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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 12, Day 2: Matthew 11:1-15
SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 11:1-15
Jesus is continuing his ministry in the towns of Galilee. John the Baptist was in prison, and when he heard Jesus had come, he sent his disciples to ask if he was the One. Jesus told them to tell John that he has come to help the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, and raise the dead. He has come to preach the Good News to the poor. All who hear and believe will be blessed.
Jesus then spoke about John the Baptist, saying he is the Elijah who was to come, a prophet who none have been risen greater than he. The kingdom has been advancing thanks to John.
BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 12, Day 2: Matthew 11:1-15
3a) John is in prison, so he is probably hoping to get out when the One comes. He wants to know if Jesus will rescue him.
b) Jesus quoted Isaiah who prophesied about the Savior, saying when he (Jesus) comes, the deaf will hear, the blind will see, the lame will walk, and the humble will rejoice. He preaches Good News to the poor and binds up the broken hearted (Isaiah 14:3-5).
c) Many times: in our moves, our past bankruptcy, and even now as we try to navigate another move possibly and career changes. All changes test your faith in some way, and you learn to lean on God more and more.
4a) John the Baptist was probably confused if Jesus was a political Messiah, sent to overthrow Rome, or the one he is — the one to save our souls instead. So, he asked Jesus himself, as we all should.
b) By asking Jesus. By bringing their questions to him and asking and waiting for him to respond.
5) He said no one born of women has been greater than he.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 12, Day 2: Matthew 11:1-15
Great example of how it’s okay to doubt who Jesus is and ask him to reveal himself. Many people come to Christ this way. Doubting is human, so give yourself some grace when you arrive at these moments in your life and continue to bring your doubts to Jesus.
Great historical fiction on the life of John the Baptist!
End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 12, Day 2: Matthew 11:1-15
Some Bible scholars say that John sent his disciples to ask who Jesus was for the disciples’ sake and not his own.
John the Baptist was in jail for calling out Herod Antipas, the ruler of Judea at this time. Herod had seduced his brother’s wife and ended up marrying her. John rebuked him for it and ended up in prison Matthew 14:3-12.
John is confused here, no doubt. He may be expecting a political Messiah — one who will rescue him. Perhaps, he didn’t want Jesus to forget about his troubles, too. Being in prision is hard, no doubt.
Jesus uses the prophecies of Isaiah to say he has come — but not in the political way many crave.
Jesus commends John the Baptist as the greatest prophet and man for being Jesus’s herald. Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1. Note that Jesus bears witness to John as he had done for him.
The kingdom of heaven is forceful in pushing back the darkness and in converting people to Jesus.
John the Baptist was in the spirit of Elijah (Luke 1:17). John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. We see Elijah at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:3), and we’ll see him as one of two prophets to come in Revelation 11:3-12.
Fun Fact: “He who has ears, let him hear” was a saying of Jesus after he said something important he wanted his followers to remember.
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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 7, Day 2: Matthew 6:1-18
SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 6:1-18
Be careful to not do acts of righteousness before men; if you do, you won’t have any rewards from your Father in heaven. Instead, all you will have is man’s applause and recognition, when you really want/need God’s. Do not give to the needy for yourself and for recognition (let your left hand know what your right hand is doing). Instead, give in secret. The Father will know and will reward you.
Pray to God unseen so you are not trying to impress men in order to give the impression you are righteous. Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray the Lord’s prayer. Forgive those who sin against you, and God will forgive you for your sins.
Do not fast in order to appear pious for men. Instead, don’t let others know you are fasting and look good while fasting. Your Father will see you and reward you.
BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 7, Day 2: Matthew 6:1-18
3a) Be careful to not do acts of righteousness before men; if you do, you won’t have any rewards from your Father in heaven.
b) About giving to the needy: Do not give to the needy for yourself and for recognition (let your left hand know what your right hand is doing). Instead, give in secret. The Father will know and will reward you.
About prayer: Pray to God unseen so you are not trying to impress men in order to give the impression you are righteous. Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray the Lord’s prayer.
