Sharper Iron — God’s Gift of Marriage – Genesis 2:18-25: The Institution of Marriage

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In considering God’s gift of marriage, it’s helpful to start at the beginning. Moses records God’s institution of marriage in Genesis 2. Because it was not good for the man to be alone, God created the woman to be the helper he needed. Adam’s joy at the gift of Eve is the same joy God gives to husbands and wives today as they take delight in each other, help each other, and receive the gift of children through their union. God’s institution of marriage shows this holy estate to be anything but a burden— it is a precious gift.

Rev. Nate Hill, pastor at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Winchester, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 2:18-25.

To learn more about St. Michael’s Lutheran, visit stmichaelswinchester.org.

“God’s Gift of Marriage” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that studies the Song of Solomon and other key texts from the Bible concerning marriage. Although the world is terribly confused concerning what marriage is, God’s Word reveals how good a gift marriage truly is and points us to the relationship between Christ, the Bridegroom, and His Church, the Bride.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund. Together in faith, LCEF helps to start, sustain and strengthen LCMS ministries through financial and strategic partnerships. Visit lcef.org.

Genesis 2:18-25

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for[a] him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed[b] every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam[c] there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made[d] into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”[e]

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

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Footnotes

Genesis 2:18 Or corresponding to; also verse 20

Genesis 2:19 Or And out of the ground the Lord God formed

Genesis 2:20 Or the man

Genesis 2:22 Hebrew built

Genesis 2:23 The Hebrew words for woman (ishshah) and man (ish) sound alike

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org