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What does a wedding ring symbolize?


Are wedding rings a Biblical tradition or a tradition of men?
What does a wedding ring symbolize?

 

Q. What does the Bible say about wedding rings? Are wedding rings a Biblical tradition or a tradition of men? What does the wedding ring symbolize?

(Submitted by: Sherry)

A. In the Biblical account of creation you will find the following scant details regarding marriage, but no specific procedures for weddings:

"So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:27)

"And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This [is] now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)

The Bible is clear, however, on how men and women are to love and cherish each other within a marriage:

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; . . . So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. . . . Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife [see] that she reverence [her] husband." (Ephesians 5:22-25, 28, 33)
Jesus underscores the importance of marriage as a lifelong commitment by referring us back to God's institution of the marriage covenant:
"And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made [them] at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Matthew 19:4-6)

Although the Bible has quite a few references to marriage and weddings it does not establish the use of any particular symbols such as wedding rings to represent the marriage commitment.

In lieu of this, the various societies of mankind throughout history have established their own customs regarding marriage.  Many of these societies have their own traditions regarding the use of wedding rings.  The traditions and symbolism vary from one society to another. 

God has left a lot of choices to man. He made us and has revealed his laws in the Bible to reveal what will work for our good and what will not. God made marriage, so marriage is holy. Only God can make something holy. Since he didn't command the use of wedding rings, there is nothing holy about them. But if their use encourages faithfulness to strengthen the marriage, that is good.

 
Written by:  Dan Anderson
Additional Bible Study Materials
What Bible verses can be used for a wedding?
Are men short one rib since God had to use one to create Eve?
Are couples who live together married before God?
Does the Bible prohibit certain sexual practices in marriage?
 


 
   
 
 

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