About fasting: Do not fast in order to appear pious for men. Instead, don’t let others know you are fasting and look good while fasting. Your Father will see you and reward you.
All of Jesus’s examples teach to do these things for God and not for man’s recognition.
4) Jesus says to shine God’s light in Matthew 5:14-16. In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus says to not parade your good deeds around in order to seek man’s approval. Instead, God knows what you do, and you will be rewarded. Christians are to do good works so others can see God, but these works are not to be done in order to be seen doing these good works by others.
5) I tend to not care at all what others think. It can be easy to fall into the trap of putting up appearances, however. God and His opinion are all that matter.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 7, Day 2: Matthew 6:1-18
Good lesson ensuring you are working for God and not others. We can fall into this trap just because we aren’t cognizant of it.
Great reminder of God’s grace!
End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 7, Day 2: Matthew 6:1-18
This passage is warning us of worrying too much about your image, rather than who you truly are. Don’t do things for appearances; do them for the right reasons.
Applause and attention of men fade away quickly; God’s rewards are eternal.
Jesus speaks to giving, praying, and fasting since they were and still are so central to the Jewish faith and now Christians as well.
GIVING
Giving alms to the poor was expected of people, and it was counted as righteous. Doing so makes you a hypocrite if they are acting pious when they truly are not.
Hypocrite has ancient Greek origins of meaning “an actor.” However, its meaning changed to playing roles on a stage instead. Instead, give and not know you are giving because you are generous.
PRAYING
You should not pray to be seen. They insult God. Praying on street corners and in public without the right heart is not what Jesus wants.
Instead, pray in your room. This Greek word for “room” was a storeroom where treasures were kept.
Pray with meaning and not with words to impress God. Instead, let your words be few Ecclesiastes 5:2:
God knows our wants and our prayers before we speak them. We pray not to communicate these to Him, but instead to show God our hearts and desires and increase our faith in God.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
It’s important to remember that the Lord’s prayer is just a model that shows relationship, reverence, trust, and dependence on God.
- Recognize who you are praying to (Our Father in Heaven). Jews of the day rarely used “Father” for God as it was too intimate for them. God is in heaven, holy and glorious. Our Father includes everyone.
- God’s name, kingdom, and will above all else.
- List your needs — bread, forgiveness, and strength to resist temptation. Debts here refers to our sins. We all face temptation (James 1:13),, but we all have ways out.(1 Corinthians 10:13).
- Praise God. (Many Bible scholars agree the last line of the Lord’s supper was added later on since it was omitted by most early transcribers.
FORGIVENESS
You must forgive if you are to be forgiven by God. It is not an option.
For more on forgiveness by Jesus, read here: (Matthew 9:2-6, 18:21-35, and Luke 17:3-4).
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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 6, Day 3: Matthew 5:21-30
SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 5:21-30
Jesus says that you can commit murder in your heart when you are angry with others and you will then be subject to judgment. Be reconciled with those who you are angry with. Settle matters before it goes to court because going to court could land you in jail. Jesus says you commit adultery if you look at someone with lust. Gouge out your eye and cut off your hand if it causes you to sin. Losing a part is better than losing yourself.
BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 6, Day 3: Matthew 5:21-30
6a) Jesus said you can kill someone with your mind and heart, and not just physically. Hate can be just as strong as murder. If you hate your brother, you are a murderer and John says that no murderer has eternal life in him.
b ) To be reconciled with others before bringing gifts to God and to forgive others.
c ) I really don’t hate anyone right now. But I don’t have a lot of friends.
7a) Jesus said you commit adultery in your heart if you look at someone else with lust.
b ) Basically, stay out of situations that will cause you to lust or be angry with others.
c ) Sex and sexual innuendos are everywhere in society. It can be hard to escape them. Philippians 4:8 tells us to think about other things, such as whatever is pure, noble, true, right, lovely, and admirable. This is what Jesus says. Don’t look at things or do things that can cause you to sin in your heart.
