Colossians 3:18 - Exposition

Ye wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fit in the Lord ( Ephesians 5:22-24 ; 1 Timothy 2:11-15 ; Titus 2:5 ; 1 Corinthians 11:3 ; 1 Corinthians 14:34 , 1 Corinthians 14:35 ; 1 Peter 3:1-6 ; Genesis 3:16 ). On this duty the apostle dilates in the Ephesian letter, in illustration of its teaching respecting "Christ and the Church" (comp. the very different treatment of it in 1 Peter 3:1-7 ), The use of the article ( αἱ γύναικες ) in the nominative of address is frequent in New Testament, though not in classical Greek. Lightfoot thinks it Hebraistic. ανηκεν stands in the imperfect tense (literally, it was fit), denoting a normal propriety (comp. Ephesians 5:4 , Westcott and Hort; and for the general expression, 1 Corinthians 11:13 , 1 Corinthians 11:14 ; Philippians 1:8 ; Ephesians 5:3 ; 1 Timothy 2:10 ; Philippians 4:8 ; Romans 1:29 ). Like all men of a sound moral nature, St Paul has a strong sense of natural propriety. The adjunct "in the Lord" belongs to "was fit," not "be subject" (comp. Colossians 3:20 ). The constitution of nature, as we have learnt in Colossians 1:15-18 , is grounded "in the Lord." In Ephesians 5:22-33 St. Paul shows that this inherent propriety has a deep spiritual significance; and he makes the subjection of the Church to her heavenly Lord a new reason for wifely submission.