Does the Bible mention self-marriage?

Definition of Self-Marriage

Self-marriage (sometimes called “sologamy”) is a modern concept wherein an individual ceremonially marries themselves without a traditional spouse. This practice has only recently come into cultural conversation and does not appear in historical or biblical texts as an established custom. While personal commitment ceremonies can be found in various contemporary contexts, there is no record of anything equivalent in ancient Jewish or early Christian sources.

Biblical Understanding of Marriage

Throughout the Scriptures, marriage is depicted as a covenantal union between two individuals—most commonly expressed as a man and a woman—joined together before God. This foundational pattern is introduced early:

• “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

In this design, marriage serves multiple purposes: companionship, mutual edification, family procreation, and as a reflection of divine relationship (e.g., Ephesians 5:25–32). The uniting of two persons, rather than one, is consistently upheld in the biblical narrative.

No biblical text presents marriage as a solitary act; rather, the scriptural accounts show marriage involving two (or in certain Old Testament practices, more than two) individuals, yet always with an emphasis on interpersonal union.

Examination of Scriptural References

1. Old Testament Passages

• The Torah offers marriage instructions, emphasizing faithfulness between spouses, shared commitments, and procreation (Deuteronomy 24:5). Nowhere is there any reference to an individual binding themselves in a marital covenant exclusively to themselves.

• The ancient Hebrew culture, as reflected in archaeological finds and textual records (such as the Dead Sea Scrolls), provides directives for monogamous or polygamous arrangements, but never a solitary union. These historical manuscripts, consistent with the Masoretic Text tradition, echo the communal (and not solitary) nature of marriage.

2. New Testament Perspectives

• Jesus reaffirms marriage as the uniting of male and female into one flesh (Mark 10:6–9), referencing Genesis to reinforce the same premise. Yet again, Scripture offers no classification for an individual entering into this covenant alone.

• Early Christian writings, preserved in Greek manuscripts and confirmed by numerous manuscript families, also discuss marital relationships between persons (1 Corinthians 7:2–5). The texts emphasize mutual service, love, and respect—principles that necessitate more than one participant.

Historical and Cultural Considerations

From ancient Israelite culture to the early New Testament church, marriage was invariably communal and covenantal. Extra-biblical Jewish writings (e.g., certain sections of the Talmud) and early Christian documents (like writings of the Apostolic Fathers) discuss betrothal, vows, and the formation of families. In no instance do these record a practice involving a single individual marrying themselves.

Archaeological discoveries—such as marriage contracts (ketubot) and Roman-era papyri describing marital obligations—further confirm that marriage was always relational. These historical contracts detail the duties a husband and wife owed one another, again underlining that marriage was a two-party relationship.

Theological Implications

The recurring biblical symbolism of marriage extends beyond the interpersonal union to divine analogy. Christ is portrayed as the Bridegroom, and the church (a collective body of believers) is depicted as His bride (Revelation 19:7). This metaphor illustrates the joining of distinct parties—never a solitary individual. The very theology of marriage in Scripture underscores community, self-giving love, and covenant commitment between separate persons.

By extension, self-marriage would not achieve the scriptural aim of reflecting God’s relational nature. From the point of view of biblical teaching, a single individual committing in a fanciful “marital” sense solely to themselves does not harmonize with the texts that repeatedly emphasize union with another for the purposes of companionship, growth, and worship.

Pastoral and Practical Considerations

1. Emotional and Social Aspects

Individuals might choose self-marriage as a statement of self-worth or independence. Yet historically, the gathering of believers and the relational aspects of the faith have been key ways one experiences community, accountability, and love.

2. Biblical Counsel

Biblical counsel for singleness (1 Corinthians 7:7–8) underscores devotion to God rather than forming a marital covenant with oneself. Single believers are encouraged to cultivate personal growth and service to the broader community, not to construct a self-solemnizing union.

Conclusion

No portion of Scripture—whether in the Torah, Prophets, Writings, Gospels, or Epistles—makes mention of an individual entering into a formal marriage covenant with themselves. From the earliest available biblical manuscripts to archaeological discoveries underscoring marriage practices in the ancient Near East and Greco-Roman worlds, the consistent testimony is that marriage is a bond between at least two persons.

Although self-marriage has surfaced in modern culture, it is not recognized within the biblical witness. The scriptural portrait of marriage remains covenantal, involving mutual vows, support, and love, designed to mirror the covenant relationship between God and His people—a commitment inherently communal rather than singular.