| Geneva Study Bible For no man ever yet hated his {p} own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (p) His own body. People's New Testament 5:29 No man ever yet hated his own flesh. Or his own body. Yet, wife and husband are one flesh (Eph 5:31). Wesley's Notes 5:29 His own flesh - That is, himself. Nourisheth and cherisheth - That is, feeds and clothes it. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 29. 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. "Nourisheth," refers to food and internal sustenance; "cherisheth," to clothing and external fostering. even as-Translate, "even as also." the Lord-The oldest manuscripts read, "Christ." Ex 21:10 prescribes three duties to the husband. The two former (food and raiment) are here alluded to in a spiritual sense, by "nourisheth and cherisheth"; the third "duty of marriage" is not added in consonance with the holy propriety of Scripture language: its antitype is, "know the Lord" (Ho 2:19, 20) [Bengel]. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 5:22-33 The duty of wives is, submission to their husbands in the Lord, which includes honouring and obeying them, from a principle of love to them. The duty of husbands is to love their wives. The love of Christ to the church is an example, which is sincere, pure, and constant, notwithstanding her failures. Christ gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify it in this world, and glorify it in the next, that he might bestow on all his members a principle of holiness, and deliver them from the guilt, the pollution, and the dominion of sin, by those influences of the Holy Spirit, of which baptismal water was the outward sign. The church and believers will not be without spot or wrinkle till they come to glory. But those only who are sanctified now, shall be glorified hereafter. The words of Adam, mentioned by the apostle, are spoken literally of marriage; but they have also a hidden sense in them, relating to the union between Christ and his church. It was a kind of type, as having resemblance. There will be failures and defects on both sides, in the present state of human nature, yet this does not alter the relation. All the duties of marriage are included in unity and love. And while we adore and rejoice in the condescending love of Christ, let husbands and wives learn hence their duties to each other. Thus the worst evils would be prevented, and many painful effects would be avoided. | 
