WHAT DOES THE
TEXT (GOD’S LAW) SAY?

(1 Peter 4:11)

 By John Humphries

Luke 16:18

Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. (KJV)

1. What does “putteth away” mean? (Does it mean divorce? NKJV)

2. If “putteth away” does not mean divorce, what does it mean? (Does “put away” mean the same as “putteth away” in the text, yes, or no?)

3. Is the put away woman, therefore, divorced, yes, or no? (Even though God did not approve of the divorce, was she not divorced, yes, or no?)

4. Is she still married to the first man or divorced “put away from” the first man?

5. Does “marrieth another” mean the same as “marrieth her?”

6. When she marries again, is she married to the second man or not?

7. Is the second man married to her or not?

8. Is the first man who divorced her still in adultery after she marries again?

9. Is anyone in this verse free to marry again? (Are all four living in adultery, yes, or no?)

10. Did God approve of the divorce and marriages taking place in this verse? [If so, which one(s)?]

Romans 7:2

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. (KJV)

1. The marriage bond (“bound”) is for life, yes or no?

2. If the husband dies, is the woman still bound? (May she marry again, yes, or no?)

Romans 7:3

So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. (KJV)

1. If (while her husband lives) she is married to another man, is she still bound to the first man, yes, or no?

2. If married means bound, why is she not bound to two men, since the text plainly says that she married another man (while her husband was still living)?

3. Does the word married (used two times) mean two different things in this verse, yes, or no?

4. Does it not simply mean married (both times that the term is used), yes, or no?

5. Can she be married many times, yet still be bound to the (living) first man, yes, or no?

6. Therefore, does bound and married mean the same thing in the text, yes, or no (Rom. 7:2-3)?

7. Paul said, “So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man” – what does “married to another man” mean? (Was she married to this second man, yes, or no?) (To which man was she bound, first, second, or both? v. 2)

Matthew 19:9

And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. (KJV)

1. Does “put away” mean the same in both places in the text? (Does it mean divorce, yes, or no? NKJV)

2. Does “marry” and “marrieth” mean the same thing? (Does it simply mean to marry, yes or no?)

3. On what basis may one divorce his or her mate and marry another – without committing adultery?

4. Who is the one that is free to marry again in this verse?

5. Is the one put away (divorced) free to marry in this verse?

6. When does the “except for fornication” apply – at the time of the divorce, or days, weeks, months, or years later?

7. Did the wife in the text want to be divorced? (Do we know whether or not she protested the divorce?)

8. Did her wanting (or not wanting) the divorce make any difference – was she divorced, yes or no?

9. Was it fair for her to be divorced if she did not commit fornication? (Does that change what the text says, yes, or no?)

10. Did the man who divorced his wife (though she did not commit fornication) act in harmony with God’s law? (Does that change what the text says, yes, or no?)

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