8 ) 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that we can overcome our temptations and that God always provides a way out and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us to take our thoughts captive. Basically, we are in charge of what we think, and staying out of sinful situations keeps us safe and helps us to not sin.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 6, Day 3: Matthew 5:21-30
Living is hard, but with God, it’s bearable. God provides us ways out of sin and helps us every step of the way. All we have to do is take his hand.
Try this book for encouragement:
End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 6, Day 3: Matthew 5:21-30
Things aren’t necessarily true because they are old; look at how long people believed the earth to be flat. Jesus is saying that here.
The Law is a heart matter, too.
Anger at others is a normal, human reaction. The anger Jesus is speaking of is the anger that causes thoughts of revenge and unforgiveness.
“Raca” is a ephithet for someone who is of low intelligence. Today, you’d call soemone dumb or an idiot.
Jesus says being reconciled to others is more important that religious duties. We are to be at peace with others Romans 12:18
Settle your anger or you will be a slave to it. Ephesians 4:26-27
The penalty is not money here. It’s suffering for eternity.
Jesus is saying committing adultery is a sin, but so is adultery of the heart. However, the act is much worse than the thought.
This concept is anything that we covet. You choose to linger on corrupt thoughts. Banish them for good.
Pluck Out Your Eye and Cut Off Your Hand
Plucking your eye out and cutting off your hand is not meant to be literal here. We are supposed to change the part of us that tends to sin. Wishful thinking won’t get us there.
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BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 28, Day 3: Genesis 47:28-31
Summary of Genesis 47:28-31:
Jacob lived in Egypt for 17 years. He lived to be 147 years of age. He made Joseph swear to bury him in Canaan with his fathers.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 28, Day 3: Genesis 47:28-31
7) “With his fathers.” In Machpelah near Mamre at Hebron in Canaan, which was the burial place of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah.
8 ) Jacob knew he would get to come back to Canaan and that he’d see Joseph at the end.
9) Personal Question. My answer: In my business, my career, my new business, and life’s directions.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 28, Day 3: Genesis 47:28-31
I like how we can see that people have made burial wishes since the beginning of time, a tradition that still stands today with people’s wills.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 28, Day 3: Genesis 47:28-31
Jacob wanted to be buried with his family in Canaan — his home. It’s comforting to many who are facing their last days on this earth.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 17, Day 3: Genesis 27:14-29
Summary of Genesis 27:14-29:
Jacob went all out on the deception, putting on Esau’s clothes and goat skins on his hands and neck in order to appear hairy like Esau. He brought the food Rebekah had prepared to Isaac, who wondered how Jacob had gotten the food so quickly. Note the lie here: God had blessed him with success. Isaac does touch his hands and says how the voice is Jacob’s, but his hands are Esau’s. After eating the goat stew, Isaac kisses him and then smells the scent of Esau from the clothes. He then blesses Jacob with blessings, riches, and having nations serve him.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 17, Day 3: Genesis 27:14-29
7a) Rebekah was showing that she’d do whatever it took to get her way (or God’s in this case), even lie and trick others. She was showing that she knew best over Jacob and was showing him no respect as the head of the household.
b) Jacob didn’t hesitate to lie at all to get the blessing. He went along with everything Rebekah told him to do. Isaac ignored God’s soverignty by trying to give Esau the blessing instead of Jacob. There was no respect. There was no seeking God. They simply did not care who they hurt in their actions.
8 ) It shows the dangers of favoritism amongst parents towards their children. Still, at the heart of man, it comes down to putting your will above God’s and doing anything to make that happen. Funny how God always wins.
9) Even though the methods were wrong, Jacbo still received the blessing that God intended. God always works things out as they are supposed to be despite our attempts to do it for God or for other reasons. God is good.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 17, Day 3: Genesis 27:14-29
This story shows the heart of man perfectly. No matter how God-centered you are, you always have to be wary of letting your will and intentions usurp God’s.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 17, Day 3: Genesis 27:14-29
Isaac probably knew it was Jacob in his heart of hearts, as we see with the repeated questions. However, Isaac believed Jacob instead. Jacob tells several lies to get what he wants, justifying it by how he’s doing God’s will. The means does not justify the end.
