Three Corded Rope Is Not Easily Broken

Three Corded Rope – a three corded rope is stronger than a single corded rope. The same applies to us in relationships! One rope is you, the other is them and the most important cord is … Jesus Christ. As Jesus Christ is the center rope! Plus, I share about two other theories I came across while studying.

Three Corded Rope

For any relationship to work, you must have Christ in the center. A Christ-Centered relationship as it is called. That means everything must focus on Christ and be centered around Christ! That includes relationships. These relationships can be your friend relationship, dating relationship, marriage relationship or any other kind of relationship there is.

However, doing some research, I came across three theories of what the three corded rope meant. Three was usually what an Israelite thought meant complete. Plus a quote I often say from different commentaries was, “They that dwell in love, dwell in God, and God in them.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NASB

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

One Man, One Woman Relationships with Christ

One theory said that man was not meant to be alone. That God created woman as a help meet for the man. The three corded rope is often used in weddings talking about the groom, the bride and Jesus. Note that is One Man and One Woman Marriage! The point is that Jesus is the center of the relationship. Without Jesus, the relationship won’t work. We must have a Christ-centered and Christ-Focused relationship. Everything in the relationship must involve Him. The groom and the bride must put Jesus before the other.

According to God’s Knot, Often you will see a tricolor rope with Gold, Purple and White. The Gold represents God. While, the purple represents the groom. Plus the white represents the bride. Just think about that with white. White is often used in wedding dresses today. White also is a color of purity and cleansing.We often hear about the Three Corded Rope Ceremony at weddings.

Marriage: One Man, One Woman, Period!

Other Christ-Centered Relationships

However, I will also say that any relationship we have Christ must be the center of it. That could be a friend relationship, family relationship, business relationship and the list can go on and on. Three is always better than one. When you have just one person, it is harder to protect your self from attacks of the enemy or adversary. The Cambridge Bible states, “If alone an enemy can easily attack, if you have three or more the attack is harder.”

Not to mention, when it is cold, it is harder to stay warm with just one person. So when you have a group of people, you stand a stronger chance of protection and warmth. When you are by yourself, it is usually harder to stay warm. Unlike when you are with a group of people it can help keep you warmer. I remember in Boy Scouts, we learned about hypothermia. That is when your core body temperature loses it’s body heat fast. We would also say one of the treatments is to warm them up and one of the ways was to get near them and pretty much hold them to warm them up.

Talmud said, “A man without companions is like the left hand without the right.”

The Trinity

Another theory says the three corded rope could represent the unity of the trinity. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Say that the three God heads together are stronger. The Trinity, the three God heads are what holds the born again together. Not much was found on this theory.

Faith, Hope and Love

Yet, another theory stated the three corded rope represents Faith, Hope and Love. As found in the 1 Corinthians 13:13 in what is known as the Love Chapter of the Bible. In this theory love would be center since it is the greatest of all three. Some translations will say Charity, instead of love. Not much was found on this theory.

Aesop for Children (1919)

Here is an example of a fable from Aesop talking about unity and using sticks.

THE BUNDLE OF STICKS

A certain Father had a family of Sons, who were forever quarreling among themselves. No words he could say did the least good, so he cast about in his mind for some very striking example that should make them see that discord would lead them to misfortune.

One day when the quarreling had been much more violent than usual and each of the Sons was moping in a surly manner, he asked one of them to bring him a bundle of sticks. Then handing the bundle to each of his Sons in turn he told them to try to break it. But although each one tried his best, none was able to do so.

The Father then untied the bundle and gave the sticks to his Sons to break one by one. This they did very easily.

“My Sons,” said the Father, “do you not see how certain it is that if you agree with each other and help each other, it will be impossible for your enemies to injure you? But if you are divided among yourselves, you will be no stronger than a single stick in that bundle.”

In unity is strength.

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_{Aesop for Children (translator not identified), 1919. Illustrations by Milo Winter (1886-1956).}

Strength

None the less, this passage does speak of strength in numbers. It tells us that a 3 corded rope is much better than a 1 cord rope or even a 2 corded rope. We need unity in everything we do. Unity in our marriage, relationships, friendships, work and everything we do. We must have the unity of Christ first and foremost. Everything we say and do must involve Christ and Christ must be first. As Matthew 6:33 tells us, Seek Ye FIRST the Kingdom of God AND His RIGHTEOUSNESS. As I say many of times, this is a two part verse. We must first seek the Kingdom of God. That is seeking what God wants, God’s Will that is. Plus, we must seek the righteousness of Christ. Our righteousness is dirty rags. It is only by the righteousness blood of Christ we are forgiven and made righteous in the eyes of God. All things will fail without Jesus!

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