Ephesians 1:22 Language a reference to marriage?

Question

Ephesians 1:22-23 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Is this language of God giving Christ, "the head of all things," to the church meant to image the kingly Christ being given as a husband to his bride the church, implying the status that is gained by the church through such a union?

Is there elsewhere analogous language of a husband being given to a wife either scripturally or in contemporary or earlier literature?

Answer 1

OP's question, Ephesians 1:22 Language a reference to marriage?

Ephesians 1:22-23 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

There is definitely a parallel between man and woman, where man is the head of the woman and Christ, is the head of the ecclesia which is his body.

This is brought more fully out in Ephesians 5:22-32

The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is head of the ecclesia, and He is the Savior of the body. nevertheless, as the ecclesia is subject to Christ, thus are the wives also to their husbands and everything. Husband, be loving your wives, according as Christ, also loves the ecclesia, and gives Himself up for it..

Thus husbands, ought to be loving their own wives as their own bodies. He who is loving his own wife, is loving himself.

.... as Christ also, the ecclesia, seeing that we are members of His body...

Corresponding to this a man will be leaving father and mother, and will be joining to his wife, and the two will be one flesh.

This SECRET is great: yet I am speaking as to Christ, and as to the ecclesia. Ephesians 5:32 (capitalization emphasized)

Both love their body, Both are one, Both have a purpose of dominion.

Adam and Eve were considered one and given dominion over the Earth

Christ and His complement, (which is blessed with every spiritual blessing among the celestials in Christ). has a purpose with Christ to head up all in the Christ-/both that in the heavens, and then in the Earth.

God always give examples of things in the natural realm that are a shadow of things in the celestial realm. Christ will be united to His body, like Eve came out of Adam she too has been hidden in Christ.

Answer 2

The language of Ephesians 1:22-23 is often understood to express the idea of Christ as the head of the Church, which is his body. This imagery suggests a close relationship between Christ and his Church, with the Church being dependent on him as its head. While the language of a husband being given to a wife is not explicitly used in this passage, the imagery of Christ as the head of the Church and the Church as his body can be understood in terms of a marriage relationship.

There are several other passages in Scripture that use the imagery of a husband and wife to describe the relationship between God and his people. For example, in the Old Testament book of Hosea, God instructs the prophet Hosea to marry a promiscuous woman named Gomer, as a symbol of God's relationship with his people, who had been unfaithful to him. Similarly, in the New Testament book of Revelation, the Church is described as the bride of Christ, and Christ as the bridegroom.

Outside of Scripture, the imagery of a husband being given to a wife is a common metaphor in literature and poetry. For example, in Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, the lovers are described as being "star-crossed," with their fate predetermined by the stars. In the end, their love is seen as transcending even death, with Romeo declaring that he will be "new baptized" and "henceforth never be Romeo" but instead become "newly christened" as Juliet's husband.