Ephesians 5:28

28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives. They should love them as they love their own bodies. Any man who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:28 Meaning and Commentary

Ephesians 5:28

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies
It is a common saying with the Jews, that a man's wife is (wpwgk) , "as his own body" ^F18; and it is one of the precepts of their wise men, that a man should honour his wife more than his body, (wpwgk hbhaw) , and "love her as his body" ^F19; for as they also say, they are but one body ^F20; the apostle seems to speak in the language of his countrymen; however, his doctrine and theirs agree in this point: wherefore

he that loveth his wife loveth himself;
because she is one body and flesh with him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 24. 1. & Becorot, fol. 35. 2. Maimon. Hilchot Becorot, c. 2. sect. 17. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 18. 2.
F19 T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 62. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 76. 2. Derech Eretz, fol. 17. 4. Maimon Hilchot Ishot, c. 15. sect. 19.
F20 Tzeror Hammor, fol. 6. 3.

Ephesians 5:28 In-Context

26 He did it to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her with water and the word.

27 He did it to bring her to himself as a brightly shining church. He wants a church that has no stain or wrinkle or any other flaw. He wants a church that is holy and without blame.

28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives. They should love them as they love their own bodies. Any man who loves his wife loves himself.

29 After all, people have never hated their own bodies. Instead, they feed and care for their bodies. And that is what Christ does for the church.

30 We are parts of his body.