August 25: Taken Out of Context

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

If you want to start an argument, try telling your wife that St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians says she should agree with everything you say. I’m sure that many people have taken out of context the line about wives being submissive to their husbands. In fact, the first sentence says they both should be subordinate to one another. (Eph 5:21) And even more important is the last verse: Paul says he is actually talking about Christ and the Church.

So what does Christ show us guys about being subordinate to our wives? Paul mentions the main example: Christ handing himself over for her (the Church) refers to his death on the cross. “Handed over” is a scriptural term for Jesus’ giving himself to be crucified. He made it even clearer for them the night before he died: He washed the feet of his disciples and told them to do the same for each other. (Jn 13:14-15) If you ever had your feet washed on Holy Thursday by the pastor, and were humbled by that experience, imagine how it would feel to have the Son of God wash your feet!

Still not sure that subordination is a mutual quality in marriage? Paul explains that marriage is the best example of “love your neighbor as yourself.” He quotes Genesis 2:24 about two people becoming one body. So your love for yourself now becomes love for your spouse. Do I love my wife so much that what she needs is as important to me as what I need? Are we willing to listen to each other and support each other? Do we encourage and support each other in our chores and weaknesses? Do we support each other’s faith? Ladies, ask yourselves the same questions.

Paul’s conclusion is that marriage is a sign of what the church should be. If you ever want to know what the love of Christ for his Church is, look at how a couple in a strong marriage love each other. And if you want to have a good marriage, love each other as Christ loves you.

Tom Schmidt