Jesus: Perfect Fruit of the Perfect Marriage

The Hebrew word for "wife" is

What is interesting is that both these words have in common the letters for the word "fire":

The Talmud (Sotah 17a) thus states: "When husband and wife are worthy the Shechinah (ie, God) is with them; when they are not worthy fire consumes them."

All aspects of marriage and family life, is truly a team effort involving the husband, the wife, and God [and later the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ (cf Genesis 18:10; Matthew 18:5) in their midst—ie, the kids.]

What is interesting is that the ever chaste, virginal marriage of Mary and Joseph is an example par excellance of this concept. The fruit of this perfect union was a perfect fruit of Mary's womb: Jesus. God Incarnate. The Perfect Work of the Shechinah. Mary and Joseph, and their marriage, was quite literally and Truly "worthy of the Shechinah." As a result, the Shechinah (ie, the Holy Spirit) came between them, and the power of the Host High overshadowed Mary. We know the rest of the story.

All married people are nevertheless called to holiness in a chaste relationship, be it in perpetual virginity like Mary and Joseph, or in a conjugal union that is open to new life. Their relationship, including their physical (sexual) relationship, must also be "worthy of the Shechinah."

Further thoughts on this can be found at the following pages at Eingedi:
Charity and Chastity: Conjunctive and Consequential Phenomena
Inviting God Into Your Bedroom and Marriage; OR
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