ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Pulelulu Sanuali 11, 2023

Ish and Ishsha איש אשה

‘Isi mo ‘Isa

GENESIS 2:23

THEN THE MAN SAID, "THIS AT LAST IS BONE OF MY BONES AND FLESH OF MY FLESH; SHE SHALL BE CALLED WOMAN, BECAUSE SHE WAS TAKEN OUT OF MAN." 

SENESI 2:23

Pea na‘e pehe ‘e ‘Atama, Koe hui eni ‘o hoku ngaahi hui, mo e kakano ‘o hoku kakano: ‘e ui ia koe Fefine, koe’uhi na’e to’o ia mei he Tangata (Paaki ‘a Uesi).

Man's first recorded exclamation was over a woman. This seems very fitting. She was, quite literally, bone of his bones, having been "built" (banah) from his rib (v. 22). When the Father escorted his daughter down the aisle of Eden to be wedded to Adam in this garden paradise, the man instantly recognized a creature who mirrored himself. Having come from him, formed from his very own body, he gave her a name that came from his. He was an ish ("man") so he called her ishshah ("woman").

A curious incident happened ages later, long after Eden had vanished. Another ish, a man, was dying. God caused a "deep sleep" to fall on him, the sleep of death itself. From his side, pierced with a spear, blood and water gushed forth (John 19:34). From the side of this man, God built a new ishshah-baptized with water and given the blood of Christ to drink. She is called Christian because she was taken out of Christ. She is his bride, one unmistakably like himself, for she is bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, united as a head to a body.

Praise to you, O Christ, for making us your own, by cleansing us with the washing of water with the Word.