What does the Bible say about marriage?
Retrieved texts include Matthew 19:6, Ephesians 5:31, Colossians 3:5, Hebrews 13:4.
The texts do not directly address broader modern formulations; NO DIRECT REFERENCE IN SOURCE TEXTS and INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE apply beyond retrieved passages.
THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
1. QUESTION
What does the Bible say about marriage?
2. PRIMARY TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
The retrieved texts address marriage across several dimensions:
On the Nature and Origin of Marriage:
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." — Genesis 2:24 (KJV)
"And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?" — Matthew 19:5 (KJV)
"Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." — Matthew 19:6 (KJV)
"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh." — Ephesians 5:31 (KJV)
On the Honor of Marriage:
"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." — Hebrews 13:4 (KJV)
On Divorce and Remarriage:
"And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." — Matthew 19:9 (KJV)
"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery." — Luke 16:18 (KJV)
"When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement..." — Deuteronomy 24:1 (KJV)
On Sexual Ethics Related to Marriage:
"What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh." — 1 Corinthians 6:16 (KJV)
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness," — Galatians 5:19 (KJV)
2. LINGUISTIC/HISTORICAL DATA (From Retrieved Texts Only)
- The phrase "one flesh" (Greek: mia sarx) appears repeatedly (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5-6; Ephesians 5:31; 1 Corinthians 6:16), indicating a union that is physical, covenantal, and exclusive.
- The term "cleave" (Hebrew: dabaq; Greek: proskollaō) denotes strong attachment or bonding.
- "Put asunder" (Greek: chōrizō) in Matthew 19:6 implies separation; Jesus' statement frames marriage as a divine joining not to be humanly dissolved.
- Deuteronomy 24:1 references Mosaic provision for divorce involving "uncleanness" (erwat dabar), which Matthew 19:9 interprets restrictively, permitting divorce only for "fornication" (Greek: porneia).
3. SCHOLARLY POSITIONS (As Suggested by the Texts)
The retrieved passages suggest interpretive tensions that have generated debate:
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Permanence vs. Exception: Matthew 19:6 emphasizes indissolubility; Matthew 19:9 introduces an exception clause ("except it be for fornication"). Luke 16:18 contains no such exception. This variance has historically produced differing views on legitimate grounds for divorce.
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Nature of "One Flesh": 1 Corinthians 6:16 applies "one flesh" language even to illicit unions, raising questions about whether the term denotes ontological union or covenantal bond.
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Old Testament Background: Deuteronomy 24:1 regulated divorce; Jesus' teaching in Matthew 19 appears to restrict or reframe that allowance.
4. SOURCES
- Genesis 2
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE: retrieved texts do not resolve this question explicitly.