Did God intend to only "Join" man to his wife - physically or spiritually?

Question

We first learn that "YHVH Elohim" (יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים) brought Ishah to Ha-Adam, and-"joined" (וְ-דָבַ֣ק) the man to his wife in Bereishit / Genesis 2:22-24. * Later during the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, we are reminded in Mark 10:9 that the act of being "joined" (συνέζευξεν) in marriage (described in Genesis 2:22-24) is Godly. - However an odd interpretation of Genesis 2:22-24 by the apostle Paul claims physical marriage is not intended by God in [Romans 8:6-8].

Romans 8:6-8 [KJV]

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

• Why would God join man to his wife in order that they become "one flesh" if the act was not holy?

• Consider the desires to become one in marriage, when reading [Romans 8:7] “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God”. - How can natural desires placed in each of us by Elohim to unite with a spouse [Genesis 2:24] be considered “hostile to God”?

Unlike Paul - Jesus teaches physical marriage (desire to become one flesh) is Godly In Mark 10:7-8 by reciting Bereishit 2:24.

Mark 10:7-8

[7] For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, [8] and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. [9] Therefore, what God has joined together, no person is to separate.

Bereishit / Genesis 2:24

24Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (עַל־כֵּן֙ יַֽעֲזָב־אִ֔ישׁ אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהָי֖וּ לְבָשָׂ֥ר אֶחָֽד )

Considering Genesis 2:22-24, Mark 10:7-9 & Romans 8:6-8, Did God intend to only "Join" man to his wife - physically or spiritually?

Answer 1

Paul claims physical marriage is not intended by God in [Romans 8:6-8].

Paul makes no such claim.

Romans 8:5 New International Version

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

We have a flesh body. That's unavoidable. Our minds set on flesh desires. That's avoidable with our new lives set on the Spirit. Physical marriage was instituted by God to be good. Fleshly minds can make it bad. If we applied Paul's wisdom on sex here, Paul urges us to be lead by the Spirit even in our sexual desires. Paul didn't dismiss physical marriage as he wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:9

But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Marriage is both a physical and a spiritual union.

Answer 2

The Apostle Paul summarizes this best when he says in 2 Cor 6:14, 15, 16 -

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.

Paul, as the context makes clear, is discussing a range of relationships between a range of people and philosophies. This includes marriage which itself must include both spiritual and physical union. We see this dual aspect of marriage repeatedly in other passages as well:

Physical Union of marriage

See Gen 2:24, 1 Cor 6:13, 18, 19, 7:3, 4, Prov 5:18, 19, Matt 19:5, 6, Mark 10:8, 1 Cor 6:16, Eph 5:31, all of the Song of Songs.

Spiritual Union of marriage

See Eph 5:21-25, Col 3:18, 19, 2 Cor 6:14-16.

Thus, when God created a Eve as a partner for Adam, she is described as (Gen 2:18) "meet" (KJV), "suitable" (NIV, etc) in every sense of the word. In commenting on this significant verse, we have the suggestion of Benson:

A help meet for him — כנגדו, chenegdo, a most significant phrase; one as before him, or correspondent to him, his counterpart, suitable to his nature and his need, one like himself in shape, constitution, and disposition, a second self: one to be at hand, or near to him, to converse familiarly with him, to be always ready to succour and comfort him, and whose care and business it should be to please and help him.

Matthew Poole also observes:

Meet for him; a most emphatical phrase, signifying thus much, one correspondent to him, suitable both to his nature and necessity, one

altogether like to him in shape and constitution, disposition and affection; a second self; or one to be at hand and near to him, to stand continually before him, familiarly to converse with him, to be always ready to succour, serve, and comfort him; or one whose eye, respect, and care, as well as desire, Genesis 3:16, should be to him, whose business it shall be to please and help him.

Answer 3

You have some quotes from Genesis chapter 2. But if you go back one more chapter, you have a ‘key’ aspect of your answer....

GEN 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

So they (male and female) were already ‘spiritually’ one. Genesis chapter 2 talks about man (male and female) receiving their physical bodies. And, their physical bodies can also become ‘one’ flesh.

The concept of ‘one-ness’ is a ‘key’ Biblical understanding to come to grips with. So in physical ‘union’, the ‘two’ become ‘one’, (and the result is ‘new life’.) And, this was always Gods intent, as demonstrated in Genesis 2.