Marriage in the bible

[matt633]

I was hoping some of you could point me to some passages relating to marriage in the bible. Specifically examples of ceremonies. Are there scriptures pointing to what deems a couple married? Is it the ceremony, vow before God, or act of sex.

 

[handy]

Here is a good passage to consider...

Ruth 4:9-12


<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-7200">9</sup> Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-7201">10</sup> "Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today."
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-7202">11</sup> All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-7203">12</sup> "Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman."

quoted via Bible Gateway

This is a great passage when trying to navigate just what constitutes marriage in God's eyes, a subject that has come up here more than once.

The reason why I like it is because it doesn't necessarily show any specific ceremonies, which are dictated more by custom and culture, but it does show certain principles are involved in godly marriage that involves more than just having sex or making a vow before God.

We see that Boaz sought out witnesses to the fact that he intended to make Ruth his wife. We see that he paid a dowry for her (a cultural norm back then), we see that the witnesses were not just there to wish them happy and eat a chicken dinner, but to affirm their covenant with each other, as it was customary for all covenants to have witnesses.

This is another principle about marriage that is important to remember, it's not just some words or a "piece of paper". Marriage is a covenant before God. We know this from Malachi 2:13-14: "This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. "Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant."

This isn't "symbolic" language here, Malachi is writing about marriage between men and women. And it makes it very clear that God recognizes marriage as more than just companionship, but a legal covenant.

It would be a long, interesting, but long, study to see what all was involved in covenants between men or between God and man, but suffice it to say that marriage is a biblically recognized covenant that God takes seriously.