1689 25.1

25.1. Of Marriage

Marriage is to be between one Man and one Woman; neither is it lawful for any man to have more then one Wife, nor for any Woman to have more then one Husband at the same time.

Proof texts

• Genesis 2:24 — [24] Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
• Malachi 2:15 — [15] Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.
• Matthew 19:5, 6 — [5] and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? [6] So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Genesis 2:24 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 3 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WCF 24.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. BC 9.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WCF 24.1 · BC 9.1 · BC 9.2 · SD 25.1 · SD 25.2 · SD 25.3 · SD 25.4