QT 16/05/2025 Fri. Ephesians 5:22–33. "Submit" or "Die!" Which is easier? “顺服 ”或 "死"? 哪一个更容易？

QT 16/05/2025 Fri. Ephesians 5:22–33. "Submit" or "Die!" Which is easier?
READ https://www.esv.org/eph5:22–33

📖 Scripture:
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.” — Ephesians 5:22–23 (ESV)

💡Devotional Thought:

Some of the husbands might shout "Submit!" Wives might retort, "Die!"

So which is easier? To submit or to die for another? These verses are often misunderstood and misapplied, but at their heart, they point us to the deep mystery of Christ’s relationship with the Church. Paul isn’t just talking about marriage—he's illustrating the Gospel.

Husbands, you all are not destined to sit on the sofa watching MeWatch while the wives sweat in the kitchen or attending to the laundry. Paul says "No!"—You are not a king, but a cross-bearer. If you're not sacrificially loving her, you’re doing it wrong. This isn't “Boss and Domestic Wife-Maid”—it's Jesus and the Church.

"Submission" gets a bad reputation mostly because people forget it's mutual (v. 21: "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ"). Real submission and leadership in marriage look like taking turns with the dishes, fighting over who gets to contribute more for the next holiday trip, and maybe even letting her have the last "hoot" of durian (whatever) ... just like Jesus would.

Quotes for fun: “Wives, respect your husbands—even when they try to fix something without reading the instructions. Husbands, love your wives—even when they say "I'm fine" and you know that they are not.”

When Paul calls wives to submit to their husbands “as to the Lord,” it's not a command rooted in inequality or dominance. Instead, it mirrors the willing, joyful submission of the Church to Christ—an act of trust, love, and unity. Submission here is not about inferiority but about a God-ordained design that reflects His divine order and mutual devotion.

The husband is called the “head of the wife,” not to wield power, but to model Christ’s sacrificial leadership. Jesus, our Savior, led not by force but by laying down His life. In this context, headship is not privilege; it’s a call to humble, loving, servant-hearted responsibility.

This passage, therefore, isn't a battleground for gender roles—it's a blueprint for Christ-centered unity. When both husband and wife live out their roles in the Spirit—one submitting, one leading like Christ—it becomes a living picture of the Gospel to the world.

🛐 Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the beauty and power of Your relationship with the Church. Help us, whether married or single, to live in ways that reflect Your love, humility, and grace. For those of us who are married, may our relationships mirror the Gospel—marked by love, respect, and mutual submission in the fear of God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

🪔 Reflection Question:
(1) How can your relationships today reflect the humility and love of Christ?

(2) If you're married, what does it mean in your context to lead or submit as Christ and the Church do?

QT 16/05/2025 星期五. 以弗所书5:22–33 “顺服 ”或 "死"? 哪一个更容易？
阅读 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph5%3A22-33&version=CNVS

📖经文：
以弗所书 5：22-23 你们作妻子的，要顺服自己的丈夫，好像顺服主一样，23 因为丈夫是妻子的头，好像基督是教会的头；基督又是教会全体的救主。

💡思想启迪：
有些丈夫可能会高喊 “顺服！” 妻子们可能会反驳：“为我死吧！”

那么哪一个更容易呢？顺服还是为他人而死？这些经文常常被误解和误用，但其核心是向我们指出基督与教会关系的深奥奥秘。保罗不只是在谈论婚姻--他在说明福音。

丈夫们，你们并不是注定要坐在沙发上看 “MeWatch”，而妻子们却在厨房里汗流浃背或忙着洗衣服。保罗说 “不！”--你们不是国王，而是背十字架的人。如果你没有无私地爱她，那你就做错了。这不是 “老板和家庭主妇帮佣”，而是劝读者要效法耶稣和教会的关系。

“顺服 ”之所以名声不好，主要是因为人们忘记了它是相互的（第 21 节：“还要存敬畏基督的心，彼此顺服”）。婚姻中真正的顺服和领导就像轮流洗碗，为谁能为下一次假期旅行费用贡献更多而争吵，甚至让她吃最后一口榴莲（不管是什么）... 就像耶稣会做的那样。

趣味引语: "妻子们，请尊重你们的丈夫--即使他们不看说明书就去修东西。丈夫们，爱你们的妻子--即使她们说 “我很好”，而你们知道她们并不好。

当保罗呼吁妻子 “像顺服主一样” 顺服丈夫时，这并不是一个根植于不平等或支配地位的命令。相反，它反映了教会对基督心甘情愿、喜乐的顺服--一种信任、爱和合一的行为。在这里，顺服并不意味着低人一等，而是一种神的设计，反映了神的神圣秩序和相互牺牲及奉献。

丈夫被称为 “妻子的头”，并不是为了掌握权力，而是为了模范基督牺牲式的领导。耶稣是我们的救主，他的领导不是靠武力，而是舍命。在这里，“一家之主” 不是特权，而是一种谦卑、仁爱、仆人心肠的责任呼召。

因此，这段经文不是性别角色的战场，而是以基督为中心的合一蓝图。当丈夫和妻子都在圣灵中活出自己的角色时，一个像基督一样顺服，一个像基督一样领导，这就成了活生生的福音图景，展现在世人面前。

🛐 祷告：主耶稣，感谢您与教会关系的美好和力量。帮助我们，无论已婚还是单身，都能以反映你的爱、谦卑和恩典的方式生活。对于我们已婚的人，愿我们的关系反映出福音--以爱、尊重和在敬畏上帝的前提下相互顺服为标志。奉耶稣的名祷告。阿门。

🪔 思考题：
(1) 你今天的人际关系如何体现基督的谦卑和爱？

(2) 如果你已婚，在你的环境中，像基督和教会那样带领或顺服意味着什么？