Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
That he might sanctify it (ina authn agiash). Purpose clause with ina and the first aorist active subjunctive of agiazw. Jesus stated this as his longing and his prayer (John 17:17-19). This was the purpose of Christ's death (verse Ephesians 5:25).
Having cleansed it (kaqarisav). First aorist active participle of kaqarizw, to cleanse, either simultaneous action or antecedent.
By the washing of water (tw loutrw tou udatov). If loutron only means bath or bathing-place ( = loutron), then loutrw is in the locative. If it can mean bathing or washing, it is in the instrumental case. The usual meaning from Homer to the papyri is the bath or bathing-place, though some examples seem to mean bathing or washing. Salmond doubts if there are any clear instances. The only other N.T. example of loutron is in Titus 3:5. The reference here seems to be to the baptismal bath (immersion) of water, "in the bath of water." See 1 Corinthians 6:11 for the bringing together of apelousasqe and hgiasqhte. Neither there nor here does Paul mean that the cleansing or sanctification took place in the bath save in a symbolic fashion as in Romans 6:4-6. Some think that Paul has also a reference to the bath of the bride before marriage. Still more difficult is the phrase "with the word" (en rhmati). In John 17:17 Jesus connected "truth" with "sanctify." That is possible here, though it may also be connected with kaqarisav (having cleansed). Some take it to mean the baptismal formula.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
John 3:29
Romans 7:4
1 Corinthians 7:27
Ephesians 5:28
Colossians 1:18
Titus 2:14
Titus 3:5
Hebrews 10:22
Hebrews 12:23
James 4:4
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