The two are better than one.
Two people have an advantage over one individual in social activities, spiritual matters, and morality. Two will have greater achievement, progress, strength, and warmth than one person would.
Two people get great results when they prayed together. Or jointly do something together.
“Two people are better than one because together they have a good reward for their hard work. If one falls, the other can help his friend get up; but how tragic it is for the one who is all alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up.
Again, if two people lie down together, they can keep warm, but how can one person keep warm? Though one person may be overpowered by another, two people can resist one opponent. A triple-braided rope is not easily broken.” (Eccl 4:9-12).
In the absence of a suitable helper for Adam, there was an obvious socio-incompatibility for Adam. All animals have their partners they could relate with, except Adam.
Because Adam was a distinct personality; hence he was created in God’s image and His likeness. And he can only relate with someone of his kind, it is so odd and inhumane for him to develop a deep relationship with animals.
Unlike today in our society where there is conjugation between man and animal.
Adam often takes decisions alone. Brainstorming ideas by two understandable persons is better than a man taking all decisions alone. There is more safety for two than is one. Bible says that in the multitude of counsel, there is safety.
Adam’s social life was queried because there was no one he can relate with.
It was not pleasant and comfortable for him, nor agreeable to his nature, being a social creature; nor useful to his species, not being able to propagate or procreate himself. Animals were only his friends. It is unimaginable for Adam to be singing and dancing all alone or cracking jokes with a lion or dog. The right companion for Adam is someone that has the same traits and spirit as him.
When God came to his rescue, his loneliness will soon disappear.
“Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to man.”
God did not only meet up with his social aspiration and inner emptiness; He gave the man a suitable personality, of his likeness. A unique of the same nature, physic, temper, and disposition and also to converse meaningfully with him and to comfort him whenever he needs such.
Someone who would have what it takes to complement his effort. Someone who would give him good advice, the right advice at the right time or when he needs it most; Someone that will lift “his lid”, who is capable to cover his weakness and will augmenting his strength; the helper of his destiny. Conversely, Adam needs someone who will bear him his seed; to whom God’s law of procreation and propagation will be fulfilled and established; Adam needs a proportionate relationship which was absent in his relationship with animals.
Someone who feels as he is feeling; who will understand his heartbeat.
Gill comments that what is written in Gen 2:22 – “And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made the woman,….” when it is commonly observed, and pertinently enough, that the woman was not made from the superior part of man, that she might not be thought to be above him, and have power over him; nor from any inferior part, as being below him, and to be trampled on by him; but out of his side, and from one of his ribs, that she might appear to be equal to him; and from a part near his heart, and under his arms, to show that she should be affectionately loved by him, and be always under his care and protection: and she was not “created” as things were, out of nothing, nor “formed” as Adam was, out of the dust of the earth, being in the same form as a man; but “made” out of refined and quickened dust, or the flesh and bones of man, and so in her make and constitution fine and lovely.”
When God brought to man the beautiful woman he had created; Adam’s exclamation consciously was “wow!!!!!!…
“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man”
The revelation Adam had about his newly created companion was so surprising and amazing. This expression connotes that, indeed God never made the mistake of creating a woman for man.
Adam saw a perfect match between him and Eve. He saw Eve as an amazing darling and a sweetheart. Adam in his “wow” exclamation could not hide his inner bubbling joy to appreciate God his maker for a job well done.
We need to note here that Eve was made from Adam and for Adam; not Adam for Eve. It is so imperative to say that Eve in this context should never usurp authority over her husband, but she is to reverence her husband and submit to him completely as her lord.
The proceeded statement is a guideline, a rule, or a regulation given by God to guide the new institution, marriage.
The Christian concept of marriage is not monolithic, though many Christians would agree that it is a relationship ordained by God from the creation, in which a man and a woman leave their parents to join in an exclusive, monogamous union to carry out the will of the Creator (Gen 2:18).
This union is for life—that is, until the death of one of the marriage partners dissolves the union, in which case most Christians would regard remarriage of the surviving partner as permissible.
Up until the late nineteenth century, individuals (usually men) who lived into old age had usually been married two or more times, having suffered the death of one or more spouses.
For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame”. (Gen. 22-25)
The Leaving and Cleaving
The Leaving or to Leave. The first process of marriage is leaving.
The institution for marriage ordained by God orders the man to leave his parents. He must “leave” his father and mother for higher responsibilities. It takes a man a deliberate decision and determination to leave his parent. It is not done forcefully or compulsively. For the man to Leave is just to test his ability, as to be independent of parental control; that influences his marriage either positively or negatively. And leaving also for him to stop being dependent on his parent. Marriage is not for babies but is solemnized for mature individuals.
Gill comment that the instruction for man to “leave” is not that a man upon his marriage is to drop his affections to his parents, or be remiss in his obedience to them, the honor of them, and esteem for them, or to neglect the care of them if they need his assistance; but that he should depart from his father’s house, and no more dwell with him, or bed and board in his house; but having taken a wife to himself, should provide habitation for him and her to dwell together”
Cleave.
The second instruction for the man is to cleave to his wife. This cleaving means that the man has to prioritize his plan to consider his wife first before any other person, including his parents. That he has no business with any other person when it comes to the issue of marriage except his lovely wedded wife.
So that they may become one flesh; so much involve them to be both physical and spiritual union. It is an expression of them to be in total oneness.
To be in one flesh physically is to be together physically and sexually without any shame.
And to be one in the spirit connote that husband and wife must have the same spiritual tone, which will help them in time of prayer and to face any adversary that would be against their marriage.
“By the ‘leaving’ of father and mother, which applies to the woman as well as to the man, the conjugal union is shown to be a spiritual oneness, a vital communion of heart as well as of body, in which it finds its consummation.
This uniondifferentture from that of parents and children; hence marriage between parents and children is entirely opposed to the ordinance of God.
Marriage itself, even though it demands the ‘leaving’ of father and mother, is a holy appointment of God; hence celibacy is not a higher or holier state, and the relation of the sexes for a pure and holy man is pure and holy.”
The acts of leaving and cleaving together and becoming one flesh bring into reality the ability of the couples to display transparency with one another.
