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When is Putting Away Accomplished? By Jeff Belknap When we search the scriptures, is putting away revealed in the Bible as something that is achieved before the marriage began, during its existence, or after it ended? Moreover, let us ask the question of whether “Biblical putting away” is ever expressed in scripture as something that is accomplished after the “one flesh” became “twain” (Matthew 19:5-6) and “the married” (I Corinthians 7:10) became the “unmarried” (I Corinthians 7:11)? Please read each verse below and consider whether the putting away transpired before the marriage began, during its existence, or after it ended: Leviticus 21:7, “They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Deuteronomy 22:19, “And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Deuteronomy 24:1-3, “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. 3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Ezra 10:3, “Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Ezra 10:19, “And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Jeremiah 3:8, “And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Malachi 2:16, “For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Matthew 1:18-19, “Now 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. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily” (espoused/married; cf. II Corinthians 11:2; Romans 7:4). BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Matthew 5:31-32, “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Matthew 19:3, “The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Matthew 19:7-8, “They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? 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.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Mark 10:2, “And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Mark 10:4, “And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? Mark 10:11-12, “And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. 12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? 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.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? I Corinthians 7:10-13, “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. 12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? I Corinthians 7:15, “But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.” BEFORE, DURING or AFTER? We do not need any additional help to answer the above questions. Scripture alone makes wise the simple, and those with an honest heart do not need another to explain what “putting away” means in scripture, what its reference to one who “is put away” indicates, and at what time the sundering was accomplished according to the Word of God. The question is: will we accept “the simplicity that is in Christ” (II Corinthians 11:3; cf. II Thessalonians 2:10-12)? |
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