What the Bible says about... Marriage and Spirituality
By New Christian Bible Study Staff, John Odhner
People who are truly in love know that marriage is one of the greatest blessings the Lord has given people. But, these days, there's a lot of confusion and doubt about marriage.
Let's take a look at what the Bible says about it, beginning at the very beginning. The very fact that the Lord has created us male and female (Genesis 1:27) seems to indicate that marriage is the intended condition for people.
In the Adam and Eve story, the Lord says, "It is not good that the man should be alone." (Genesis 2:18). Therefore, He creates Eve. It's a very ancient story that depicts marriage as part of His plan for people.
God's blessing on the first marriage makes this even more clear: "And God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply.'" (Genesis 1:28)
Not only does marriage have the Lord's blessing - it is also phrased as a commandment in this passage from the prophet Jeremiah: "Thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel.... Take wives and beget sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters--that you may be increased there, and not diminished.'" (Jeremiah 29:6)
King Solomon said, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus has a telling response to the Pharisees who are quizzing him about divorce:
Jesus answered, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female', and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate'." (Matthew 19:4-6)
In the text of the Bible, there are also frequent references to a marriage between the Lord and His Church, where the church is made up of the people who love the Lord and follow his commandments. This is a different sort of marriage than the one between husband and wife, but some of the same ideals of love and reciprocity and conjunction are presented.
"As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you." (Isaiah 62:5)
"Your Maker is your husband: The Lord of Hosts is His name." (Isaiah 54:5)
"'Turn, O backsliding children,' says the Lord, 'for I am married to you.'" (Jeremiah 3:14)
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7).
See also Jeremiah 31:32; Isaiah 49:18, 61:10; Jeremiah 2:32; Hosea 2:2, 2:19; Ezekiel 16; Matthew 22:2-9; 25:1-10; Luke 5:34; Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17, etc.
From all this, it's pretty clear that there's strong support in the Bible for marriage.
That said, there are also some passages that have led people in other directions. In some of Paul's letters, there are some things which can be taken to mean that marriage is less chaste than celibacy. And, in answering a question from the Saduccees, Jesus says that in heaven, they neither marry nor are given in marriage. What did he mean by that? It has a deeper meaning than appears on the surface, but it's often been misinterpreted. We will dig into these issues in separate topics, or in an extension to this one... but, overall, the Bible's pretty clear that marriage is part of the Lord's design for us, and that our physical, earthly marriages represent a spiritual marriage, too.
Mark 15
1
Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate.
2
Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered, "So you say."
3
The chief priests accused him of many things.
4
Pilate again asked him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!"
5
But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled.
6
Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whom they asked of him.
7
There was one called Barabbas, bound with those who had made insurrection, men who in the insurrection had committed murder.
8
The multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do as he always did for them.
9
Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"
10
For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up.
11
But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead.
12
Pilate again asked them, "What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?"
13
They cried out again, "Crucify him!"
14
Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they cried out exceedingly, "Crucify him!"
15
Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.
16
The soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Praetorium; and they called together the whole cohort.
17
They clothed him with purple, and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on him.
18
They began to salute him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
19
They struck his head with a reed, and spat on him, and bowing their knees, did homage to him.
20
When they had mocked him, they took the purple off of him, and put his own garments on him. They led him out to crucify him.
21
They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.
22
They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, "The place of a skull."
23
They offered him wine mixed with myrrh to drink, but he didn't take it.
24
Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take.
25
It was the third hour, and they crucified him.
26
The superscription of his accusation was written over him, "THE KING OF THE JEWS."
27
With him they crucified two robbers; one on his right hand, and one on his left.
28
The Scripture was fulfilled, which says, "He was numbered with transgressors."
29
Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days,
30
save yourself, and come down from the cross!"
31
Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, "He saved others. He can't save himself.
32
Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him." Those who were crucified with him insulted him.
33
When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34
At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
35
Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah."
36
One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Let him be. Let's see whether Elijah comes to take him down."
37
Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit.
38
The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.
39
When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
40
There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
41
who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.
42
When evening had now come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
43
Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for the Kingdom of God, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus' body.
44
Pilate marveled if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long.
45
When he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
46
He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
47
Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid.
