Initially, marriage was seen primarily as an economic contract, a means to ensure, survival of the town, social stability, and economic prosperity. Over time, early Christian communities began to view marriage as a spiritual bond ordained by God, but why?
During the first three centuries of Christianity, marriage ceremonies were influenced by the customs of the converts, primarily Jewish, Greek, and Roman influences. It was “work in progress”.
In Jewish Customs, marriage was a family affair, often celebrated at a home not in the synagogue. It included a betrothal (legal agreement) followed by the wedding (consummation and celebration). The ceremony included prayers, songs, and blessings, lasting days.
The Roman Customs had different forms of marriage, such as confarreatio (with a wedding cake), coemptio (symbolizing the purchase of the bride), and usus (cohabitation after mutual consent). Over time, consensus (mutual consent) became the essential part of the marital union.
Greek Customs, like the other cultures, marriages were typically arranged by the families of the bride and groom. There were Engagement Ceremonies (Engyesis) which were contractual agreements between the groom and the bride’s father. The actual Wedding Ceremony (Gamos) was a multi-day affair.
Then came the Christian Influence. Early first century Christians married “in the Lord,” meaning within the Christian community. While they followed local customs, they emphasized the spiritual dimension of marriage. By the fourth century, the ecclesial character of marriage was emphasized, with ceremonies of prayer, songs, and blessing becoming more common and more prominent.
Most wedding ceremonies and festivities were held outside, to accommodate large crowds. The construction of dedicated Christian church buildings didn’t begin until the 3rd and 4th centuries. Early Christians initially met in private homes or other available spaces, such as basilicas or public buildings. However, as Christianity became more accepted and spread to larger groups of people, the need for dedicated worship spaces grew.
Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in AD 313 and soon after began commissioning basilicas for Christian worship. This marked the start of the era of grand church buildings, which continued to evolve through the Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods.
It wasn’t until the Fourth Council of the Lateran, in 1215 that many of the sacraments were formally enumerated and confirmed and reaffirmed by the Council of Trent in 1547. The early Doctors of the Church realized that it was Jesus’ presence and miraculous intercession with His first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana that elevated marriage to a sacrament of the Church. The elevation of marriage to a holy and sacred act is also deeply rooted in Jesus’ teachings. The specific biblical passage found in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 19, verses 4-6:
“He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So, they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”
In this passage, Jesus emphasizes that marriage is not merely a human contract, but a divine union. This teaching underscores the idea that marriage is a sacrament, a visible sign of God’s grace. By saying, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder,” Jesus affirms the indissolubility of marriage. This means that once God has joined a couple in marriage, no human intervention should separate them. This teaching elevates marriage to a holy act, as it is viewed as a sacred and unbreakable bond instituted by God. A covenant.
Jesus’ words highlight the spiritual and divine significance of marriage, transforming it from a mere social or legal arrangement into a profound sacramental union blessed by God.
During the times of the Protestant Reformation period ceremonies began to take place inside the church sanctuary in front of the altar, rather than outside the church building. This change further emphasized the sacredness of marriage and the church’s role in the union.
If this is my last post, I want all to know there was only one purpose for all that I have written; to have made a positive difference in the lives of others.
Anthony “Tony” Boquet, the author of “The Bloodline of Wisdom, The Awakening of a Modern Solutionary”