What does it mean that the marriage bed is undefiled (Hebrews 13:4)?

A. The word of the Lord enjoins (Hebrews 13:4), "Let marriage be honourable in all things," a very different thing from the A.V. which makes it a necessarily dignified status for any and everybody. It is a solemn exhortation that nothing should be done in the relationship inconsistent with its holy and intimate character, as well as implying honour due to the relationship in itself and in every way. For Christians 1 Corinthians 7:39 guards the limits of "will" with that sole worthy principle, "only in the Lord." The immediate application is to a widow marrying again; but it would be absurd to restrict it to her, or to doubt that it equally applies to any Christian woman or man.

A new topic comes before us in verse 4: "[Let,] marriage [be] honourable in all things and the bed [be] undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." Here the Jewish Christian is called to stand the more on his guard, as the law allowed a latitude which the Lord showed to be far from God's mind. The A.V. is faulty in two respects. It is not a mere affirmative sentence stamping the relationship with dignity, but an exhortation in the imperative calling us to carry it on worthily, and to guard it from all taint of unchastity or impureness. And we are bid to set it in honour, not in this respect or in that, but "in all things." Thus it is in no way a certificate of respectability which all people possess because they are in wedlock, but a solemn charge to married saints that, their use of the relationship be thus pleasing to the Lord in every detail. To say it is honourable "in all men" overlooks, if it does not destroy, the force of the scripture for the Christian's conscience. And this is the more evident as we hear next that God will judge every violation of its sanctity whether in neglect or in misuse.

The opening is singularly emphatic, "Man, man, etc." This the Septuagint follows closely. Man's attention is called for. Marriage is only honourable where God's will is observed. Heb. 13:4 in no way sanctions or sanctifies a forbidden union. The true rendering is, Let marriage be honourable (not "among all" as the Revisers say, but) "in all things," and the bed be undefiled. The construction is alike before and after. It is an injunction, not an affirmation as in the A.V. with Wiclif, Cranmer, and the Geneva translators. The Rhemish is an ungrammatical evasion, meant to correspond with the Vulgate, which would seem to take the Greek like the Peschito, Wiclif, etc. Tyndale alone was right. Against unions or licences, such as are here indicated, Jehovah sets His face. His name from beginning to end of the chapter is the solemn warrant against them all. If an Israelite allowed passion to carry him away, it was rebellion against Jehovah and at his own peril.

But in these near relationships marriage was unnatural and dishonourable in the measure of the nearness. And that intercourse which was proper to the married tie, forbidden in every case outside it, was here sinful and shameful in the highest degree, whether in the superior place of father or mother, and the nearest on either side, or in the equal one of sister howsoever born, or in the inferior one of daughter-in-law. And who would be bold enough to deny that the corresponding ones, not here specified, are not really implied? It is the man who is here prohibited: surely the woman is so no less. Further, the prohibition goes beyond blood-relations and extends in like degree to those by marriage connection. Of great moment it was to cultivate the warmest affection between all that stood together in near kin or connection. But still more was it essential that their mutual love should be ordered in all purity.

Here is a somewhat different character of defilement, but leading on to still viler abominations, on none of which need one dwell, though assured God is wise and holy in every word He lays down. Indeed the Epistle to the Hebrews (13:4) calls the Christian Jews, and in principle all concerned, to take heed, in terms which take in verses 19, 20 of our chapter. Marriage is to be honourable in all respects, as well as among all of course. Christian light and love is meant to pervade even the most intimate of relationships, and cleanse from every defilement of flesh and spirit; of Jews and of Gentiles we need to be reminded that the Lord is the avenger of all such wrongs.

(V. 4). Moreover, while down here, there are the relationships of life. Marriage, which is the closest of all human ties, is not to be decried, but held in respect, and maintained in purity. Every violation of holiness, or of the marriage tie, will meet with judgment, either governmental or eternal.

Verse 4. "Let marriage be honourable in all,"* etc. God's primal institution must be honoured by His worshippers. A Christian might renounce the privilege, if, by doing so, he thought to be more free to serve the Lord. It was even better to be single, where God's adjustment of His gifts made celibacy no hard burden to the flesh (1 Cor. 7). But whoever married in the Lord assumed an honourable place. How this verse condemns beforehand the bold wickedness of that apostasy which wrongs God doubly, first, by its lying invention of clerical distinction, and then, by degrading emphatically what God pointedly extols, has been often noticed by the simple reader of the word. Those who, instead of honour, chose dishonour, God would judge.

Heb. 13:4. "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." In what connection does this scripture stand? It comes as a solemn warning against the flesh after the saints had been called to such services of grace, as brotherly love continuing, entertaining strangers, feeling bound with those in bonds: but lest the flesh should come in under the pretext of preserving the continuance of brotherly love, or of the kindly hospitality of entertaining strangers, or of tender sympathy with those in bonds, the apostle immediately adds, "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." The doctrine of Balaam in connection with a formal but false profession of Christ, would make a pretext of brotherly love or christian hospitality for unclean liberties, which even in the world would not be allowed.

"Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Here again Christianity in no wise annuls the sanctity of re­lationships established in creation. Some have dared to teach this; but this involves the wicked denial of moral principles that remain unchanged through all dispensa­tions. Indeed, even the law allowed inconsistencies because of the hardness of men's hearts-not because God approved, - but Christianity reaffirms God's creatorial rights in this regard (Matt. 19:39). But the law de­manded death for an adulterer. Such evil is no less ser­ious today than then, but judgment for it is in God's hands, not in ours. Of course, in the assembly of God, such abuse would require the firm discipline of the as­sembly as such, and putting away from fellowship, (1 Cor. 5) but the actual judgment for such guilt God reserves for Himself, rather than now appointing His peo­ple to execute capital punishment.

I therefore put forward some very serious advice for young believers. Through prayer and searching the Word of God seek first to be sure whether your intended marriage can really be entered into "in the Lord," i.e. in accordance with His will (1 Cor. 7:39). A marriage entered into without much thought is just as valid before God as any other marriage and must be honoured by both partners. "Let marriage be held every way in honour, and the bed be undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers will God judge" (Heb. 13:4, J.N.D. Trans.).

Covetousness. — Proceeding with his subject, he next warns against covetousness. And as he has given two illustrations of brotherly love, he will furnish his readers with two of covetousness. First, he warns against unchastity, whilst reminding all of the honourable estate of matrimony, which is God's institution for His creatures. It is honourable in all. No class of Christians are forbidden to enter into such estate. Asceticism is foreign to Christianity; and to decry marriage is part of the doctrine of demons (1 Tim. 4:3). But "fornicators [or, whoremongers] and adulterers God will judge." We have read (12:16) of care to be taken against allowing any fornicator in the company of the saints; here it is of that solemn dealing with such on the part of God that we learn. Elsewhere (Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5), we see, and especially in the former passage, that covetousness and fornication are spoken of in close connection, the latter really springing out of the former, as the tenth commandment had already taught.