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The Creation Mandate for Marriage and Family in Scripture

The concept of a "creation mandate" for marriage and family is rooted in the early chapters of Genesis, where God's original design for humanity is presented [3]. This mandate encompasses several key principles regarding the nature, purpose, and structure of marriage and family life.

The institution of marriage dates back to the creation of humanity itself, as described in Genesis 2:18-25 [2, 3]. God created man in his own image, male and female, and then brought the woman to the man [6, 10]. This foundational act is seen as the basis for all subsequent regulations concerning marriage [3]. Jesus himself affirmed this original charter, referencing Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 when discussing marriage, stating that "from the beginning of the creation, a male and a female God did make them" [5, 14].

From Genesis 2:24, several principles regarding marriage can be derived:

  1. Unity: The woman was formed from the man, signifying a fundamental unity between them [2]. This is expressed in the phrase "the two are united into one," indicating that marriage is the most fundamental covenant relationship among humans [12].
  2. Indissolubility: The bond of marriage is intended to be indissoluble, except on the strongest grounds [2]. This commitment means a shift of loyalty from parents to spouse [12].
  3. Monogamy: The original law of marriage was monogamy [2, 3]. While polygamy and concubinage appeared later in the patriarchal age, and were acknowledged in Mosaic law, the initial design was for one man and one woman [3].
  4. Social Equality: The creation account implies a social equality between man and wife [2].
  5. Subordination (in some interpretations): Some interpretations suggest a subordination of the wife to the husband, referencing passages like 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 and 1 Timothy 2:13 [2].
  6. Mutual Duties: The creation narrative also implies respective duties for both husband and wife [2].

Beyond the structure of marriage, the creation mandate also includes specific directives for the family. Genesis 1:28 states, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." This passage is often understood as the core of the creation mandate for family [11].

This command to "be fruitful and multiply" is interpreted as more than a mere permission; it is seen as a divine direction or even a command for marriage and procreation [11]. John Calvin notes that God intended Adam and Eve to produce offspring to "replenish the earth," emphasizing that humanity was to proceed from "one fountain" to foster mutual concord [13]. The purpose of this multiplication was not only to increase the human population but also to raise up "godly seed" [1].

The creation mandate for family also involves the concept of dominion. God gave humanity power over the animal kingdom [7]. This dominion is part of the broader blessing God bestowed upon human life [8]. Humankind was made in God's image to enjoy sovereign dominion over the creatures of the earth [8].

Marriage, as divinely instituted, is designed for several purposes:

The creation account emphasizes that God declared his work "very good" after the creation of human beings, highlighting the positive nature of this original design for marriage and family [9]. Marriage is not merely a human social construct but is deeply rooted in the created order [12]. It serves as a powerful image of covenant relationships, including Israel's covenant with God and Christ's relationship with the church [12].

The concept of marriage as a covenant relationship is also found in the Old Testament, as seen in Malachi 2:14 [1]. This covenant involves a shift of loyalty from parents to spouse, forming an inseparable and exclusive relationship between a man and a woman [12]. Even vows made by a woman could be established or voided by her husband, underscoring the husband's authority within the marital covenant in ancient Israelite society [4].

