I have often been puzzled by something missing from the Bible: marriage ceremonies.
Although lots of people are married in the Bible, there are no descriptions of any ceremonies. Adam and Eve are “married” simply by the fact that they are made for each other and they procreate. Jacob marries Leah by mistake, which happens not because of a disguised bride at a wedding ceremony, but because he consummates the marriage in the darkness of a tent. YAHUSHA attends a wedding in Cana which consists of a family party, but no ceremony is described.
The only “ceremony” I can find in the Bible is Tobit 7:12-14 in which a father places the hand of his daughter in the hand of the husband, and then writes a contract.
The reason why there are no marriage ceremonies in the Bible is because marriage did not involve a ceremony. Marriage in the Bible simply consists of a man and woman, with the consent of the woman’s father or guardian, living together and attempting procreation.
No vows, no priest, no ritual, no prayer, no pronouncement, no license, no registration.
YES CHURCH WEDDINGS OK WEDDINGS ARE NOT BIBLICAL
The early Church split because of practices which became law/custom yet they were not stated/or acceptable in the Bible, for example, bowing to images, baptising children and praying for the dead. In Matthew 15:6-9, YAHUSHA warned on adopting laws of men and imposing them on YAHUAH’S people.
This is emphasised in Titus 1:14.
Pertaining to marrying in church, I have not yet found it anywhere in the Bible that the Church shall conduct marriage. The authority to marry off children is vested in the parents and this is a divine authority which cannot be substituted by man’s law.
It is also clear in the Bible that a marriage is not made holy by the ceremonies in church. For this reason, the Bible recognises that a marriage between a non-believer and a believer (of course not made in church) is holy or sanctified by the faith of a believer according to 1 Corinthians 7:12-16 and they bear holy children.
Therefore, it is not the pronouncements in church that make the marriage holy, but the faith of the believer. As regards marriage vows, church leaders need to be reminded that the New Testament does not allow people to make vows any more.
In Matthew 5:33-37, YAHUSHA commanded us NOT TO VOW AT ALL. This is repeated in James 5:12. For that reason, it is not right for any BELIEVER to make a vow or to swear to enter into marriage.
Reference: Kenneth Lubogo and Ryan Ahlgrim
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