This book is part of the series ‘Catholic Biblical Theology of the Sacraments’, which traces the roots of each of the seven sacraments in the Bible. In this volume, Bergsma sets out to establish that marriage is a central tenet of Scripture and thus an important sacrament. He argues that marriage is a covenant and, therefore, is a central theme of the Bible. The book thus provides a survey of Scripture, interspersed with excerpts from the Fathers’ interpretations, and utilises close reading of the Bible to enlighten a Catholic understanding of marriage.
After the introduction in chapter one, chapter two analyses the marriage between Adam and Eve, which establishes the very first marital covenant. Adam participates in God’s divine nature, for he is created in God’s image and receives his divine breath. Thus, there is a covenant between God and Adam formed through his creation, which will then resurface through the union of man and woman. The interconnection of the divine covenants between God and humanity, and man and woman is, Bergsma argues, foundational for a sacramental understanding of marriage. This motif resurfaces throughout the Bible. This first marital covenant is monogamous and involves physical union, in which procreation is an end.
In chapter three, Bergsma explores marriage in the post-Lapsarian phase, where we witness the denigration of marriage, therefore alienating humanity from God. The Fall is the joint act of husband and wife, an act of mutual consent. Their violation of God’s covenant has repercussions for the covenant between husband and wife. After they are banished from the garden, they fulfil God’s commandment to procreate, yet marital violations pile on top of one another. Noah’s monogamy is presented as the ideal through the Flood, but once again sexual degeneration recurs after the Flood.
In chapter four, the marriage of the patriarchs is dissected. Bergsma argues that the patriarchs violate the marital covenant on many occasions, including through polygamy, the offering of their wives to another man, and adultery. In these cases, however, they are either punished by God, or God intervenes to stop the breach of covenant. Yet in death, monogamy is highlighted, as each patriarch is buried alongside his first wife.
Chapter five explores marriage within the Mosaic covenant, and Bergsma argues that although divorce is acknowledged as a reality, it is not condoned. Adultery is condemned, sterile sexual union and fornication are prohibited, and fidelity is emphasised. The recurrent purpose of these laws was ‘to protect the wife, the more vulnerable of the spouses’ (92). The happiness of the couple is also acknowledged as one of the ends of marriage.
In the Historical Books, which is the concern of chapter six, deviation from the covenant of marriage is portrayed as a trope of religious infidelity, and intermarriage is discouraged in order to maintain Judean identity and religion. In the Deuteronomic History, the polygamy, adultery, and exogamy of the kings anticipate their downfall. Tobit outlines the purpose of marriage as the cure of loneliness, rather than for physical intimacy. It emphasises the choice within marriage, the value of parental blessing, lasting monogamy, and equality between the spouses.
In chapter seven, Bergsma turns to the prophets. Here, marriage is used as a metaphor for God’s relationship with Israel, and a model for matrimony. Thus, Israel’s assimilation into the surrounding political entities is paralleled to adultery against God, Israel’s bridegroom. In these books, Bergsma argues that marriage is characterised by its indissolubility, generous provision, attraction, affection, freedom, mutuality, exclusivity, and safety.
Chapter eight outlines marriage in the Wisdom literature, where the wise man’s relationship to divine Wisdom is portrayed as an expression of marriage. Here, promiscuity and lust are condemned, procreation is established as a key end of marriage, and mutuality and love between spouses are celebrated. Wisdom is portrayed as the ideal wife, and thus the marital covenant participates in the divine covenantal union.
Bergsma then moves on to the books of the New Testament, first exploring the motif of Christ as the bridegroom to the Church in chapter nine. This metaphor is founded in the Old Testament’s portrayal of the marital relationship between God and Israel. This permeates the Gospels of Matthew and John, shapes Paul’s teachings in his epistles, and can also be observed in Revelations. The imagery of Christ as bridegroom, Bergsma argues, presents the ideal model for matrimony, whereby the husband offers provision, self-sacrifice, and love. This love is received and reciprocated by the bride, whose love is exclusive and displays fidelity.
In chapter ten, marriage in the Gospels is explored. Bergsma sees the marriage between Mary and Joseph as a marital exemplar. In this union, consent is necessary for marriage, but physical union is not. Jesus teaches that adultery and divorce are forbidden, except on the grounds of immorality or porneia, which Bergsma argues refers to those marriages that are already unlawful.
Lastly, Bergsma discusses marriage in Paul’s epistles in chapter eleven. Paul’s letters reinforce Jesus’ Gospel teaching, including the inability of spouses to divorce other than in cases of porneia; a preference for celibacy; and promiscuity as forbidden. Paul also adds the teaching that one should choose a spouse who is also a believer, although believers should not divorce their spouse if they are an unbeliever. Paul models a husband’s love for his wife on the love that Christ had for the church, which is characterised by self-sacrifice.
Finally, in his conclusion, Bergsma asserts that matrimony is a crucial part of God’s plan for humanity and their salvation. The covenant between spouses mirrors the covenant between God and humanity. Here, he provides a summary that traces the shape and texture of marriage across the Bible in line with Catholic teachings, and he finishes by affirming the place of matrimony as a sacrament. Matrimony, he asserts, is an important institution, one that has been established as such from the time of creation. The book is rounded up with suggested resources and a selected bibliography.
This book synthesises Scripture to form a unified vision of marriage that coheres with the Catholic understanding of the sacrament. It will be useful to anyone interested in the biblical foundations for the Church’s teaching on holy matrimony.
