Marriage and the Family: Biblical Essentials

by Andreas J. Köstenberger, David W. Jones

The recent rulings on gay marriage and debates on family-related issues have placed marriage and family at the forefront of the public eye. More so than at any point in history, we are now confronted with the need to carefully define the meaning of marriage and family. Professor Andreas Köstenberger and ethics expert David W. Jones speak to the issues at hand and guide us through the fray. Presenting a Christian theology of marriage and parenting, they offer insight on issues such Marriage and Biblical Essentials points the way to the spiritual solution to our culture’s a return to, and rebuilding of, the biblical foundation of marriage and the family.

Genres: Marriage, Christian, Counselling, Theology, Parenting

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2012

Reviews

[Kayley Jordan van Wingerden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very straight forward. The author does not go into unnecessary detail and he nails each fact without fluff. This is helpful, but it also can come across as blunt to some readers. Nonetheless, I still highly recommend this book to anyone who seeks biblical wisdom in the areas of marriage or family.

[Asher Hougo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book! This! Literally so straightforward and doesn't get into any theological fluff to make the book longer. Köstenberger is really good at getting straight to the point and teaching the aspects of marriage and family clearly and concisely. However, this book is surface-level on the topics, which is fine! But this book might not be for you if you are looking for a deeper explanation of marriage and family. This book is easy to understand and great for any layperson wanting to learn more about the Biblical Basis of marriage and family.

[Starley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book that was vastly insightful while being an easy and enjoyable read. Köstenberger manages to discuss both Old and New Testament portrayals of various issues regarding marriage and the family with deep insight as well as nuance. He doesn’t get bogged down in a black and white reading that pays no attention to culture or time, but clings tightly to Biblical authority as he interprets and discusses difficult and controversial passages. I was impressed with how clearly and graciously he discussed these passages and issues in a way that gives helpful parameters for each believer to wrestle with his own beliefs about some of these topics.

[Amanda Bittner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book was solid!!! 10/10 recommend for any Christian. Covers so much in such a succinct and clear way. Was super impressed with how helpful and solid the theological content was in this and was super encouraged, discipled, and helped by this resource. It made me wish I had a copy of the more extended volume of this and feel that it’s worth buying! I really just think the theological content in this book to be so very foundational!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource!

[JT Goodart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great foundational source on defining what marriage is and what the family is and offers a great introductory overview of some of the key topics related to that. However, I found some of the discussions to be a little too simplistic and to boil things down a bit too much. I also found that there were some pretty sweeping/bold arguments made with little time given to explaining the reasoning behind them, and would have loved more time spent discussing those. That is always true of introductory/overview books, though, so I can’t fault the book too much. Overall, though, a helpful resource!

[Ryan B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really more like 3.5 stars than 3, but alas.

This is a solid book. Lots of theology and application of that theology. I mostly just knocked it down for being overly dry at times. It’s very textbook-y in how it’s written. That said, it’s a good and brief look at what the Bible says on marriage, singleness, families, and more, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good theological breakdown with some helpful application as well.

[Tim Franks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong overview of important topics pertaining to the marriage and family. The connection with Christ's bride the church was also a very strong point with this book. The authors really were able to discuss controversial topics in a biblical manner, staying true to the context of all texts presented. I would highly recommend this book for all believers to read!

[Chloe Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book a 4 star review because it was a good overview of God, marriage, family, abortion, homosexuality, adoption, marriage/divorce & child rearing. However, there was nothing profound about it. Additionally, disagreed theologically with some of the authors stance as a Presbyterian and his more Baptist view of children.

[Elizabeth Aucoin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, Kostenberger touched on lots of topics and provided insightful thoughts on not only marriage but questions of infertility, birth control, and other hot topics

[Andrew Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succinct theology on marriage, family and surrounding topics.

[Addie Musheff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read! Helpful and concise—he covers a lot of topics across a short book and discusses everything in a concise way that is approachable, while converting the old and New Testament!

[G. A. Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last week I read Köstenberger and Jones’ newest book, Marriage and the Family: Biblical Essentials. This work appears to a be a simplified version of God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation by the same two men.

In the first chapter of the book the authors look at marriage in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. They sketched their thoughts along these lines:

I. Marriage in the Old Testament

1. Rooted in Creation (Genesis 1-3)
2. Created in God’s Image to Rule the Earth for God
3. The Man’s Ultimate Responsibility for the Marriage and the Wife’s Role as His “Suitable Helper”
4. The Fall of Humanity and Its Consequences

II. Developments in the History of Israel

1. Martial Roles According to the Old Testament
2. Violations of God’s Ideal for Marriage in Ancient Israel

III. Glimpses of the Ideal (Wisdom Literature)

1. The Excellent Wife (Proverbs 31)
2. The Beauty of Sex in Marriage (Song of Solomon)

IV. Marriage in the New Testament

1. No Longer Two, but One: Jesus’s High View of Marriage
2. Submission and Sensitivity: Peter’s Message to Husbands and Wives (1 Pet. 3:1-7)
3. Paul’s Vision for Marriage (1 Cor. 7:2-5; 1 Tim. 2:15; 4:1-4; Eph. 5:21-33)

This first chapter was well done and was helpful and a good foundation for the rest of the book. The one point of disagreement that stuck out to me was that these men do allow for divorce in certain situations (see chapter 7 of the book). I tend to take a higher view of the topic and maintain that divorce is not allowable in any situation. This was not the point of their book, so I’ll simply leave it at that.

The rest of the book deals with issues like abortion, adoption, contraception, homosexuality, and infertility. Overall this book was helpful and a good summary of God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation, their previous work.

FTC Rhetoric: I do not receive payment for my book reviews. I do sometimes receive free review and giveaway copies from authors, publishers, and publicists. My first responsibility is to my readers, therefore, I am committed to honest reviews.

[JE · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book is deep and good! It will challenge you about your marriage, your role as wife and mother. It is not a popular book for the times we live in...but who said that progress always had it right? Dare to consider God's view on the role of men and women!

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a clear voice of truth in a very succinct way. I look forward to recommending it to people in my church who want accessible, gospel-centered teaching on these topics.

[Timothy]

Won an autographed copy.

[Matthew Shedd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid content, but not the best presentation.