Marriage In The Eyes Of Jesus
So, in a previous article, we ended briefly discussing what Paul said about how Jesus views us under the New Covenant and marriage roles. But his statements almost (don’t) seem to contradict one another. So before we take a stand on one or the other, let’s see what Jesus says regarding marriage.
Matthew 19:8-11
8 He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not like that from the beginning. 9 I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.” 10 His disciples said to him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry.” 11 He responded, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given.
Matthew 22:29-30
29 Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.
Well, that’s about it. Not too helpful, I suppose. One would think that since marriage is such a HUGE part of our lives and living with others, Jesus would have made some time to talk about it. The roles, how to do it, etc. But the two things we do have is it’s better not to marry and we won’t in the next life. Wonderful.
Is Marriage Important To Jesus?
We see that God seemingly made a big deal about becoming one with each other in the beginning. So why doesn’t Jesus address it more?
Luke 18:29-30
29 So he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers or sisters, parents or children because of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more at this time, and eternal life in the age to come.”
I mean, seriously? What can we glean from the nature of God from what Jesus says about marriage? How are we supposed to weigh the scripture on the words of Jesus about marriage when, at first glance, it doesn’t seem that important to him? Even Paul seems to double down on this.
1 Corinthians 7:29
29 This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none,
Should We Edit The Bible To Suit Our Needs?
No wonder the early church had many issues that caused Paul to jump in and put some order there. Did he do a good job? Did he further a corrupt patriarchal system brought on by sin? Maybe he says and means something else that we don’t care to learn because, as a culture of male leaders, we don’t want to lose our “power”? This is what the new agenda of woke Christian feminism is asking us, correct? They ask and say things like, “Paul didn’t really mean what he said.” or “If it doesn’t make sense, just take it out.”
Before continuing, know this isn’t an easy topic, and there isn’t an easy answer. I think most of the time, as humans, our nature is to swing the pendulum. We may see or be taught one thing, and then once we disagree, we swing to the other side as fast as we can. But maybe, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Maybe, we are under a law of freedom, and that freedom allows us to choose without judgment. Maybe what works for one doesn’t work for another, which is sometimes okay.
If the goal is to bring Glory to God, maybe there is a way to do that without making someone lesser so we can become more significant.
What Is The Point Of Marriage?
But really, if Paul and Jesus didn’t seem to make a big deal about marriage and how we need to date, marry, have children, raise a family, work hard, and save for retirement someday… then what is the point?
I’ll tell you what I think. When God spoke, he created man and woman in his image. A man is a perfect image of God. A woman is a perfect image of God. And when they are joined together to become one, they create another perfect image of God. This is a profound mystery. But considering that all things in the Bible either point to Jesus or expound upon Him, I think that this union served as a shadow of something greater to come.
Ephesians 5:31-32
31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
That something more significant is Christ and the church. Something happens when Christ becomes one with his bride, the church (believers). They reproduce more believers in a similar way a man and a woman produce more image-bearers of God. When all is going as intended, more hearts are striking their first beat to the sound of life.
