Ephesians 5:29

“For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church”

“Ever hated his own flesh”: “His own person” (Gspd). “That it is natural to love oneself is evident from the way in which most people care for themselves, and especially for their bodies” (Bruce p. 391). The fact that some people have abused themselves or even have committed suicide, demonstrates how "weird" and pathetic such tendencies really are. To God "suicide" and other forms of self-inflicted pain and abuse to one's body is to live by. standard that even the unbeliever rejects as "immoral". “Nourisheth”: To cherish, rear up to maturity. “May point to the careful, continued nourishing from one stage to another, nourishing up to maturity” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 371). “Cherisheth”: To warm, foster. “Primarily it means to warm then to foster with tender care” (Robertson p. 546). “To care for originally meant to keep warm and comfortable” (Boles p. 318). “He keeps it fed and warmed” (Knox). “To hate one's wife is as irrational as to hate one's own flesh” (P.P. Comm. p. 212). “Just as. man instinctively does these things for his body, so must he be concerned for every aspect of his wife's well-being: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual” (Boles p. 318). God commands that husbands be sensitive to the needs of their wife. Caldwell reminds us husbands, “We do not give ourselves just enough to supply the barest necessities. We do not simply want to get by. Neither are we to provide our own wives with just enough happiness, love, consideration, emotional support, and spiritual and psychological help to get her by. Nourish means plentiful supply” (p. 279).

In practical terms this mean one must communicate with ones wife to she what she needs. One must learn to appreciate what she values, such things as intimacy and communication. One must learn to appreciate how one wife thinks (1 Peter 3:7). One must emotionally support her when she gets depressed or discouraged. One must make her feel safe and secure, which means that all interest in other women is forbidden, no flirting is allowed. One must do your best to make her feel financially secure.

“Even as Christ also the church”: On the present Christ continues to care for His bride, and the reason that Christ continues to care for the church?