Ephesians 5:32

Ephesians 5:32. This mystery is great. On the word ‘mystery' comp. chap. Ephesians 3:9. Here it stands in emphatic position and refers to what was spoken of in Ephesians 5:31, namely, the relation of husband and wife constituting them one flesh. A secondary application to the union of Christ and His Church is implied, and more fully stated in the next clause. Those who refer the whole of Ephesians 5:31, or its last clause, exclusively to the latter relation must do so here also. But what follows seems unnecessary in that case. Others refer ‘this mystery' to both relations, in their parallelism, as copy and pattern. To explain ‘mystery' as implying an allegorical interpretation is as inadmissible as to render it ‘sacrament' (so the Vulgate) and base a dogma upon the error.

But I. ‘I' is emphatic, and points to the use he personally makes of the mystery.

Say it in regard to Christ and the church. The mystery of the conjugal relation is great, but in the relation of Christ and His Church is found the archetype and prototype of the relation of husband and wife.