A video of some things that God has taught me about marriage, divorce and remarriage.
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Hi Joel,
The Lord directed me to your site & I am enjoying it so far. I viewed your two videos on Divorce & Remarriage & I agree with your findings. Regarding the proviso re: fornication, I would like to direct your attention to Matthew 1:18-20. Mary was betrothed to Joseph;
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament use the terms ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ during the betrothal period:
Deut 22: 23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 24Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.
Matt 1:18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Interestingly the Deut passage refers to her both as a ‘virgin’ and as a ‘wife’.
The problem here is that we are not accustomed to the nature of the betrothed state. We have, basically, one ceremony (which we call the wedding) followed by one act (consumation). However even in our culture the echoes of the seperate two are there. In many of our subcultures, for example, it is traditional for the man to carry the woman ‘over the threshold’; an act reminiscant of the ‘taking’ of a wife.
In the law, and reflected in older Jewish culture, there are two events: the betrothal; which creates a new covenental unit, and the ‘taking home’ or consumation; which consumates that unit physically.
So while it is perfectly proper to refer to someone as a ‘betrothed wife’, or ‘betrothed husband’… it is also proper to refer to them as ‘husband’ and ‘wife’. The act of betrothal constitues a permanent, binding covenant which makes one ‘man and wife’.
Can you see the answer to the proviso?
Will you do a study on it & let me know your findings?
Leonardo
Hi Leonardo,
The other interesting thing is that Greek and Hebrew have words only for “male” and “female”, but not “husband” and “wife”. Apparently, the meaning is derived from the context. I believe that the “betrothal” explanation for the exception clause is one of the most compelling. The interesting thing about the Matthew 19 passage is that it is the only place where Jesus gave that statement to the Pharisees. All the other places where He talked about divorce, He was talking to His disciples or the Jewish people in general.
Blessings!
Please pray for my former wife Renee’ to return to the Lord and to me.
We were in the ministry.
We have 2 teen sons.
Thank you.