The phrase “the two shall become one flesh” first appears in Genesis 2:24, which states: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” This verse describes God’s original intention for marriage – that a husband and wife would unite in a profound and intimate way.
There are several important implications of this verse:
1. Marriage unites two people in a unique relationship
The language of “becoming one flesh” indicates a joining together that goes beyond a merely physical or casual relationship. God designed marriage to be an exclusive, covenantal union between one man and one woman. The physical intimacy and sexual relations of marriage reflect this spiritual and emotional oneness.
Ephesians 5:31-32 quotes Genesis 2:24 and further explains, “‘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.” The unity between husband and wife is meant to mirror the relationship between Christ and the church.
2. Sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage
Since sexual union makes two people “one flesh,” God intends for sex to only occur within the commitment of marriage. Passages like 1 Corinthians 6:16-18 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 prohibit sexual immorality and encourage abstinence before marriage.
Hebrews 13:4 declares, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” The sexual intimacy of marriage is holy and set apart from all other relationships.
3. Marriage should be lifelong and monogamous
The unitive nature of the one-flesh union logically leads to marriage being a lifelong, exclusive commitment between one man and one woman. This is upheld throughout Scripture (Malachi 2:14-15, Matthew 19:4-6, 1 Corinthians 7:39). Remarriage after divorce or adultery is only permitted on very limited grounds.
Polygamy in the Old Testament was a deviation from God’s created ideal. Monogamous marriage points to the union between Christ and his bride, the church (2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:22-33).
4. Husbands and wives should cherish and nourish this union
Since marriage brings two people together in the deepest sense, husbands and wives should prioritize caring for their union. Ephesians 5 instructs spouses to selflessly love and submit to each another, just as Christ loves the church (v.25-30).
1 Corinthians 7:3-5 teaches that spouses have authority over each other’s bodies and should be attentive to each other’s physical and emotional needs. They must cherish and nurture their one-flesh connection through ongoing love, communication, sacrifice and intimacy.
5. The marriage relationship illustrates Christ’s love for the church
As mentioned earlier in Ephesians 5, human marriage is meant to provide a tangible picture of the spiritual relationship between Christ and the church. Just as spouses become one flesh, Christ unites himself to believers as one body (1 Corinthians 6:15-20, 12:12-13).
The selfless, nourishing love of a husband for his wife reflects Christ’s sacrificial love for the church. The respectful submission of a wife to her husband mirrors the church’s submission to Christ as head over all things (Ephesians 5:22-24). Marriage displays the profound mystery of this Gospel relationship.
6. Children are a blessing and product of the one-flesh union
Another implication of the one-flesh union is that children are ideally born into the stable commitment of marriage. The family unit of father, mother and child flows naturally from the two becoming one flesh.
Psalm 127:3 calls children “a heritage from the Lord” and “a reward” given within marriage. Genesis 1:28 shows that God’s first command to Adam and Eve was to “be fruitful and multiply.” While not every marriage will produce children, they are generally a natural fruit of the one-flesh union.
7. Marriage is not eternal, but points to our eternal union with Christ
Because marriage is an earthly picture of a heavenly reality, it is not an eternal union. Jesus said, “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Matthew 22:30). The one-flesh union ends at death.
However, marriage foreshadows the true eternal union that believers will experience with Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:7-9). It reminds us that the brokenness of this world will one day be healed in Christ and the church will be united with him forever (Revelation 21:1-4).
8. Same-sex unions do not reflect the biblical model of marriage
The foundational Scripture texts on marriage, including Genesis 2:24, presume marriage is between one man and one woman. Same-sex relationships cannot fulfill the directives to become one flesh or fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28).
Romans 1:26-27 makes it clear homosexual relations are contrary to God’s design and prohibited along with all sexual immorality. Marriage is intended to be a complementary union between biologically different and distinct genders.
While Christians should not hate or mistreat homosexuals (Luke 6:31), same-sex marriage cannot be affirmed as biblically or theologically valid (Leviticus 18:22, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Timothy 1:8-10).
9. Divorce and remarriage are deviations from God’s intention
Since the one-flesh union is meant to be lifelong, divorce is never God’s ideal according to passages like Malachi 2:16. However, because of human sinfulness, God permits divorce in certain situations.
Jesus addressed divorce in Matthew 19:1-12, saying it should only be for sexual immorality. Paul added abandonment by an unbelieving spouse as another justified ground for divorce (1 Corinthians 7:12-16).
Even when permitted, divorce still represents a tragic rupture of the one-flesh union. Remarriage after an illegitimate divorce is considered adultery (Matthew 5:32, 19:9). Marriage is not to be dissolved except for biblically justified causes.
10. Marriage points to the gospel and God’s purpose for our lives
As a living picture of Christ’s love for the church, human marriage was created by God to ultimately point us to the gospel. The self-sacrifice, intimacy and unity modeled in Christian marriages reflect the nature of God and redemption through Jesus Christ.
Marriage also mirrors God’s purpose for our lives – just as two become one, God desires for us to be united to him (John 17:20-23). A husband and wife show how two individuals can come together in a new creationfull of joy and richness. When rightly understood, marriage displays the wisdom of God’s design and his desire for unity with his people.