Isaac cannot see and his sense of touch was not good. Thus, he relied on his sense of smell. Back in the day when no one showered or did laundry, the distinct smell that every human has was pronounced, which is what Isaac smelled on Esau’s clothes.
Isaac passes on the blessing God had given Abraham.
The blessing itself is one of richness, bounty, and God’s presence.
In the end, God blesses who He wants to blesses and curses who He wants to curses; our actions here on earth are truly meaningless outside of God’s will.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 4: Genesis 22:15-24
Summary of Genesis 22:15-24:
The angel of the Lord calls to Abraham a second time from heaven with a message from God, saying that because of his obedience, God will bless Abraham and make his descendants numerous. They will take possession of the cities of their enemies and all nations on earth will be blessed because of Abraham’s obedience. Abraham set off for his home in Beersheba.
We are told the sons of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, because Rebekah, Isaac’s future wife, is in this lineage.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 4: Genesis 22:15-24
11) Why not swear by himself? God can do what he wants. Bible scholars think this may be Jesus so God is swearing by Jesus/Himself. Also, this emphasizes that the covenant is all one way — God is making the promise with nothing from Abraham. God is making it abundantly clear by swearing on His own perfect character. Hebrews 6:13-19: “When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself.”
12a) God will bless Abraham and make his descendants numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. They will take possession of the cities of their enemies and all nations on earth will be blessed because of Abraham’s obedience.
b) Everyone is heirs to this promise and been blessed. Jesus wil also come from Abraham’s descendants.
13a) Personal Question. My answer: We all have Abraham and our ancestors to thank for the life we lead right now and for knowing God. Everything is connected, and God’s blessing is passed down from generation to generation.
b) Luke 1:37: “For nothing is impossible with God.”
Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.”
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 4: Genesis 22:15-24
Love God’s reward here and His repeated reiteration of it.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 4: Genesis 22:15-24
Many Bible scholars believe the angel of the Lord here is Jesus.
We should always take note when the Bible repeats something. Here, we see once again that Isaac is called Abraham’s only son Genesis 22:2 and 22:12 like Jesus was God’s only son. God repeats his covenant to point out the greatness of Abraham’s obedience.
Scientists believe that the number of stars in the sky is about equivalent to the number of grains of sand on the seashore.
Why mention Nahor’s sons?
Because one of the grandkids of Nahor is Rebekah, who will become Isaac’s wife. Again, we are being shown the entire lineage of Christ.
Here the bible mentions concubines for the first time. Having more than one wife was something almost every ancient culture did. As we’ve seen, concubines only cause family’s trouble in the Bible, and this was never how God meant marriages to be.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 3: Genesis 22:11-14
Summary of Genesis 22:11-14:
An angel of the Lord called out to Abraham, to which he said, “Here I am.” The angel tells Abraham to not lay a hand on the boy for now his fear of God has been shown. A ram appeared to which Abraham sacrificed to God instead. The place was called “The Lord Will Provide.”
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 3: Genesis 22:11-14
7a) Utter obedience and to know he feared him and not withheld his most precious possession from God.
b) Personal Question. My answer: In faith with our move that He will provide new and exciting opportunities and abundance here.
8 ) Something that stands or acts in the place of another.
9) He sent his one and only Son to atone for our sins by dying for them.
10) Personal Question. My answer: Total gratitude although I feel that’s not enough for Jesus’s death. Only God can give me the strength to keep plugging along every day. Through the Holy Spirit, prayer, and understanding of Jesus’s sacrifice for me, do I keep on.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 3: Genesis 22:11-14
When God tests us, it is for our good. We are to learn from it and grow our faith because of it. These days in life are a daily challenge. If we walk in faith, they wil get easier.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 3: Genesis 22:11-14
God makes it clear that Isaac is not to be harmed. God follows through by giving his son as a sacrifice. In much the same way, Abraham does as well.
