Desiring God by John Piper
Week 8: Chapter 7 — Marriage: The Covenant of Christian Hedonism
Read Chapter 7 of Desiring God. Key Scripture: Ephesians 5:25–33; Genesis 2:18–25; Hebrews 13:4
Previewing Week 8 of Desiring God
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 13-week guide when you’re ready.
Marriage, Piper argues, is not where we find ultimate joy, but it is a God-designed theater in which the joy of the gospel is displayed and the joy of Christian Hedonism is both tested and deepened.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Piper's central claim in this chapter is that marriage is designed by God to be a living parable of the relationship between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:25–33). How does this vision of marriage differ from the way marriage is typically presented in our culture — or even in much of the church?
2.Piper argues that the husband is called to love his wife as Christ loved the church — a love that is self-sacrificing, leadership-oriented, and ultimately designed to present her as holy and blameless. How does this kind of love require a deep, prior joy in God rather than just willpower or discipline?
3.Piper applies the principle of Christian Hedonism directly to marriage: we are meant to pursue our own deepest joy in marriage, but that joy is not primarily found in what our spouse provides for us — it is found in how loving our spouse well reflects and deepens our joy in Christ. How does this reframe what you expect marriage to give you?