Yes, the analogy is that the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the Church.
Les Feldick teaches that the husband-wife relationship is a perfect, synonymous parallel to Christ and the Church. This is rooted in Scripture, particularly Ephesians 5, where Paul constantly flips back and forth between the two relationships, showing they mirror each other in love, submission, and headship.
Ephesians 5:23 — This verse directly states the analogy: the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the Church.
The Bible, specifically in Ephesians 5, draws a direct parallel between marriage and Christ's relationship with the Church. Verse 23 states, "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." This establishes the husband as head of the wife, just as Christ is head of the Church. Verse 24 continues, "Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing." This indicates that the Church's submission to Christ is the model for a wife's submission to her husband. Verse 25 says, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" This highlights that the husband's love should mirror Christ's sacrificial love for the Church, giving Himself for her.
Les Feldick emphasizes that the husband-wife relationship is a perfect, synonymous parallel to Christ and the Church. He points out that Paul in Ephesians 5 constantly flips back and forth between the two relationships because they are so closely mirror each other. The husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, and the love and submission are mutual. Les illustrates that just as Christ has nothing but pure love and best for the Church, a husband should live totally to the benefit of his wife. He stresses that when husbands treat their wives with the same attitude Christ has for the Church—total love even to the point of death—divorce becomes a non-issue. This analogy is not about a king ruling, but a head connected to a body, a relationship of love and care. Les also connects this to the union of marriage: husband and wife become one, just as believers are in union with Christ. This analogy is a constant theme, showing that the marriage relationship is a picture of the spiritual relationship between Christ and the Body of Christ.
Les teaches that Christ's headship over the Church is analogous to the husband being head of the wife, but it's not like a king. In the same way a wife submits to her husband's headship, but not as a subject to a king, we submit to Christ as the head. The head is connected to the body, and as the physical head is connected to the physical body, and the husband is connected to the wife, so Christ is connected to believers as members of the Body of Christ. This headship is characterized by love and care, not domination.
Les stresses that husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her. This means having an attitude of total love, even to the point of dying for her. He suggests that if a husband had that attitude, there would be no divorce problems. The husband's love should be sacrificial and beneficial, living totally for the benefit of his wife, just as Christ lives for the benefit of the Church.
Les points out that in a marriage, two become one. Similarly, when we are in union with Christ, we are two separate entities but become one with Him. This is reflected in wedding ceremonies where two candles are blown out and one is lit. The marriage relationship is a picture of the spiritual union between Christ and the believer, just as the husband and wife become one.
Les refers to 2 Corinthians 11:2, where Paul says he has espoused the Church to one husband, Christ, to present her as a pure virgin. He also notes that just as Abraham called God his Master, and as a servant/master relationship exists, this theme drops down into human relationships, including husband/wife, and up into the spiritual: Christ as spiritual husband and believers as spiritual wife or bride.
Espoused to One Husband
In this clip, Les explains that Paul uses the Jewish betrothal custom to show that the Church is espoused to Christ, and will one day be presented as a pure virgin bride.
Perfect Synonymous Relationship
Les highlights Paul's constant flipping between Christ/church and husband/wife, saying it's because they are a perfect, synonymous relationship.
Head of the Wife as Christ Head of Church
Les directly states the analogy: husband is head of wife even as Christ is head of church, and that being in the body with Christ is nothing but pure love and best.
Husbands Love as Christ Loved the Church
Les teaches that husbands must have the same attitude Christ has for the church—total love, even to death, which would eliminate divorce.
One Flesh vs. One in Christ
Les parallels the marriage union (two becoming one) with the believer's union with Christ, showing the analogy of becoming one entity.
Christ as Spiritual Husband
Les connects the master/servant theme to the spiritual marriage analogy, with Christ as spiritual husband and the body as spiritual wife.
Not a King, But a Head
Les clarifies that Scripture does not teach Christ as King of the church, but as the head connected to the body, similar to the husband-wife connection.
Salvation of the Body
Les notes that Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body, referencing the analogy and that 'body of Christ' is a Pauline term.
Ephesians 5:23: For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
This verse is the core of the analogy, directly comparing the husband's headship to Christ's headship over the church.
Ephesians 5:24: Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
This reinforces the pattern of submission, with the church's subjection to Christ as the model for wives.
Ephesians 5:25: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
This defines the husband's love as sacrificial, paralleling Christ's self-giving love for the church.
2 Corinthians 11:2: For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Paul uses betrothal language to describe the church's relationship to Christ, further illustrating the marriage analogy.
According to Les Feldick, it means exactly the same as Christ being head of the church—not a king, but a head connected to the body, with loving care and provision. Just as Christ provides for and loves the church, the husband is to live totally to the benefit of his wife.
Les teaches that Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, so husbands should have that same sacrificial attitude—loving their wife so much they would die for her. When that attitude is present, there is no room for divorce.
Scripture says 'as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.' Les emphasizes this is submission to headship, not to a king, and it is mirrored by the husband's sacrificial love.
Watch the Teaching: Is the Church the Bride of Christ? 2 Corinthians 11:2 Explained