ISB ~ Ephesians 5 v22 - 33

Paul views Christian marriage through the lens of Christ’s covenant love for the Church. This analogy of faith highlights (1) the indissolubility of Christian marriage, since Christ will never withdraw from the Church or disown her, (2) the sacramentality of Christian marriage, since marital love is a living sign of Christ’s love for the Church, and (3) the reciprocity of Christian marriage, since the Church submits to Christ’s leadership even as Christ the bridegroom acquiesces to the prayers of his beloved bride.

• The marital union between Christ and the Church in the New Covenant (2 Cor 11:2; Rev 19:7-9) recalls the marriage covenant between Yahweh and Israel in the Old Covenant (Is 54:5-8; Hos 2:16-20) (CCC 1612, 1641).