Human Dualism
Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 NASB
Living Being – Will we ever get past Genesis? Probably not. The depth of this account of creation can hardly be plumbed. Once more we return to the source of our existence to discover additional insights into the Hebrew view of humanity. God created us with inherent duality.
That might not seem like a big deal until you realize how completely this essential dualism opposes our Western view of human being. The Greek view of humanity is reduced to a unitary principle – the principle of reason. In the Greek view, the power of reason reigns supreme. Man is man because he is able to reason. His unitary being is derived from this fundamental. Reason is what makes us human.
This assumption permeates the West. It is the basis of our penchant for scientific exploration and explanation. It is the bedrock of our view of government and law. It is the source of our economic policy and our desire for worldwide agreement. But it is not the biblical point-of-view. In the Hebraic world, reason is a tool to be used for control of choice. Reason is an instrument, not the source. In the Hebraic view, the fundamental constituent of human being is the duality of the yetzer ha’ra (inclination toward evil) and the yetzer ha’tov (inclination toward good). In other words, we are conscious beings precisely because we are in tension between these two elements. We were created with both of these elements. In fact, without both of them, we would cease to be human. Being human cannot be reduced to a single unity because being human means making choices between two competing directions. Being human consists of being the creature with two natures. “Choice itself is not an act of the being, but an act of being.”[1] We are the choices we make. That’s what makes us human, choosing between yetzer ha’ra and yetzer ha’tov.
What this means is that efforts to remove the yetzer ha’ra are doomed to failure. A being without yetzer ha’ra is no longer human but rather a lobotomized, instinctual creature much more like an animal. Prayers asking God to remove my tendency toward evil might as well be prayers asking God to make me a robot. The issue is not the removal of the evil inclination but rather the strength to choose otherwise and the wisdom to improve and accelerate the choices for good. I do not ask God to rescue me out of my humanity. I ask Him to rescue me in my humanity. Choice is who I am. What I need is strength to make the right choice. Reason is one of the tools at my disposal to direct my choices, but reason is also under the influence of the yetzer ha’ra and therefore cannot be the only tool I use. Reasonable men can still make evil choices. Reason will not save me. Only the application of God’s Spirit at the crossroads of choice can save me. And that process will never cease as long as I am nephesh hayah (living person).
Topical Index: man, choice, yetzer ha’ra, nephesh hayah, living being, Genesis 2:7
The truth is out! I am good and bad! Been that way my whole life. Thhe glory is that I have become in my adulthood (many years ago) able to choose to be good and choose to be bad and and am accountable for which ever choice I make. That is why I need Christ, because I make too many decisions that are not te best for me or my neighbor.
“Being human consists of being the creature with two natures.”
Gen. 1:27 So God created humankind in his own image; in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them.
“What I need is strength to make the right choice.”
Rom 6:6 We know that our old self was put to death on the execution-stake with him, so that the entire body of our sinful propensities might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For someone who has died has been cleared from sin.
“Come on now, let’s discuss this!” says the LORD. “Though your sins are bright red, they will become as white as snow. Though they are dark red, they will become as white as wool. (Isaiah 1.18)
I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your logikēn (a mere koinydink I’m sure) service. (Romans 12.1,2)
“and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Yeshua, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at the feet of Yeshua, fully clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.” (Luke 8.35)
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him (on Who?) the iniquity (twistedness,perversion) of us all. (Isaiah 53.6)
Yes, we (all) are totally free in the choices we make. G-d is absolutely ‘pro-choice!’ Feel free, dear brothers and sisters, because we are free (indeed..). But wait.. -there is something else, we have come to recognize and realize. We are free in our choices, but we are not free in the consequences of our choices. We will reap what we sow. What is planted is going to bear fruit. Good seed/bad seed- it matters not- whatever is planted will return a harvest.
What ‘seeds’ are being planted? – There will be a harvest.
Our Bible supports the idea of human dualism. We have an inner man and we have an outer man. I am not who I “appear” to be. Please, please..- don’t ever judge the book by its cover. Even though in today’s society (or so it seems) we place such a (too) heavy emphasis on “appearance” (remember the Nixon/Kennedy debates? to the point where studies are done on which color tie to wear and of course- don’t forget the three hundred dollar haircuts. – How shallow we have become.
