To Submit

I’ve been reading The Veritas Conflict and I came across a bit where one of the characters, Brad, is defending the Bible’s model of the man and woman’s relationship in marriage. He is challenged by a girl, Jo, who is upset about the bible teaching that wives should submit to their husband.

After quoting some bits from Ephesians 5:18 and then telling about the trials and pain and suffering that Christ went through in his life because of his love for the church (the body - His people), Brad goes on to say:

“Okay - so here’s my opinion of how to answer your main question. Yes, the passage does say that the wife should submit and that the husband, as the head, should love his wife as Christ loved us. So here’s the question for you, Jo: Knowing what you now know about the Christ story, who has the harder job? The wife who has to submit or the husband who has to love his wife like Christ loved the church?

“Look, if I were your husband, yes, you’d have to submit to me - but you’d be submitting to a man who was commanded to love you as sacrificially and as fully as Christ loves you. Give me a break! Which command is really harder, ladies? Which is the more servantlike? You’re afraid of the word submit, and understandably so, because it raises all those specters of being kept under a man’s thumb, losing your freedom, your equality, and so on. But that’s not the Bible’s model. If you submit to a godly husband - a husband who loves you so much that he’s willing to die for you - he’s going to be putting your good just as high or higher than his own. He’s going to be doing everything possible to serve you and love you. And all you have to do is submit to that - to accept his best heart for you and to honor his God-given desire to lead your marriage in the best and most holy way possible.

“God’s design for a godly marriage is wondrous. And that is why I think this is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible - even today.”

Well said.

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