Ephesians 5:22-32 speaks to us about CHRIST'S EXAMPLE, not once but throughout. In verses 23, 25, 29 and especially in verse 32. Distracted by the patterns in the pagan Household Codes many miss that Paul's focus in this passage is on Christ and the church. He tells us this clearly in 5:32 - "I'm talking about Christ and the church."
Are these verses teaching us primarily about marriage? Are they not rather teaching us primarily about Christ and the church?
Jesus is one with the church in a joint-body. Jesus is the Savior who gave himself for the church. Jesus loves the church with agape love.
Examples of Christ's care are brought up by Paul using other word pictures. For example the way wives and husbands care for and love one another. For example the way a person cares for his or her own body.
In this passage we learn how Christ cares for and loves the church. And we learn how we are to care for one another in the church.
The discussion in this Episode based on the Study Guide questions that go with Chapter 5 in the book Beyond Eden, Ephesians 5:15-6:9.