I was going through this verse the other day.
"That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife and they become one flesh"
-Genesis 2:24
I've always read and understood this verse simply as; God talking about the natural process he instituted for building a family.
However, I was going through the book of Ephesians in the New Testament where the Apostle Paul, regarding instructions for Christian households, writes (quoting Genesis 2:24):
" "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery- but I am talking about Christ and the Church" - Ephesians 5:31-32
The part where he says "This is a profound mystery" dropped me a hint, but then when he writes "I am talking about Christ and the Church" left me thinking about it for a second, and later something popped up, or someone whispered this insight & analogy in my thoughts:
I do not think (so far) that God's expression as a whole is male as sometimes depicted, nor female alone.
Scripture says "Then God said, "let us create mankind in our Image, in our likeness..." -Genesis 1:26
and later on, it continues saying "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them"
-Genesis 1:27
I believe God's expression is in both genders: Male & Female. (not that he has any gender, but his expression towards us speaking in human terms)
For he is a provider and protector (referencing the attributes of a father) but loving & caring (like a mother) at the same time with his creation. (Speaking in general terms as the ideal model or remarked traits in specific of each, of course, a mother can be a provider & protector & a father loving and caring.)
Jesus also said in John 16 that the spirit of truth (referencing the Holy Spirit) will not speak on his own authority, but will speak only what he hears.
My point here is not to say the Holy Ghost is particularly female, for the pronoun used in this passage (at least in the English translation) is actually "he" (male pronoun), but that Jesus was Implying that God the Holy Spirit is under Submission to God the Father, just like the Mother (wife) is submitted to The Father. (Husband)
The only person in the trinity who embraced Humanity was Jesus: God the son, he is the only God & "Man" out of these three.
Jesus left his place in heaven with God the Father & God the Holy Spirit to become a man(For this reason a man leaves his Father and mother..)
(I’m not calling the Holy Ghost Mother, But making an analogy of how he (Jesus) left 2 of the Holy 3 in 1 , just like a man leaves his mother & Father)
Jesus is also referenced as the "Bridegroom" in each of the 4 biblical gospels, and he even references himself as the "Bridegroom" (Matthew 9:14-15) (For this reason, a man leaves his father & mother and is united..)
The letter to the church in Ephesus in chapter 5 verses 22 through 29 has more than one analogy using the dynamics of Christ & the church in regards to the relationships: Husband-Wife. Teaching to follow the example of these dynamics, Christ represents the Husband, and the Church is depicted as "The wife". (For this reason, a MAN (Jesus) leaves (heaven) his FATHER (God) & MOTHER (Holy Ghost) and is united to his WIFE (The church) and they become one.
I am not saying this passage doesn't dictate the biblical institution of a family, and again im not trying to say the Holy Spirit is Mother or Female, nor that God has any Gender in specific, all I am wondering now is:
Is the Holy Trinity and its relationship with mankind Implicit in God's Institution of the Family also?
Because the word says he made humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them.
So as we are tripartite beings (Spirit, Body & Soul) reflecting a tripartite deity(God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit), the family is also a tripartite institution (Father, Mother, Offspring.) 333 Holy Perfection & Completion.
Maybe to give an example of how the Dynamics and interactions of the Holy Trinity operate within themselves and towards mankind, through the institution of the Family? Something almost every human being will go through or should go through for his own gain in terms of character & Spirit.
Because I have no Kids, but I've heard so many times being said by many "I understood better God's love for me when I became a father"
Could it be that we may also understand better Christ's love for the church through our marriage, and the Interaction of the Holy Spirit With God the Father through the example of a proper & righteous relationship & submission from a mother (Wife) to a Father (Husband)?
And in general is the whole Interaction of this three in one (Holy Trinity) with us (mankind) as a church reflected through the Family dynamics & formation.
Because as we were made in his Image, we are also being constantly conformed to his image.
Is the natural social process of human development (in building a family I mean) our ultimate school of transformation and renewal to being conformed to his image?
Was this passage (Genesis 2:24) also pointing to the cross of Jesus Christ?
Who knows I'm no theologian, but this started to come to mind as I was studying scripture yesterday, if my theology is off or heretic, I apologize, is not what I intend, Or if this is an obvious known fact, I’m sorry for this duh moment, but I had never heard it or seen Genesis 2:24 this way
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