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I. THE LOVE OF CHRIST TO HIS CHURCH. "Christ loved the Church." What else than love could have selected, pardoned, purified, and redeemed the Church? What other feeling could have stooped to such guilt, and raised it to such glory? As a Divine love to a creature so far beneath Him, what matchless condescension there is in it! It is a love of the sinner, but it attempts no compromise with his sin. "Christ loved the Church," and He walked in that Church in the radiance of love. Thoughts of love nestled in His heart; words of love lingered on His lips; deeds of love flew from His arm; and His steps left behind them the impress of love. It threw its soft halo over His cradle at Bethlehem, and it fringed with its mellow splendours the gloom of the cloud under which He expired on Calvary. It gave edge to His reproofs, and pathos to His invitations. It was the magnet that guided Him in all His wanderings. It bound Him to the cross and held Him there, and not the iron nail that pierced His hands and His feet. It thrilled in His bosom, and glistened in His eye. Yes: "Christ...love," said the dying philosopher, "Jesus Christ — love — the same thing."

II. THE SACRIFICE AS THE EXPRESSION AND RESULT OF LOVE. In the stead of the Church He died, to deliver her from death, the sentence which so righteously lay upon her.

III. THE NEARER PURPOSE OF HIS LOVE AND DEATH. That death not only affects our state, but also tells upon our character. He died to sanctify the Church. Not only does He originate the change, but He sustains it; for He "abides" within us. What He commences, He still fosters and perfects.

IV. THE ULTIMATE END AND RESULT. With what delight and satisfaction will we not now contemplate the ulterior purpose of these preliminary arrangements — "That He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." How noble such a destiny — perfect restoration and felicity. The nuptial figure is still continued, and the allusion is to the presentation of the bride to her husband. That presentation does not take place till he can look upon her with complacency.

(J. Eadie, D. D.)

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KJV: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

WEB: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;