Ephesians 5:29

No man ever yet hated his own flesh - And this is a natural reason why he should love his wife, and nourish and cherish her.

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh - This is urged as an argument why a man should love his wife and show kindness to her. As no man disregards the happiness of his own body, or himself, so he should show equal care to promote the happiness of his wife. A sentiment similar to this is found in the classic writers. Thus, Curtius (lib. vii.) says, "Corporibus nostris quoe utique non odimus" - "We do not hate those things that pertain to our own bodies." So Seneca (Epis. 14), "Fateor insitam nobis esse corporis nostri charitatem" - "I confess that there is implanted in us the love of our own body." The word nourisheth here means properly to bring up, as e. g., children. The sense here is, that he provides for it, and guards it from exposure and want. The word "cherisheth" - θάλπει thalpei - means properly to "warm;" and may mean here that he defends it from cold by clothing - and the two expressions denote that he provides food and raiment for the body. So he is to do for his wife; and in like manner the Lord Jesus regards the church, and ministers to its spiritual necessities. But this should not be spiritualized too far. The "general" idea is all that we want - that Christ has a tender concern for the needs of the church, as a man has for his own body, and that the husband should show a similar regard for his wife.

5:29 His own flesh - That is, himself. Nourisheth and cherisheth - That is, feeds and clothes it.