The Conclusion

It seems like we've been working our way through this passage on marriage from Ephesians 5 for a long time. But now, we have finally come to the conclusion. Paul gives one last exhortation to both the husband and the wife in Ephesians 5:33. He writes, "Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." We've repeatedly talked about the husband's mandate to love his wife, so this is old ground. But here Paul uses a different model. Now he tells a husband to love his wife just as he loves himself. We've covered that. But the second half of the verse is addressed to wives. Paul begins and ends with the wife. First she was to submit to her own husband, now she is to respect him.

But before we talk directly to wives, we need to know that respect, like love, is commanded of everyone. It is a universal requirement of Scripture. We all want to be respected. Men especially are obsessed by it. Yet, we rarely consider our own requirement to respect others. But we are all commanded to give honor and respect. We are required to honor and respect our parents in Leviticus 19:3; to honor and respect the elderly in Leviticus 19:32; to respect government in Romans 13:1-7, to honor and respect church leaders in Hebrews 13:7 and 17; and, yes, to respect God in Malachi 1:6. So it should not be surprising that husbands and wives are required to respect each other.

We looked at the husband's requirement in 1st Peter 3:7. It says, "Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers not be hindered." So, as you can see, giving honor and respect is something we are commanded to do for everyone. As a matter of fact, 1st Peter 2:17 says, "Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." The New International Version translates that first phrase as, "show proper respect to everyone." That's the command to each of us. But here, Paul singles out the wife and specifically commands her to respect her husband.