The Nose, Pharynx, and Larynx of Marriage

The nose, pharynx, and larynx are essential components of the respiratory system. As such, they represent different structures and roles within marriage.

THE NOSE

The nose is the organ at the entrance of the respiratory system, which gives the body the ability to breathe. It is divided into two parts, external and internal. The external nose represents the husband, and the internal nose represents the wife.

The external nose (husband) is the portion of the nose that is visible from the outside. It contains the nostrils, which lead to the internal nose (the wife) and has bones, muscles, and cartilage that give it its external shape while also protecting the internal nose from harm (things that will not allow it to function as designed).

The internal nose (the wife) is the nasal cavity and contains the receptors for the sense of smell, which aid the body by preventing the consumption of harmful food and substances. It also adds moisture to inhaled air and impacts speech and the quality of the voice.

The internal and external nose merge in the front, representative of the public merging of a man and woman through marriage at their wedding and the unity they display to the world (Eph. 5:31-32). However, the internal nose (the wife) communicates with the pharynx (the husband) in the back. This represents intimacy, as some communication should only be shared between the two. The lining of the nasal cavity is continuous with paranasal sinuses, which produce mucus. The ducts that allow mucus and tears to drain open into the nasal cavity. This represents the private assistance the wife gives the husband as a source of comfort and healing (Gen. 24:67).

THE PHARYNX

The pharynx is the throat and serves as a passageway for air and food to enter the body, making it a part of the respiratory system and the digestive system. In the anatomy of marriage, it represents the husband, who is the ordered passageway of practical provision for the family. It sits above the larynx (the voicebox, represented by the wife) and is a chamber for speech sounds. The tonsils, which are a part of the immune system, are also in the pharynx, and represent one of the ways the husband protects his family.

THE LARYNX

The larynx is the voicebox, which connects the pharynx to the trachea (windpipe), and is made up of muscle and cartilage. In the anatomy of marriage, it represents the wife, who connects the husband (the pharynx) to their children (the rest of the body).

The larynx holds the Adam’s apple, the epiglottis, and the vocal cords, and mostly serves in a protecting role. The vocal cords produce sounds while the epiglottis prevents food and other materials from entering the lungs and other areas of the larynx. Should that happen, a cough reflex allows the larynx to push the substances back into the throat (the husband), which either redirects the substances to their appropriate location or completely expels them from the body. The wife does this for her family by helping them take in spiritual food (teaching and other things that feed the inner being). Through discernment, she is able to alert the family when something is unhealthy or out of place.