Cord of Three Strands - God's Knot

The Cord of Three Strand Unity Ceremony

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As a wedding officiant that wants to help couples marry any way they choose, I have a tendency to look a wedding ceremony in many different ways.

Many Christian ceremonies are predictable. You use the same scriptures and say the same things in every ceremony. The meaning of marriage is outlined by your faith and your religion.

When couples want to do something different I get to have a little fun. I get to think outside the box or give new meaning to something. This was my experience with The Cord of Three Strands Unity Ceremony.

What is The Cord of Three Strands?

The Cord of Three Strands is a unity ceremony generally chosen by couples who are performing a Christian ceremony. It is based on the Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 Verse 12 , but if a non-religious couple wants to braid three cords during their wedding ceremony they can give a different meaning to the third cord. That would be called The Unity Braid.
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If you prefer to just braid three cords together as a unity ceremony you can give those cords any meaning you want. Really. That’s all unity ceremonies are. You are performing a physical act to represent your union.
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Is there a difference between The Cord of Three Strands and God’s Knot?

​The Cord of Three Strands and God’s Knot are the same thing called by different names. There is no actual reference to “God’s Knot” in the bible. There is a reference to the Cord of Three Strands. This unity ceremony is based on the Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 Verse 12. That one verse is what is most often quoted when performing the ceremony: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” However, it is also very appropriate to include the 5 verses before it in order to give more depth, meaning, and context when performing the ceremony. All 6 verses actually a great option to open a Christian wedding ceremony. The scriptures talk about the importance of having a partner in life and not being alone.

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Ecclesiastes 4: 7-12
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7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless--
    a miserable business!
9 Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,  two can defend themselves.
​A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

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​Can the Cord of Three Strands be Non-Religious?

​Yes! When I’m writing a ceremony for couples who are trying to create a wedding ceremony that is basically non-religious but sounds religious in order to please family members, I always suggest replacing the word “God” with “Love.” Christians believe that God is Love. If we talk about love, to the Christian, we are talking about God. You can say that your relationship is held together by the power of the love you share. Many of these ceremony scripts below are obviously Christian, but they can be reworded for your own non-religious use with a little thought and a little flare. I wrote this first script below before I knew anything else about the Cord of Three Strands. You could remove the scripture reference for a completely non-religious option.​

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The Cord of 3 Strands Wedding Ceremony Script 1
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Name and Name have decided to perform the ceremony of the Cord of Three Strands.  It’s based on the Book of Ecclesiastes  Chapter 4, Verse 12, which says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” 

It states that the two of them together are stronger than they are separate and alone.  We often use the word synergy to say that the sum is greater than the parts.  But what is it that actually makes us greater?  What’s that magical ingredient?  The ingredient is Love.  As a wedding officiant, I do believe that Love is the most powerful force in the universe.  It’s a power we can each lend ourselves to and allow it to be the place from where we operate. We can love ourselves and act in the world from a place of love.  Imagine a world where we all operate from a place of love.  No one can speak for the whole world, but today, by performing this ceremony Name and Name are saying that they are going to act from a place of love in their marriage.  They are saying that the power of love is greater than they are and that it’s a power that can make each of them better people and better together as a married couple.   As your marriage changes and grows, there will be times you wonder about the love that binds you. You may not always feel it and think it is gone.  At those times, I hope you look at this cord and realize it’s still there. 

They have three strands here - 3 cords.  One stands for each of them, and the third stands for love - the tie that binds.  They will now braid them together. 

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The Cord of 3 Strands Wedding Ceremony Script 2

Today, Name and Name are going to tie God’s Knot or The Cord of Three Strands ceremony.  It symbolizes the joining of two people and God into a marriage relationship.

Marriage takes three: Both of you and God. It is God who teaches us to love. By keeping God at the center of your marriage, His love will continue to bind you together as one throughout your marriage.
 
As you can see, here there are three different colored cords that Name and Name are going to tie together.

The gold strand represents the divinity of God.  The covenant of marriage is initiated by God.  Your marriage will be built under God’s authority and is intended to glorify God.

The purple strand represents Name. As the husband loves his wife and submits himself to the Lord, the Lord, in turn, will demonstrate His great love in the marriage relationship.

The white strand represents Name.  The purity of the Bride is represented in white. As the wife honors her husband and submits herself to the Lord, the Lord, in turn will nurture and strengthen the marriage relationship.

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The Cord of 3 Strands Wedding Ceremony  Script 3

Today, Name and Name have chosen to braid three strands together into a single cord. Each strand has a significant meaning.
The gold strand represents God and His majesty. The purple strand represents the groom and his life. The white strand represents the bride and her life.

In braiding these three strands together, Name and Name  have
demonstrated that their marriage is more than a joining of two lives together. It is a unity with God as well. They have chosen to allow God to be at the center of their marriage, woven into every aspect of it.

The braiding of the three stands demonstrates how Name and Name
are joined by God in marriage. Each strand holds a special meaning.

The Gold Strand symbolizes that the Lord Jesus has been invited by Name and Name to the position of authority in this marriage relationship.

The Purple Strand represents the groom. As a new creation in Christ, the majesty of the Groom is represented in purple. As Name loves Name and submits himself to the Lord, the Lord, in turn, will demonstrate His great love in the marriage relationship.

The White Strand represents the bride. Having been cleansed by salvation in Christ, the purity of the Bride is represented in white. As Name honors Name and submits herself to the Lord, the Lord in turn, will nurture and strengthen the marriage relationship.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 reads, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Today, Name and Name have been woven together by God as ONE in marriage!