THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Do you recognize the multitude of bonds forged by God in love? Within these lie natural connections of harmony. Indeed, the unity of essence fosters this; as it is written, “every animal loves the like of itself” (Sir. 13:19)—the wife emerging from her husband, and children arising from both. Consequently, love takes on various forms: we cherish one as a father, another as a grandfather; one as a mother, another as a nurse; one as a son, grandson, or great-grandson; another as a daughter or granddaughter; one as a brother, another as a nephew; one as a sister, and another as a niece. But why catalog every kinship?
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God has introduced another incentive for love: by prohibiting marriages among relatives, He directs our affections towards those outside our immediate bloodlines, making them dear to us. Lacking a natural bond, He has instead bound us through marriage, uniting entire households by one bride and connecting families together. He instructed, “Do not take as your wife your sister, nor your father's sister, nor any other maiden who is related to you in a way that prevents marriage,” specifying the types of such familial ties. Your bond with them is already substantial, given that you share the same womb or have some other relationship. Therefore, why limit the scope of love? Why not instead nurture love, especially when marrying from among those who are not related brings not only your wife but also her many relatives—mother, father, brothers, and their neighbors? Can you see how profoundly God has woven our lives together?