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Ephesians 5:29

in Ephesians 5

Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church;

KJV

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

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This verse in Ephesians 5

Commentary

15 notes on this verse

A commentator

Tertullian

Against Marcion Book V · Written before 220.

How much honour is given to the flesh in the name of the church! "No man," says the apostle, "ever yet hated his own flesh" (except, of course, Marcion alone), "but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord doth the Church." But you are the only man that hates his flesh, for you rob it of its resurrection.

This site's exposition

husbands ought to love their wives

on Ephesians 5:28-30

The analogy tightens from example to identity: husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies, for no one ever hated his own body. That instinct of self preservation now serves the wife, and the same two verbs, he nourishes and cherishes it, describe what Christ does for the church. Verse 30 names that body directly: we are members of His body.

This site's exposition

he nourishes and cherishes it

Nourishes, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note, means rearing up to maturity. Tertullian turns the verse against Marcion, who denied the flesh its resurrection. Christ's care for the church shows a love for the flesh, and a husband's care preserves and honors his wife in the same way.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers5 voices

A commentator

Tertullian

AGAINST MARCION 5.18.9 · Written before 220.

proposed

"No one," he says, "hates his own flesh"—excepting only Marcion, obviously—"but he nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the church." But you [Marcion] are the only one who hates it, since you deprive it of resurrection. So you also hate the church. But Christ loved the flesh, as seen in his love for the church. The point is that as no man hates his own flesh so he does not hate his own wife but indeed acts to preserve, honor and crown her.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Ephesians 20 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it." That is, tends it with exceeding care. And how is she his flesh? Hearken; "This now is bone of my bones," saith Adam, "and flesh of my flesh." For she is made of matter taken from us. And not only so, but also, "they shall be," saith God, "one flesh." "Even as Christ also the Church." Here he returns to the former example.

A commentator

Pseudo-Augustine

QUESTIONS ON THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS 127.31

proposed

The purpose of God cannot be undone, nor can anyone make a better provision than God already has. God made the body. No workman loves another's work better than his own. Hence the apostle says "no one hates his own flesh."

A commentator

Didymus the Blind

ON ZECHARIAH 1.169 · Written before 398.

proposed

When the apostle asks "whoever hated his own flesh?" what is meant by flesh? Flesh is to be taken care of, "nourished and fostered." Flesh here refers to the body yoked to the rational soul, as is clear [from the previous verse].

A commentator

Clement of Alexandria

The Stromata Book 4 · Written before 215.

proposed

The ruling power is therefore the head. And if "the Lord is head of the man, and the man is head of the woman," the man, "being the image and glory of God, is lord of the woman." Wherefore also in the Epistle to the Ephesians it is written, "Subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the Church; and He is the Saviour of the body. Husbands, love your wives, as also Christ loved the Church. So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies: he that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh."
7 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Ephesians · Written before 1107.

proposed

He says that everyone applies intense and most diligent care for their own body, and so should you toward your wife. And again he brings Christ as an example, showing that Christ also loved us as His own flesh.

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on Ephesians · Written before 1274.

proposed

He proves that they ought to love one another in saying For no man ever hated his own flesh. This love is evident in what happens since "love is verified when it is expressed in action." For we love anything whose powers we sustain. But …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Even as the Lord the church: that is, as the Lord nourishes and cherishes the church, which he furnishes with all things that he sees needful or good for her, with whatever conduces to her everlasting happiness and welfare. The apostle adds, For we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones,
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh - This is urged as an argument why a man should love his wife and show kindness to her. As no man disregards the happiness of his own body, or himself, so he should show equal care to promote the happiness of his wife. A sentiment similar to this is found in the classic writers. Thus, Curtius (lib. vii.) says, “Corporibus nostris quoe utique non odimus” - “We do not hate those things that pertain to our own bodies.” So Seneca (Epis.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

For--Supply, and we all love ourselves: "For no man," &c. his own flesh-- (Eph 5:31, end). nourisheth--Greek, "nourisheth it up," namely, to maturity.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

No man ever yet hated his own flesh - And this is a natural reason why he should love his wife, and nourish and cherish her.

The words behind it

18 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

11 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Colossians 2:23Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.7 worksEphesians 5:31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”5 worksEzekiel 34:14–15I will feed them in good pasture, and the lofty mountains of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in a good grazing land; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.5 worksEcclesiastes 4:5The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.4 worksProverbs 11:17A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.4 worksJohn 6:50–58This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die.4 works
The other 5 cross-references, with their words ▾
Isaiah 40:11He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.3 worksMatthew 23:37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!2 worksColossians 2:19He has lost connection to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God causes it to grow.2 worksRomans 1:31They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.1 worksEzekiel 34:27The trees of the field will give their fruit, and the land will yield its produce; My flock will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and delivered them from the hands that enslaved them.1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Ephesians 5:31

    “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

    it leads to

    • Genesis 2:24

      For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

    • Matthew 19:5

      and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?

    • Mark 10:7–8

      ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,

    • 1 Corinthians 6:16

      Or don’t you know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”

  • Through

    Proverbs 11:17

    A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 5:7

      Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

    • Matthew 25:34–40

      Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

  • Through

    Ecclesiastes 4:5

    The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 9:20

      They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own…

    • Proverbs 6:10–11

      A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

Where this verse is studied

About Ephesians

The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Ephesians: the study guide →Read Ephesians 5 →
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 4; Didymus the Blind, ON ZECHARIAH 1.169; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Ephesians 20; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Augustine, QUESTIONS ON THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS 127.31; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Tertullian, AGAINST MARCION 5.18.9; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Ephesians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Ephesians.

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