Ephesians 5:28

“Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself”

“Even so”: This is another aspect of what being the "head" is all about. When. look back on verses 26-27,. find. love that is pure and refining. Various authors make some excellent points concerning what headship involves in those verses: “The church's head is the church's bridegroom. He does not crush the church. Rather He sacrificed Himself to serve her, in order that she might become everything He longs for her to be. Just so. husband should never use His headship to crush or stifle His wife, or frustrate her from being herself. His love for her will lead Him to an exactly opposite path. He will give himself for her, in order that she may develop her full potential under God” (Stott p. 229). “The husbands love for his wife ought to have. purifying quality. He should never ask anything of her that would degrade or harm her person. He helps her to maintain. clean and healthy mind. Any love which drags. person down is. phony love. Any love which coarsens instead of refining. person's character is. poor display of affection. True love will always bless, beautify, and enrich the spirit of another” (Spiritual Sword Lectureship pp. 204-205). In practical terms this all means that being the "head" means providing spiritual leadership, and helping my wife become. better Christian. Making sure that my wife has time to learn and grow. Creating. heathy home environment in which such growth can take place. This demands that being the "head" means that you need to be spiritually strong yourself. As the husband, you cannot afford to be inconsistent and unfaithful. Herein lies. warning to the single ladies. When you are dating. man and you find yourself getting spiritually weaker as the result of that relationship that should be. warning sign to back out of the relationship, and an especially. clear indication that you should not marry them.

“Ought”: Marrying. woman automatically places upon one. great moral obligation. Do not marry, until you are prepared to love your mate as follows. Note: That the word "ought" means to "owe". When you marry. woman, you "owe" her the following. “As their own bodies”: “As if they were their own bodies” (TCNT). “To love does not mean to admire and adore, but to care about its needs. Just as. man naturally pays attention to the needs of his body, so should he pay attention to the needs of his wife” (Boles p. 317). “But we all know from everyday experience how we love ourselves. Hence the practical usefulness of the golden rule (Matthew 7:12) that we should treat others as we would ourselves like to be treated. For we know this instinctively. It is after all the way we treat ourselves” (Stott pp. 229-230). “He that loveth his own wife loveth himself”: “Is really loving himself” (TCNT). Hence. man is without excuse for not loving his wife properly, for every man already knows basically how to express love.

What this means is that one gives people that same allowances that one rightfully give oneself. Loving ones wife means that you place her "needs" as. high priority. This verse offers. very insightful view into human relationships, by treating others right, you are ensuring your own well-being and happiness.