“For in my inner being I delight in G-d’s law;” (Romans 7.22)
This is very helpful. The faith vs. works tension is always before us. Anyone who preaches sanctification on this side of heaven is immediately asked, “So are YOU perfect??!!!”. I think this is a great lense through which to look at all of that.
God needs more servants who can articulate his message to this generation.
i have read about/studied the “tension” of life before & it surely exists & we will never be without it & i have also let “reasoning” cheat me out of blessings of God because i reasoned away the risk & took the safe road which is a hard lesson to learn but then again it depends on the tension & the Holy Spirit of God & his direction of making the right choice – but even before the right choice is made – the tension is so great but i have learned not to “reason” to much or i will reason the blessing & obedience to God away because it looks, smells, tastes like unreasonable as the world goes but again like Abraham & Sarah – i take the risk of not knowing & not reasoning but obeying… ♥
jan
Good morning Skip, I have been pondering this subject over the last few months and I have a number of questions. For the sake of brevity I’ll try to condense my thoughts and perhaps we can open them up later for clarification. I’m certainly not in disagreement over the absence of an inherited sinful nature, however this whole idea of contradicting impulses, or drives, seems to bottom out on the same rut. You (and others) propose that there are opposing natures in us (which seems like that same greek dualism, only stated softer) that are in competition to express themselves. I understand that we can not isolate ourselves from these drives (here’s the man and here’s the drive) because the decisions made affect us wholly. Here’s what I see, and perhaps I just need clarification. In and of themselves, there doesn’t seem to be room to define a drive as singularly evil or good. It’s the direction I point it, and the stewardship of it that seems to determine whether the result is deemed evil or good. Just like a career criminal who continually worsens, does so because of the constant exercise and reinforcement of activities he knows are evil. Jeffrey Daumer didn’t wake up one morning and decide it would be a good idea to eat people, there was a process. Solomon said there is a time for every activity under the sun. (the 1st time I read the things he was talking about, I was floored 🙂 ) Anyway, I hope I didn’t confuse you, I just need to work this out and maybe you can point me in the right direction.
Robert,
I am interested to know just exactly what you are stating here: “Solomon said there is a time for every activity under the sun. (the 1st time I read the things he was talking about, I was floored)” – what things are you typing/talking about that he/Solomon said that floored you – not much of what i have read that he/Solomon said has “floored” me – so i am very curios what floored you??? jan
Hi Jan,
I want to clarify 1st that I am not advocating sinful activities. By no means is that supported anywhere in scripture. The impact of this particular section of scripture came because of the very contemporary christian culture that I was in. I didn’t have a problem with most of it, but when it said that there is a proper time (appointed time) for such things as hate, tearing and killing, well….that’s when it starts digging into your theological bent. After all, isn’t Jesus all about love.
I wasn’t very mature when I first read this passage and I didn’t understand the intent. I must admit that, even after all these years and understanding this (at least a little better) it’s still often hard to do it. There’s wisdom sometimes in letting things go, to run their natural course, and sometimes to even actively promote it. Isn’t that what Paul suggested to do with the man who had his father’s wife? To hand him over to satan, for the desruction of the flesh, and the saving of the spirit?
What I’m learming more and more is that it’s not just about the things I do, but that it the time that their done in as well that matter. How does it go…” the LORD God has given me the mouth of the learned to speak a good word in season to the weary.” Even a good word out of season doesn’t accomplish the intended purpose. I guess one of the $64 questions is, “what time is it!!?” As it says somewhere else in scripture. ( free forming this) it’s time to give an evil eye to those things that hinder God’s intentions in my life, I want them destroyed and torn down.
I hope this answers your question and I also pray this finds you in YHWH’s peace.
Robert,
“( free forming this) it’s time to give an evil eye to those things that hinder God’s intentions in my life, I want them destroyed and torn down.
I hope this answers your question and I also pray this finds you in YHWH’s peace.”
