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NASB | Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 5:33 However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear]. [1 Pet 3:2] |
Bible Question:
Must it be either/or, selfish or unselfish? What if we, the redeemed, are the "joy set before Him?" Didn't He have such a relentless passion for fellowship with us that He was willing to go through all that, not to gain power or position (which were already His *good point, Robert*), but to gain US? Wasn't He so wild about us that He, from a human perspective, threw away what could have been a long, happy life - submitted to torture and death so He could have US with Him forever in unbroken fellowship? Wasn't He really being absolutely selfish and absolutely self-sacrificing at the same time, for His own pleasure AND our benefit? Isn't this really the model He gives for husbands - total self sacrifice for the sake of the joy (and even pleasure) of exceeding excellence in intimate, lasting relationship? |
Bible Answer: I think that your analogy makes a lot of sense: "total self sacrifice for the sake of the joy (and even pleasure) of exceeding excellence in intimate, lasting relationship. ". But as far as the concept of Jesus having thrown away a long happy life (I disagree with the concept that he threw away that kind of life). The reason I disagree with that is because He existed in heaven before He came to earth. He was far superior and far happier as God than man. It would be like us becoming a snail and then settling for a long happy life as a snail. That doesn't make sense. But his love and his passion for us caused Him to became a man and then submit to torture and death to salvage us ... now that is a good analogy for the husbands passion for his wife. And I believe that each and every woman who has a husband (christian or not) could benefit greatly if she gave the due respect, fear, and reverence whether she thought her husband deserved it or not. Because man is made in the image of God man has this natural sort of protective, loving, and sacrificial feeling toward his wife. But man also has a sense of justice. And the balance is upset when the wife usurps the mans authority. When this happens the man immediately enters into judgment mode to keep the wife in the place where she belongs. I think your analogy is borne out by: Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." |