The Meaning of Marriage

"Mawwiage. Mawwiage is wot bwings us togevar todayy."

The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller goes beyond the romantic characterization of marriage in The Princess Bride as a "Dweam wiffin a dweam." Along with his wife, Kathy, he writes about all the complexities within the covenant of Marriage. This includes all the ups and downs that are inevitable in every marriage. He discusses many aspects of marriage including its end goal, its biblical foundations, the struggles that come with it, gender roles, sex, singleness, and more.

Perhaps the single, most important insight I gained from this book was that I am sinful and so is my wife. Even though in the beginning of our relationship the other seemed perfect in our eyes, we are far from it. Marriage, Keller says, "is for helping each other become our future glory-selves, the new creations that God will eventually make us" (131). Keller teaches that Marriage is a sanctifying tool that God uses on couples. This is so different from the culture's belief that everyone has a flawless partner somewhere who will check all their boxes and always be the perfect match for them.

This book changed the way I see my wife, and our relationship. I believe it made me a better husband to her, and more importantly it drew me closer to Christ, who is the bridegroom of the Church. This book is great for any married couple, but will be beneficial to anyone who reads it. This will change the way you look at dating as you look for a partner. It is perfect for engaged couples to properly orient themselves before entering into the covenant. As far as books on marriage go, this is the best I have found to date.

Brandon's Score: 10/10