Eph 5:22-6:9 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Eph 5:22-33: 5:22-33 Christian wives are to submit to their husbands , showing them respect. Equally important, Christian husbands are to love their wives (see Col 3:18-19 ). Christian marriages become a reflection of the union and relationship between the Lord and the church. 5:22 Submission is part of the life to which the wives’ Christian commitment calls them (see 1 Cor 11:3-10 ; 14:34-35 ; Col 3:18 ; 1 Tim 2:11-12 ; Titus 2:5 ; 1 Pet 3:1-6 ).

Summary for Eph 5:22-33: 5:22-33 ^a Christian wives are to submit to their husbands, showing them respect. Equally important, Christian husbands are to love their wives (see Col 3:18-19 ^b). Christian marriages become a reflection of the union and relationship between the Lord and the church. 5:22 ^c Submission is part of the life to which the wives’ Christian commitment calls them (see 1 Cor 11:3-10 ^d; 14:34-35 ^e; Col 3:18 ^f; 1 Tim 2:11-12 ^g; Titus 2:5 ^h; 1 Pet 3:1-6 ⁱ).
Summary for Eph 5:23-24: 5:23-24 ^j a husband is the head of his wife: To be the head is to have authority (see 1 Cor 11:3 ^k).

• Christ is the head of the church: See Eph 1:22 ^l; 4:15 ^m; Col 1:18 ⁿ; 2:10 ^o, 19 ^p.
Summary for Eph 5:25-33: 5:25-33 ^q Christian husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the church—that is, sacrificially, for Christ gave up his life for her (5:2 ^r; cp. Col 3:19 ^s; 1 Pet 3:7 ^t).
5:26 ^u washed by the cleansing of God’s word: The church has been cleansed by the message of good news. God has forgiven the sins of his people through Christ’s sacrificial death (John 15:3 ^v; cp. Titus 3:5 ^w; 1 Pet 3:21 ^x).
5:27 ^y a glorious church without a ... blemish: The church’s sins have been forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice, and her life is purified by the Holy Spirit. As a result, the church stands holy and without fault before God. Cp. 1:4 ^z; 2 Cor 11:2 ^aa; Col 1:22 ^ab; Rev 19:7-8 ^ac; 21:2 ^ad.
Summary for Eph 5:28-29: 5:28-29 ^ae Husbands should prize and cherish their wives, for in marriage the two have become one (see 5:31 ^af).
5:31 ^ag The unity of husband and wife should motivate the husband to care for his wife.
5:32 ^ah it is an illustration: Both the unity of husband and wife and the unity of Christ and the church are a great mystery (see study note on 1:8-10).
5:33 ^ai Paul summarizes his teaching on the relationship between husbands and wives (5:22-33 ^aj). Christian marriages should be marked by love and respect.

‏ Ephesians 6:1-9

Summary for Eph 6:1-4: 6:1-4 ^ak The relationship between parents and children is to be a reflection of their devotion to the Lord. Christian children are to obey their parents, and Christian parents are to discipline their children gently (see Col 3:20-21 ^al).
Summary for Eph 6:2-3: 6:2-3 ^am Children who honor and respect their parents also honor and respect God himself, and blessings follow.
6:4 ^an Fathers can often provoke their children to anger by being harsh or unjust (see Col 3:21 ^ao). Parents should give their children the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord (or the discipline and instruction about the Lord) so that they will learn a way of living that is good and pleases God. Such discipline is not to be excessive, but loving and gentle, so that children are not turned from the Lord but are drawn to him (cp. Heb 12:5-11 ^ap).
Summary for Eph 6:5-9: 6:5-9 ^aq The relationship between slaves and masters (and, by analogy, between employees and employers) is to be shaped by their commitment to the Lord and their desire to build one another up in Christ. Christian slaves are to obey their masters, and Christian masters are to treat their slaves kindly (see Col 3:22–4:1 ^ar).

• Paul was not promoting slavery but teaching Christians how to live in it as a fact of life in that culture (for Paul’s treatment of slavery, see Philemon Book Introduction, “Meaning and Message”). 6:5 ^as Obedient service to earthly masters expresses a Christian slave’s service to Christ (see Col 3:22-23 ^at; 1 Tim 6:1-2 ^au; Titus 2:9-10 ^av; 1 Pet 2:18-23 ^aw).
Summary for Eph 6:6-7: 6:6-7 ^ax As slaves of Christ: As those who have been bought by the blood of Christ, believers no longer belong to themselves (see 1 Cor 6:19-20 ^ay; 7:22 ^az; cp. Rom 1:1 ^ba; Gal 1:10 ^bb; Phil 1:1 ^bc). For Christian slaves, the will of God is that they honor him by serving their human masters faithfully and with enthusiasm.
6:8 ^bd The master of all believers is the Lord, and he will reward those who are faithful (see 1 Cor 3:12-15 ^be).
6:9 ^bf in the same way: That is, with integrity and concern for their welfare (see Col 4:1 ^bg).

• Don’t threaten them: Christian masters, too, will be held accountable by the same Master in heaven for their lives on earth. Pleasing him requires treating their slaves humanely and kindly.

• he has no favorites: God judges all people by the same standard (see Deut 10:17 ^bh; Acts 10:34 ^bi; Rom 2:11 ^bj; Col 3:25 ^bk).