What Does the Bible Have to Say About ‘Non-Nuclear’ Families

Have you ever considered the concept of non-nuclear family representation in the Bible? There are several examples, from Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar to Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and Jesus’ half-siblings. The Bible says a lot about non-nuclear families.

The biblical concept of “family” is perhaps more nuanced than the modern nuclear family structure that we consider appropriate.

Biblical Examples

Look at Jacob, for example, the patriarch of Israel’s twelve tribes, and his four wives, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah.

Despite the strife between Leah and Rachel, it didn’t deter God’s plans. God utilized these complex family arrangements to shape His people and advance His redemptive plan.

The children of this arguably non-nuclear family went on to become the very nation of God’s people (Genesis 29-30, NIV).

Similarly, both King David and King Solomon had multiple wives and concubines. The number of these households is large and complex.

Additionally, the Bible illustrates single parents and step-families. My personal favorite is the story of Ruth and Naomi. These two women share a very rare mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship.

When her husband died, Ruth, a Moabite widow, chose to remain with her Israelite mother-in-law Naomi, declaring, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16, NIV).

Tradition, then, would have required Ruth to return to her birth family. If she had returned, then nobody knows what would have happened to Naomi.

Their relationship was established upon commitment and love, which in turn led to their provision and new family in the package of Ruth’s marriage to Boaz, which brought her into the family line of Jesus Christ.

Speaking of Jesus, He, too, is someone who was raised in a non-nuclear family. Joseph was technically His stepfather. This type of family setup is interesting to contemplate because it indicates that what keeps a family united is not in the blood but in the divine guidance and protection of the family (Matthew 1:18-25, NIV). It is notable to mention that Jesus also had half-siblings.

The Cornerstone of Family

The power of family is not found in structure but in the spiritual character of the people within it, according to the Bible.

In Genesis, God’s covenant was not with Abraham alone but with his family. God chose Abraham and spoke to him, saying, “I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just” (Genesis 18:19, NIV).

Abraham’s faith was to be the foundation of his family’s inheritance. The same is done in the New Testament. The writer of Hebrews informs believers that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV).

This is not to say that Abraham or Sarah, for that matter, were perfect instruments for the Lord. In fact, they arguably got “it” wrong when Sarah brought Hagar into the mix and Abraham went along with it.

Hagar and Abraham having a child was a source of contention between Sarah and Hagar; however, God used them for the good of everyone.

Another cornerstone of family is love. The Apostle Paul tells us that “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4, 7, NIV). This kind of love allows family members to bridge their differences, forgive offenses, and commit to each other.

This is the love that Ruth demonstrated for Naomi, Joseph demonstrated for Mary and Jesus, and God demonstrates for us.

Obeying God’s law is a doctrine of family life. Both children and parents are summoned to an obedient life by the Bible. Ephesians 6:1-4 (NIV) instructs, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

The Church as a Non-Nuclear Family

The most radical “non-traditional” family structure in the Bible is likely the Church as a family of God.

One of the best examples of this concept is when Jesus was told that his mother and brothers were looking for him. He replied, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50, NIV).

This suggests that Jesus values spiritual relatedness more than blood heritage. The Apostle Paul verifies this once more in 1 Timothy 5 (NIV) when he instructs believers to regard older men and women as fathers and mothers and younger men and women as brothers and sisters. These words are meant to be interchangeable, as familial relationships are built through faith.

The Church, therefore, is family to the orphan, the widowed, the single, and the childless, proving that no human is ever alone when they belong to God’s family.

Family Isn’t Required to Be Conventional

Abraham, Jacob, Ruth, and the early Christian Church prove that God can and does work through all types of family – blended, multi-generational, single-parent, or spiritual.

God views family as flexible. Whether the relationships are nuclear or non-nuclear, He can still work His will in our lives.