THEREFORE SHALL A MAN . . .
The major reference to the institution of marriage in the Bible is the statement “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen.2:24 KJV). But a word in this statement that many of us have somewhat overlooked is the first word of the statement: “ therefore ”. The word “therefore”, which the statement begins with alludes to the fact that there is a reason for which a man shall leave his parents, and cleave unto his wife to be one flesh. So, what will make a man who stays comfortably with his parents, and having no “obligations and responsibilities” leave them to cleave unto his wife (with all its associated responsibilities)? What will make a woman well protected, and who probably is surrounded with “maids and servants” to do all the household chores in her parents’ home leave them to get married to a man and “burden” herself with these obligations and responsibilities? Why do males and females so