our
fathers disciplined us as they thought best. Yet, God disciplines us
for our own good so that we can become holy like him. 11 We don't
enjoy being disciplined. It always seems to cause more pain than joy.
But later on, those who learn from that discipline have peace that
comes from doing what is right. 12 Strengthen your tired arms
and weak knees.
F2
2 Peter 1:5-8 WEL Beside
this, be diligent to add to your faith moral excellence; to moral
excellence add knowledge. 6 To knowledge add self-control; to
self-control add perseverance; to perseverance add godliness. 7 To
godliness add brotherly love; to brotherly love add unselfish,
unconditional love. 8 For if these qualities are in you and are
plentiful, they will make you not to be barren or unfruitful in the
thorough knowledge concerning our Lord Jesus Christ.
F3
Romans 6:19-22 GW I'm speaking in a human way because of the
weakness of your corrupt nature. Clearly, you once offered all the
parts of your body as slaves to sexual perversion and disobedience.
This led you to live disobedient lives. Now, in the same way, offer
all the parts of your body as slaves that do what God approves of.
This leads you to live holy lives. 20 When you were slaves to
sin, you were free from doing what God approves of. 21 What did you
gain by doing those things? You're ashamed of what you used to do
because it ended in death. 22 Now you have been freed from sin and
have become God's slaves. This results in a holy life and, finally,
in everlasting life.
E3
Ultimate sanctification which is also termed glorification.
F1
We need sin again: Romans 6:7 WEL Indeed,
the one who has died is freed from sin.
F2
Sin will be no more after the final judgment:
G1
Revelation 21:7-8 WEL He
who overcomes will inherit everything, I will be his God, and he will
be my son, 8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, loathsome, murderers,
fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will have their
share in the lake which burns with fire and sulfur, which is the
second death.
G2
Revelation 21:27 WEL In
no way will there enter anything that defiles, does detestable
things, or [makes] a lie. Only those who are written in the Lamb's
Book of Life.
C6
Cleansing by washing of water with the word
D1
Cleansing
E1
The Greek word is G2511 καθαρίζω katharizō.
E2
It means
F1
Physically cleaning as a shower or bath to wash dirt off our skin.
F2
Moral cleaning as stop sinning.
F3
Levitical cleaning.
F4
Salvation cleaning from sin and death to justification and life.
G1
Acts 15:9 CSB - He
made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by
faith.
G2
Hebrews 9:14 WEB - How
much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from
dead works to serve the living God?
G3
1 John 1:7, 9 WEB - But
if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us
from all sin. ... If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
D2
Washing of water with the word.
E1
Since physical water with special words cannot cleanse spiritual, it
must refer to the work of God. Water cannot cleanse the soul. Baptism
is, among other things, acknowledging the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
F1
1 John 1:7, 9 CSB - If
we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses
us from all sin. ... If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
F2
1 Peter 3:20-21 GW They
are like those who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah when God
waited patiently while Noah built the ship. In this ship a few
people-eight in all-were saved by water. 21 Baptism, which is
like that water, now saves you. Baptism doesn't save by removing dirt
from the body. Rather, baptism is a request to God for a clear
conscience. It saves you through Jesus Christ, who came back from
death to life.
E2
It is the blood of Jesus Christ, our redeemer. Hebrews 9:14 CSB - how
much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from
dead works so that we can serve the living God?
B7
An illustration of Christ and His church
B8
A lifestyle for husbands and wives
C1
Husbands to love wife as himself
C2
Wife to respect her husband
A3 Applications
B1
Humility is important. As Christians in marriage, we do not demand
our rights from our spouse. If this was understood better, there
would be far less arguments, maybe even none.
B2
Messiah Yeshua is the perfect example. Since He is this way, but
God’s grace we need to push ourselves to be this way.
B3
Abuse is evil.
B4
Demanding
submission
is
evil.
B5
We must love each and respect each other.
