What does marriage represent in the Bible?

(2) In Type.—All types are prophetic in character. Take the first instance in Scripture, Adam cast into a deep sleep, Eve formed out of a rib taken from his side, type of the church formed as the result of the death of Christ. Ephesians 5:25-32 brings this out so clearly that there can be no mistake as to its meaning. Marriage was not a convenient illustration of Christ and the church, but was indeed instituted of design that it might be a type of it. Thus, on this little planet running its little day between two infinite eternities, if we may use such an expression, God has been pleased to illustrate that which filled His heart in purpose from eternity, and which can alone find its answer in Christ and the church in eternity.

The Spirit of God uses the relationship of husband and wife in Ephesians 5 to illustrate the relationship of Christ to His church. Nay further, it is not that the relationship of husband and wife is a convenient illustration, but it is clear from Ephesians 5 that that marriage relationship was modelled on what God had in His mind, the relationship of Christ and the church. That is to say the relationship of Christ and His church was in the Divine mind in the counsels of eternity, and in time the relationship of husband and wife was instituted. So we find Ephesians 5:30 re-echoing the words of Genesis 2:23, which we just quoted, putting them in an infinitely higher and eternal connection, “For we are members of His [Christ’s] body, of His flesh, and of His bones … This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:30, 32).

Let us open our Bibles and see how unconsciously the writer of the Pentateuch in the opening chapters of Genesis foreshadows the events of the New Testament. Adam falls into a deep sleep, out of his side is taken a rib, and therefrom is builded a woman, and God Himself marries our first parents. Is not this a beautiful picture of Christ and the church? He falls into the deep sleep of death, and through His death is formed His Bride. Thousands of years afterwards the saints at Ephesus read in the epistle addressed to them by Paul how the husband should behave to his wife, and yet that was not the primary thought, but rather their earthly relationship was used as an illustration of Christ and His church—how He loved the church and gave Himself for it. Then we come upon the words used by Moses in Genesis 2:24, and quoted by Paul in Ephesians 5:31, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” Yet the higher critics, forsooth, will tell us that the Pentateuch is discredited, and that its early chapters are nothing more nor less than mythology. But if we discredit Genesis we discredit Ephesians also.

Verse 31. "For this cause shall a man leave," etc. This view of the mystery of Christ is now completed by a reference to the primal institution of the marriage state, which is here presented by the Spirit as a type of the spiritual blessedness of the second Adam and His ransomed bride. The connexion in which the Apostle's quotation stands with his previous doctrine is quite clear. It was when Adam had accepted Eve as God's crowning gift, recognizing in her not only her Creator's fairest handiwork, but also his own flesh, that the Divine sanction of the marriage bond was formally pronounced: "For this cause," etc. The original mystery of creative power should thus be had in a perpetual remembrance by the institution of a relation in which divided being became, in name and interest, and close affection, one. Marriage begins a new estate. Father and mother are to be loved and honoured still, but relied on no longer as protectors. The man departs from his state of filial dependence to become himself the head of a new house. Now the espousals of the first man, Adam, was the type of the joy of Him who was to come. The woman whom the Lord God built up out of the man's substance, to be a help meet for him, was a shadow of her whom Christ now owns and cherishes as Himself. A little meditation on the end and order of this paradisaical marriage will bring out into still richer and clearer distinctness the marvellous blessedness of this calling of the Church.

As well as God's seeking to impress on us the reality of the relationship of Christ and the church, however, He is showing how close is the unity of husband and wife in God's sacred ordinance of marriage. Today this has been terribly violated by the selfish independence of both men and women, but God's word is plain, “For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (v. 24). Thus God established marriage as the first of human relationships, and He makes if clear for all succeeding generations that a man should leave his father and mother and cling to his wife. It is just as evident that the woman should leave her parents to become fully devoted to her husband. The word “cling” is beautiful here. It involves the reality of love, of devotedness and of faithfulness.

This is God's institution: He said it was not good that man should be alone, and He provided a suitable help for Adam in the person of Eve. Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman (isha), because she was taken out of Man (ish). Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Gen. 2:23-24. This declaration of union was confirmed by the Lord, who, in quoting the above, added, "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Matt. 19:5-6; Mark 10:7-9. It is confirmed also by being taken as a type of the sacred union of the Lord with the church: "We are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. 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. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." Eph. 5:30-32.

Every natural relationship established by God is a figure of a higher, more blessed spiritual one. And marriage, being the first such human relationship, introduced before sin entered the world, -- a provision of grace for the true blessing, comfort, fellowship and joy of the dependent creature -- is surely intended to convey to us something that is of the greatest importance, and nearest to the heart of our God. If therefore we are to have proper understanding of the blessedness of marriage itself, and of the attitude and conduct becoming to such a union, then by all means, the higher spiritual relationship, of which it speaks, will furnish most profitable instruction.

Please consider carefully consider Ephesians 5:22-33. The apostle barely begins his exhortations to wives and husbands, when his thoughts turn spontaneously to the blessed union of Christ and His Church, that is, the collective company of all the redeemed saints of the present age of grace, who are joined by the Spirit of God in eternal unity, -- not only to one another, but to Himself. This is one marriage that death cannot terminate, for it is founded upon His own death, and He is alive forevermore.

(Vv. 31, 32). The man that loves his wife loves himself and he is to leave other relationships to be joined to his wife. The Apostle quotes from Genesis, but he expressly states that this is a great mystery which has in view Christ and the church. Christ, as Man, left all relations with Israel according to the flesh in order to secure His church.

Again, the application to Christ and the church can be made. Christ, as man, forsook that which was His, by way of relationship to His earthly people, Israel, in order to acquire and possess the church. This verse is quoted by Paul in Ephesians 5:30: 'Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. This mystery is great' but He then unmistakably applies it to the church: 'but I speak as to Christ, and as to the assembly'. The marriage bond, therefore, becomes the picture of the union of the church with Christ.

In Ephesians 5:32, "This mystery is great, but I speak as to Christ and the Church." Here we have a special part only, that is the union of the Church with Christ, as of His body, His bones and His flesh, which set the Church in its own special and wonderful place when all was headed up in Christ in heaven and earth. It is a special mystery to itself.