WELL THANK YOU JESUS – I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE CALL REPENTANCE – THE DISCERNING EYE THAT TURNS AWAY THE THINGS THAT HINDER GOD’S INTENTIONS IN OUR LIVES – TO TURN AWAY FROM THEM – TO DESTROY THEM & TEAR THEM DOWN IN OUR LIVES… ♥ jan
DO NOT GIVE PLACE TO THEM ANY LONGER… 🙂
I will just “point” for now. The biggest problem is removing our thinking from the “natures” idea in Greek philosophy. In Greek thinking, the nature of a thing is its essential essence, an essence that CAUSES it to be what it is. So, from Aristotle, an acorn is essentially an oak. It cannot become a sycamore because its nature is locked into the seed itself. It must be what it essentially already is. WIth this Greek idea in mind, when I talk about human nature, I am lead to look for some essential property or quality that CAUSES the rest of my human experience to unfold, predetermined by the “seed” in me. But the Hebrew idea is very different. It is the idea that I am CHOICE, not that I am determined to choose. My choices actually form what I will become, but those choices are open, free possibilities. At any moment, I am choose to do otherwise. This is described as the battle between the inclination to do good and the inclination to do evil, but neither inclination is deterministic. To be in God’s image is to be a CHOOSING being with two potential natures, but no determined nature. I am what I choose to be and as I choose, I become more and more what those choices make me. There is nothing in this concept that suggests that I exist PRIOR to the choice as a certain kind of person and that I inevitably become what was already present within me.
Thanks for the reply Skip, that does clarify it. It’s odd how you sometimes get “stuck” on a thought and don’t see what’s around it. Maybe that’s only me!! 🙂 As far as I can tell, we’re on te same page here. It was simply my misunderstanding that you were defining the drive itself as either evil or good. Thx again.
I just wanted to add that I didn’t come to a determination on the absense of an inherited sinful nature because of the things I’ve read here, but rather from my own studies of the bible. It’s difficult to express these things in the current enviroment, and sometimes one wonders if he hasn’t gone off the deep end because it’s so contrary to what’s being taught else where. I guess this is a backward way of, not only thanking you for your work here, but to encourage you that it’s not in vain. At the very least, if I have gone off the deep end, I’m not alone!! :)!!
Anyhoo… thanks for creatingan enviroment where we can learn and grow, and speak of these things unhindered.
YHWH bless you!
AMEN on today’s word ! No debate
Hi Skip
“And YHWH Elohim formed man”( also Sin Revidited 3)
If God only “yatsar”-ed( to bring desire into excistence, make good) , is there any other Scriptuaral evidences of the yetser hara or only Rabbanic commentaries (Cohen A)?
If the yetser hara is (also) present in Man, why then the need for an outsider to deceive the woman – she just could have made the her yetser hara – choice.
If there is no other Scriptural evidence of the presence of a yetser hara – surely God has only “formed one desire – good” at this point, as the script indicates? And only after they ate from the tree, the choice became between MY Desire( whether good or bad = tree of Knowledge of good or evil) or choosing God ( tree of life, also Torah). Does it not clearly that the woman was deceived and not that she made a bad choice?
“Choice is who I am” – Choice CAN save me, but not the choice between yetser hara and yetser tov, but ONLY choosing God – continually?
sorry about all the typos – service too slow and page tend to expire before there is time for a spell check
Hi Luzette,
Response to this will take some time since I must first sort out what you are asking. Be patient.
Shabat Shalom
I’ll try to make myself a little clearer, I hope.
Q1: Do we have any Scriptural evidence in a text of the yetser hara and yetser tov or is it only Rabbinic thoughts?
Q2: Does yetser tov ALWAYS refer to a pro-God choice? If not :
What I am suggesting is, that may be we have 3 choices: yetser hara, which leads to death, yetser tov, which also leads to death,( just slower) and then GOD, which leads to life.
The reason I say this: When the woman (and man) stood before the serpent she had numerous choices:1. listening to the serpent – bad choice(hara) 2. wanting to be a better ‘ezer – good choice 3. overstepping her role as ‘ezer – bad.
Where did all the choices she made, either listening to the yetser hara or yetser tov get her? If only she had chosen God from the beginning and the same goes for Adam.
Deceiving happens when choosing only between yetser hara and yetser tov. This is what the world is made of . Believers and non-believers are then both very Hebraic; lots of them follow their good inclinations, but are still very far from God. Making a choice between the good or the bad inclination, can mislead them into thinking that it is like making a choice between good and bad works – which leads us to how the Pharisees thought – works can save you. Neither good or bad counts, only doing what YHWH says is.
