This is the second sermon to Christian husbands. In v 25, husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loves the church. This is the main imperative of this section (vv 28, 33). The Christian love of a husband for his wife are his selfless acts, arising from committed, exclusive affection, to provide and protect for the wife God has given him as long as she lives. There are three aspects of Christ’s love that husbands are to imitate.

The main point of the whole paragraph that is vv 25-33 is simple, direct, and comes at the very beginning: Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church. Christian husbands must love their wives in a Christlike manner. Paul repeats the command no less than three times. V 28: husbands should love their wives. Then v 33: Let each one of you love his wife as himself.

Submission is the theme of these verses. The very same word for submit in v 21 is found in vv 22–24. Verse 21 is a hinge from walking wisely and being filled by the Spirit to the table of household duties that Paul lays out beginning with v 22. The imperative of these verses is clear and direct. In fact, it’s repeated twice: Christian wives to submit to their own husbands.