It was an unlikely marriage. He was 41 years old; she was 26. He had been excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church, and she had run away from a convent. The marriage of Martin Luther and Katherine von Bora surprised more than a few people—themselves included!

This month marks the 500th anniversary of the Luthers’ wedding. On June 13, 1525, the couple stood before four witnesses and promised their faithfulness to each other.

Why did the Reformer get married? Perhaps we need to look at another question first. Why didn’t the Reformer get married earlier in life?

The answer is that Luther was living in dangerous times. After the Diet of Worms in 1521, the Holy Roman Emperor declared Luther an outlaw. That meant anyone could have ended his life without fear of legal consequences. Luther was reluctant to marry someone who could have become a widow at any moment.

But eventually Luther thought differently. Two years after a group of nuns fled from a convent, Katherine was the only one who remained unmarried. A sense of responsibility for her well-being—and not romantic interests—changed Luther’s mind about marriage.

There were other motives for marriage. Luther had been writing that mandatory abstinence for clergy was unnatural and unbiblical. He encouraged Lutheran pastors to marry. His marriage would back up his words and provide an example. There were family considerations too. Luther wanted, God willing, to give his father grandchildren. And then there were these purposes for marrying that only Martin Luther could list: to rile the pope, spite the devil, and provide an opportunity for the angels to laugh and the demons to weep.

For these reasons, the marriage of Martin Luther and Katherine von Bora took place. It lasted almost 21 years, ended by Luther’s death in February 1546. By all accounts, it was a fascinating marriage. A practical arrangement developed into a close relationship characterized by mutual love, admiration, and respect. Playful teasing by husband and wife took the edge off stressful days and nights. The births of six children and the deaths of two of them ushered joy and sadness into the parents’ lives.

The 500th anniversary of the Luthers’ wedding provides a timely opportunity to reflect on God’s gift of marriage.

I marvel at the blessings of my marriage—43 years versus nearly 21 years for the Luthers. The Lord is good and gracious.

However long a marriage may last, married people are in a position to enjoy the blessings God intended for them. God designed marriage to provide intimate companionship for a man and a woman. He established that estate as the place where sexual activity could take place. And, if God so wills, children are another of his blessings through marriage.

While God holds out these blessings of marriage for all people, God does not command marriage for everyone. The apostle Paul explained in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 that Christians can live a God-pleasing life if they are married or unmarried.

There is a way, though, that marriage benefits everyone, whether married or single. That is through Scripture’s use of the word marriage to depict the love of Jesus for people. Throughout the Bible, Jesus is pictured as the bridegroom, and the church is his bride.

On the Last Day, the bride and groom will be joined together—and not just for 21 years or 43 or 500. Forever! That will be a real church wedding.

James Pope | FIC Editor

Author: James Pope
Volume 112, Number 06
Issue: June 2025