Too few believers choose God – life………….today I have presented you with life and death.. therefore , choose life. Deut 30; 19
Luzette,
i so agree with your statement here: “Deceiving happens when choosing only between yetser hara and yetser tov. This is what the world is made of . Believers and non-believers are then both very Hebraic;
lots of them follow their good inclinations, but are still very far from God. BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW OR PRACTICE TORAH/BIBLE… THEY DO NOT KNOW HIM/JESUS NOR DO THEY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM – NO HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCES WORKS & NO RELATIONSHIP…♥
Making a choice between the good or the bad inclination, can mislead them into thinking that it is like making a choice between good and bad works – which leads us to how the Pharisees thought – works can save you. Neither good or bad counts, only doing what YHWH says is.”
JAN
On the topic of ” formed man out of dry loose dirt”
Gen 3:14 ..”God said to the serpent…..
Gen 3:15 “and dust shall you eat .. … .all the days of your life’
Gen 3:17 “And He said to the man……cursed shall be the ground,…. in sorrow you shall eat of it, ……………. all the days of your life.
19… until you return to the ground, …for dust you are and to dust you shall return.
Erika’s statement : Man(the world) is also cursed, because man must return to the cursed ground.
The serpent and Man(the world) are both busy in the cursed dirt and the serpent is eating away at Man, while chasing the woman( the bride who has been deceived) to bite her on her heal. If the woman(bride) is not Spiritually armoured( after a mikvah,like the priests) or between the walls of Torah, in her Father’s house, fighting to keep on crushing the serpent’s head, she will get bitten. If you stay in the world( man) you will return to the cursed dust, there where the serpent is feasting …all the days of your life – Don’t be conformed to this world .
This is a nice, potential, midrash, but it isn’t exegesis. Pay attention to the words in the text. It quite clearly says that the earth is cursed. It also quite clearly says that man is NOT. Notice the difference in the Hebrew.
Dear Skip,
In this blog you speak about reason and choice. Essentially, you say that to put reason on top in a view on humanity is Greek, and that the Hebrew view puts choice on top (based on the dualism of yetzer ha’ra and yetzer ha’tov – of which Luzette rightly questioned about its Biblical or Rabbinic basis…).
May I ask: Aren’t the two like twin brothers or at least closely related? Didn’t voluntarism (human choice on top) and modernism (human reason on top) both emerge from each other and both root in Greek thinking?
Aren’t both based on wanting the fruit on the tree of knowledge (to reason and to discern and choose by ourselves what is good)?
I see a Biblical alternative that is rooted neither in ‘to know’ nor in ‘to (be able to) choose’, but in to belong.
At the urge of the adversary, Eve (and Adam) forgot Whom they belonged to in love; Whose breath had made them – with much love and joy – into living beings.
Your post on pachad comes very close to what I mean here (certainly with the little hypothesis / explanation I added in a comment for the word pachad).
Who better to look at for an example than Yeshu’ah, our great Lord?
As I see it, He wasn’t continuously and consciously choosing what to do and what not to do. He said He was simply doing what he saw the Father do. He continuously lived out of His close and joyful connection with the Father.
All the First and Second Testament of the Bible are about this (as I see it): remember to live from our joyful connection to the Present One, or rather: from His connection to us, for even that connection (covenant, if you will) is His doing in Yeshu’ah. Praise be His glorious Name!, Hallelu-YaH!
I look forward to your thoughts on this…
Continued blessings!
This will have to wait a bit. On the road again.
Andre,
in regard to this statement: “As I see it, He wasn’t continuously and consciously choosing what to do and what not to do. He said He was simply doing what he saw the Father do. He continuously lived out of His close and joyful connection with the Father.”
in scripture it also states as a child/JESUS had to learn obedience from his parents as any other child & had to grow in knowledge – he learned Torah & practiced obedience & was even disobedient to his parents by staying at the temple listening & teaching while his parents moved on to another city & had to go back & get him/JESUS because they did not know where he was – as a good boy should have alerted his parents to what he was doing or ask permission – did the Father tell HIM/Jesus to disobey his parents & stay behind in the temple???
jan
Hi Jan,
Thanks for your great question!
You say, as a child Yeshu’ah learned obedience. I agree and then ask: what is the essence of that obedience? Is it choosing well, or is it knowing where you belong?
