that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water by the word,
Truth to Learn
Jesus Christ gave His life to sanctify and cleanse His bride.
Behind the Words
“He might sanctify” is translated from the Greek verb hagiadzō, which is based on hagios, which is based on hagos, meaning “that which inspires awe.” The basic meaning of hagios is “that which is set apart from common use to be used in the service of God.” Hagios is sometimes translated “holy” or “sanctified,” so hagiadzō means “to make holy,” “to purify,” or “to set apart for God.”
“Having cleansed” is translated from katharidzō, meaning “to cleanse” or “to purify.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it is translated as “having cleansed.”
The word translated “bath” is loutron, which refers to “a bath.” It is from the verb louō, meaning “to bathe” or “to wash.”
“Word” is from rhēma, which is derived from rheō, meaning “to speak.” Rhēma, therefore, refers to “a spoken word” or a statement. Here it probably is a reference to the Word of God.
Meaning Explained
This is one of those verses that has been hotly debated for centuries. Some believe that the expression “cleanse it with the bath of water” is a reference to baptism. The problem with this interpretation is that baptism is a symbolic act done as a witness to the cleansing which has already taken place. Also, keep in mind that this verse is a description of what Christ has done for His bride, the church. If we combine today’s verse with yesterday’s verse, we can see that Paul says:
… just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:25-26)
This is given as an example of how Christ loved His bride; He loved her so much that He gave His live for her. He died on the cross so that He might sanctify his bride, that He might separate her (us) from the family and world of Satan. And, He sanctified her (us), having already cleansed her (us) with a bath of water by the word. The cleansing that Paul is talking about occurred before the sanctification. He says that this cleansing is like a water bath, but it was performed by the Word of God. After all, it was the Word, the gospel message, by which we were saved and washed clean from our sins.
In ancient times it was quite common for the bride of a king to undergo a lengthy cleansing and purification period, including baths in perfumed water, before being presented to the king at the wedding ceremony (see Esther 2:12 and Ezekiel 16:7-14)
Application
Husbands, Jesus Christ loved us (his bride) so much that He gave His life to sanctify and cleanse us. Following His example, we should also be willing to do everything possible to protect and care for our bride, to keep her pure and holy.
In God's service, for His glory,
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