Origin of Marriage
In the Old Testament, marriage is most frequently treated as a patriarchal institution for the perpetuation of the tribe. However, late in the history of Israel, we can see signs of a growing sacramental awareness in the creation stories of Genesis and in the prophetic literature, (understood of course, in the broader notion of sacramentality). Many biblical scholars see in Genesis (1:27):
God created man in the image of Himself,
In the image of God He created him,
Male and female He created them,
a perception of God's presence in the relationship between a man and woma…