What Does Ephesians 5:27 Mean?

(27) **That he might present it to himself.**—The original is more emphatic—*that He might Himself present it to Himself.* This presentation belonged usually to the “paranymph,” or “friend of the bridegroom, to whom St. John Baptist compares himself in John 3:29 (where see Note); St. Paul himself assumes that office in 2Corinthians 11:2, “I have espoused (or rather, *betrothed*) you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” Here, however, all is of Christ. He, as Paranymph, comes down to seek and to save His Bride; He, as Bridegroom, receives her in His heavenly home. **A glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle . . .**—Properly, (*that He might present*)* the Church as glorious, not having a spot *(*i.e., *a stain on its purity), *or a wrinkle *(*i.e., *a defect in its beauty and freshness of life); *but that it may be holy* (not merely consecrated to holiness) *and without blemish* (as He is without blemish). On these last words see Note on Ephesians 1:4. They are most commonly sacrificial, corresponding (see Colossians 1:22) to the sacrificial use of the word “present.” Here, however, they are seen clearly to have reference to the nuptial metaphor by what goes before. In all this we have a picture which properly belongs to the Church in glory, and which is fully drawn out under the same metaphor as Revelation 19:7-9; Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:9-10; for only in it can the description be fully realised. In capacity and promise it belongs to the whole Church militant; in reality, but in imperfection, to the Church invisible on earth; in absolute perfection to the Church triumphant in heaven.