Comments/Questions from Readers

Question #3: How do you explain Paul's statement in Ephesians 5:31-32 about the TWO becoming one flesh, just as with Christ and the church?

I'm not sure if I entirely understand your question, but let me quote a few verses before, just to get the entire reference in context.

Ephesians 5:28-32: "In this way husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but feeds it and cherishes it, as also the Master does the assembly. Because we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This secret is great, but I speak concerning Messiah and the assembly."

This entire passage is discussing the way husbands are to cherish their wives, and the example used is how a man will take care of his own flesh in the same way that Messiah takes care of His people. Verse 31 specifically refers to Genesis 2:24 to demonstrate that the man and the woman become "one flesh", and in the same manner as Messiah and His people, a husband should treat a wife as part of his own body.

When Paul used this statement in his letter to the Ephesian believers, he showed that the relationship between Messiah and the assembly of believers was a marriage relationship. Paul was using this spiritual reality as an example to further define how the husbands were to love their wives and how the wives were to respond to their husbands.

This marriage relationship consists of one bridegroom, the Messiah, married to a plurality of individuals, collectively called the bride of Messiah. The bride is comprised of a multitude of individuals who, both individually and collectively, call the Messiah their spiritual bridegroom.

Matthew 25:1-13: "Then the reign of the heavens shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five foolish. Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their containers with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom took time, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard, 'See, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!' Then all those maidens rose up and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, indeed, there would not be enough for us and you. Instead, go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. And later the other maidens also came, saying, 'Master, Master, open up for us!' But he answering, said, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, because you do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Adam is coming."

It doesn't get much clearer than this. What do you think the bridegroom did with his virgins? "Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast." As a pattern, this parable teaches us that the marriage of the Bridegroom is polygynous. Therefore, it is within the divine nature of men and women in Messiah to be polygynous.

Which of the virgins became "one flesh" with the Bridegroom? Obviously all of them! Just as Jacob was "one flesh" with Rachel, he was also "one flesh" with Leah, "one flesh" with Bilhah, and "one flesh" with Zilpah. Scripturally, a husband is "one flesh" with his first wife, and if he takes a second wife, he and the second wife are "one flesh" as well. Therefore, each wife becomes "one flesh" with her husband.

 
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