Commands for Wives | Ephesians Study

Ephesians 5:22

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

The parallel passage is Colossians 3:18, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord." As these passages indicate, a woman must first be submitted to Christ before she can submit to her husband. Until a woman accepts that man is her head (1 Corinthians 11:3, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.")  and submits herself to God's ordinance, she will be unable to submit.

There is no exceptions in submitting. In fact, 1 Peter 3:1-2 seems to cover the ground of a godly woman to an ungodly man, "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection 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; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear." The woman has a powerful influence over her husband (Jezebel over Ahab, Sarah over Abraham). By her chaste (proper, clean, innocent, modest) behavior (note: this doesn't sound like Jezebel!), she can influence her husband towards the Word of God. This applies to unbelieving husbands as well as believing husbands who may not be following God's Word. There is no persuasion mentioned here, no nagging; but simple conversation (behavior) - the way she lives her life.

Ephesians 5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Here is a further explanation of why the wife should submit: her husband is her head. He is placed over her as protector and provider. Think of all that Christ does for the church; this is what the husband is to be to his wife and she must reverence him as such.

Ephesians 5:24

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

For a Bible-operating church, there is no question as to who leads: Christ is the leader. With this concept, the wives should have no question as to who is their head. In every thing, they are to submit to their husbands.