Ephesians 5:27

ἵνα παραστήσῃ αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ. Cf. 2 Corinthians 11:2. Christ takes the part both of the Bridegroom and of the Bridegroom’s Friend. Cf. Ezekiel 16:10, of Jehovah and Israel. This clause carries on the thought both of ἁγ. and καθ. but with growing emphasis on the object and results of the cleansing. In Revelation 19:7 f. we have the Bride’s share in the preparation.

ἐνδοξον. In all her glory, Psalms 45:13; Isaiah 62:1-5 : see Additional Note on ὁ πατὴρ τῆς δόξης.

μὴ ἔχουσαν σπίλον ἢ ῥυτίδα ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων. σπίλον, any defilement. ῥυτίδα, a mark of age or decay; a vision of eternal youth. The New Birth is into a life in which corruption and death have no place, cf. Ephesians 6:24. The Church therefore when her transformation is complete will embody the characteristics of the ideal Bride, Song of Solomon 4:2.

ἀλλʼ ἵνα ᾗ ἁγία καὶ ἄμωμος. Cf. Ephesians 1:4. The fulfilment of the end marked out for us by the Father ‘before the foundation of the world’ in Christ is here seen to be realized as the result of His consecration of Himself on our behalf (John 17:19).