Im not sure that in the bible there is any reference to marriage ceremony but I kno that there are married people in the bible. So are you married by having a ceremony or by sleeping with some one(intercourse)?
2007-10-13 08:50:12 · 13 answers · asked by Hat kid 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Marriage & Divorce
Ceremony#
2007-10-13 08:59:45 · answer #1 · answered by nhuvi j 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There were marriage ceremonies in the Bible. The first miracle Jesus performed was at the wedding at Cana where He turned the water into wine. He also used different parables about the bride and the bridegroom to try and illustrate the relationship between Christ and the church.
It's just that customs and traditions are different from what they are now. Many customs still used in Jewish ceremonies today have their roots in the traditions which began in Bible times.
The marriage vows, whether spoken during an elaborate religious service, or spoken in a quiet simple ceremony, represent a covenant not only with the spouse, but with God. Too many people today take these vows too lightly, but covenants in the Bible were very serious lifelong commitments. That's why the phrases "till death do us part" and "what God has joined, let no man put asunder" are used.
The Bible also speaks about having intercourse with a person that you are not married to. If you (or the other person) is married to another, it is called adultery. If you have sex outside of marriage, it is called fornication. Both are spoken against in the Bible.
You are right that formal religious ceremonies were not mentioned much in the Old Testament. They also married multiple wives in the Old Testament, a practice that is illegal and certainly frowned upon in today's society. But if sleeping with someone constituted marriage, why did they distinguish between Solomon's wives and Solomon's concubines?
Sleeping with someone doesn't constitute marriage, but the Bible does say that the two become one flesh....that's why fornication and adultery are so wrong, because you are joining your flesh to another without being in a proper covenant relationship with them. God will not bless adultery and fornication, and will be out of fellowship with those practicing those as well as other sexual sins. There's plenty of info on that throughout the Bible---start with the story of King David and Bathsheba in the Old Testament, and then read some of Paul's epistles to the churches.
That said, those sins can be forgiven, just like all others, by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus forgave the woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery that was about to be stoned, but He expected them to repent and "go and sin no more."
You might be able to find more information about what wedding customs were like in Bible times by doing some web surfing for history and culture of the Holy Land. Here is a place to start:
http://www.biblestudymanuals.net/jewish_marriage_customs.htm
2007-10-13 09:10:00 · answer #2 · answered by arklatexrat 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Definitely the ceremony
2007-10-13 09:27:15 · answer #3 · answered by Tabbitha M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
thats a really good question!
i think that intercourse consummates the marriage and makes it "legit" but as far as the ceremony...not sure...your right there are married people in the bible but i dont recall any ceremonies
2007-10-13 09:00:06 · answer #4 · answered by Mindy S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Marriage is when you sign the marriage certificate and are told "I now pronouce you husband and wife". It has nothing to do with the bible unless the marrying couple CHOOSE to bring the bible into it. Marriage has nothing to do with religion unless the marrying couple CHOOSES to bring religion into it. If marriage were simply based upon intercourse then BILLIONS of people would be married and there would be far MORE instances of bigamy and pologamy
2007-10-13 12:15:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on your traditions. In some ancient tribes, kidnapping your chosen woman and raping her meant you were married. I think in modern society most people go with the marriage ceremony, since virgins are basically nonexistent these days.
2007-10-13 08:53:58 · answer #6 · answered by janicajayne 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I got married as I was in love.The ceremony is the marriage a piece of paper & you have to consumate the marriage,
2007-10-17 08:44:16 · answer #7 · answered by Ollie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well intercourse just consummates the marriage, the ceremony is the union to become one. However you want to loOK at it is ok.
2007-10-13 09:25:26 · answer #8 · answered by heathermichelle9 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
marriage is a ceremony were a man a woman
become one before god
as in partners for life
its a promise before god to care
and protect one another as a couple
its not Sex -It is a commitment for eachother
before god
:)
2007-10-13 09:02:25 · answer #9 · answered by Wicked Aliens 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Joesph and Mary were married but Joesph was not Jesus's father (by intercourse) as the holy spirt was the one that made Jesus.
2007-10-13 08:58:40 · answer #10 · answered by michteddybear1969 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