Marriage is an integral part of man’s social life; a covenant and commitment between a man and woman. At a particular stage in life, people are questioned if they are not married. Yet, some people see the cure for unhappy marriage as separation (divorce), it’s often rather a problem than a solution; meanwhile, the society is heavily affected. Divorce remains a severe crisis; it inflicts pains on people concerned, children and the society at large. Many have seen the marriage covenant “till death do us part” as an unrealistic and obsolete phrase. Day by day majority of homes (especially the Christians) are faced with the threat of divorce in the contemporary society. People no longer take marriage serious with commitment for life. Divorce is the order of the day; people even say it with pride without remorse. In view of this, the research presents a discourse on the subject matter from a biblical evaluation revealing the true identity of divorce as a problem to Christian home.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Statement of Problem
2. Divorce: Old Testament Evaluation
3. Divorce: New Testament Evaluation
3.1 Jesus’ Response
3.2 Apostle Paul’s Response
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the concept of marriage and the prevalence of divorce from a biblical perspective. The work seeks to challenge the growing societal acceptance of divorce by emphasizing the original divine intention for a permanent, life-long marital covenant, while addressing the underlying issues that lead to marital breakdown in Christian homes.
- The divine institution of marriage as a permanent covenant.
- Biblical evaluation of divorce in the Old and New Testaments.
- The impact of human imperfection and "hardness of heart" on marital stability.
- The role of Christian faith in upholding the "one flesh" concept.
- Addressing divorce as a social and spiritual crisis rather than a solution.
Excerpt from the Book
Divorce: Old Testament Evaluation
From the beginning, the Bible presents marriage as a permanent, stable, intimate union between a man and a woman. Originally marriage bond is indivisible. The predestinated plans of God for creating man and woman was for a permanent and lasting union of the two spiritually, naturally and physically because they were made of one flesh. In other words, this is the cogent ideal of God right from the outset but since the fall of man, it became otherwise. All sort of anti-social behaviour surfaced. Human beings now began to live on a less than ideal level.
Divorce penetrated man’s indissolubility marital bond; the Bible recognizes this and so in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 there are brief guidelines that govern the practice of divorce. However, such practice is only permitted but not commanded or divinely approved by God base on the situation then. The researcher opines that in Genesis chapter one and two, the absence of divorce in the course of establishing marriage reveals that divorce is contrary to God’s original plan for marriage.
However, the permission of divorce in the Mosaic Law was framed only on account of the Israelites’ hardness of heart. Consequently, the perspective of the Old Testament on the subject of divorce is that divorce is permissible if any whorly, unchastity or marital unfaithfulness surfaces from either of the party (especially the woman). This is not just done anyhow. It has to be accompanied with “a bill of divorcement and once it is given, the man will send the woman away.”
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Statement of Problem: Outlines the origins of marriage as a divine institution and introduces the conflict between the ideal of a lifelong covenant and the rising prevalence of divorce in modern society.
Divorce: Old Testament Evaluation: Examines the creation narrative and the Mosaic Law, arguing that divorce was never part of God's original plan but was a concession to human hardness of heart.
Divorce: New Testament Evaluation: Analyzes the teachings of Jesus and Apostle Paul, establishing that divorce is strictly forbidden according to the original divine standard, with exceptions only under specific circumstances like unfaithfulness or desertion.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings to assert that marriage is an indissoluble covenant and encourages Christians to view marriage through God’s perspective rather than as a temporary arrangement.
Keywords
Marriage, Divorce, Biblical Evaluation, Covenant, Christian Home, Monogamy, Adultery, Infidelity, Mosaic Law, Jesus Christ, Apostle Paul, Indissolubility, Marital Faithfulness, Procreation, Social Vice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The work provides a theological and biblical analysis of marriage and divorce, arguing that divorce is a distortion of God’s original intent for a permanent marital union.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
The text covers the divine origin of marriage, the impact of the "fall of man" on relationships, the Old Testament perspective on divorce, and the strict teachings of the New Testament regarding the indissolubility of marriage.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to provide a biblical rethink of the identity of divorce, revealing it as a problem for Christian homes rather than a solution to marital discord.
Which methodology is employed for this research?
The author uses a qualitative, theological, and exegetical approach, analyzing biblical texts from both the Old and New Testaments to interpret the divine standard for marriage.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body evaluates how marriage was established in Genesis, how divorce was handled under Mosaic Law due to human hardness of heart, and how Jesus and Paul reinforced the permanent nature of the marriage covenant.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Marriage, Divorce, Covenant, Christian Home, Biblical Evaluation, and Indissolubility.
How does the author interpret the Mosaic permission for divorce?
The author clarifies that divorce in the Old Testament was not commanded or approved by God as an ideal, but merely tolerated as a concession to the "hardness of heart" of the Israelites.
What is the author's stance on the "one flesh" concept?
The author argues that the "one flesh" concept is the foundational principle of biblical marriage, which is violated by both sexual unfaithfulness and the act of divorce.
How does the text suggest Christians should handle marital tensions?
Instead of viewing divorce as a panacea, the author suggests that Christians should pursue amicable resolutions and adhere to the principle of living as one, following the divine standard of a lifelong commitment.
What is the conclusion regarding remarriage in the context of the research?
The author highlights that while there are different interpretations regarding remarriage, the "no divorce at all" standard should be given preference as it aligns most closely with God's original design.
- Quote paper
- Kolawole Oladotun (Author), 2018, Divorce, a Debacle or a Panacea? A Rethink from Biblical Evaluation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/453861