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Marriage — Divinely instituted -- Ge 2:24. A covenant relationship -- Mal 2:4. Designed for The happiness of man. -- Ge 2:18. Increasing the human population. -- Ge 1:28; 9:1. Raising up godly seed. -- Mal 2:15. Preventing fornication. -- 1Co 7:2. The expectation of the promised seed of the woman an incentive to, in the early age -- Ge 3:15; 4:1. Lawful in all -- 1Co 7:2,28; 1Ti 5:14. Honourable for all -- Heb 13:4. Should be only in the Lord -- 1Co 7:39. Expressed by Joining together. -- Mt 19:6. Making affinity. -- 1Ki 3:1. Taking to wife. -- Ex 2:1. Giving daughte”
  2. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — + Its origin and history .--The institution of marriage dates from the time of man's original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied in her being formed out of man. (2) The indissolubleness of the marriage bond, except on; the strongest grounds, Comp. (Matthew 19:9) (3) Monogamy, as the original law of marriage (4) The social equality of man and wife. (5) The subordination of the wife to the husband. (1 Corinthians 11:8,9; 1 Timothy 2:13) (6) The respective duties of ”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — Was instituted in Paradise when man was in innocence (Gen. 2:18-24). Here we have its original charter, which was confirmed by our Lord, as the basis on which all regulations are to be framed (Matt. 19:4, 5). It is evident that monogamy was the original law of marriage (Matt. 19:5; 1 Cor. 6:16). This law was violated in after times, when corrupt usages began to be introduced (Gen. 4:19; 6:2). We meet with the prevalence of polygamy and concubinage in the patriarchal age (Gen. 16:1-4; 22:21-24; 28:8, 9; 29:23-30, etc.). Polygamy was acknowledged in the Mosa”
  4. Numbers “Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. -- Numbers 30:13”
  5. Mark “Mark 10:6 (YLT) — but from the beginning of the creation, a male and a female God did make them;”
  6. Genesis “God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. -- Genesis 1:27”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: B — Created by God -- Ge 1:24,25; 2:19. Creation of, exhibits God's power -- Jer 27:5. Made for the praise and glory of God -- Ps 148:10. Differ in flesh from birds and fishes -- 1Co 15:39. Herb of the field given to, for food -- Ge 1:30. Power over, given to man -- Ge 1:26,28; Ps 8:7. Instinctively fear man -- Ge 9:2. Received their names from Adam -- Ge 2:19,20. Given to man for food after the flood -- Ge 9:3. Not to be eaten alive or with blood -- Ge 9:4; De 12:16,23. That died naturally or were torn, not to be eaten -- Ex 22:31; Le 17:15; 22:8. Supply clothing to”
  8. Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:1: 1:1–2:3 These verses introduce the Pentateuch (Genesis—Deuteronomy) and teach Israel that the world was created, ordered, and populated by the one true God and not by the gods of surrounding nations. • God blessed three specific things: animal life (1:22-25), human life (1:27), and the Sabbath day (2:3). This trilogy of blessings highlights the Creator’s plan: Humankind was made in God’s image to enjoy sovereign dominion over the creatures of the earth and to participate in God’s Sabbath rest. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth: This statem”
  9. Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:31: 1:31 The Creator declares his work good seven times in ch 1; following the creation of human beings, God declares it all very good.”
  10. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 11:7: 11:7 man is made in God’s image: See Gen 1:26-27.”
  11. Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 1:28: And God blessed them,.... The man and the woman he had made, with all the blessings of nature and Providence; with all the good things of life; with his presence, and with communion with himself in a natural way, through the creatures; and particularly with a power of procreating their species, as follows, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth: if this is not an express command, as the Jews understand it, for marriage and procreation of children, it seems to be more than a bare permission; at least it is a direction and an advic”
  12. Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 2:24: 2:24 Marriage between a man and a woman is not just a human social construct but is rooted in the created order. • a man leaves . . . and is joined: Marriage entails a shift of loyalty from parents to spouse. • the two are united into one: Marriage and its commitments make it the most fundamental covenant relationship observed among humans. Marriage is a powerful image of Israel’s covenant with God (Hos 2:14-23) and of Christ’s relationship to the church (Eph 5:22-32). Marriage is designed as an inseparable, exclusive relationship between a man and a woman. The f”
  13. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 5.35: of offspring, as God imparts his power to some and withholds it from others. But here Moses would simply declare that Adam with his wife was formed for the production of offspring, in order that men might replenish the earth. God could himself indeed have covered the earth with a multitude of men; but it was his will that we should proceed from one fountain, in order that our desire of mutual concord might be the greater, and that each might the more freely embrace the other as his own flesh. Besides, as men were created to occupy”
  14. Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 19:4: And he answered and said unto them,.... Not by replying directly to the question, but by referring them to the original creation of man, and to the first institution of marriage, previous to the law of Moses; have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female? This may be read in Gen 1:27 and from thence this sense of things collected; that God, who in the beginning of time, or of the creation, as Mark expresses it, made all things, the heavens, and the earth, and all that is therein, and particularly "man", as the Vulgate Latin, ”
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