Biblical Theology of One-Flesh Union in Marriage
The concept of "one-flesh" union in marriage originates in the creation account of Genesis, where it describes the profound bond established between a man and a woman [2, 4]. This foundational principle is articulated in Genesis 2:24: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" [6]. This verse is central to the biblical understanding of marriage and is frequently referenced throughout both the Old and New Testaments [6, 12].
The institution of marriage dates back to the creation of humanity, as described in Genesis 2:18-25 [2, 4]. God observed that it was "not good that the man should be alone" and subsequently created a "helper fit for him" [2]. Eve was formed from Adam's rib, signifying a unique unity between them [2, 7]. This act of creation underscores several principles: the unity of man and wife, the indissolubility of the marriage bond, and monogamy as the original design [2, 4]. The phrase "one flesh" (Hebrew: basar echad) denotes a profound physical, emotional, and spiritual unity that transcends mere physical intimacy [8, 9]. It implies that the two individuals, though distinct, become a single entity in the eyes of God and in their relationship [8, 12].
Jesus affirmed this original design in Matthew 19:4-6, quoting Genesis 2:24 and adding, "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate" [4, 8]. This statement by Christ reinforces the divine institution of marriage and its intended permanence [8]. John Gill, in his commentary on Matthew, explains that while husband and wife remain two distinct persons, they become "one flesh" or "one body," emphasizing the depth of their union [8]. This unity means the wife is to be loved by the husband as his own body [8, 12].
The apostle Paul further develops the "one-flesh" concept in his epistles. In 1 Corinthians 6:16, he uses the "one-flesh" principle to warn against sexual immorality, stating, "Do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, 'The two will become one flesh'" [9]. Here, Paul applies the Genesis principle to highlight the profound, even if illicit, physical union that occurs in sexual intercourse, underscoring that such an act creates a "one flesh" bond [9]. This demonstrates that the "one-flesh" union is not merely a legal or social construct but a deep, intrinsic connection established through physical intimacy [9].
In Ephesians 5:31, Paul again quotes Genesis 2:24 in the context of marriage, drawing a parallel between the husband-wife relationship and the relationship between Christ and the Church [11]. one tradition writes, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church" [11]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's commentary on Ephesians explains that the natural marriage, where a man leaves his parents and is joined to his wife, is a representation of the spiritual marriage between Christ and the Church [11]. Christ left the Father's side to "woo to Himself the Church out of a lost world," mirroring the leaving and cleaving described in Genesis [11]. This interpretation elevates the "one-flesh" union to a profound theological mystery, reflecting the intimate bond between Christ and His people [11].
The "one-flesh" union implies several duties and characteristics within marriage. It signifies the indissolubility of the marriage bond, meaning that the union is intended to be permanent and not easily broken [2, 8]. It also points to monogamy as the original and ideal form of marriage, as God created one woman for one man [2, 4, 5]. While polygamy and concubinage appeared in later patriarchal times, the original law of marriage was monogamous [4]. The "one-flesh" union also suggests a social equality between husband and wife, as Eve was taken from Adam's side, indicating a partnership [2]. However, it also includes the concept of the wife's subordination to the husband, as seen in passages like 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 and 1 Timothy 2:13, where the wife is described as being formed from the man and for the man [2].
The concept of "affinity" is closely related to the "one-flesh" union. Affinity refers to the relationship created by marriage, which makes the relatives of one spouse kin to the other [1]. This legal and social bond further solidifies the idea that the two individuals become one family unit through marriage [3]. The expectation of the "promised seed of the woman" in Genesis 3:15 also served as an incentive for marriage in the early ages, highlighting its role in procreation and the continuation of humanity [3].
Historically, early Christian thinkers like Tertullian emphasized the unity of marriage based on its first institution. Tertullian argued that the creation of one woman from one man's rib established the law of "once marrying," serving as a divine type for posterity [7]. Origen also noted that the "one-flesh" union implies a concord, unison, and harmony between husband and wife, where the husband acts as a ruler and the wife is obedient, reflecting a divinely ordered relationship [13].
