Men, Women, and Submission

What does Paul really mean when he tells wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to be the head of their wives? In Ephesians 5, Paul addresses marriage within the social structures of the Roman world, but his instructions offer a radical vision of love, service, and unity. By looking closely at the historical context, Paul’s language, and the example of Christ, we discover how the gospel transforms our understanding of marriage. Rather than focusing on power and authority, Paul calls husbands and wives to mutual submission, self-sacrificial love, and a shared life shaped by Jesus.