Ephesians 5:25-33

Paul's advise that women should submit to their husbands and that husbands are the head is often presented as being anachronistic and just a product of his society that is no longer relevant today. But Paul's teaching does not fit in with any society's view of women. It is probably true that in most societies in most times women have been treated as second class citizens, but Paul's teaching goes against the male chauvinist view just as much as against a women's lib view.

Husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the church. That means that the husband is to consider his wife's needs above his own, it means his first priority is to be the well being and the spiritual development of his wife. In the extreme the husband must be prepared to sacrifice himself for his wife.

One of the first things that God will ask us on the day of judgement is "how is your wife?" and "how did you help her grow in Christ?". Any attitude of treating a wife as a servant or their purely for your benefit goes utterly against Paul's teaching. In Genesis it tells is that God created men and women in His own image (Genesis 1:27), and that the two shall become one (Genesis 2:24).

Marriage is meant to be a reflection of the relationship between Christ and the church.