Husband and wife relationship
Ephesians 5:30-33 · Bob Eckel · Nov 18, 2018
Ephesians (2018-19), No. 43
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4926191258167

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Let's begin reading 522 down to the end of the chapter. Who'd like to read, please? 522, Ephesians. You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head of his body, the Church. He gave his life to be her Savior. As the Church submits to Christ, so you wives will submit to your husbands in everything. And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church, to give up his life for her, to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism in God's word.

He did this to present her to himself. or wrinkle, or any blemish. Instead, she would... ...the same way. Husbands possibly love their wives as they love their bodies, and it's actually loving himself more than loving his wife. No one hates their own body, but loving who cares for it, versus Christ caring for his body, which is the church.

We are his body, as the scriptures say, and he is his father, another, his children, his wife, and the two great men. This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the Church are formed. So again I say, each man must love his wife because he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Let's begin with verse 30, the Roger assignment here for yours truly. For we're members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. The tense here is present indicative. That means it's a fact and now, which is good. We're members of his body, and of his flesh, and of his bones.

So the membership relates to our citizenship. So I just pulled one verse that relates to members. First Corinthians 12, 27. Now you're the body of Christ and members individually. So the membership here is of his body, right? We're all members of the body of Christ. But what's this of his flesh and of his bones all about? Yeah, Bob, I just noticed that those last two parts don't show up in all the translations. Well, you're reading ahead. I'm going there. Roger, you want to teach a class? Does anybody want to teach this class today?

All right, the words of His Flesh and of His Bones are a rejected reading by Nestle and also by Westcott and Hall. And then you can read this. These words are in the Textus Receptus authorized version. Anyway, it just says, by the way, these aren't there in some versions.

All right? I kind of like them there, actually. I'm not sure what the Lord had in mind here in terms of the confusion, but I like them. And the reason I like them is could this relate to the identification? Could this relate to our being crucified with Christ?

And I think it does, because it says in Romans 6.3.4, Do you not know that as many of us were baptized unto Christ Jesus into his death, were buried with him by flesh and bones, buried with him unto his death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. I like the identification here. So whether it's there or not, I think flesh and bones relates to our co-crucifixion. How many believers really even understand that we've been co-crucified?

So I think the flesh and bones is our fleshly identification with not only were our sins forgiven, but I've been crucified with Christ. Flesh and bones. If you want, discard it, if you want. I like it and I'm going to leave it. It's in the King James Version, the new King James too, the updated King James. It makes it right. I'm going to be Jay Vernon McGee here for a second. And in context, how about man and wife?

And so you go on to look at Genesis 2.23 and Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. Like it or not, ladies, this is scripture. So this flesh and bones I think ties to a very early passage.

And it's kind of interesting because the next verse is Genesis 2.24. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. So flesh and bones, again, leaving it I think is perfectly fine in terms of what it means in context. Scripture regards this tie as more important than any other one, including that of parent and child.

Hmm. That's maybe someone else's opinion, but I think it's probably true. Polygamy, adultery, divorce have no place here. Do you know that your bodies are members of Christ and shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not. Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For the two, he says, shall become one flesh. So I think marriage is pretty sacred. And I think ultimately that sacred nature of marriage says a lot about what happens going forward.

Paul brings us now to Genesis 2.24.

Shall leave, meaning the transition from bone and flesh now into Genesis 2.23 in terms of what scripture says about that in Genesis. My bad.

But Paul brings us to Genesis 2.24.

We're going to drill down on this verse. Shall leave means to leave behind. Not only leaving. And it's future active indicative. That means You leave and depart, and being joined is in the Greek, glue-like. We're talking about a bond here that's pretty inseparable. Notice that that's passive.

Why are the tenses different here? God graces the completing perfection. What about the active tense for shall leave behind? For this reason, a man shall leave behind, right? So, interpret that for me. Who's doing the work here? Yeah, the man is. Get the heck out of there, right? Go on your own way. Leave behind your father and your mother. And be joined to the wife. And that join is passive. Why is that passive? Tom, you kind of alluded to it. Say it again.

