Journal: Emmaus Journal
Volume: EMJ 15:1 (Summer 2006)
Article: The Divine Blueprint For Marriage (Genesis 2:18–25)
Author: David J. MacLeod

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EMJ 15:1 (Summer 2006) p. 45

The Divine Blueprint For Marriage (Genesis 2:18–25)

David J. MacLeod

David J. MacLeod is Dean for Biblical Studies at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa, and is associate editor of The Emmaus Journal. This article is one in a series, “‘Biblical Marriage:’ Expositional Studies of the Bible’s Major Texts on Marriage.”

Introduction

Some time ago Time magazine carried a review of a motion picture described as a “British romantic comedy.” In reality it was a film that disturbingly dramatized the views of many modern people about love and marriage.1

A young man and woman (Charles, an Englishman, and Carrie, an American) in their early thirties met at a mutual friend’s wedding. That evening they ended up together in a bedroom of a nearby pub. They met again three months later at another friend’s wedding. Carrie told Charles that she was engaged to a wealthy Scottish businessman and politician. Even though she was engaged to another, Carrie again spent the evening with Charles in a hotel.

Charles ran into Carrie again at an expensive store where he was buying her a wedding gift. They went to a restaurant and talked. They talked of marital fidelity. He asked her if she would be faithful to her new husband. She said she would. After all, she said, “I’ve had a good run.” Carrie casually told Charles that she had had sexual relations with thirty-three different men. Charles was embarrassed that he had had only nine sexual affairs.

One month later he attended her wedding to the Scotsman, who was a man in his sixties. At the wedding reception the bride and groom both made brief speeches. Carrie remarked that someone at the party offered to step in if her new groom didn’t work out. She said, “I’ll keep you posted.” Her groom, Hamisch,

EMJ 15:1 (Summer 2006) p. 46

complimented the bridesmaids and quipped, “I plan to use you every time I get married.”

At the ensuing dance, one of Charles’ friends, named Garreth, an older man in his fifties, died of a heart attack. The next scene was at Garreth’s funeral. The eulogy was read by his best friend, who implied that he and Garreth were homosexual lovers. Afterwards Charles commented to another friend that two of their set (namely, the homosexuals) were a married couple after all. Ten months later, Charles’ wedding took place. Before most of the guests showed up, Carrie appeared and told him that she had been divorced from Hamisch for three months. Charles called off his wedding. In the closing scene Charles proposed to Carrie. He wanted to live with her forever, but he did not want to get married. H...

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