Husbands and Wives

Ephesians 5:28-33    
28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

In a marriage, the husband is to love his wife and care for her as himself, at least equally.  This means to hold her very dearly, to help her grow and flourish, just as Christ does with us as His body.  As that body, the church is part of Him, similar to the man (and woman) who leave their parents when married to be part of that new union, we are to leave the world and be joined to Christ as His bride.  As stated here, this parallel of marriage and the church with Christ is beyond complete comprehension, but we do know some elements (though not the depth) of this relationship.  The bottom line here is for the husband to love his wife and he wife to respect her husband.  This honors God and helps us as the church in our relation to our Lord as well.  We are His beloved, and He is ours.