May I rephrase the main question you pose at the end, into: “Why did Yeshu’ah stay behind in the Temple that particular occasion?”
This was the occasion when He had just become a Bar Mitswah. That is most significant here. At that happening, a boy became a legal partner in his father’s grown-up ‘business’ – even jointly responsible in it. But Joseph had not been able to say the ritual fatherly words (that only a true genetic father was to utter at that occasion): “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased!” So, as a Bar-Mitswah Yeshu’ah became even more conscious of His primary attachment to His heavenly Father; He had become a legal Partner in His ‘endeavours’. So, He stayed where God the Father was most clearly present: at the Temple, studying and talking about the revealed Words of His Father…
It was the most logical thing to do for Him at that moment. See the answer He gave to His discomforted mother, when they found Him there at last:
“How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Does the answer Yeshu’ah gives to His mother show He was motivated by ‘choosing between right or wrong’ or by: ‘where do I belong?’
In Romans 7, Paul/Shaul shows the misery of being condemned to choose (and being naturally inclined to choose wrongly) in this ‘realm of the snake’ or ‘realm of the tree of knowledge of good and evil’ (also named: ‘the natural state of man’ or ‘this cursed world’).
What pulls us out of that struggle is our belonging to Yeshu’ah – Romans 8. He has bought us free. We belong to Him.
Many modernists and voluntarists have based their theories on Romans 12:2 (out of context!!), … renewed by the renewal of our thinking… They forget it starts with the end of Romans 11 and then 12:1: seeing God’s great love in Yeshu’ah, we yield ourselves – even our bodies [shocking to the Greeks who said the body was no good!] – as a living sacrifice into His hands. From that moment we belong to Him, we are joyfully attached to Him (cf. the pin at the doorpost). That, says Paul in verse 2, is a formidably great revolution to the [Greek] mind [ours as well], and will definitely change our lives… what a contrast to the miserable struggle of choice in Romans 7…
Blessings,
André
Andre, thank you for your vital encouragement to my learning/living to walk with HIM…
does it say in the scriptures that it was Jesus’ Bar Mitswah (i don’t think it does – not in any Bibles i have read) – if it doesn’t that is doing us a great disservice in understanding why he was there & what was happening as you explained above…
today’s article – “what is God like” is the perfect example of what you state above…
you need to read my response to Michael over in “Joined at the Hip”…
“From that moment we belong to Him, we are joyfully attached to Him” thank You Jesus for this blessed assurance…
Thanks for your great explanation!
jan
True Christianity is about “relationship.” It is being “rightly-related” with our Creator who is holy. He is holy, we are not. Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant. Christ is the Arbitrator, our Attorney, our Go-Between, the Bridge, our Intercessor and Heavenly Representative between sinful man (all of us- “both” Hebrew, -even those who tithe off of their mint plant- and Greek- those who live in wanton disregard for anything having to do with G-d- “all have sinned.” The perfect, holy Torah of G-d has firmly established for every breathing creature on this planet, we all stand in need of a Savior. For the moment, and for eternity,- “all have sinned and fallen short of the mark- dead center of the bullseye- perfection.
Is there any among us who is without sin? (let him or her cast the first stone). Not that we ever do any stone-slinging or mud-slinging for that matter but my friends, -in my limited range of knowlege and wanderings- I have never met a single perfect person. Every follower has a flaw. The individual typing this included, for “I have sinned and am no longer worthy to be called Your son.”
If this sounds familiar to you- it is because it is. This scenario has played out thousands of times throughout history. I am one of many “erring sons..” It was not only the son who was prodigal but the Father was even more so, -for where sin did abound, grace did “much more” abound. And I’ll stop right here and shout to the heavens above, -thank G-d for this “much more..” This, my friends, we (who are His) call “amazing grace.” For you see, not only is His grace “sufficient,” – it is abundant as well. Get a taste of grace, grace in your face- and see- (understand thoroughly)- G-d is “so good.” Maybe I should shout- G-d is SO good.. And I’ll shout this also- “Because G-d SO loved the world- He gave..”
Love gives, and love hurts. What did it cost the Father to redeem this planet? Name the price please..
Tell me, please tell me- let me know what price was paid to redeem my everlasting soul, and then speak to me again of grace.
