Paul the
apostle wrote how the “wives” among the Ephesian church
members were to “submit to their own husbands”, and he
told the “husbands” to “love” their “wives,
as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it”. Paul used
the example of the way Jesus “nourishes and cherishes” His
bride, the church, to demonstrate to “husbands” the
manner in which they are to do the same for their “wives”.
In chapter five and verse thirty-one of his letter, Paul continued
his idea of how “we are members” of Christ's “body”
as he directed a “husband” to “leave his father and
mother” and “cleave” to his wife where we read:
For this
cause shall a man leave his father and mother,
and shall
be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
The verse begins, “For
this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,...” Paul
began with the word “For” which
means “instead of, in place of and instead”
“this cause”
or “of this one and in such manner”
“shall a man leave”
which in Greek is “kataleipō
anthrōpos kataleipō”which
means
“to depart from, be left, forsake, abandon, disregard and leave
alone” “his father”
who is “the nearest ancestor who is the father of the natural and
corporeal nature” “and mother”
who is “the female source of life”. Because a “husband”
becomes a “member”
of Christ's body, flesh and bone, he is to “leave”
his parents when he becomes a married man.
The
verse goes on to say, “...and shall be joined unto his wife, and
they two shall be one flesh.” Paul continued, “and shall
be joined” or “glued, stuck and cleaved” “unto his
wife” which refers to “a woman who is betrothed or married”,
“and they” which refers to “the husband and wife”
“shall be” or “shall become, have and follow as” “one
flesh” which means “towards, to and among a single human
nature and passion”. When a “husband” marries, he is to
“leave” his parents, and “cleave” to his wife as they
become as “one flesh”.
When
we consider these words of Paul, we understand the importance of
“husbands” leaving their parents and “cleaving”
to their wives. God recognizes the married couple as their own
separate entity, and when they “leave” their parents and
“cleave” to one another, the married couple grows
together. Let us remember that Jesus Christ knows more about marriage
and the way it should work than any other person who has, does and
will live. If we have a spouse, let us grow in our understanding of
marriage, and may “husbands” take the lead by being
obedient to “leave” and cleave”.
Next
time Paul shares about “a great mystery”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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