Yes, Christianity Traditionally Permits 12 Year Old Women to Marry — No, Not Three Year Old Girls

Rise of Loneliness · Mormons and Muslims Have Similarities · Yes, Christianity Traditionally Permits 12 Year Old Women to Marry — No, Not Three Year Old Girls

Someone who called himself "Master" pretended Rebecca was 3 years old at marriage. Someone else (or the same person in another name) tried to defend him.

Q

Does Christianity permit child marriages and pedophilia? Why or why not?
https://www.quora.com/Does-Christianity-permit-child-marriages-and-pedophilia-Why-or-why-not/answer/Master-760

Master

i have studied and researched history

1 year ago

yes , surprisingly it does .

Mary mother of jesus was 12 when she married 90 year old joseph . churches in western europe do not accept these accounts but churches in eastern europe do accept it .

Saint agustine an early church father married a 10 year old .

rebekah was 3 when she married a 40 year old isaac , i am surprised even one of the most respected rabbis in history rabbi rashi would come to a conclusion she was 3 , many modern christian missionaries when asked about this try to change everything and argue she was 13 or 14 or even older .

I

11 months ago

Hans-Georg Lundahl

“rebekah was 3 when she married a 40 year old isaac”

How was a three year old girl helping his father’s servant to water the camels?

I think Rashi was misled by Genesis 22, last verses, as if they were saying Rebecca wasn’t born yet.

Thursday in Easter Week

4.IV.2024

Xan Gervin

That excuse doesn’t work because you can’t say how big the “jug/bucket” was. Plus, 3 year olds would go to work in those days. There are still 3 year olds that work in some 3rd world countries. Plus, Issacs mother Sarah died when he was 37 years of age. Rebecca Was born when Issacs mother died. Issac married Rebecca 3 years after the death of his mother Sarah. So he married her at 40. Do the math. Christian’s are trying to change this because of what “society” thinks and “traditions have changed. But real Christian’s know and even Jews know that Rebecca was 3. Jesus even said "the word of God is invalidated for the sake of tradition"(Matthew 15:6) and called those who deny for the sake of tradition "blind guides"

Hans-Georg Lundahl

The thing is, Genesis 22 doesn’t say Rebeccah wasn’t born before Sarah died.

“Christian’s are trying to change this”

No, we have never had this Jewish tradition about when Rebeccah was born.

And in fact, I do uphold the idea that marital age is at puberty, especially medium age of puberty.

14 for the male, 12 for the female partner to a marriage.

I am aware Christians have gone down to lower than that, for brides, but not to 3.

This was not performed by a 3 years old:

[Genesis 24] 16 An exceeding comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher and was coming back. 17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher. 18 And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink. 19 And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink. 20 And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water: and having drawn she gave to all the camels.

Xan Gervin

I just sent the link of Christians writing those details. Plus, I’m Christian and I agree. The Bible shouldn’t be changed because of tradition. Also, older Christians who are actually religious do agree. Because they aren’t like these modern Christians who try to change the Bible because it doesn’t “suit society”. Jesus even said (Matthew’s 15:6) "the word of God is invalidated for the sake of tradition". Notice how you try to deny it even though the math clearly adds up and it’s not you have an actual number. The number “14” is completely made up. Back then it was social norms for children to get married. Stop trying to deny stuff in the Bible just because you don’t like it. You can’t pick and choose in religion.

Hans-Georg Lundahl

For Rebecca being born when Sarah died, you ONLY have Jewish sources in the link.

14 and 12 are not “made up” they are medium age or normal puberty. Per sex. So, 12 for girls.

It was not the norm for children who hadn’t reached puberty to marry, but it was normal (though not THE norm) for at least girls and wealthier boys to marry as soon as they could perform the marital intercourse (which doesn’t happen at 3).

I have denied nothing in the Bible, Rashi’s interpretation is just hairbrained.

II

9 months ago

Ava

Bible doesn't say Mary's age

Thursday in Easter Week

4.IV.2024

Xan Gervin

You have to do the math and youll see it’s clear

III

Feb 22, 2024

Sebastian Kaczmarek

Source of her age from the bible please!

Thursday in Easter Week

4.IV.2024

Xan Gervin

Issac was 37 when his mother sarah died. Rebecca was born same year as Sarah’s death. Issac married Rebecca when he was 40, 3 years after his mothers death. Do the math. Real Christian’s and even Jews agree and are actually angry that these modern Christians are trying to change her age because “tradition” changed and society doesn’t agree. Back then it was normal for children to get married at that age. Here is a link that goes in depth with verses.

Christians detail of Rebecca being 3 years old:

The Age Of Rebecca When She Married Isaac – Biblical Perspective
https://discover-the-truth.com/2016/10/26/the-age-of-rebecca-when-she-married-isaac-biblical-perceptive/

Hans-Georg Lundahl

“What was the age of Rebecca when she was married off to Isaac? According to Rabbis in medieval history, she was no older than three 3-years-old.”

So, doesn’t say Christians agreed, since Christians don’t follow Rashi or other Rabbis.

The reasoning has two faults.

1. We are not told how long before Sarah’s death Isaac was bound, just because the chapters are successive doesn’t mean the events were within short time;
2. These verses do not prove that Rebeccah wasn’t born yet:
   
   

   20 After these things, it was told Abraham that Melcha also had borne children to Nachor his brother.
   
   21 Hus the firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Camuel the father of the Syrians, 22 And Cased, and Azau, and Pheldas, and Jedlaph, 23 And Bathuel, of whom was born Rebecca: These eight did Melcha bear to Nachor Abraham's brother.

1. Abraham had not seen Nachor since Terah had brough him out of Ur Kasdim where Nachor remained, which may be decades before Abraham’s vocation, so all of Nachor’s sons could be already grown men;
2. since “father of the Syrians” is not what Abraham was told, but an editorial remark, so could “of whom was born Rebecca” be so. Therefore it could very well be, Abraham was only told about Nachor’s sons, the eight by Melcha and the four by Roma, and Genesis 22 doesn’t tell us whether Rebeccah was already born or not. 12 names of men and two names of mothers are some to learn at one sitting.

So, Rashi was wrong on two choices of interpretation. Isaac could have been a teen or in his twenties when he was on Mount Moriah, and Rebeccah could have already been born then. In either case, she would have been well past three before Genesis 24.

IV

Thursday in Easter Week

4.IV.2024

Hans-Georg Lundahl

“Saint agustine an early church father married a 10 year old .”

He wasn’t married. He had a concubine, of whom was born Adeodatus, but because she was not of equal status, he never thought of actually marrying her, he just ditched her.