The ram represents the sustitute God provides for our sins. Jesus is our substitute, covering our sins as the ultimate sacrifice so we can be with God one day. God saved us by providing God (Jesus) Himself. God does/did it all. We have nothing to do with it.
Remember that God will provide. He always has and always will.
Notice the third day Isaac “rose” from the dead because he was saved on the altar by God. Jesus rises on the third day, saving us from all of our sins.
God gives everyone a clear picture of what is to come through Isaac. The sacrifice of Isaac mirrors Jesus’s in all but deed. This is important too. God is gracious by giving us pictures of what is to come.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 6, Day 5: Genesis 9:8-17
Summary of Genesis 9:8-17:
God establishes His covenant with Noah, the animals, and all of their descendants to never flood the earth again. He sets the rainbow as the sign of the covenant, and when He sees it, He will remember.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 6, Day 5: Genesis 9:8-17
12) God establishes His covenant with Noah, the animals, and all of their descendants to never flood the earth again. He sets the rainbow as the sign of the covenant, and when He sees it, He will remember. Even though man is evil, God is good, and He will preserve all of humanity.
13) Personal Question. My answer: God’s heart is bigger than I ever could imagine. He loves creation, and since His love is much greater than mine, we should love creation whole-heartedly as well.
14a) The rainbow. It is the sign of the covenant between God and the earth. He will remember this covenant every time it appears.
b) We’re still here, aren’t we?
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 6, Day 5: Genesis 9:8-17
I love rainbows. Their appearance is always special, and I always wish they would last longer. They last long enough for God to remember me and me to remember Him.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 6, Day 5: Genesis 9:8-17
FUN FACT: This is the first of many covenants God makes with his people and that we will see in this study of Genesis. This one covers every living creature.
This covenant was a repetition and clarification of the promise God made in Genesis 8:21-22.
God imprisoned the angels (Jude 6) and shortened our lives, giving us less time to make amok of things.
FUN FACT: Remember that the blanket of water vapors was released in the flood and the water cycle of the earth changed after the flood, so this may be the first occurrence of a rainbow on the planet. God used the rainbow as a sign to Noah and all generations that He would be faithful to His covenant.
The other mentions of a rainbow in the Bible are set in the context of God’s enthroned glory (Ezekiel 1:28; Revelation 4:3).
Credit to enduring word for commentary
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 2, Day 5: Genesis 2:4-25
Summary of Genesis 2:4-25:
After God made the heavens and the earth but before plants had sprung and only streams had watered the earth, God made man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into his nostrils and man became living. He put the man in the garden of Eden. He made all kinds of trees for food and in the middle were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. A river watered this garden.
God put man in charge of the garden to work it and take care of it. He warned the man not to eat from the tree of knowledge or he would die. He brought the animals to Adam to name. When God did so, He noticed no helper was found for man; so He created woman from Adam’s rib while he was sleeping so man would not be alone.
This is why man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and become one flesh. They were naked and felt no shame.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 2, Day 5: Genesis 2:4-25
Personal Day
13) God intends for marriage to be a sacred bond between one woman and one man who work together for God’s ordained purposes of taking care of the the planet and to not be lonely.
14) God cares about our well-being — enough to give us a companion so as not to be lonely. Humanity is to work for God and for the Creation God has given man.
15) Another broad question so no wrong answer here. I see my role as taking care of my family that in turn cares for God and His family (the world).
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 2, Day 5: Genesis 2:4-25
All personal day today, so I’m afraid my answers are less than par here. I do much better with Biblical ones.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 2, Day 5: Genesis 2:4-25
And so ends the genealogy of the heavens and the earth, a history given directly by God to either Moses or Adam, recording the history of God’s 7 day creation that no human was present to witness.
FUN FACT: This is the first use of LORD (Yahweh) in the Bible. Our English word Lord comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for bread (as does our word loaf) because ancient English men of high stature would keep a continual open house, where all could come and get bread to eat. They gained the honorable title of lords, meaning “dispensers of bread.”
