Answers to Questions, Article

According to Christians, what is God's purpose for marriage (part 1)

November 17, 2021 - Drs. G. (Gijs) van den Brink
Part 12-1 of 12 of the theme 'Answers to Questions' by Gijs van den Brink

In the Bible, the church is called the bride or wife of God. (Eph. 5) A marriage of a man and a woman is a reflection of God's relationship with us.

The more you understand about your relationship, your covenant with God, the better you understand marriage.

1. In the first place, his man and woman created to work together.

In Gen. 2:15 it says: 'God, the LORD, brought man into the garden of Eden, to cultivate it'. And then God says in Gen. 2:18 It is not good that man is alone, I will make a helper for him that suits him.
So man and woman were created by God to be Working together in the garden as colleagues!

This remains true even after the Fall. The difference between men's work and women's work was not made by God but by men. If you discuss a division of labor together as husband and wife is of course fine.
But most cultures have made patterns out of this, and have come to prescribe what is men's work and what is women's work. And that always leads to oppression of women.
God's intention is for husband and wife to work together to earn their daily bread, to live.

In the Bible, in the book of Proverbs chapter 31, we read about the ideal wife. It is a woman who brings happiness to her husband. And then you read that this woman does work you wouldn't expect.
She buys fields and land and plants a vineyard (vs.16).
It imports food from abroad (vs.14). This is apparently a large household with many servants and servants.
Husband and wife work together for income and maintenance of the family.

2. Second, husband and wife are created to have children and take care of children.
It is a misunderstanding that this would be a law or a commandment, as some think.
Having children is not an assignment. Having children is a blessing! We read this clearly in Gen. 1:28 where it says 'And God blessed them, and God spake unto them, Be fruitful and become numerous.

3. Third, a husband and his wife Called to serve God together. Jesus commissioned us to make His message known to all people.
We read in 1 Cor. 9:5 that Peter and also the other apostles traveled with their wives to preach the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:5).
Now we are not all missionaries, but every father and mother is called to be a pastor and priest to his family.

Next time: Part 12-2 of the series  'Answers to questions' is entitled 'According to Christians, what is God's purpose for marriage (part 2) '

Also see: Part 11 of 12 of the theme 'Answers to questions In the Bible, what is the definition of a happy person?

Author: Gijs van den Brink
From: Study Bible Magazine


This is part 12-1 of 12 from the theme "Answers to Questions' Some of which we will be posting online in the near future. We hope this will help you understand the Bible better!


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Contribution of

drs. G. (Gijs) van den Brink
Since 1981 working as editor and author on a commentary series known as "Study Bible." First at IDR in Soest, from 1998 at the "Center for Bible Research" (CVB) in Doorn. From 1996 to 2015 editor NT of the quarterly magazine for evangelical theological reflection "Soteria". Since 2007 editor-in-chief of the quarterly theological journal "Study Bible magazine". From 2010-2011 editorial board member of Tussenruimte, journal for intercultural theology.

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