Biblical foundation of

Marriage

That they may be one

Blessed are you, O God of our fathers; praised

be your name forever and ever.
Let the heavens and all your creation praise you
forever. You made Adam and you gave him his
wife Eve to be his help and support; and from
these two the human race descended. You said,
It is not good for the man to be alone; let us
make him a partner like himself.
Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of
mine not because of lust, but for a noble
purpose.
Call down your mercy on me and on her, and
allow us to live together to a happy old age.
They said together, Amen, amen, and went to
bed for the night.

Whats in the reading?

My love, get up. Let us pray and beg

our Lord to have mercy on us and to
grant us deliverance.
Tobit 8:4b-9 is an expression par
excellence of Christian marriage:

the elevation of the spiritual life,

the placement of nobility above lust,
the recollection of tradition,
the role of the family.

THE PURPOSE OF
MARRIAGE IN
CREATION

After getting acquainted with current realities

pertaining to marriage and family, its best to go back
and rekindle the original richness and beauty of
Marriage and Family in the context of Gods Word
and Revelation

First Stop:
The story of
Adam and Eve

The gift of sexuality is

Gods answer for
mans deep longing
to be with someone

There are two

accounts of
Creation Story:
1. Priestly account
(Gen. 1:1-31)
2. Yahwist tradition
(Gen. 2: 2-25)
Adams longing for
someone is answered
by the creation of Eve.
This is bone of my
bones and flesh of my
flesh!

Sexuality is far larger than sex

act. Adam sees in Eve not
just a sexual partner, but a
person that can reciprocate
his love and personhood.
6

BONE OF MY BONES AND

FLESH OF MY FLESH

The author, realizing that one of the

greatest pains of man is the lack of
company conveys this message: Without
others, man and human life is not good.
The woman was taken from mans rib to
show that in marriage, man and woman
become one.
Gordon Higham wrote: Woman was not
taken from mans head to be ruled by him,
nor from his feet to be trampled by him. But
under his arm to be protected by him, from
near his heart to be loved by him, and from
near his side to walk beside him.
7

God entrusted to them the mission:

be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and
conquer it.

Ahh the work of

Procreation and Stewardship

God created them MALE and

FEMALE

By that it means, they are

distinct yet equal with one
another

But as we all know, creation story

after all is not everything beautiful.
Sin enters with the fall of Adam
and Eve.

Consequences
include:

Their original communion was

then ruptured thus the entry
of consequences thereof:

Pain of childbirth
Lust
Sweat of labor
Sexual hierarchy
Gender conflict and
dominance

Marriage as realized
among the chosen people

10

 Ancient practices
and customs:
Womens
subordination to
men

Its never been a surprise to

know that the concept of
marriage has lost its real
meaning in the time of the
ancient Israel.

Procreation as
primary function
Polygamy
Divorce as
prerogative of men
Barrenness as
disgrace
concubinage

Levirate law

11

In Hebrew Scripture
Women were clearly made subordinate
and their roles were determined by
their status in relation to men: as
daughters, wives and mothers. As
woman they were not equal companions
and partners of men. Their primary
function became that of bearing
children who would
continue the male line.

12

The primary value became

procreation, which was then
held in great esteem than the
ordained relationship between
husband and wife or the
quality of their love

Polygamous relationships
were even allowed until about
the time of the monarchy, the
kings. Divorce, initiated by the
husband only, was a usual
practice
( Dt. 24:1-2)
Barrenness was considered a
disgrace ( Gen 30: 2)

13

Concubinage was tolerated as a means to find a

substitute for the barren wife, to make sure of the
continuity of the husbands lineage or family line.
(Gen 30:1-13)
Levirate law obligated a man to marry the wife of
his dead brother in order to raise a son to carry the
deceaseds
name and right to family inheritance

14

However, all is not lost in this

period. The time of the
prophets provided a vision for
marriage as a COVENANT

Lets see and know the love

story of Prophet Hosea and
Gomer?

Prophet Hosea was commanded

by God to marry Gomer, a
prostitute. He obeyed but
Gomer still went back to
being a prostitute. He courted
her in trying to win her back.
But the same thing happens
again

15

 Jewish society
regards children
as blessings
and signs of
Gods favor

Its like the story of

Yahweh and His people.
Yahwehs forgiveness is
based upon love towards the
ever-unfaithful people of
Israel.
This is the so-called:
covenantal
relationship that is
based on steadfast
growing love,
balanced with strength
of duty and sensitivity
of kindness
16

. "Marriage

and conjugal
love are by their nature
ordained toward the
procreation and
education of children.
Children are really the
supreme gift of
marriage and contribute
in the highest degree to
their parents' welfare."
17

Humanae Vitae

Marriage in the
Gospels

18

Actually, theres only a few

of Jesus direct
assertions/teachings about
marriage and sexuality

On love
On Marriage
Wedding Feast
in Cana
Questions on
Divorce
Celibacy in the
light of Marriage

However, much can still be regarded

as lessons on marriage and related
matters as found in the course of His
ministry
19

However, this same love to people

in general should also the kind of
love that exists in marriage of two
people
Jesus preaching on LOVE is
more of general than specific
to married couples.

20

The Gospels
on the matter of Love
Christ preached about the love
neighbors should have for one another.
This is the same love that exists, only
in a greater degree, between a man and
woman marrying each other, and in
their marriage. Love one another as
I have loved you. No greater love
than that he lays down his life for a
friend ( Jn 15:12-14). Love calls for
fidelity, unconditional surrender and
forgiveness in instances of failure

21

FIDELITY
UNCONDITIONA
L SURRENDER
FORGIVENESS
in times of
failures

The Wedding event in

Cana was Jesus first
ever miracle
What is remarkable
about this event was
not much about his
miracle of turning
water into wine

Sooooo.
Wwwhhhhaatttt????

It is his PRESENCE that makes the

difference. By this presence is shown
His important regard to marital union.

23

Jesus teaching on
marriage is further
and more extensively
found in Mt. 19:3-11

They are no longer two

but one body what God
has united, man must not
divide

No to divorce Yes to
permanence of marital union

Thats when Pharisees

came to ask Jesus
about the validity of
divorce as practiced in
the Old Testament.

Marriage finds its redeeming

value in Jesus as He brings it
back in the original plan of
God
Union in love
Fruitfulness in procreative task
24

 Two properties of marriage:

Unity excludes extra-marital relations or any
form of polygamy
Indissolubility no to divorce and re-marriage

25

Marriage in St. Pauls

Teachings

26

For St. Paul, sexual act

in marriage is a value
that must be stressed in
practice.

Do not refuse one another, except

perhaps by agreement for a season,
that you may devote yourself to
prayer, but then come together again,
lest Satan tempt you through lack of
self-control (1 Cor. 7:5)

Sexual act is:

Right of both husband and wife

Later theological thought understood it as marital
debt
But still maintaining the so-called common
consent

27

Its in the Letter to

Ephesians where
Pauls theology on
marriage is at its
best!

Wives should regard their

husbands as they regard the Lord
Husbands should love their wives
just as Christ loved the Church
(Eph.5:21-25, 28-32)

Key words to remember and understand: submission and

leadership.
A submission in love just as one submits to Christ
A leadership by service and not by authority

A new perspective was given, i.e., marriage of two persons

seen in the link between Christ (Groom) and the Church
(Bride)
28

Vatican II
New Perspective on Marriage:

A Covenant not just a contract

Mutual love is not secondary to begetting children
Mutual love is what is sanctified by the sacrament
Marriages sacramentality requires Faith
The full consummation of marriage is more than a
biological act.
The Sacrament incorporates one more fully into the
mystery of the Church