What constitutes "marriage"?

When we get into translations I am not that up to it. I stay with the KJVO.

Mystery is not my saying but what I picked up from one of the translators. I should of given URL I guess but I was only showing that there were others who wondered about it as well as me. The fact that others are wondering about it brings to the table that you and I both are depending on others to give us the meaning of the word. I can't hardly see where a steward would have authority over the others. I am not disagreeing, just saying I don't really know. All the meanings you gave seem to differ somewhat so even your references are not completely sure, seems to me. How come we have a better understanding of the translation now than they did all the years ago when it was first translated and they were much closer to the actual happenings than we are.
The main point I was making when I first started using the Scripture was to say a marriage was some kind of a ceremony.

 

I agree. This is the most important point in this discussion. The marriage was public, and not religious. So were all the other marriages in the New Testament. Take, for example, the parable of the ten vigins:

Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

There is no indication that this wedding was religious. It was more of a civil wedding. And it definitely was a public ceremony. Nothing was done in private.

Matthew 22:2-3 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

This wedding is totally a civil wedding and very public. It involves the king of the land who has prepared a marriage for his son. His invitations have gone forth.
But those that were bidden to the feast refused to come, and in fact mocked him:

Matthew 22:8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Matthew 22:9-10 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Thus he went into the highways and invited all that would come, even if they were total strangers. Indeed this was not an exclusive religious ceremony, but rather a very public civil ceremony. It was ocnducted by a king who wanted nothing more than for his table to be full, and his son to be honored. It was public. And every marriage ought to be public. Our vows one to another need to be public, for in the presence of two or three witnesses (or more) every word shall be established. The community needs to know that of the declaration of this vow of marriage to avoid any scandal.
Just half an hour ago one of young people came and announced to our family his intention of marriage to another young person in our church. The date will be about a year from now. I praise the Lord for Godly young people who are planning to do things right and have a desire to live for the Lord.
DHK

 

Again a point "ALREADY" made by many, which in itself should have ended the discussion a long time ago.
Every CULTURE has a ceremony and witnesses.

 

It seems that this thread has run its course, and since it has well exceeded 20 pages it will now be closed. Please feel free to start a new one if you wish.
DHK