The "one-flesh" union is thus a multifaceted theological concept that defines marriage as a divinely instituted, permanent, monogamous, and deeply unified relationship between a man and a woman, reflecting the relationship between Christ and the Church [2, 3, 11]. It is honorable in all, designed for human happiness, the raising of godly offspring, and the prevention of fornication [3, 10].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Affinity — [[77]Marriage]”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — + Its origin and history .--The institution of marriage dates from the time of man's original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied in her being formed out of man. (2) The indissolubleness of the marriage bond, except on; the strongest grounds, Comp. (Matthew 19:9) (3) Monogamy, as the original law of marriage (4) The social equality of man and wife. (5) The subordination of the wife to the husband. (1 Corinthians 11:8,9; 1 Timothy 2:13) (6) The respective duties of ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Marriage — Divinely instituted -- Ge 2:24. A covenant relationship -- Mal 2:4. Designed for The happiness of man. -- Ge 2:18. Increasing the human population. -- Ge 1:28; 9:1. Raising up godly seed. -- Mal 2:15. Preventing fornication. -- 1Co 7:2. The expectation of the promised seed of the woman an incentive to, in the early age -- Ge 3:15; 4:1. Lawful in all -- 1Co 7:2,28; 1Ti 5:14. Honourable for all -- Heb 13:4. Should be only in the Lord -- 1Co 7:39. Expressed by Joining together. -- Mt 19:6. Making affinity. -- 1Ki 3:1. Taking to wife. -- Ex 2:1. Giving daughte”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — Was instituted in Paradise when man was in innocence (Gen. 2:18-24). Here we have its original charter, which was confirmed by our Lord, as the basis on which all regulations are to be framed (Matt. 19:4, 5). It is evident that monogamy was the original law of marriage (Matt. 19:5; 1 Cor. 6:16). This law was violated in after times, when corrupt usages began to be introduced (Gen. 4:19; 6:2). We meet with the prevalence of polygamy and concubinage in the patriarchal age (Gen. 16:1-4; 22:21-24; 28:8, 9; 29:23-30, etc.). Polygamy was acknowledged in the Mosa”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Husbands — Should have but one wife -- Ge 2:24; Mr 10:6-8; 1Co 7:2-4. Have authority over their wives -- Ge 3:16; 1Co 11:3; Eph 5:23. Duty of, to wives To respect them. -- 1Pe 3:7. To love them. -- Eph 5:25-33; Col 3:19. To regard them as themselves. -- Ge 2:23; Mt 19:5. To be faithful to them. -- Pr 5:19; Mal 2:14,15. To dwell with them for life. -- Ge 2:24; Mt 19:3-9. To comfort them. -- 1Sa 1:8. To consult with them. -- Ge 31:4-7. Not to leave them, though unbelieving. -- 1Co 7:11,12,14,16. Duties of, not to interfere with their duties to Christ -- Lu 14:26; Mt 19”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 2:24: one flesh--The human pair differed from all other pairs, that by peculiar formation of Eve, they were one. And this passage is appealed to by our Lord as the divine institution of marriage (Mat 19:4-5; Eph 5:28). Thus Adam appears as a creature formed after the image of God--showing his knowledge by giving names to the animals, his righteousness by his approval of the marriage relation, and his holiness by his principles and feelings, and finding gratification in the service and enjoyment of God. Next: Genesis Chapter 3”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. V.--UNITY OF MARRIAGE TAUGHT BY ITS FIRST INSTITUTION, AND BY THE APOSTLE'S APPLICATION OF THAT PRIMAL TYPE TO CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.: For the laying down[1] of the law of once marrying, the very origin of the human race is our authority; witnessing as it emphatically does what God constituted in the beginning for a type to be examined with care by posterity. For when He had moulded man, and had foreseen that a peer was necessary for him, He borrowed from his ribs one, and fashioned for him one woman;[2] whereas, of course, ne”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 19:6: Wherefore they are no more twain,.... They were two before marriage, but now no more so; not but that they remain two distinct persons, but one flesh; or, as the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, "one body": hence the wife is to beloved by the husband as his own body, as himself, as his own flesh, Eph 5:28. what therefore God hath joined together; or, by the first institution of marriage, has declared to be so closely united together, as to be, as it were, one flesh, and one body, as husband and wife are; let no man put asunder; break the bond”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 6:16: What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot,.... Not in marriage, but in carnal copulation, and unclean embraces, is one body with her for two ("saith he", Adam, or Moses, or God, or the Scripture, or as R. Sol. Jarchi says, the Holy Spirit, Gen 2:24) shall be one flesh; what is originally said of copulation in lawful marriage, in which man and wife, legally coupled together, become one flesh, is applied to the unlawful copulation of a man with an harlot, by which act they also become one body, one flesh; and which is made use of by the apostle, ”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 13:4: Marriage is honourable in all,.... Some read these words as an exhortation, "let" it "be so"; others as an assertion, it is so. "Marriage" is the union of one man and one woman in wedlock, whereby they become one flesh; it is a joining together of male and female in this relation, and of two only, and of such as are not within the degrees of blood forbid by the law, Lev 18:6 and of such as are fit for marriage: and this is "honourable", as it was instituted by God, and has been honoured with the presence of Christ, Gen 2:22. And it is so in the ends of it, being to p”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:31: For--The propagation of the Church from Christ, as that of Eve from Adam, is the foundation of the spiritual marriage. The natural marriage, wherein "a man leaves father and mother (the oldest manuscripts omit 'his') and is joined unto his wife," is not the principal thing meant here, but the spiritual marriage represented by it, and on which it rests, whereby Christ left the Father's bosom to woo to Himself the Church out of a lost world: Eph 5:32 proves this: His earthly mother as such, also, He holds in secondary account as compared with His spir”
- Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 10:8: And the twain shall be one flesh,.... This is the remaining part of the citation out of Gen 2:24; See Gill on Mat 19:5; so then they are no more twain; but one flesh; as Adam and Eve were both by creation and marriage: and so two persons, a man and woman, being lawfully married together, become one flesh, or "one body", as the Arabic and Persic versions render the phrase; and therefore the wife is to be loved by the husband as his own body, and from whom there should be no separation, until death, but in case of adultery; See Gill on Mat 19:6.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — 16.CONCERNING THE PHARISEES AND SCRIBES TEMPTING JESUS (BY ASKING) WHETHER WAS LAWFUL FOR A MAN TO PUT AWAY HIS WIFE FOR EVERY CAUSE. (part 3): what ought to be in the case of those who are joined together by God, so that they may be joined together in a manner worthy of God, the Saviour adds, "So that they are no more twain;"(3) and, wherever there is indeed concord, and unison, and harmony, between husband and wife, when he is as ruler and she is obedient to the word, "He shall rule over thee,"(4) then of such persons we may tr”