Who's doing the work here in marriage? The adjoinment of a guy who leaves his parents to the woman, in fact, that bond is done by the Lord. We're going to get into what the current view of all this is in a second. It's interesting that the world thinks, well, man and woman marrying, that's something that the world views as, well, we'll get together and just do this thing. Totally left God out of the picture. Correct. God says, this is my institution, marriage. Well, marriage is out of stock right now, isn't it too?

So, we've kind of dealt with this, why don't we make it the verb tenses. I think it's very important. Active is a role of a man leaving his parents and ultimately the joining with a wife is ultimately of the Lord. And that's kind of a permanent deal. We know divorce occurs. Divorce occurs for scriptural reasons, so I'm not going to go down that path. But, you know, the idea of marriage being a sacred event is important. One flesh in marriage.

Are you kidding me? What's the World System's view of this? And how about the body of Christ? We know of examples where children of believers who are also saved are living together before they get married. Now is that marriage before God? You know, marriage?

And even though they're not married in terms of the legal terms of marriage today? Think out loud with me. What's going on around here these days? Well in Colorado you only have to be together seven months if you're considered married. Are we being over legal then to say that two people living together are living in a holy manner, scripturally married? I guess they could be. They could be.

Other thoughts here? Are we being too legal here in terms of what marriage is all about? people living together have a scriptural view of marriage. Not many, right? We got a quiet group here today. Is that because the topic is so controversial? Is that what we're dealing with here? Look at this group. Nobody has an opinion about this?

Yeah, it does. It would seem like it's saying that if a man is joined to a woman, they're married. Joined what way? Well, spiritually, living together, dwelling together, sexual, whatever. So they have a physical relationship and they're living together. Well, in a sense, what's the difference between that and a harlot? I mean, here's a man and a woman. They're joining together. They're one flesh, right? Yeah.

So if she's a harlot, that's different than if she's your girlfriend. So that would seem to say, you know, that living together doesn't make you married. What does living together in the age in which we live, what does that mean? We mentioned one of your friends from Shreveport last night. He wanted to get married but she was reluctant to but yet they are living together and have children. Don't you think the bond of the marriage is also an outward sign to other believers that you are making that commitment not only in the world but spiritually to that person? From the believer, I think that's true. What's the world's view of this?

That's just old-fashioned scripture for irrelevant, right? I mean... Well, people don't want to make a commitment. I mean, that's the thing. Well, and they're not basing this on God. No. They're basing it on their own self. It's all self-directed, isn't it? Right.

And what about the believer? He or she, or maybe only one's a believer, the other one's not, or maybe they're both believers and they're living together. I mean, that happens, by the way. I mean, we have examples of that. What's that all about? that's about I think living in the world the world system is pretty powerful and and I think a lot of young people today and I've even heard people say well if you don't want to have children if you don't plan on having any children why get married I mean I've had people say that it's like don't you know you have no commitment to your spouse what was the verb tense of being joined together It has to be in the Lord.

It's passive, isn't it? That means somebody else is doing this. So scripturally, it's unacceptable. You know, the thing is we can be too legal at times, but I don't think this is being too legal here. Other thoughts? Didn't it say what God is doing to God? That's passive, isn't it?

He's joined together. A man actively leaves his parents, joined to a woman, and they're now one in the flesh, which is both spiritually and because of the cross, and sexually. One flesh. Anyway, I'm not going to go too far into all our own experiences here because we know that The purpose of marriage was to bring glory to the Father, right? And it's all of Him in terms of that relationship. Again, divorce occurs for reasons, and we're not going to go there. But anyway, Scripture is pretty clear here. One flesh is ultimately passively accomplished by the Lord Himself.

