Hebrews 13:4 Commentary and Bible Study

This is the fourth channel of love’s expression listed here. Literally the Greek reads, ‘Marriage, honourable in all’; the word ‘is’ is not present. How should we read the verse? It is surrounded by a number of exhortations or commands: ‘Let brotherly love continue’, ‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers’, ‘Remember them that are in bonds’, ‘Let your conversation be without covetousness’. Is this also an exhortation – ‘Let marriage be honourable in all’, or is it a plain statement – ‘Marriage is honourable in all’? It is surely a statement, an affirmation. There is no doubt about the fact that marriage is honourable in all, and the writer assures those who are married that the marriage bed is undefiled. It must be so, for it is said in contrast to the bed of whoremongers and adulterers which will call down the judgment of God because it is anything but undefiled. Marriage is honourable, and sexual relations between husband and wife are entirely wholesome and designed by God for the closest possible union between them. But in the eyes of God this close union may only legitimately take place within marriage. This statement stands out like a jewel in the midst of other petitions, and the KJV translation is right. It is powerful because it is different.Marriage is honourable, precious, in every situation, in all circumstances. It is priceless, unique. Never has there been a more educated generation, yet never was there more ignorance about relationships. The world spurs biblical marriage but has put nothing in its place. Marriage is honourable because it is designed by God. It is beyond biology, biological love, and is based on best-friendship love. If a couple only has biological love then it is not enough. Marriage blends the sexes, different as they are in intuition and powers; it blends them so that they function as one. The husband must lead in the home for that is the gift of God, but he must also earn the headship by his conduct. Marriage is no longer about two individuals striving to be free, but about two who have been made one entity. Martin Luther was the first ex-monk to marry an ex-nun, Katharina von Bora, or Katie. He had been married only a few months when he was asked what he thought of marriage. He replied, ‘It is the school for character.’ Marriage is a unique source of happiness which combines and unites the gifts of both individuals. It provides mutual support and comfort; it dispels loneliness, and absorbs burdens. The husband, if responsible, will seek the wife’s gifts to be potentiated. Marriage is wonderful after five years; it is wonderful after 10 years. It is an ever deepening and stable relationship, both pure and honest. It is for both and is not a matter of one imposing on the other. There are the strongest possible condemnations of fornication and adultery in the Bible and here in the New Testament in particular. Adultery and fornication are top of the sin list in the 1 Corinthians 6: ‘Neither fornicators … nor adulterers … shall inherit the kingdom of God’. They coupled with murder in Revelation 21 and 22. Whoremongers and adulterers, God will judge. Yet today fornication is encouraged, and even in the schools and in the official teaching given to children, sexual experimentation and liberty is encouraged and the young are taught to have contempt for the standards of God. They are encouraged to do things that will take away so much of their happiness in the future, and damage the stability of any marriage they may subsequently enter into. The consequences of what is foisted upon the rising generation today in our land – this is the cruellest thing imaginable, and of course it is godless and men and women and young people will ultimately come before God in judgement for this age of fornication.