Are marriage vows Biblical?

[rockfox]

This isn't a command to keep vows or not make false vows...but to not make vows at all. Otherwise He wouldn't have been using language like "But I say to you", "make no oath at all", and "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil."

If it was about 'false vows', Christ would have left it at "You SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD." Instead it starts there and says "But I say to you".

 

[Keith Martin]

Sorry but you're redefining oath, and that's not what you're swearing to in court.

Swear and vow are verbs, oath is the object of that verb. They're talking about the same thing.

Alert: I know I'm nitpicking, but vow is just as capable of being a noun as it is a verb.

On top of that, there are actual distinctions among how those words are used, especially in conjunction with each other. In former professions, I occasionally spent a good deal of time in court. I can promise you that the phrase, "swear an oath," is used to describe the commitment witnesses make to tell the truth when on the stand. As a verb, one can vow to accomplish something. As a noun part of a wedding ceremony, one can make vows.

 

[Pacman]

This isn't a command to keep vows or not make false vows...but to not make vows at all. Otherwise He wouldn't have been using language like "But I say to you", "make no oath at all", and "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil."

If it was about 'false vows', Christ would have left it at "You SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD." Instead it starts there and says "But I say to you".

Bro the “to the Lord” part is the significant part there. Context is king and not just the context of the surrounding verses but also the context of the culture in which it was spoken. Not sure if you read this yet? Yeshua didn’t add to or take away from scripture. He couldn’t have because it would have been a sin. (Deuteronomy 12:32) If he did we have major problems much larger than weather or not we should be making vows!!! Not trying to start a Torah argument remember this is prior to the cross so this would be a problem even for those who believe the law changed at the cross...

 

[rockfox]

I can promise you that the phrase, "swear an oath," is used to describe the commitment witnesses make to tell the truth when on the stand.

Agreed. But that is not the same as saying this...

to swear an oath is to swear allegiance to the law, the truth and to God

which was my point. Well that and there isn't a distinction between vow and oath. We can't say, "I know Christ said make no oath, but I'm not making an oath, but a vow." Sorry, they're the same thing.

Now as to this...

Not sure if you read this yet?

I don't find it convincing that this is a missing scripture issue and it's just an issue of 'false vows'; that doesn't fit the things Christ is saying. He doesn't say 'only make oaths you intend to keep' but 'take no oath at all'.

However...

Bro the “to the Lord” part is the significant part there

You might have a point there. However, is "You shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD." about vows between you and God or is it about vows that invoke God (i.e. 'so help me God'). It sounds like the later.

Although in the case of marriage vows, they are seen as vows to God as well as to the spouse.