Too Are Better Then One Bible Verse Meaning And Study

Why does the Bible say that two are better than one? What does this mean within the biblical context?

Being Alone

Rare is the person who doesn’t crave companionship and fellowship. Maybe that’s why pets are as so loved and considered to be family. Their love is unconditional. We can be mad at them one moment but the very next, they’re ready to jump in our lap! There is the need, deep within the human heart, to be loved and to give love; to have communion with others and them with us. God says that “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Gen 2:18). God ensured that the other creatures would have male and female and could be fruitful and multiply and then fill the earth (Gen 1:28), but “for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him” (Gen 2:20b) so “the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man” (Gen 2:21-22).

Woman’s Creation

The Hebrew word for “made” in Genesis 2:22 is built. The woman was built by God but from out of Adam (Gen 2:21-23) but like Adam, she was also made in the image of God as it says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27) and made to be co-equal and co-heirs together. Paul writes “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). The fact that God used Adam’s rib shows that she is not to stand behind him or in front of him but right next to him. God could have used a foot which could have indicated that she’s under the man or from the skull bone which means she is over him. The rib tells me that she is to stand right next to the man before God as He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34) and “God shows no partiality” (Rom 2:11). That is a summary of their relationship before God, but what about two being better than one?

Benefits of Two

There are great benefits for having two verses one. For one thing, imagine if you went hiking or hunting and you were injured and couldn’t get cell phone service. You’d be all alone with no one to help you. That is a good example of how God has blessed the fellowship of two or more. Solomon wrote that “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil” (Eccl 4:9) because “if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up” (Eccl 4:10)! When you have companionship, even with a friend, you are in a much better position in life than going it alone. It’s not just about your life in the church but as a friend who might need help at 3:00 AM in the morning or your friend is calling you and needs your help. We need one another to comfort one another, strengthen one another, and encourage one another. It’s very difficult to comfort yourself, to strengthen yourself, and to encourage yourself. It’s much easier when someone else comes along side of you and helps you and you in turn, help them or others when they need it. Even in the small things, two are better than one, like in Solomon’s writing; “if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone” (Eccl 4:11)?

Two become One

God created the male and female in His own image (Gen 1:27) and the two were to become one as Adam said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Gen 2:23) “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen 2:24). Adam is to leave and cleave. This leaving is basically leaving his own family to begin a new one and thus, cling or cleave to his wife and these two become one flesh; spiritually, emotionally, and physically as a family. Even though they keep their individual identities, they become one new family unit. The husband’s leaving the family also means leaving them out of the affairs of his new family, perhaps suggesting that it’s primarily up to the man to keep the in-laws from intruding into areas that are not their concern. The in-laws of the husband and wife must respect the desires of the new family and not try to interfere in areas that they have no business in.

Conclusion

There is such heartache and loneliness in this world. In our church’s nursing home visits, there are dozens who have lost their spouse and only about half of the residents ever receive any visitors at all, including from their own family! Millions of people’s lives are nearly unbearable because they’ve not been able to marry by finding someone that they’re compatible with or would be a suitable companion for, like Adam and Eve were made for one another. If that is you, I was where you are right now and I know it hurts. Pour your heart out to God and may He comfort you.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.