The Purpose of Marriage and the Place of Animals

It is not Good that Man should be Alone; I will make him a helper to fit him.      Gen. 2:18

The fact that Adam was in original solitude without a helper is repeated twice and acts like “bookends” to the creation and naming of animals (2:18 and 20).  The primary meaning is obvious; Adam needs more than the animals to fulfill his needs and purpose as we discussed in the previous post.  In the background, however, is the essential link between humanity, both man and woman, with animals.  We cannot understand our humanity apart from animals (cf. Isa. 11, 35).  

There is one very subtle detail in this marriage pericope of Gen 2:18-25 that has huge theological ramifications.  What catches our attention is God’s bringing them to Adam “to see what he would call them.”  In the context of Scripture as a whole, we know that God is omniscient, above space and time, possessing all knowledge.  Yet, God is depicted here as curious, even waiting with wonder over what Adam might name the animals.

The implication is that God never lets His foreknowledge get in the way of His delight and curiosity in what Adam does as he exercises dominion over creation.  God has bestowed powers to Adam.  Specifically, here he possesses a deep knowledge into the essence of their creature hood.  By naming, Adam becomes their master, and as such, is in union with them. On this text Ephraim the Syrian beautifully expounds:

This [naming] happened in order that God might make known the wisdom of Adam and the harmony that existed between the animals and Adam before he transgressed the commandment.  The animals came to him as a loving shepherd. Without fear they passed before him in orderly fashion, by kinds and species.  They were neither afraid of him nor were they afraid of each other. A species of predatory animals would pass by with a species of animals that is preyed upon following safely right behind. 

                                                                   Commentary on Genesis

“Naming” is also a “word” motif like we see at creation with the divine word calling everything into existence.  It speaks to the universal habit of naming our animals and pets which we have responsibility for, and bring so much joy to our lives.  As for Adam, we have insight into names and words before the fall narrative, which begins with the “lying word motif” of the serpent and concludes with the confusion of tongues at Babel.  The implication is this: words actually corresponded to what things essentially were, not mere arbitrary “signs” in modern linguistic terms.  To this we add von Rad’s observation:

Here, interestingly, language is seen not as a means of communication but as an intellectual capacity by means of which man brings conceptual order to his sphere of life. 

Intimately tied into this is Adam’s need for a helper. As noted before, the Hebrew word for “helper” is ‵ezer.  This word doesn’t imply inferiority at all, and, quite often, is used in reference to God who helps humanity.  Eve, with all her powers of femininity, is necessary to the task.  Adam is given the responsibility to “guard and keep” the Garden, and if we combine the command to “increase and multiply” given in the first creation story (1:28), we see God’s intention for humanity is to creatively expand the garden outward.  As we have seen, the Garden in Eden is the “Most Holy” place in God’s cosmic temple. It takes the work and creativity of both Adam and Eve to accomplish this.  God has given them the task, equipped as divine image bearers, to build a mighty basilica (term “basilica” used in this context by Tertullian, derived from the Greek word for “kingdom,” hence a royal, cosmic house) that reflects their unique God-given powers to create.  God is keenly interested in seeing how they will build it.   

Animals are an essential part of the human environment. Relationships must be nurtured, between man and woman with the animals.  As Aquinas tells us,

We have being in common with stones; life in common with trees; sense knowledge in common with animals; intelligence in common with angels.

                                                          De Veritate (On Truth) Q. 2 A. 2

This commonality displays the interconnectivity of all things, but also friendship and responsibility.  Specifically, animals share and represent our most vulnerable and tender aspects, and thus our relationships with them remind us of these parts and help us validate and cultivate them. Moreover, animal sensual powers are often more powerful than ours, and work to our mutual benefit. When God makes woman the helper in taking care of the animals, he is establishing her as a helper in keeping Adam connected with the sensory aspect of creation

The dark side of these animal/garden motifs are the uninhabitable wilderness (formless earth) and dangerous animal motifs.  To die in the wilderness, or to be killed and devoured by animals, is a reversal of the created order, a result of humanity’s exile from the Garden.  More will be said of this later. 

This insight helps us to understand that marriage is, in fact, a continuation of God’s initial creative process in which we participate and contribute in an authentic and meaningful way in our daily activities. 

Takeaway: Man and woman in a marriage union are meant to create something greater than each can do alone. The animal world is connected with this purpose.  

Questions: The above takeaway assumes enthusiastic engagement of the total personhood of husband and wife to a united purpose.

• Many married couples seem to cohabitate without any real purpose apart from fulfilling “needs.” Is this true of your marriage?  
• How purposeful and intentional in your marriage are you in building your life together?
• Is there energy and creativity in your relationship? If not, why is this?  If so, what does it look like?  Where does God and His Kingdom fit into this picture?
• What has been your relationship with animals? Explain their theological importance in the Kingdom of God.   

Resources:

Aquinas, De Veritate

ACCS, Genesis 1-11. 

Von Rad, Gerhard.  Genesis, in the Old Testament Library.  Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1972, p. 83.