And Christ himself said something about this in Matthew 19.6. So then they are no longer two but one flesh therefore what God has joined together let no man separate. Our Lord Jesus Christ had something to say about marriage. And the promise for the union of the body of Christ still awaits us. Remember the church is the bride of Christ, right?

Revelation 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his wife has made herself ready. So the wife in the current age in which we live, the woman who leaves her parents to be joined to a man ultimately has made herself ready to be joined in the flesh and spiritually as one.

When does this occur? Once the marriage supper of the Lamb. Some people actually, commentators, think that it's after the New Jerusalem. Don't think so. This is really when the church is raptured, right? And how are we making ourselves ready? By living with Lamb? Never mind. I'm not going to beat that one down any further. Any other thoughts about this whole issue right now?

Alright, and this is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. So, this is kind of interesting. In the Catholic Church, they look at this as a sacrament. And so, sacramentum magnum est. This sacrament is great. This is a quotation from Clark. It's in the Vulgate.

And on the evidence of this version of the Church of Rome has made matrimony a sacrament, which as they use it is no meaning of the original. So what's the mystery here? Thus, wrong interpretation. It's not marriage that's the mystery, it's Christ and the Church, right? There's no mystery about marriage scripturally. It's the mystery of Christ and the Church. The Catholic Church missed this entirely.

It's one of the seven sacraments. And I can't review the other six because I don't know them all. But Mike Doyle probably could. So what's a mystery and why is this a great one? What's a mystery, scripturally? that hadn't been revealed. You're looking at the handouts. That's okay. It's perfectly fine. Remember, Roger, no handouts before until after this. Okay, so mystery is a truth previously hidden that's now made apparent. Here it's Christ and the Church. It's not marriage that's the mystery.

Typically, beyond man's understanding, I pulled a verse here that I thought was kind of relevant to this, Romans 11.25. For I do desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come." Now this is a different topic. But the reason things are kept a mystery until it's revealed by God is that, you know, we have our own opinions.

And these mysteries that are revealed in the New Testament were things that ultimately people would opine differently than what scripture has to say. And the Catholic Church is a perfect example of this in terms of marriage versus the body of Christ and the Church. Greatness here relates to magnitude and its far-reaching implications. So what's the magnitude of this Christ and the Church scenario, this mystery? to the people around that when you see a man or woman in Christ as a married couple that should draw people toward Christ when they see the example of their lives lived that way.

You're better than Constable, Tom. Maybe you should be quoted to some of these things scripturally. So Constable, I pulled this out. This is one thing the elders have shared with us, teachers. Thank you, Roger. So Constable says one of the purposes of marriage is to model Jesus Christ's relationship with the church.

He leads, he loves, he serves the church. And the church reverently submits and is subject to him. When husbands and wives fulfill these responsibilities to one another, their marriage models the relationship between Christ and His Church. So a marriage that's firm, that's uplifting, brings glory to God, and really represents the relationship between Christ and the Church. Well, that's also what sets marriage at such a high level. We tend to, because of the world system, we set it at a low level. Well, they're just getting married. Well, in God's eyes, that's a game-changer. I mean, that's, you know, potentially.

It's just what a consular issue, that's mulling Christ and the Church, which is a incredible company of believers. And think of marriages that you look at and you say gee what a great union that is and that really does bring glory to what God has marriage to be all about.

We see a lot of failure these days don't we? What's the divorce rate in the church? It's really not all that different than what it is in the world. But keep in mind, where the pendulum's gone in the world system, let's not risk marriage, let's just live together for a while and see if it works out, right? I mean, that's the worldview.

But I'm saying that to some extent in the church, but even the marriages in the church fall short. Why do they fall short, do you think, in the church even? When we're looking at this, as Constable said, and as Thomas said so nicely, as evidence of the relationship between Christ and the church. Why is this failing in the body? Why do you think? Is it just bad decision?

No, I think in many cases the Lord is not in their marriages. Even people who say they're in the church, I think they don't have a relationship with the Lord. Many people. Other thoughts? What about sound theology? What's sound theology? I alluded to this a little bit before.

