γαμίσκω

I give in marriage

Definition

Gamiskō is a verb meaning 'I give in marriage' or 'I give away in marriage.' It specifically refers to the act of a father or guardian presenting a daughter for marriage, emphasizing the legal and social transfer of a woman into a marital union. In its sole New Testament occurrence (Mark 12:25), it is used in the passive voice ('are given in marriage') to describe a practice that ceases in the resurrection life, contrasting earthly social structures with the angelic state. The word focuses on the action of the one who bestows the bride, rather than the act of marrying itself.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Mark 12:25 (paralleled conceptually, but with a different Greek verb, in Matthew 22:30 and Luke 20:35). It appears in Jesus' debate with the Sadducees about the resurrection. The passive form 'are given in marriage' (γαμίσκονται) is used to describe a normative social practice of the present age that will be irrelevant in the age to come, highlighting a discontinuity between earthly life and resurrection existence.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek root γαμ- (gam-), relating to marriage, which is also the root of γαμέω (gameō, 'I marry') and γάμος (gamos, 'wedding, marriage'). The suffix -ίσκω often forms verbs with a causative or factitive sense, meaning 'to make' or 'to cause to be.' Thus, γαμίσκω literally means 'to cause to marry' or 'to give in marriage,' focusing on the agent who facilitates the marital union.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant because its single use by Jesus in Mark 12:25 directly informs Christian eschatology—the doctrine of the end times and resurrection. It underscores that marriage, as an institution involving the social act of 'giving in marriage,' is tied to the present, mortal order. Its absence in the resurrection affirms a transformed state of existence where primary human relationships are reconfigured in communion with God, a key concept for understanding the nature of eternal life.

In the ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish world, marriage was often arranged. 'Giving in marriage' was typically a father's legal and social prerogative, transferring authority over his daughter to her husband. This act secured social alliances, economic stability, and lineage continuation. Jesus' statement in Mark 12:25 would have been striking, as it declared a fundamental institution of family and societal structure to be temporary, not eternal.

γαμέω (gameō, G1060) — means 'to marry' or 'to take in marriage,' focusing on the act of the marrying parties themselves. ἐκγαμίζω (ekgamizō, G1547) — means 'to give in marriage' as well, used in Matthew 24:38 and Luke 17:27, with a very similar meaning but a slightly different prefix.

Word Details

Scripture References