Bernard P.

Nitro
Hebrew Readings

Old Testament Principles Relating

to Divorce and Remarriage

by Roy Gane
S. D. A. Theological Seminary, Andrews University

Summary of the Main points

The summary of the article of Roy Gane in light of the

principle of Divorce and Remarriage in the Old Testament is
that, God’s desire and plans for marriage is for eternal,
if the husband or wife dies, he or she is free to remarry
again for the word “eternal” or the idea of “permanence” in
the marriage context of the Old Testament associated with
the lifetime event to be one flesh, that is, according to
the author’s understanding is pertains to “a metaphorical
social expressions”. Since sin enters the world, this
context of eternal is under limitation to life expectancy
of man. And so with this a husband and or a wife dies, the
marriage is stops its effect on the partner husband or
wife. Since had pronounced that “it is not good for a man
to be alone”, therefore, the partner in marriage dies, he
or she is free from the bond of marriage as a husband or as
a wife.

Discussion of the points

The argument is on the issue that in every good

pronouncement at the beginning of account, God is in its
best plan and though it is not read anywhere in the record
the blue print of every plan that God has. Every act of
creation is pronounced and associated with “and it was
good”. Aspects affect to the inclusive understanding of
issue arises with the following contentions: (1) permanent,
(2) heterosexual, (3) monogamous, and (4) between human
beings. As we examine the Scriptures, Gane conclude, that
there is no law stated that outline Gods plan. He simply
created it so, knowing it was good.
1. Point about Permanence

The idea of remarriage after the death of one’s

spouse does not violate permanent heterosexual
monogamy between human beings, given that
permanent is defined as “until death” such
remarriage does not receive a negative assessment
at all. Divorce and remarriage, however, do
violate permanence until death and so, these
practices are viewed negatively when it is
understood in the context of its

2. Heterosexual contention
Adultery pre-marital sex, rape, prostitution
“receive negative assessments and penalties to
varying degrees, depending upon factors such as
whether or not existing marriage relations. This
practices which does not only violate permanence
but also occur outside the marriage. It is
categorically condemned as an abomination and
carries the death penalty of the olden days.

3. Monogamous view
It was the female side which was specified
for the stricter rule for behavior as a woman for
a practiced in the Bible time. While polygamy
violates monogamy, it does not violate the
principle of permanence. Polygamy is tolerated in
the Old Testament, but regulated, mainly for the
benefit of women involved, in order to mitigate
its worst effects

4. Between human beings

This was the heinous crime of the ante-
diluvian era that sexual acts between human
beings and animals are of a categorical condemned
as abominations and carry the death penalty.
People are practicing which marred the image
of God in man when the practice of this reviling
acts of human sinfulness. It was the intention of
God that marriage would be in the context of
human beings only, that is between man and woman.
Incestuous aspect does not include the issue
but it does imply to the issue.
Points I agree

I agree that the ervat dabar is referring to the nakedness

of a thing that could be used as adultery wgich is punishable by
death. However, it could also be used in the lesser account of
the offence maybe in the account of misconduct to the cultural
moral obligations such as decency of a thing. Grounds for
expelling of divorcing a wife may be affected by on how a woman
behave and do the specified house chores and other related
activities with it comes to dealing the people

Points I disagree

I disagree the point of saying that ervat dabar is

referring alone to the decency of not covering the excrement of
the family by the wife. Though it has point, but it also
referring to general ground that could refer to the extreme
points that elevates to the sexual promiscuous of a woman to
other adult male person.

Lesson learned

I learned that God, in His perfect plan of a perfect

people, in a perfect world in the beginning, He design marriage
that should be an perfect union with happy purpose of a couple
to be in the marriage. However, because God’s perfect people
committed sin, the eternal or permanence of marriage was
affected by death and of disagreements between husband and wife.
And so wife has to be divorced or lifted alone by the husband.
And so the union.