Well, why are we here at Holly Hills? Not because we have a corner on the truth, it's because we believe that the truth is principle of grace entirely, don't we? So, yeah, much of the world believes their sins have been forgiven, but how about being co-crucified with Christ, buried with him in baptism unto death, and risen with him in newness of life?

That's what makes marriage go. I mean, you know, I think I think the Lord brought Margaret into my life for a lot of reasons, which are very simplistic and on a day-to-day basis, but the idea that we share this theology and when we fall short one or the other, we know the source of that falling short.

It's old man stuff that showed up. The old man is still there. I mean, despite all we think in terms of our growth in grace, that grace shows us that there's still another nature there. And so we're very forgiving for one another. We get back, we move forward. I'm thankful for that. It's been great. Thank you for putting up with me.

But anyway, I think marriage really represents sound scripture. And that scripture is just not that I'm saved and my sins were forgiven, but I've been crucified. and I've been risen with him in newness of life and when we fall short of that there's a lot of forgiveness on the other side that relates to that. I'm not pointing to our marriage, I'm just saying that I think sound doctrine has a lot to do with a marriage that brings glory to God and the Christ and his church relationship.

Nevertheless, let each one of you notice there's some responsibilities here from both of us. In particular, so love his own wife as himself and let the wife see that she respects her husband. We're going to spend the rest of the time on this verse and I think it's going to take it because this is really really critical and I think there's profound application that relates to this verse. Nevertheless, each one of you, severally, is a term I didn't know, but several commentators use, including Macaulay and Constable, actually, so I turned to the, what, severally, that means together. I mean, it's kind of a bond relationship. Like y'all? Y'all? Margaret, y'all? Each one of you, y'all. Don't go there, please. I don't want to hear any more of this y'all stuff.

Peter, you've lived there. That's why Peter came back home. Notice he said new living version. Translation by Peter Eccles. Alright, present active imperative. Do it. It's our responsibility. Severally, both of us. We've got responsibilities here. What stands out to me here is love of the husband. versus respect or reverence of the wife.

So she doesn't have to love her husband. Love is agape, which of course we know is unequivocal under all circumstances. She can do whatever she wants. We have this responsibility of loving her no matter what. She doesn't have that responsibility according to this verse. Respect is phobia, which is kind of interesting because phobia is rooted in fear. Margaret, you're not fearing me much, are you? No way. Listen to this. That's that independent spirit. For us guys, loving ourselves is no problem. We all love ourselves. Us men love ourselves, don't we? Well, just ask our wives. All that aside, just ask her, we are pretty much self-centered there Bob, get on with it.

But what is this respect or reverence that's needed from her? What's that all about? If she sees Christ in this house, in her life, then that just synergizes the whole thing. Tom, do you want to be an elder here? You want to teach this actually? I had to see it from the outside in as my mom and dad's guardian and conservator. It's stuff you pick up as you go along. They had a godly marriage and that meant a lot to me.

And notice the verse, at least some version says, see that. That means kind of this present act of imperative. By the way, see that, that you both get involved here. Most often translated as fear, this phobia term, and by the way, multiple scriptures use it in that sense. But here it's veneration, which kind of means a high-end level of respect or reverential obedience or awe.

Now, back to what Tom said, why would a woman awe for her husband? Because I think there's a spiritual metric that shows up there. And I think women have the opportunity always to move forward and take control. And that's not scriptural. You go back to the garden. I mean, was Adam's irresponsibility over Eve that allowed Eve to kind of give in to Satan? I mean, the idea that there's a responsibility of both. She respects her husband. He has a responsibility. When he falls short, she's going to move forward. And we see that a lot today, don't we? Let's keep going with that theme.

Colossians 3.22.

Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service. as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God." That's the kind of reverence or awe that she should have for him, as fearing God. It's that same Greek term, fearing, but here it relates to sincerity of the heart. It's not a shaking in fear, it's a different interpretation of that Greek verb that has a totally different meaning than kind of trembling in fear or being afraid.

Do you agree with Constable here? I'm going to ask the class. I'm not sure I'm totally on his page here, but let's see what you all think of this. Respecting means voluntarily lifting up another person for special consideration, which I meant her respect for her husband. For special consideration, treatment, and obedience. It involves having consideration for his responsibilities and needs, praying for him, Words of encouragement that have a positive focus and build him up, show respect for a husband as does doing things that please him.

That all sounds pretty good. Probably most men have a poor self-image. A man must have the respect of his wife to feel successful as a man. Roger's gone like this. Is that a good fit? Do you think so? That's where I disagree. I think most men think a lot of themselves. I don't agree with that. This is good. This is what I like. have a good feeling about what they do, their job, their career. That's where their self-confidence is.

I don't relate to that, do I? We should talk privately here. That's why when men retire and their whole self-worth is built in their careers, they have a really hard time after they retire because all of a sudden they are not that important person that they were seen as and now they're just the husband or the father or the friend or whatever and I think it is a poor self-image of who they really are in Christ they don't realize who they are in Christ because they're so wrapped up in their career that's where their self-worth is I mean boy you see that all the time these men who have, once they retire, they feel like they have no self worth. Maybe I should keep working?

Is that what you're saying? No, because I don't think you're that kind. You do understand who you are in Christ. But, you know, the Lord's allowed me a career that I've been very happy with in terms of not my accomplishments, but just loving going to work and doing what I do. There's no question about that. Other thoughts about what Constable said here? Man's self-image good? Uplifting? What do you think? I think a lot of it is man's in the world primarily and he puts the other portion of it off. And that's how he gets to thinking that he's not important.

But you know in the world of medicine I'll just mention that over 50% of our medical students are women now. The doctors of the future are going to be more women than men. So they're entering into, quote, historically man's space. I'm not saying that's good or bad. I'm just saying it's a reality. Yes, Tom.

I'm truly surprised that it took this long for that to happen because I remember going from near infancy all the way into pre-teen that mom and dad decided to have a doctor on the male side and a doctor on the female side. Well, they had a married couple and they worked together reinforcing each other, helping each other out as doctors together and a married couple together. It turned out to be a very synergistic, helpful well done relationship in practice. That proved to be an example of meaning. It's possible, it can happen, even though it doesn't have to happen.

So back to verse 33, what's this reverence all about then? What's a woman looking for in a man in a happy marriage that brings glory to God? Does she not love him? I mean, according to scripture, there's no command for a woman to love her husband. But she will love her husband when he's doing what he needs to do in a godly way. Then she will love him because I think most women have a desire innately to be not only loved but also provided for. What about the marriage vow? Is that not love based? Sure. Is it wrong? No. I think that the love where you're wanting the best, you're thinking of what's for the other one involves the respect and the honor and knowing what he needs.

Do you think most women at the altar when they give their vows understand this? What I'm pointing out is that I think we've lost what scripture says about marriage. And part of it for the body of Christ is a lack of sound theology. There's got to be a lot of forgiveness, I mean, for better or for worse. That kind of implies that. But until that's experienced, I'm not sure a woman knows what she's getting into. I'm not sure the man understands his responsibilities either from leaving his parents. Now today, leaving his parents, he's already been out of the house for years.

What's the average age of marriage nowadays? Is it 33 or something like that? I mean, the rule of the land when we got married, Roger, I mean, the people who are in our age range, Dave, I mean, you got married kind of out of high school if you weren't going to go to college or out of college. I mean, that was common. Getting married at 21 or 20 or 19 was the way things happened. Today, it's the living together scenario. and getting married in your 30s. Also back then people were getting married because they were expecting to have a family. And these days the birth rate is so low And by the way, it's not just in the United States, it's around the world. It's globally. Europe, less than two children, by far now, less than two children per couple. Right. So that was the whole thing.

