Is The Wearing Of Rings Anti-Biblical?

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The wedding ring, that most famous and instantly recognizable symbol of the joining of a man and a woman as husband and wife in the institution of marriage, has a long history. Some state that this history is pagan, though the Bible does not support this theory.

Exodus 35 records that rings were included with the offering the Israelites gave for the building of the Tabernacle. There is not the slightest indication that God was displeased with their wearing rings.

The Bible records that God was with Joseph when he was sold into slavery in Egypt. Joseph served God, and God caused him to find favor in the eyes of the Pharaoh. In Genesis 41:41-42, we find that Joseph accepted a ring from the Pharaoh. It is plain from the context that the ring was a symbol of the very high office which had been bestowed upon him. God was not displeased with this, and the next few chapters show that God continued to bless and guide Joseph.

In principle, the ring given to Joseph served much the same purpose as that of a wedding ring. A wedding ring is merely a symbol of the marriage vows that have been made.

One further example is the famous story of the prodigal son. Jesus used this parable to illustrate God the Father’s love toward a repentant sinner. The father, who pictured God, ordered a ring to be put on the son’s hand (Luke 15:22). This act would not have been canonized if it was anti-biblical.

All of the evidence is positive. The Bible nowhere criticizes the wearing of rings in general or wedding rings in particular.

Was The Apostle Paul A Jew?

Why did Paul refer to himself as a Jew, when he was actually from the tribe of Benjamin?

The word Jew came to be applied in two ways. It refers to any descendant of the literal tribe of Judah. Jew is a nickname; it is merely a shortened form of Judah.

But, Jew also referred to anyone who refused to join the rebellion at the time the twelve tribes split into two separate
kingdoms. As it turned out, all of the tribes with the exception of Judah, Levi, and Benjamin — formed the northern kingdom under the rule of Jeroboam. Their national name became Israel. The three remaining tribes, under King Rehoboam, formed the southern kingdom, called Judah. You may read of Benjamin’s alignment with Judah in I Kings 12:21.

Paul was a descendant of Benjamin. Nationally, however, he was a citizen of the kingdom or house of Judah. Thus, he was both a Jew and a Benjamite.

Of course, we also have to consider this question spiritually, as all converted Christians are called spirituals Jews.