Lesson 82 November 9, 2003

Analogy of Marriage Diagram

Relate this diagram to the Husband - wife analogy.

#1 As head.

Head ship is not domination

What headship does mean is that when it comes down to in the final analysis, as head of the home your responsible to God for the decisions made and the thrust in that home.

And on her part she must relate to that decision, not by obedience, but by submission which results in obedience.

#2 Christ to Church as Savior; Husband to wife as provider

- this is provision of all types of needs;

- physical, emotional, intellectual; all types.

Your wife also has a mind and she should develop her capacity in this area. The more complete an etzer she is, it enhances the relationship and therefore the family unit.

If she is to help, to assist him, there is to be common goals and objectives, she does not just marry a man she marries everything he does, his destiny becomes hers.

The two lives become one, with one destiny.

*** BUT REM: Companionship is a 2 way street; There must also be a commitment by him and also a corresponding loss of independence.

IDEAL: the divine design, both are bel's; and both have F/O/R of BD; and both applying it; living it!

#3 Lover

- only thing to stress here (more later) is that from this context is that the husband is directed to love his wife; his responsibility to establish a loving relationship.

It was important first to establish clearly what the husbands role and responsibilities are before God in marriage.

Once we establish that, and understand it, then we can move on and see the woman's role in marriage; in fact it follows naturally.

- Every time you find submit (u`pota,ssw) of the wife in relationship to her husband it is addressed to her and is in middle voice which says two things.

1. it is in her interest.

2. It is to be voluntary - therefore its a response on her part. (can not be enforced)

Another important aspect of submission is that it is owed to God and given to the husband!

** What does the context teach related to the characteristics of love??

The single woman needs to very carefully consider the character of the man she is thinking of marrying!

One of the things that Paul does here in this chapter is to give us an analysis of what love is as it relates to the husband-wife relationship.

There are at least 5 very clear cut characteristics of the love that the husband is to have for his wife.

1. Any genuine love is realistic. (i.e. not living in a dream world)

- Stop and think, when it says Christ loved the Church, Just what is the church made up of??

- For a successful marriage we must face the reality that she has a sin nature but then, so do we as husbands and we must also be realistic about this, and not gloss over that, if our marriage is to be successful.

Husbands are to Love their wives then as Christ loved the church.

Christ loves the church, this motley bunch of rascals, with sin natures, who can quickly become ugly in their relationships.

So Love is realistic, and it consists of acceptance and is based on a realistic evaluation of who it is that we love and are married to, that is one who has a sin nature and will at times let it dominate and rule.

2. Flowing from this realistic love, "husbands love your wives (analogy) just as Christ also loved the church"; we find our second element; "and gave Himself up for her."

** Love is to be sacrificial.

1 Cor 13:5 "love seeks not its own"

There is not one passage in Scripture that gives a command that the wife is to love her husband.

- But we know that she is to from Titus 2:4;