31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
Verses 31 and 32 give the example of Jesus Christ and how He cares for the church as to how a husband is to care for his wife.
Ephesians 5:31 is a quotation of Genesis 2:24.
31 “For this reason
The phrase “for this reason” connects with the previous verses to 2:24 in the Genesis account. Since God ordained the institution of marriage in creation, the husband should form his own marriage entity.
a man shall leave his father and mother
When a husband does not leave the authority of his parents, problems arise in marriage. Leaving one’s parents does not mean absolute abandonment of parents but a radical change of relationship with them. On the human scale, the husband’s priority is now his wife. Sexual union of husband and wife is what separates couples in marriage from all others.
and be joined to his wife,
Marriage is the formation of a new unit with a new set of authorities. The words “joined to” means to be glued to. The idea is to be joined closely. Marriage does not occur until sexual union takes place.
and the two shall become one flesh.”
God formed Eve out of the body of Adam. The husband and wife are incomplete without each other. The marriage unit is indivisible in God’s eyes. Partners who divorce their spouses destroy part of themselves.
PRINCIPLE:
The bond between husband and wife should be the closest of all bonds between human beings.
APPLICATION:
The husband and wife are no longer two, but one. God’s design for marriage is that it is indivisible. Christ made us to be a part of His body. As Christ and the church are one, so the husband and wife are one. This oneness supersedes the close family tie.
you stated that marriage does not occur until sexual union occurs…I respectfully disagree-many disabled people that are physically unable for sexual union are still truly married. marriage is a “covenant of companionship” that is binding as both people say “I do” even before they sign the paper whereby the state recognizes the union.
Bill,
Your point is well taken. Thanks for the blog.
There are two aspects to biblical marriage: 1) a covenant or contract between two people (Pr 2:17; Mal 2:14) and 2) sexual union. We see this in Genesis 2:24-25 where marriage is a covenant relationship followed by sexual relations. Sex is the consummation of marriage; marriage is “one flesh.” “One flesh” is both a mental and sexual relationship. God’s design for marriage is “one flesh.” Jesus affirmed this as well.
However, it would be wrong to imply that the full experience of humanity is impossible apart from sex in marriage since this would disqualify the widowed, divorced, celibate and the impotent.
Impotence deprives the partner of the full dimension of marriage. This, however, does not imply that the marriage between an impotent person and a non-impotent person or between two impotent people is not biblical marriage. Most very old people are frigid but this does not mean they are to be classified as non-married.
Although copulation is the consummation of marriage, copulation is not mutually exclusive to being married in the sense that an impotent couple has “power” or authority over each other’s bodies sexually (1 Co 7:1-7)
Thanks for your point of scriptural Truth that marriage is a one flesh Covenant and seen as indivisible by God. Mark 10:9, and Matthew 19:5-6 also confirm this. As does 1 Corinthians 7:39, and Romans 7:2-3. Too many “churches” are not preaching this biblical FACT thus divorce is rampant in the church as well as the secular community. Thanks again for standing for and stating the Truth.