Ephesians 5:22 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

In the following directions concerning relative duties, the inferiors are all along placed before the superiors, because the general proposition is concerning submission: and inferiors ought to do their duty, whatever their superiors do. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands Unless where God forbids. Otherwise, in all indifferent things, the will of the husband is a law to the wife: as unto the Lord As owning Christ's authority in your husbands, whose image they bear, 1 Corinthians 11:7. The obedience a wife pays to her husband, is at the same time paid to Christ himself. For the husband is the head of the wife Under Christ; is her governor, guide, and guardian; as Christ is the head of the church As if he had said, God will have some resemblance of Christ's authority over the church exhibited in the husband's authority over his wife. See on Ephesians 1:22. And he is the Saviour of the body Of the church, his mystical body, from all sin and misery. As if he had said, As Christ's authority is exercised over his church to defend it from evil, and supply it with all good, so should the husband's power over his wife be employed to protect her from injuries, and provide comfortably for her according to his ability. Therefore as the church That is, that part of the church which is truly regenerate; is subject unto Christ And with cheerful willingness submits to his authority; so let the wives be to their own husbands To whom they have promised obedience; in every thing Which is lawful, which is not contrary to any command of God.