<p>5:25- see on Gal. 2:20.</p><p><i>Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for it</i>- The Greek for &ldquo;gave himself&quot; is mainly used of the Lord Jesus giving up the spirit to the Father. We have shown elsewhere that His death was as an act of the will, He gave up His life rather than it being taken away from Him. This matchless peak of self-control and self-giving for us must somehow be replicated in the humdrum of daily domestic relationships. No wonder therefore that Paul urges the wife to respond to the husband's attempt to reach this level with respect and submission.</p><p>The Lord carried our sins &quot;<i>that </i>we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes (Gk. wheals- Peter saw them) you were healed&quot; (1 Pet. 2:24). The husband should love his wife, &quot;even as Christ also the church; because we are members of his body&quot; (Eph. 5:30 RV). Jesus loved us as much as He loves Himself; He &quot;cannot be separated from the work which He came to do&quot; (R.R.). He saved Himself so as to save us. And this isn't just atonement theology- this is to be lived out in married life. As Christ died for us and gave up His last breath for us, so as a supreme act of the will, the husband must give up his life for his woman. And she can only but respond to this. These are high ideals. But the very height of them can transform human life in practice.</p>