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NASB | Ephesians 5:32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 5:32 This mystery [of two becoming one] is great; but I am speaking with reference to [the relationship of] Christ and the church. |
Subject: Marriage as a Covenant Relationship? |
Bible Note: Steve Proverbs 2:7, Malachi 2:14 - Marriage is a covenant. Paraphrase for the Hebrew- Covenant: In the sense of cutting, a compact because of being passed between two peices of flesh, confederacy, convenant, league. Covenants are "cut" as a compact by the particants of a confederacy, with particants being passed between two pieces of flesh, which forms the covenant. Paraphrase for the Greek - Disposition, a contract, especially a devisory will, a covenant, a testament. Covenants are a legal contract, as in a will, as a testament being made, which makes up the will as a testament by the author of the testament who is the testator with the participants. Interesting Link - http://ipraytoday.wordpress.com/2006/11/04/the-covenant-of-marriage/ All Biblical covenants have the following seven elements - 1) God is the testator of the testament as the primary witness and is the author of the covenant. - Genesis 15:18-21 - Testator 2) Humans are the participants and recipients of the testament as secondary witness making the covenant public. - Genesis 1:28 - Public 3) God makes specific promises to the pariticipants. - Genesis 8:21 - Promises of the testator 4) God gives specific obligations to the participants to follow. - Exodus 34:10-27 - Obligations of the pariticipants 5) God forms an exclusive relationship between Himself and the pariticipants. - Genesis 17:7, Exodus 20:1, Deuteronomy 5:1-5 - Covenant excludes those outside it 6) God requires obedience to the covenant by the participants. - Exodus 20:1-26 - Obedience to the covenant is required 7) God is making a forensic legal agreement between himself and the pariticipants as a covenant with the pariticipants. - Hebrews 9:16, 17 - Covenant is binding with God Marriage is a covenant, this is an outline of marriage God's style only and not of traditions and societal norms- 1) Adam and Eve - Genesis 1:28, 2:24 - God testified as a witness that Adam and Eve were to multiply and it was "cut" by the passing together of flesh. 2) Adam and Eve - Genesis 1:28 - God told them to multiply and made it public. 3) God - Genesis 2:18, 2:24, Proverbs 18:22, 1 Corinthians 7:2-4, Hebrews 13:4 - God makes promises to the participants of His will 4) God - Ephesians 5:21-33 - God gives obligations to the participants 5) God - God excludes those outside the covenant - Ephesians 5:32, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Corinthians 7:2, 6 6) God - God demands obedience to the covenant - Romans 7:1-3, 1 Corinthians 7:39, Mathew 19:6 7) God - God makes a forensic binding covenant by "cutting" the covenant with blood and the passing of flesh - Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:30, 1 Corinthians 7:31 Those are the rules to the covenant of marriage as I understand them to be based on scripture. I am not so very sure how modern marriage vows would fit into these rules. I think that the traditional vows are in keeping with overall scriptural concept of a marriage covenant. I am more interested in what others think, whether it be as a covenant or as something else and how it works as a covenant or something else? blessings abound, bowler |