How can Exodus 21:10 be connected to Ephesians 5:25-28 on marriage? Setting the Context Exodus 21:10 and Ephesians 5:25-28 sit more than a millennium apart, yet both speak to the husband’s covenant duty. Reading them together reveals a seamless thread: God expects a husband to meet his wife’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs in a way that mirrors His own faithful love. Exodus 21:10 — The Covenant of Provision “If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife.” (Exodus 21:10) • Three non-negotiables: – Food — daily sustenance – Clothing — material security and dignity – Marital rights — intimacy and emotional care • The verse assumes permanence; even if social customs shift (e.g., polygamy), the husband’s duty never shrinks. • God Himself legislates this care, revealing that marriage is a covenant, not a contract of convenience. Ephesians 5:25-28 — The Covenant of Sacrificial Love “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” • Four key verbs: loved, gave, sanctify, present. • Love is defined by Christ’s cross—total, self-giving, purposeful. • “Nourish and cherish” (v. 29) expands the picture of provision—meeting needs so thoroughly that the wife flourishes in holiness. Threading the Two Passages Together " Exodus 21:10 " Ephesians 5:25-28 " " — " — " " Food " “Nourish” (v. 29) – provide daily care " " Clothing " “Present…without stain or wrinkle” – clothing imagery becomes spiritual splendor " " Marital rights " “Love…gave Himself” – deepest intimacy expressed in sacrificial love " • Exodus supplies the blueprint; Ephesians supplies the power and motive—Christ’s own example. • What was a legal minimum in Exodus becomes a Gospel-saturated maximum in Ephesians. Practical Takeaways for Today’s Husbands • Provision isn’t optional—budget, plan, and work so your wife never wonders if her needs will be met (1 Timothy 5:8). • Protection of dignity—speak and act so she feels “clothed” in honor (Proverbs 31:11). • Pursue intimacy—schedule unrushed time together; honor her conjugal rights (1 Corinthians 7:3-4). • Spiritual leadership—wash her with the word: read, discuss, and apply Scripture together. • Self-sacrifice—measure every decision by Christ’s cross: “Will this cost me something for her good?” Supporting Scriptures • Genesis 2:24 — oneness at creation • Malachi 2:14 — marriage as a covenant • Colossians 3:19 — “do not be harsh with them” • 1 Peter 3:7 — “live with your wives in an understanding way… as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life” Final Word Exodus 21:10 sets the floor; Ephesians 5:25-28 raises the ceiling. The God who required ancient husbands to meet tangible needs now calls Christian husbands to mirror the self-giving love of Christ—turning every home into a living parable of the Gospel. |
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