We got married because there's a reason why the Lord gave young people children. Because if you're having a child at age 40 or 45, which people are doing, It's difficult. When I talk to the infertility people at the university, I kind of relate to one scientifically. There's a little project I'm involved with, with one of the guys in OBGYN. A lot of the IVFs is occurring in women in their mid-40s actually today. In vitro fertilization we're talking about, creating live births. is really occurring much later. I mean, in fact, Alex even told me that he's had women in their early fifties who are interested in carrying a pregnancy.

So it's pretty difficult. You know, it's hard enough when you're a grandparent to run around with these little kids, but I can't even fathom It's good that God has purposed children for women to be able to conceive. Most young women are going to be able to conceive, but they're not considered women. They're called girls at 14, right?

The first menstrual cycle of the average age is now 10 and a half. because of obesity. That's weight related. So fatness has a lot to do with when reproductive axes start to begin. So ten and a half or eleven, having a baby at twelve or thirteen, that was probably true in biblical times, wasn't it? These young girls are now capable reproductively.

Today we're delaying that by two and three decades. Anyway, let's move on. But as husbands we must deserve this respect. So I think I shared the analogy of the garden in terms of Adam kind of letting Eve down. Eve kind of steps forward and makes the decision here. I mean I think historically, what was the penalty for that behavior of Adam and Eve in the garden? Pain and childbirth. Pain and childbirth for the woman and actually needing to be in this more respectful position of her husband.

I mean that's carried through scripturally. What was Adam's? It's got to work. Yeah, it's got to work. He had to sweat too, right? How many men are working sweatful jobs today? It's not probably a word, sweatful, but nevertheless. We're all kind of desk-bound. That's a different aspect of the world we live in too for men. I think it's a different kind of experience. My late father-in-law, my first wife's father, who came to the Lord very late in his life before he died.

Actually, he was a Kierkegaardian theologist. He spent a lot of time with Kierkegaard. That belief of faith Are we taking leaps of faith to come to the cross? No, we're looking at biblical records and believing the cross for everything it's worth. Anyway, let me go back. So he said something profound.

When a man sweats all day, he's spiritually tuned in. You may be physically tired, but you're spiritually alert. I think there's something about that. I think with us desk jobs, and I've got a desk job, I'm on the move, but I'm either in the clinic or at my desk or in meetings and stuff. You're mentally exhausted when you get home, but you're not physically exhausted. I think, again, Not overly interpreting that, but I think there's a lot of truth to that.

That respect only comes when we deserve it. What's needed from us men is identification. I think when I said before that I think in a sound marriage, and not because I represent this, but by God's grace it is what it is, just having your sins forgiven and being saved with a very shallow understanding. I've always pointed being saved, I was saved. I'm being saved and I will be saved. The first two, first and the last one are pretty easy in that my sins have been forgiven. I'm a saved man or woman.

And by the way, after I die, I'm going to be with the Lord. Isn't that wonderful? What about this constantly being saved that we're about? I think it deserves serious consideration of sound doctrine and that's being co-crucified and realize we got another life in us that by faith gets lived out.

Ephesians 5.22, the beginning that we read, the first verse you read, Why submit yourselves to the husbands that look at what the condition is, as to the Lord. Are we husbands the Lord like? But that's what causes the respect. when the husbands are Lord-like and trusting the Lord, then wives will respect their husbands.

But I think, as you pointed out, that's part of the problem and why women have stepped forward in many cases to run things. But on the other hand, then you have sections of society who take this women submit to your husbands as we're going to tell you that he's out there with a whip and submit yourselves to him. You look at a lot of other religions who use this and you know women are treated like slaves. Even in the foundational kind of hardcore forgive me Baptist tradition I mean the idea submission is really he's ruling over her in a king-like manner And she's a distant queen. So Peter, it reminds me of your mother. I remember after I got saved.

