One Flesh

Today is another what if post. A question popped into my head while reading Why Does God Care Who I Sleep With? - why does Genesis say one flesh? "...and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)

The passage doesn't say "two spirits become one". Flesh submits to the spirit. The spirit interacts with the universe around us - creation - through flesh. Two spirits acting as one flesh are two spirits affecting creation in synch. Their interaction, subduing, and shaping of the universe reflects a harmony as if one alone were working.

Jesus often says I and the Father are One. In this train of thought, does becoming one flesh paint a picture of Jesus' relationship with God? He and His Father work together so closely it looks like one acting alone. Their impact on the universe is completely synchronized. The Bible uses marriage as an image for Christ's relationship with His church. Christ relationship with us reflects His relationship with His Father. What if marriage was always the picture of our relationship with God?

The idea that two people affect the universe in unison reflects the image of how we and God affect the universe in unison - or how we were supposed to. Naturally, in this relationship, we submit to God. God knows every sub-atomic particle floating through the universe over all of time. He has a much better picture than I do. Does this mean that if Adam never sinned, wives still submit to husbands?

I'm not being trivial. Sin brought death because it reverted us into our flesh. The law of entropy takes over. Everything breaks down. Another consequence, God told Eve that Adam will rule over her and her desire would be for him. The tradition of husband as head of the family originates from there. Did God make what was always true clear because He knew we would fight? If we can't be in harmony with Him, how can we be in harmony with each other?

Because of the fall, the submitter and the submitted to are both imperfect. Even if we were perfect, doesn't one spirit still submit to the other in order to maintain harmony? We submit to God, and would submit to God. Jesus submitted to God, His Father. Why would marriage - or any other human institution - be different?

So, yeah, this is the stuff banging around in my brain today. What do you think?