Ephesians 5:28-29 New International Version (NIV)
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as
their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all,
no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just
as Christ does the church—
If you look up the word nutrition in the
dictionary, you'll find that its primary and most popular meaning is, "the
act or process of nourishing." A closer examination of the word reveals a
much more complex meaning: "the sum of the processes by which an animal or
plant takes in and utilizes food substances."¹ We'll leave that latter
definition to the professional physicians. They understand those processes and
are able to explain and apply the science of nutrition much better than you or
I could. To keep things on a much simpler basis, let's go back to the former
and more popular meaning as we focus our attention on the root term, nourish.
As you may remember, the New Testament was originally
written in Greek. If you were to do a word search in the New Testament, looking
for the word that is translated "nourish" in English, you would find
the original Greek term, ektrepho . . . and if you're like me, you
would find it interesting that it appears only twice, both times in Paul's
letter to the Ephesians. To make it even more interesting, you'd discover that
each time it is used in a context addressed only to men. The first time, it's
in a series of statements Paul wrote to all husbands—and in this
particular verse (Ephesians 5:29), he exhorted each husband to love and cherish
his wife. The second time, it's in a brief verse (6:4) where Paul wrote to all fathers—as
he exhorted each father to treat his children with tenderness, being faithful
to encourage them, discipline them, and teach them well. Each time, Paul chose ektrepho as
the key term, which could be rendered "clothe" (when addressed to
husbands) and it could also be rendered "rear tenderly" (when he
wrote to fathers). Let's go further by observing each example more in depth—the
first one today, and the second one tomorrow.
First, all who are husbands are strongly urged by
the apostle, "love your wives" (5:25)! Paul then illustrated the
extent of that love by using two analogies. First, husbands are to love their
wives "as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her"
(5:25), and second, husbands are to love their wives "as their own bodies.
He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh,
but nourishes and cherishes it" (5:28–29). See the word rendered
"nourishes"?
That's ektrepho. As we learned earlier, it conveys
the idea of clothing—just as a man clothes himself, feeds himself, and takes
care of himself, he ought also, with equal diligence and commitment,
"nourish" his wife.
Thought for today: What do I find nourishment in?
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