Elisha Vision – Commentary

The A&W root beer mug pictured is from our very first date in October 1964. How cool is that?

So, about 57 years ago I was beginning to date Doreen who would become my wife of 54 years. We were both at Berkshire Christian College where we earned our Bachelor Degrees. Early on in our dating we agreed that Jesus had to be first in our friendship no matter where it led. Somehow we started saying to each other: “You and me and Jesus.”

We really sort of stumbled into the most profound truth of any marriage. Put Jesus first. Make Him the center and the final arbiter of everything. It was only later that we discovered how Biblically sound it is. Paul encouraged the Ephesians with the foundation of marriage that is often missed today. Many preachers use this passage, but miss the most important part, because they start with verse 22 instead of 21.

21 “Submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Marriage—Christ and the Church (cf. Col. 3:18, 19 )

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”  Ephesians 5:21-24

Notice the heading between verses 21 and 22. That is an unfortunate placement of a heading that is not in the Greek text at all. It suggests that the marriage teaching starts with verse 22. That is wrong. Paul laid the foundation of marriage in verse 21. A man and a woman must first be submitted to “one another” in the fear of God.

Doreen and I are each submitted to Jesus. If she hears from Him, I listen and submit to God in her. If I hear, she submits to God in me. We walk in that revelation as Christians. If you skip that step and start with verse 22 you end up with confusion. Yes, there is a hierarchy in marriage (and all of life) but it only works when preceded by “mutual submission” to God. How can Doreen submit or trust me if I am not already in submission to the Father’s will? The hierarchy part is only a matter of order not value. We are equally valuable with different functions.

(By the way, when you study the rest of Ephesians 5, you will see that there is only one instruction for wives. But, there are about fifteen instructions for the husband, so shape up, men. Selah.)

Jesus always taught that the glory ultimately goes to the Father. Even though Jesus is equal with God, there is still a placement within this order of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This same concept is also taught for marriage: equal in value, but different in function. Husband and wife have equal value, but a functional hierarchy is necessary for practical operations on a day-to-day basis.

The Christian marriage is a trinity of relationship with God, which is why when we started saying: “You and me and Jesus” it proved to be the glue of a marriage of over half a century and still going strong! God is good. God is faithful!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and pray for Israel rains.

(Also, please pray for me as I speak in three churches, Sept 12 & 19 in New Hampshire and Sept 26 in North Carolina. Thank you.)

Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists                  (Read more)