Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:22 (New International Version)
It’s upon us again. The Sunday Mass readings are on a three-year cycle and, this being Year B, the 2nd reading for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time is taken from Ephesians chapter 5. In American parishes the reading comes from the New American Bible: “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.” That entire scripture passage is among the most challenging in the lectionary – so much so that local parishes are given the option of using a shorter form that eliminates the irksome “wives be subordinate” section. Unsurprisingly, most choose this alternative. Crisis averted!
A woman I know and love was affronted after hearing the longer form of this reading at Mass a few years back, and I didn’t know what to say. Her reaction is perfectly understandable. It sounds so outdated, so oppressive, so patriarchal to our ears. Before we react in a like manner let’s ask ourselves a few questions, applicable any time we read or hear Scripture.
1. Who is Writing This, and to Whom?
Like all inspired scripture, God the Holy Spirit is the Author. The Apostle Paul is the human writer, composing it ca. 60-62 A.D. from a prison cell in Rome for fellow believers in Ephesus, a major trading port in Asia Minor.
The first three chapters of the Epistle to the Ephesians remind the faithful of Christian doctrine, chapters 4-6 give pastoral advice for Christian behavior, while chapter 5 verses 21-32 is specifically addressed to Christian wives and their Christian husbands. This is an important point.
2. Is This a Good Translation?
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Inigo to Vizzini, The Princess Bride
That God’s Word is inerrant, infallible, and eternal is a tenet of the faith. Since the New Testament was written primarily in Greek however, even the best English translations necessarily weaken its clarity. The Greek word translated as “submit” or “subordinate” is hupotasso, hupo meaning “to place beneath” and tasso meaning “to arrange in an orderly manner.” Other English translations include “be subject to,” “yield to,” and “put yourself under the authority of.”
3. What is the Context?
Here lie a few key points. Chapter 5 opens with, “Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.” This is perfect godly love, Agape love. Verse 21 reads “Be subject to [hupotasso] one another out of reverence for Christ.” Significantly, the next line omits the verb in the original Greek so that verse 22 literally continues, “wives to your husbands as to the Lord.” Scripture is thus asking both spouses to submit to one another, but goes on to ask the Christian wife to voluntarily place herself under the headship of her Christian husband (vs. 23-24).
It is important to note that the rest of the passage, more than 2/3 of the spousal advice, is directed to Christian husbands, who among other things are commanded to “Love [Agape] your wives as Christ loved the Church.” How did Christ love the Church? He laid down His life for her!
A Beautiful Paraphrase
The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible in contemporary language, renders the passage this way: “Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.”
Further Study
Father John Riccardo is a parish priest in Michigan who wrote his Liscentiate in Sacred Theology dissertation on Ephesians 5 and has taught extensively on this widely misunderstood passage. You can find one of his lectures here. A Christian husband and wife discuss what this means practically in their Messy Parenting podcast.
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