Ephesians 5:31-32
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The verse isn't just about leaving parents; it emphasizes becoming "one flesh" with your spouse, a profound, almost inseparable union, akin to being glued together, suggesting that death is the only true dissolver of this sacred bond. This powerful imagery mirrors the deep, life-giving union God intends between Christ and His Church.
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul quotes Genesis 2:24, explaining that the profound union of marriage—where a husband leaves his parents to cleave to his wife, becoming one flesh—serves as a foundational example. This intimate partnership is presented as the earthly parallel to the even deeper, mysterious union Christ shares with his Church, which Paul has just described. The text emphasizes that this commitment to a spouse supersedes even the natural ties of family.
Why does Paul bring up Genesis 2:24 in his letter to the Ephesians? It's not just about marriage; it's about God's foundational design for human connection.
Paul quotes Genesis 2:24, the very words spoken at the institution of marriage. This isn't a casual mention; it's a profound statement about God's original intent.
Leaving and Clinging
Becoming One Flesh
Paul uses the marriage bond to illustrate something even greater. What profound spiritual reality is he pointing to?
Paul doesn't just quote Genesis 2:24; he places it within the context of Christ and the Church. This verse, originally about the first man and woman, becomes a powerful symbol.
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A Divine Analogy
The 'Great Mystery'
Understand the original words
kataleipsei · Greek Verb
A term referring to the fundamental, often public, act of initiating a new family unit by departing from the primary authority and sustenance of one’s parents. It signifies a transition of priority and loyalty.
proskollēthēsetai · Greek Verb
To cling to, adhere to, or be joined to someone or something with intensity and commitment. In marriage, it describes the lifelong, inseparable bond between spouses.
sarka mian · Greek Noun phrase
A term describing the physical, spiritual, and emotional union of a husband and wife, signifying that they are no longer two separate entities but a single unit in God’s sight.
mystērion · Greek Noun
A truth that was previously hidden or not fully revealed in the Old Testament but is now made known by God through the New Testament revelation, specifically concerning His redemptive purposes.
Christos · Greek Proper Noun
The anointed Savior and King, the Head of the church, who gave Himself up for her as the ultimate model of sacrificial, covenantal love.
ekklēsia · Greek Noun
The body of believers called out by God, characterized as the bride of Christ, united to Him through faith and belonging entirely to Him.
This verse is the foundational Old Testament passage that Paul directly quotes, establishing the original divine design for marriage as a profound, unified relationship.
Matthew 19:4-6Jesus reiterates the Genesis account when asked about divorce, emphasizing the 'one flesh' union as God's unbreakable design, reinforcing the sacredness Paul speaks of.
1 Corinthians 6:16-17This passage speaks of becoming 'one flesh' with a prostitute, using the same core concept to warn against improper unions and highlight the unique intimacy reserved for marriage.
Colossians 3:18-19These verses follow similar instructions for household relationships, framing wives' submission and husbands' love within the context of Christian living, which echoes the marital principles in Ephesians 5.
gillEphesians 5:31: "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."
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,.... These words contain the law of marriage, and are cited from Genesis 2:24 ; and declare what ought to be, and are a prophecy of what should be; and are observed against polygamy, and to stir up mutual affection; See Gill on Matthew 19:5 .
barnesEphesians 5:31: "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."
For this cause - Ἀντὶ τόυτου Anti toutou. This verse is a quotation from Genesis 2:24 , and contains the account of the institution of marriage. The meaning of the phrase rendered "for this cause" is, "answerably to this;" or corresponding to this - that is, to what Paul had just said of the union of believers and the Redeemer. On the meaning of this…
The verse isn't just about leaving parents; it emphasizes becoming "one flesh" with your spouse, a profound, almost inseparable union, akin to being glued together, suggesting that death is the only true dissolver of this sacred bond. This powerful imagery mirrors the deep, life-giving union God intends between Christ and His Church.
Paul quotes Genesis 2:24, explaining that the profound union of marriage—where a husband leaves his parents to cleave to his wife, becoming one flesh—serves as a foundational example. This intimate partnership is presented as the earthly parallel to the even deeper, mysterious union Christ shares with his Church, which Paul has just described. The text emphasizes that this commitment to a spouse supersedes even the natural ties of family.
Paul quotes Genesis 2:24, explaining that the profound union of marriage—where a husband leaves his parents to cleave to his wife, becoming one flesh—serves as a foundational example. This intimate partnership is presented as the earthly parallel to the even deeper, mysterious union Christ shares with his Church, which Paul has just described. The text emphasizes that this commitment to a spouse supersedes even the natural ties of family.
"“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church." — The verse isn't just about leaving parents; it emphasizes becoming "one flesh" with your spouse, a profound, almost inseparable union, akin to being glued together, suggesting that death is the only…
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Last reviewed October 2026
