Ephesians 5:28

28 Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for 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 So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word,

27 And might take it for himself, a church full of glory, not having one mark or fold or any such thing; but that it might be holy and complete.

28 Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself:

29 For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church;

30 Because we are parts of his body.