Ephesians 5:31 Meaning: Two Become One Flesh, A Great Mystery

The Greek verb behind 'will be joined' is proskollēthēsetai, from proskollao. It means to glue or cement something so firmly that it can only be broken by tearing the material itself. Adam Clarke pictured a well-glued board: the wood splits before the joint gives way. That is the kind of permanence Paul has in mind.

The preposition in 'become one flesh' is eis, a movement into unity. Not just two separate people who happen to be close, but two moving toward a shared life so complete that Scripture calls it one flesh. The word for 'flesh' (sarx) here points to the whole person, not just the body. So the leaving, the gluing, and the becoming together describe a total allegiance and a new identity that cannot be undone.

These words matter because they show that marriage is not a contract you sign but a union you enter. And when Paul applies them to Christ and the church, they tell us that our bond with Christ is just that real.

Christians have long seen two layers in this verse. Matthew Henry and other Reformed commentators emphasize that while marriage is the immediate subject, the deeper meaning is the union between Christ and the church. John Calvin agreed, calling the quotation from Genesis a symbol and pledge of our spiritual union. The Cambridge Bible describes it as a 'Divine parable' pointing to Christ leaving the Father for His bride.

Other traditions focus on the marriage relationship itself. Methodist writer Adam Clarke stresses the permanence of the marital bond, saying death alone can part husband and wife. Baptist expositor John Gill cites the verse as divine law against polygamy. Both readings honor the text: one sees the earthly union as the primary subject, the other sees it as a picture of something greater. Most agree that Paul uses the verse to illuminate both marriage and the mystery of Christ's love.

A common misreading is that Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 merely as a proof text for marriage. In fact, Paul draws the quotation into his argument about Christ and the church and then says explicitly, 'This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and the church' (verse 32). The marriage instruction is real and important, but Paul's central point is the union of Christ with His people. To read the verse only as marriage advice misses the astonishing claim Paul is making.

This week, the verse asks you to consider the depth of your connection to Christ. Are you living as one flesh with Him, letting His words shape your choices, His love define your identity? For those who are married, it also invites you to look at your spouse and see a person so joined to you that tearing away would damage the whole. That perspective changes how you speak to each other, how you forgive, how you stay. For everyone, married or not, the call is the same: trust the union Christ made with His church. It is as permanent as the gluing Paul describes.