First of all, she came to the Lord before I did and I was skeptical, very skeptical. Here I am an academic guy doing science and how could this be true? And I saw a woman whose life changed over a year. And when I came to the Lord, she reminded me that maybe praying with the children, reading them a Bible story might be something I should think about doing. And you remember your mother well enough, she would have done that kind of gently and softly initially, but then over time, get your act together, right? So I started needing to assume that her taking care of the kids and putting them to bed and reading them Bible stories at the bedtime was kind of not her responsibility. So gradually I started waking up.

So anyway, in other words, only the Lord changes lives. And as people who come together every Sunday or when we have Bible study of really coming together in a fellowship around the Lord Jesus, that's really what we're called to do. So I think this Lord-like behavior of the husband has to be, I think, based on who we are in Christ Jesus. Because the old man's not capable or willing to take this on, really.

So Roger let me have you kind of review your teaching this segment of scripture because the first part of this you taught last week. Well actually I taught the last two weeks. The last two weeks. I know the tremendous verses in the back. We started in 22. Two weeks ago.

Well why submit yourself to your husband? There's a little triangle actually. That's how I kind of did that. I kind of built on that. Well, trying with the husband and husband wife down the bottom part of the Lord. Actually, it's interesting. We talked a lot about slaves, slaves, masters, but fellow believers. That was kind of the very first part of that is, is believers, submit yourselves one to another. And that's kind of a really cool part.

Very similar pattern. To a husband and wife, fellow believers are to submit ourselves to one another as as citizens. Same words. This phrase a little bit differently. But it's a previous verse. Twenty twenty one. That's all good. OK. Very clear. Christ. It's a very similar. Then we're going to go on to the children, the parents, and on to the slaves and masters.

Any other thoughts about Ephesians 5, particularly the terminal parts of the chapter that relate to the marriage relationship that we covered last week and today? Well, I think that was the closing stages of mom and dad's lives as married couples together there in a nursing home. Somehow it took a team effort to get dad to understand that mom needed a social life too, not just being there in the room all the time with him.

And so he did finally give her the freedom to interact with the ladies, fellow patients, fellow residents there as patients. And he had a big choice, didn't he? They didn't go on trips. It was kind of like they were in that place. to go out and do some things with the rest of the ladies, but it was kind of like, I'm going to miss you, I'd like to have you back, but you go ahead. I'm talking about the male-female balance in nursing homes, right? The men are out of here, basically. Nursing homes tend to want women to men, right?

So he had a lot of opportunities to meet some other ladies there, right? He kind of camped up there and then woke up to find a dead bike accident instead of his wife. But he kissed the nurse who thought it was his turn to go to Penrose Hospital to pass on from there. Colorado Springs. No, Canyon City. Oh, Canyon City, okay. Penrose, but I think Penrose Hospital.

Anyway, Margaret and I often tease about this. As you know, my visual impairments are kind of with me. I'm a daytime driver only. And Margaret's mother, we saw her. We loved having her. We saw her mental facilities kind of go down. If we ever go to the nursing home, she'll be able to see what's going on there.

But I won't. But she won't know who she's talking to. So as we age together, we kind of see our physical capabilities. Although she's thinking quite well. And she's part of a research study. And they tell her she's thinking quite well. and I've noticed she's thinking quite well about most things. Never mind about the things she doesn't know.

Anyway, any other thoughts on these passages that relate to marriage? Us men have a lot of responsibility to grow in grace and that working in the spirit of our lives brings Christ apparent to our wives and so we've got a lot of work to do. There's a rest that we have and that's where God's grace starts to perform in our lives to let that happen. So anyway, and you women Look to your husband and say the Lord has a responsibility of respect and reverence.

We'll close there. Roger, close us in prayer please. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for our time today, Lord. Thank you for the wonderful truths about your institution of marriage, Father. We pray that we would trust you for the relationships we have with our wives. In Christ's name, Amen.