Ephesians 5:24

ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὑποτάσσεται τῷ Χριστῷ, οὕτως καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ἐν παντί : nevertheless as the Church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be subject to their husbands in everything. For ἀλλʼ the best editors give ἀλλά. For the ὥσπερ of the TR, supported by [624] 3 [625] [626] and most cursives, read (with LTTrWHRV) ὡς, which is found in [627] [628] [629] * [630] [631], 17, 67 2, etc. But B omits it. The ἰδίοις inserted by TR (after [632] [633] 3 [634] [635] [636] and various Versions, etc.) before ἀνδράσιν is wanting in [637] [638] [639] * [640], 17, 67 2, etc., and should be deleted. It has crept in probably from Ephesians 5:22. The question here is as to the force of the ἀλλά. Some suppose a suppressed negation before it, e.g., “be not disobedient,” “do not disallow the marital headship, but,” etc. (Eadie). Others give it a resumptive force (Harl., etc.). But the supposed digression, which can only be the brief clause αὐτὸς σωτὴρ τοῦ σώματος, requires no such resumption. Others give it a certain syllogistic force, understanding it to introduce a proof of the preceding statement, presenting the relation in a new light, or an inference from the statement (De Wette, Olsh.); but ἀλλά does not draw conclusions like οὖν, nor is it = ὥστε, although it may introduce a minor proposition; cf. Win.-Moult., p. 291; Hartung, Partikl., ii., p. 384. Others make it = “ but then, which is the main thing,” etc., supposing Ephesians 5:24 to give a second proof of the fact that wives should be obedient to their husbands as to the Lord a proof drawn from the position held by Christ and by the husband, viz., that of being head (Win.-Moult., p. 565). This, however, would be expressed rather by δέ than by ἀλλά, the former being the particle that in opposing also continues and connects, adding something distinct from what has preceded, while the latter has the full opposing significance, disannulling or discounting something mentioned before (Win.-Moult., p. 551). The ἀλλά, therefore, must have its full adversative force, and is best rendered “nevertheless,” “for all that”. The twenty-fourth verse thus looks to the peculiarity mentioned as belonging to Christ's headship in distinction from the husband's, viz., the fact that He is not only Head, but Saviour. And the idea becomes this “Christ indeed is Saviour of the body, and that the husband is not; nevertheless the question of obedience is not affected thereby; for all that, as the Church is subject to Christ, so too are wives to be subject to their husbands” (so subst. Calv., Beng., Mey., Ell., Alf., etc.). In the οὕτως clause ὑποτασσέσθωσαν, “ let the wives be subject,” as in RV text and according to most commentators, or better, ὑποτάσσονται, “so are the wives also” (as in RV marg.), is to be supplied from the preceding ὑποτάσσεται. The ἐν παντί naturally means in everything pertaining to the marriage-relation.

[624] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[625] Codex Mosquensis (sæc. ix.), edited by Matthæi in 1782.

[626] Codex Angelicus (sæc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[627] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[628] Codex Alexandrinus (sæc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

[629] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[630] Codex Boernerianus (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Dresden, edited by Matthæi in 1791. Written by an Irish scribe, it once formed part of the same volume as Codex Sangallensis (δ) of the Gospels. The Latin text, g, is based on the O.L. translation.

[631] Codex Porphyrianus (sæc. ix.), at St. Petersburg, collated by Tischendorf. Its text is deficient for chap. Ephesians 2:13-16.

[632] Codex Alexandrinus (sæc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

[633] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[634] Codex Mosquensis (sæc. ix.), edited by Matthæi in 1782.

[635] Codex Angelicus (sæc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[636] Codex Porphyrianus (sæc. ix.), at St. Petersburg, collated by Tischendorf. Its text is deficient for chap. Ephesians 2:13-16.

[637] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[638] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[639] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[640] Codex Boernerianus (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Dresden, edited by Matthæi in 1791. Written by an Irish scribe, it once formed part of the same volume as Codex Sangallensis (δ) of the Gospels. The Latin text, g, is based on the O.L. translation.