SM

“If we are to interpret that Ephesians 5 & other passages imply ‘authority’ on the part of the husband….” (NN 486)

Any authority seen in Eph 5 is inferred based on what one believes is implied in the instruction to agape rather than agape’s actual meaning because that is the action in which husbands are entrusted.

“…we must…still examine what it says about the enactment of this ‘authority.’ Simply looking at the phrase “as Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for her” I think captures it all.”

Husbands are to agape their wives as Christ loved the Church, not husbands authority their wives as Christ loved the Church. There is not even a hint of an instruction to authority your wife.

“Rather, in the Highness of His authority – He chose to serve us and give His own life in sacrifice for us.”

In the Highness of His AGAPE–he chose to serve us and give His own life in sacrifice for us. It is explicit in the text: Husbands AGAPE your wife as Christ AGAPE the church and gave Himself up for her.

“If the ‘authority’ of the husband is to mirror this then we must take it to mean quite the same thing…..And we are told that in marriage we are to reflect the relationship of Christ and the Church…”

TL has said multiple times that Christ’s love for the church reflects the bonding (oneness) of human marriage. There is nothing in the text that indicates a sanctioned patriarchal authority is to mirror Christ’s authority.