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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"Even so ought husbands to love their own wives," saith he, "as their own bodies." What, again, means this? To how much greater a similitude, and stronger example has he come; and not only so, but also to one how much nearer and clearer, and to a fresh obligation. For that other one was of no very constraining force, for He was Christ, and was God, and gave Himself. He now manages his argument on a different ground, saying, "so ought men"; because the thing is not a favor, but a debt. Then, "as their own bodies." And why?
Theophylact of Ohrid
Not as a more important and most necessary example does he now point to this (for it is clear that the relationship of Christ to the Church is far more important than this example), but as one that is nearer and more at hand. Precisely so that no one might say that He was God and gave Himself up — he shows us this necessity in another way. "Ought," he says, to love, that is, this matter is not a favor but a debt and a necessity, because a wife is your body. …
Clement of Alexandria
The ruling power is therefore the head. And if "the Lord is head of the man, and the man is head of the woman," the man, "being the image and glory of God, is lord of the woman." Wherefore also in the Epistle to the Ephesians it is written, "Subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the Church; and He is the Saviour of the body. Husbands, love your wives, as also Christ loved the Church. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
The example proceeds to wives from the church and to husbands from Christ.… He urges the husbands on the basis of something inferior, namely, their own body, not only from the superior, that is, their Lord.
Thomas Aquinas
From the above he draws the conclusion he intended by affirming: So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. Above he urged husbands to love their wives; he appealed to Christ and to the example of Christ's love for the church (5:25). Here he demonstrates the same thing from the point of view of the husband himself. The reason is as follows. …
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