Are Wedding Rings Biblical? (2024)

FAQs

Are Wedding Rings Biblical? ›

Rings represent commitment, as in the Prodigal Son parable when the father gave his son a ring representing his full acceptance back into the family. However, nowhere in Scripture are believers commanded to wear wedding rings. The Bible emphasizes inner qualities like love and faithfulness far above outward symbols.

In today's society, exchanging wedding rings is very popular amongst Christian weddings, weddings of a variety of different religions and indeed also non-religious services. However, did you know that there is no biblical scripture that instructs people to wear wedding rings?

In the modern era, wedding rings are not necessarily tied to any particular religious or cultural tradition. They are simply a symbol of love and commitment between two people.

The Western traditions of wedding rings can be traced to ancient Rome and Greece, and were first associated with the marital dowry and later with a promise of fidelity. The modern exchange of rings derived from the customs of Europe in the Middle Ages as part of Christendom.

Rings were used as a signet ( Genesis 38:18 ). They were given as a token of investment with authority ( Genesis 41:42 ; Esther 3:8-10 ; 8:2 ), and of favour and dignity ( Luke 15:22 ). They were generally worn by rich men ( James 2:2 ). They are mentioned by Isiah ( 3:21 ) among the adornments of Hebrew women.

A Symbol Of Your Love And Commitment

Putting on your wedding ring daily is a beautiful way to honour your bond with your spouse. However, from the moment you say "I do" until the end of time, your ring should always reflect your commitment to one another and the world around you.

Reasons You Might Not Wear Your Ring

If you're not used to wearing rings, it can be a difficult adjustment, and you might end up forgetting or choosing to go without your ring because it isn't comfortable for you. Your career or lifestyle can also be the reason you don't want to wear a wedding band.

Middle Ages/European Renaissance. During the European Middle Ages, around 900 AD, Christian marriage ceremonies adopted wedding rings into tradition.

The original Seventh Day Adventist abstained from use of the wedding ring because of its pagan origin.

So, let's set the record straight: wedding rings are not pagan in origin. They have a long history that predates Christianity. Some of our earliest evidence for marriage ceremonies comes from Egypt, with hieroglyphs on a tomb painting found in one of their tombs dating back to 2200 BC.

What does the Bible say about wedding rings kjv? ›

While the adoption of the use of wedding rings by the church was said to have started in the ninth Century AD, it has no biblical reference/support and the Bible did not speak against it either.

Ancient Egyptians believed that the ring finger, or the fourth finger of the left hand, contained a “vena amoris” or “vein of love” that led directly to the heart. The Romans adopted this belief and wore wedding rings on their ring finger.

History. Exchanging rings was not originally an essential part of Jewish marriage. There is, for example, no mention of a wedding ring in the Bible. Rather, the exchange of wedding rings is a custom Jews have absorbed from the wider cultures in which they have lived.

Wedding bands serve as a reminder of your devotion to your spouse. Since the middle ages, when the groom would give the bride and her family an expensive ring to demonstrate his dedication to the marriage and that he would never walk away from this bond, wedding rings have served as symbols of devotion.

The wedding ring is a symbol

That speaks of your love for each other, an agreement between you both to love and cherish one another for the rest of yourdays. is a reminder of the one person to which you have sworn your devotion.

Marriage involves spiritual, emotional, and physical closeness. In the Old Testament, we are taught, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Married couples are meant to be unified in every possible way.

In the Christian faith, the wedding ring is seen as a symbol of God's love. It is believed that when a couple exchange rings, they make a covenant with God. This covenant is a promise to love and cherish each other for the rest of their lives. The ring is also a symbol of Christ's love for the Church.

For example, many Christian denominations, including Catholics and Protestants, wear their wedding rings on the left hand, following the Western tradition.

The engagement ring: on which hand do I wear it as a Christian? In most cultures, people wear both the engagement ring and wedding ring on the left-hand ring finger. As a Christian, you can also wear the engagement ring on the left hand and the wedding ring on the right hand.

The spiritual meanings associated with rings encompass a wide spectrum, embracing concepts of eternity, unity, and devotion through their circular form. Rings can symbolise profound commitments to spiritual paths, serving as reminders of faith and beliefs.