The Divine Design for Marriage According to the Edenic model for marriage, a man and woman are to... more The Divine Design for Marriage According to the Edenic model for marriage, a man and woman are to " be joined " (Heb. dabaq) to one another in a permanent marital relationship (Gen 2:24). 1 This " joining " involves a lasting covenant bond between husband and wife, implied not only by the covenant term dabaq but by the " covenant oath " made by Adam concerning Eve with God as witness (Gen 2:23-24). 2 Outside the Garden, the divine design is upheld throughout Scripture. Marriage is set forth as a permanent covenant bond between husband and wife, solemnized with a covenant oath (verba solemnia) between spouses witnessed by God Himself as well as humans. 3 The permanence implied in the covenantal nature of marriage is the assumed pattern in the illustrations of lives of married couples throughout the OT. 4 There is a call to covenant faithfulness on the part of both husband and wife. 5 Divorce as a Distortion of the Divine Mandate for Permanence The Edenic divine mandate for permanence in marriage was distorted by the practice of divorce. The OT passages related to the issue of divorce include at least six different Hebrew expressions occurring altogether 27 times, 6 plus several references to remarriage. 7 Despite the numerous occurrences of Hebrew terms referring to divorce in the OT, the surprising fact is that the OT contains no legislation in which divorce is prescribed! Divorce is tolerated, conceded, permitted, but never commanded, commended, or approved by divine legislation. In this study we will look primarily at the passages dealing with divorce/remarriage in the Pentateuchal narratives and legal material, followed by a survey of divorce/remarriage passages elsewhere in the OT, and a cursory treatment of implications for interpreting relevant NT passages.
The Divine Design for Marriage According to the Edenic model for marriage, a man and woman are to... more The Divine Design for Marriage According to the Edenic model for marriage, a man and woman are to " be joined " (Heb. dabaq) to one another in a permanent marital relationship (Gen 2:24). 1 This " joining " involves a lasting covenant bond between husband and wife, implied not only by the covenant term dabaq but by the " covenant oath " made by Adam concerning Eve with God as witness (Gen 2:23-24). 2 Outside the Garden, the divine design is upheld throughout Scripture. Marriage is set forth as a permanent covenant bond between husband and wife, solemnized with a covenant oath (verba solemnia) between spouses witnessed by God Himself as well as humans. 3 The permanence implied in the covenantal nature of marriage is the assumed pattern in the illustrations of lives of married couples throughout the OT. 4 There is a call to covenant faithfulness on the part of both husband and wife. 5 Divorce as a Distortion of the Divine Mandate for Permanence The Edenic divine mandate for permanence in marriage was distorted by the practice of divorce. The OT passages related to the issue of divorce include at least six different Hebrew expressions occurring altogether 27 times, 6 plus several references to remarriage. 7 Despite the numerous occurrences of Hebrew terms referring to divorce in the OT, the surprising fact is that the OT contains no legislation in which divorce is prescribed! Divorce is tolerated, conceded, permitted, but never commanded, commended, or approved by divine legislation. In this study we will look primarily at the passages dealing with divorce/remarriage in the Pentateuchal narratives and legal material, followed by a survey of divorce/remarriage passages elsewhere in the OT, and a cursory treatment of implications for interpreting relevant NT passages.
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