elsewhere they should seem to have superior prudence : ffoftsvoi is to be supplied from ver. 2 1.1 It is said of children and servants, obey [ucraxoisrs], ch. vi. 1, 5. There is a greater equality in the case of husbands and wives ;2 comp., however, Rom. xiii. 1. — ws, as) The subjection which is rendered by the wife to the husband, is at the same time rendered to the Lord Christ Himself. It is not compared with the obedience which the Church renders to Christ, but with that which the wife herself ought to render to Christ. Obedience is rendered to the husband, under the eye of Christ ; therefore also to Christ Himself.
23. Kai a-jrbcy and He Himself) But the husband is not the saviour of the wife ; in that Christ excels. Hence but follows.
24. 'A AX' ufftfsp, but as) The antithesis is, husbands., ivives. — vKOTaaffsrai, is subject) Supply here also [from the end of the verse], in every thing. — a/ yui/a/xe?, let wives) be subject [be subor- dinate~\.
25. 'ECCKTOV crapsdwxgi', gave Himself up) from love to the Church.
26. 'Ay/affTj, might sanctify) Often holiness and glory are synonymous ; wherefore here also follows, He might present it to Himself a glorious Church. — xadapicas, cleansing) Cleansing pre cedes the bestowal of glory and the formation of the nuptial tie.
— /Va, that) The construction is, He gave Himself— cleansing (i.e. and cleansed) ; that [/Va] depends upon both \_irapsduxev and xaQapfaas], being put twice [/Va ayidff'/i and /Va Kapaarqfffr ver. 26, and ver. 27] in the text. Sanctification is derived from the death or blood of Christ ; comp. Heb. xiii. 12 : cleansing or purification, as we shall see presently, from baptism and the word. Holiness is internal glory; glory is holiness shining forth. Why did Christ love the Church and give Himself for it? — that He might sanctify it. Why did He cleanse it ? — that He might present it to Himself. The former is the new right acquired by Christ over the Church ; the latter shows how He adorned His bride, as befitted such a bride of such a Husband.
1 Wherefore in the Germ. Vers., ver. 22 is only put in a parenthesis.