An anonymous reader commented on the first part of our series on True Love with a question. While not desiring to draw exaggerated attention to one phrase of a piece (which can throw the perspective off-balance) below is a brief response.
Why label love between a husband and wife as “most holy”?
I was not the first to say this, but when searching for the original source I could not find it in the amount of time I had to look. The quotation comes from an Old English prayer spoken during the wedding ceremony, asking God to grow love “that most holy between man and wife”. The statement can only be stretched so far. That’s why it was in quotations.
I meant simply thus: On this earth, love, True Love, that is God’s and thus holy, has the potential to be portrayed and experienced through marriage in the most intimate, powerful way.
Genesis 2:24 states one factor that sets marriage apart. They shall become one. You could go to Christ’s High Priestly prayer in John 17 and point to verse 21 to see what the husband and wife are illustrating. Ephesians 4:4-6 also comes to mind. Christ to His church. A husband to his wife. God has drawn a parallel between the two that cannot be ignored.
Love is seen in many relationships but as concerns love between one person and another, God’s relationship in the Trinity is reflected best in marriage–as is Christ’s love for the church. Ephesians 5:22-33 tells us that “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church…but as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church…” The reflection is crystal clear in the connecting word “as”.
Did not Jesus say “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends”? (Jn 15:13) Just something to note here, but He didn’t say husband or wife – He said friend.
Love’s greatest demonstration is found in Christ’s death (1 John 4:10). The laying down of His life is greatest–He could give nothing more. If any person sacrifices his life for another, he has given everything he could and if he does so out of love, it is a beautiful thing.
Jesus is speaking here of what love is–not what earthly relationship is greatest. Look at the previous verse. He is telling us to love. Then He is saying that “the highest expression of love is a self-sacrifice which spares not life itself” (Ryrie). 1 John 3:!6 is the verse which ties in to John 15: “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Does one automatically, then, miss out on that which is most holy?
Ultimately love is not about us–it is about Him (1 John 4:7). One does not have to marry to witness the truest expression of love–and I spoke of fearing it irregardless of marital status. It is to be regarded with reverence. Yes, Christ’s sacrifice is available to us all; the marriage relationship is a sacred and mysterious (Eph. 5:32) reflection. Though it is the truest reflection on earth, no servant of the King could miss out on the most holy relationship of all.
As His church, we all enjoy our relationship with Christ as His Bride. On this earth not all of us will be immediately engaged in the living reflection God chose to use to illustrate the eternal reality. But none of us will miss the ultimate consummation (Rev. 19:7-8).
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5 Comments
Well said Natalie…as always.
p.s.
Thats a beautiful picture of Gretchen and Merritt.
:applauds: Very well said. As one who has been both unmarried and married
, it is true that the fullest earthly representation of Christ’s love is found in marriage (though, of course, not every marriage is this, either). God himself has indeed chosen marriage to be this earthly picture of his relationship with us, but he is so good, in that he tells us we are all his Bride, and gives every person, man or woman, the chance to experience his love for us fully through a relationship with him.
Beautifully, truly written, Natalie.
Just have to say I love that photo.