So which is it? Grace or law? Does this sound familiar to you? It is not “either/or” – it is both. It is both grace and law. It order to keep the law, to live under the law, to obey the law- we need grace. For He has said- “without Me- you can do nothing.” But on the other hand- “I can do all things through Christ”- up to and including keeping the law of the LORD. To live a life of obedience, (because of my ever new relationship) with G-d who is now, not only the ONE who gave me my first breath, but is also now, today, the ONE who I may refer to as “Father.” G-d, in all of His fulness, is my Father. And yours as well- through Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach- (both) our Savior and LORD. (and Redeemer and Shepherd, and Intercessor and Friend and..) Blessed be the Name(s) of ADONAI.
Now let me get real technical right here. My “want-to” has changed. Do you know what this “want-to” is? It is what I want. My desire. A serious craving I have within. – Do you also have some of this “want-to?” (I know you do..) Every breathing soul has this. This is part of what is means to be human.
Do you want to know G-d? Is is possible to know Him? – or is all this an exercise in futility? lol!- We do walk a fine line-don’t we? Stop being a mug-womp. What is a mug-womp? -I’m glad you asked. It is someone whose ‘mug’ is on one side of the fence and whose ‘womp’ is on the other. It is a fence-sitter. “Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is G-d, Follow Him; but if Baal is god, follow him.” -But the people said nothing. (1 Kings 18.21)
Why? Did they sit there in stunned disbelief? Maybe it has been too long since we have seen “our G-d is a consuming fire”. When was the last time the fire fell and consumed the sacrifice? Elijah prayed for fire and he also prayed for rain. -That was a praying man. How do I know? – G-d answered his prayers. He gave fire and He gave rain. Evidence that demands a verdict.
Looking for evidence G-d loves you? Look no further than the cross. Exhibit “A”- behold the Man upon His cross- my sin upon His shoulder, His dying breath has brought me life- I know that “it is finished.”
To the cross, and to our knees. Christ has redeemed us- once for all. ONE (Sacrifice) for all, and (now) all (us) for ONE (Him)- for He has said- “He that is not with me is against Me: and he that gathers not with Me scatters..” (Luke 11.23)
Carl, good morning & thanks for all your truthful insights…
and he that is friends with the world is at enmity with Christ… most people do not believe this nor do they care that they are friends with the world – that is how you get places… with whom do you get there & where do you get??? do you really want to know???
JAMES 4:4 http://bible.cc/james/4-4.htm
as you explain above it is the best of 2 worlds – the old & the new covenants – the 2 halves to the ONE whole of GOD || JESUS || HOLY SPIRIT
well this says that & that says this & they seem to contradict *one* another but in all actuality they compliment *one* another & make a *ONE* WHOLE WAY OF LIVING… it will always be 2 halves to make a whole of anything – do you ever see a half of a circle rolling like a ball – no you/we don’t – now do we???
jan
Yes, Jan – just like you and I (or its it me?) as it takes the both of us to make a whole complete person- the two shall become one flesh- When male and female are joined in holy matrimony over the course of time they become one. Two separated individuals but with one common covenant bond, the covenant of marriage. Have we forgotten?- Marriage is a covenant, and we are (now) the bride of Christ. We are in blood-covenant relationship with our Heavenly Boaz, the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ.
Christ is the union of two houses. The human and the divine. He is (not was) G-d incarnated into human flesh. Let us never forget a baby was born in Bethlehem. It is a wonder and it is a mystery and no wonder angels were present in droves during His birth. – Such condescension that G-d would humble Himself to become one of us.
Yes, Jan – just like you and I (or its it me?) as it takes the both of us to make a whole complete person- the two shall become one flesh- When male and female are joined in holy matrimony over the course of time they become one. Two separated individuals but with one common covenant bond, the covenant of marriage. Have we forgotten?- Marriage is a covenant, and we are (now) the bride of Christ. We are in blood-covenant relationship with our Heavenly Boaz, the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ.
Christ is the union of two houses. The human and the divine. He is (not was) G-d incarnated into human flesh. Let us never forget a baby was born in Bethlehem. It is a wonder and it is a mystery and no wonder angels were present in droves during His birth. – Such condescension that G-d would humble Himself to become one of us, now breathing the very air He created.
(Not to worry- it mangles my mind as well..), but we are entering into a time of world-wide celebration of the Messiah’s birth.