Man had not yet been created to care for the vegetation of the earth, and there was no rain. The thick blanket of water vapor in the outer atmosphere created on the second day of creation (Genesis 1:6-8) made for no rain. However, a system of evaporation and condensation formed heavy dew or ground-fog.
When God created man, He made him out of the most basic elements, the dust of the ground.
- When the Bible uses dust in a figurative or symbolic sense, it means something of little worth, associated with lowliness and humility (Genesis 18:27; 1 Samuel 2:8; 1 Kings 16:2).
- With this Divine breath, man became a living being, like other forms of animal life (the term chay nephesh is used in Genesis 1:20-21 and here). Yet only man is a living being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).
The word for breath in Hebrew is ruach is the same word for Spirit, as is the case in both ancient Greek (pneuma) and Latin (spiritus). God created man by putting His breath, His Spirit, within him.
The King James Version reads: man became a living soul. So is man a soul, or does man have a soul? This passage seems to indicate that man is a soul, while passages like 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12 seem to indicate that man has a soul. It seems that the Scripture speaks in both ways.
The Garden of Eden
Eden was a garden specifically planted by God; it was a place God made to be a perfect habitation for Adam (and later, Eve).
Genesis chapter 2 is the history of creation from Adam’s perspective, which does not contradict the account of Genesis 1:1-2:7 .
- In Matthew 19:4-5, Jesus referred to events in Genesis 1 and to events in Genesis 2 as one harmonious account.
- The tree of life was to grant (or to sustain) eternal life (Genesis 3:22). God still has a tree of life available to the His people (Revelation 2:7), which is in heaven (Revelation 22:2).
- The whole feel of this account gives the sense that it was written by an actual eyewitness of the rivers and surroundings. Adam probably wrote this himself.
These rivers used to exist. However, the names of these rivers can’t be used to determine where the Garden of Eden was located because the flood dramatically changed the earth’s landscape and reconfigured these rivers.
God put Adam into the most spectacular paradise the world has seen, but God put Adam there to do work. Work is something good for man and was part of Adam’s perfect existence and our purpose before the fall.
If there is never a command or never something forbidden there can then never be choice. God wants our love and obedience to Him to be the love and obedience of choice.
The Creation of Eve
For the first time, God saw something that was not good – the aloneness of man.
- God gives man the responsibility (and the accountability) to be the leader in the home and gives women the responsibility and the accountability to help him.
- We only see “helping” as a position of inferiority when we think like the world thinks. God considers positions of service as most important in His sight (Matthew 20:25-28).
COOL FACT: Here, Adam’s intellect had not yet suffered from the fall, so he was probably the most brilliant man who ever lived.
ANOTHER COOL FACT: This is the first surgery recorded in history. God even used a proper anesthetic on Adam.
God used Adam’s own body to create Eve to forever remind him of their essential oneness. Man and woman are more alike than they are different.
We also know the Bride of Christ comes from the wound made in the side of the second Adam, Jesus Christ.
“She was taken from under his arm that he might protect her and from next to his heart that he might love her” (Barnhouse).
Note that the subordinate relationship of wives to husbands is found before the curse, not only after it.
Man and Wife Are One Flesh
A man and wife can truly come together in a one-flesh relationship, yet they must be joined. It is a spiritual fact, but the benefits of that oneness are not gained by accident or by chance.
This passage forms the foundation for the Bible’s understanding of marriage and family. Both Jesus (Matthew 19: 5) and Paul (Ephesians 5:31) quoted it in reference to marriage.
- Husband and wife become one flesh under God’s blessing. In extramarital sex, the partners become “one flesh” under God’s curse.
- The fullness of what God wants to do in the one flesh relationship takes time. It has to become.
- Adam understood the essential oneness in his relationship with Eve. This point is so important that it is referred to several times in the New Testament, including the great marriage passage in Ephesians 5:28-29
Being naked shows being open and exposed as a person before God and man. To be naked… and not ashamed means you have no sin, nothing to be rightly ashamed of, and nothing to hide.
Credit to enduring word for commentary