Marriage

It would be interesting to study marriage biologically and sociologically, to get the far and near historical and social background of it as an institution, especially as it existed among the ancient Jews, and as it figures in the teaching of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament. For, like all social institutions, marriage, and the family which is the outcome of marriage, must be judged, not by its status at any particular time, but in the light of its history. Such a study of it would raise a host of related historic questions, e.g. What was its origin? What part has it played in the evolution and civilization of the race? What social functions has it performed? And then, as a sequel, Can the services it has rendered to civilization and progress be performed or secured in any other way? This, indeed, would call for us to go back even farther—to try to discover the psychology of the institution and its history, the beliefs from which it has sprung and by which it has survived so long. This were a task well worth while and amply justified by much of the thinking of our time; for, as one of the three social institutions that support the much challenged form and fabric of modern civilization, marriage, private property and the state, its continued existence, in present form at least, is a matter of serious discussion and its abolition, along with the other two, is confidently prophesied. “Marriage, as at present understood, is an arrangement most closely associated with the existing social status and stands or falls with it” (Bebel, Socialism and Sex, 199, Reeves, London; The Cooperative Commonwealth in Its Outline, Gronlund, 224). But such a task is entirely outside of and beyond the purpose of this article.

Neither the Bible in general, nor Jesus in particular, treats of the family from the point of view of the historian or the sociologist, but solely from that of the teacher of religion and morals. In short, their point of view is theological, rather than sociological. Moses and the prophets, no less than Jesus and His apostles, accepted marriage as an existing institution which gave rise to certain practical, ethical questions, and they dealt with it accordingly. There is nothing in the record of the teachings of Jesus and of His apostles to indicate that they gave to marriage any new social content, custom or sanction. They simply accepted it as it existed in the conventionalized civilization of the Jews of their day and used it and the customs connected with it for ethical or illustrative purposes. One exception is to be made to this general statement, namely, that Jesus granted that because of the exigencies of the social development Moses had modified it to the extent of permitting and regulating divorce, clearly indicating, however, at the same time, that He regarded such modification as out of harmony with the institution as at first given to mankind. According to the original Divine purpose it was monogamous, and any form of polygamy, and apparently of divorce, was excluded by the Divine idea and purpose. The treatment of the subject here, therefore, will be limited as follows: Marriage among the Ancient Hebrews and Other Semites; Betrothal as the First Formal Part of the Transaction; Wedding Ceremonies Connected with Marriage, especially as Reflected in the New Testament; and Jesus’ Sanction and Use of the Institution, Teaching concerning Divorce, etc.

With the Hebrews married life was the normal life. Any exception called for apology and explanation. “Any Jew who has not a wife is no man” (Talmud). It was regarded as awaiting everyone on reaching maturity; and sexual maturity comes much earlier indeed in the East than with us in the West—in what we call childhood. The ancient Hebrews, in common with all Orientals, regarded the family as the social unit. In this their view of it coincides with that, of modern sociologists. Of the three great events in the family life, birth, marriage and death, marriage was regarded as the most important. It was a step that led to the gravest tribal and family consequences. In case of a daughter, if she should prove unsatisfactory to her husband, she would likely be returned to the ancestral home, discarded and discredited, and there would be almost inevitably a feeling of injustice engendered on one side, and a sense of mutual irritation between the families (Judges 14:20; 1 Samuel 18:19). If she failed to pass muster with her mother-in-law she would just as certainly have to go, and the results would be much the same (compare customs in China). It was a matter affecting the whole circle of relatives, and possibly tribal amity as well. It was natural and deemed necessary, therefore, that the selection of the wife and the arrangement of all contractual and financial matters connected with it should be decided upon by the parents or guardians of the couple involved. Though the consent of the parties was sometimes sought (Genesis 24:8) and romantic attachments were not unknown (Genesis 29:20; 34:3; Judges 14:1; 1 Samuel 18:20), the gift or woman in the case was not currently thought of as having a personal existence at her own disposal. She was simply a passive unit in the family under the protection and supreme control of father or brothers. In marriage, she was practically the chattel, the purchased possession and personal property of her husband, who was her ba‛al or master (Hosea 2:16), she herself being be‛ūlāh (Isaiah 62:4). The control, however, was not always absolute (Genesis 26:34; Exodus 2:21).

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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia

Keywords: Marriage, Betroth, Betrothal, Wedding Ceremonies, Divorce, Marrying, Marry, Getting married, Wedding, Wedding ceremony, Bridegroom, Bride, Bride groom, Groom, Wedding feast, Marriage feast, wedding procession, wedding processional

Bible reference(s): Genesis 19:14, Gen 24:58, Gen 24:60, Genesis 34:9, Genesis 38:8, Exodus 21:3, Exodus 21:10, Leviticus 22:12, Numbers 12:1, Numbers 36:3, Numbers 36:6, Numbers 36:11, Numbers 36:12, Deuteronomy 7:3, Deuteronomy 22:22, Deuteronomy 24:1, Deuteronomy 25:5, Joshua 23:12, 1 Chronicles 2:21, 2 Chronicles 13:21, Nehemiah 13:23, Psalms 78:63, Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 30:23, Isaiah 54:1, Isaiah 62:4, Isaiah 62:5, Jeremiah 3:14, Malachi 2:11, Genesis 24:3, Genesis 24:4, Genesis 24:7, Genesis 24:37, Genesis 24:38, Genesis 24:40, Genesis 25:1, Genesis 27:46, Genesis 28:1, Genesis 28:6, Genesis 38:6, Leviticus 18:18, Leviticus 20:14, Leviticus 21:7, Leviticus 21:13, Deuteronomy 22:13, Judges 14:3, Ezra 2:61

Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.

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