Ephesians 5:28

28 So ought men to love their wyves as their awne bodyes. He that loveth his wyfe loveth him sylfe.

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 to sanctifie it and clensed it in the fountayne of water thorow the worde

27 to make it vnto him selfe a glorious congregacion with oute spot or wrynckle or eny soche thinge: but that it shuld be holy and with out blame.

28 So ought men to love their wyves as their awne bodyes. He that loveth his wyfe loveth him sylfe.

29 For no ma ever yet hated his awne flesshe: but norissheth and cherisseth it even as the lorde doth the congregacion.

30 For we are members of his body of his flesshe and of his bones.