[140] In verse 24 St Paul resumes with ἀλλά, the _but_ of opposition and not mere contrast, indicating a case where the claims of husband and Saviour may, conceivably, be in competition. CHAPTER XXVI. CHRIST AND HIS BRIDE. “The Christ is the head of the Church, _being_ Himself the Saviour of the body.... The Church is subject to the Christ in everything.... “The Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present the Church to Himself a glorious _Church_, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and without blemish.... “The Christ [nourisheth and cherisheth] the Church; because we are members of His body. ‘For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the twain shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the Church.”--EPH. v. 23-32. We have extracted from the apostle’s homily upon marriage the sentences referring to Christ and His Church, in order to gather up their collective import. The main topic of the epistle here again asserts itself; and under the figure of marriage St Paul brings to its conclusion his doctrine on the subject of the Church. This passage answers, theologically, a purpose similar to that of the allegory of Hagar and Sarah in the epistle to the Galatians: it lights up for the imagination the teaching and argument of the former part of the epistle; it shows how the doctrine of Christ and the Church has its counterpart in nature, as the struggle between the legal and evangelical spirit had its counterpart in the patriarchal history. The three detached paragraphs present us three considerations, of which we shall treat the second first in order of exposition: Christ’s _love to the Church_; His _authority over the Church_; and _the mystery of the Church’s origin in Him_. I. “Husbands, love your wives, even as the Christ also loved the Church, and gave up Himself for her.” This is parallel to the declaration of Galatians ii. 20: “He loved me; He gave up Himself for me.” The sacrifice of the cross has at once its personal and its collective purpose. Both are to be kept in mind.