SEMESTER 5
272 – Marriage and Divorce – Defining Bible Terms
BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE
COURSE: SOTERIOLOGY V LESSON # 72
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
(MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE # 1)
DEFINING BIBLE TERMS
Read: Mat. 5:31-32
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INTRODUCTION
1. Marriage and divorce is a subject which carries much controversy and dogmatism.
2. It seems to be equally lacking in Bible objectivity and in careful study.
III: By preachers who say, you cannot do right, so do what you can.
3. Consequently, many earnest Christians go through life wondering if they can live with what they are.
i. Can they be church members or officers?
ii. Is their marriage bed constantly sinful?
iii. Is their mate really a wife or husband?
iv. Are they a polygamist?
v. Are their children legitimate?
vi. Can I, not should I, finish life alone?
4. Others disparagingly say, I am irreparably where I am. Often this is true.
III: Should, or can, they return to their first wife, now remarried, or abandon these children?
5. I will not try to deal biblically with this portion of my life.
6. For the necessary time I want us to study this subject carefully.
7. In this lesson, we shall simply try to grasp Bible content, and to define relevant terms.
I. BIBLE PASSAGES CONTAINING DIVORCE, ETC.
1. A simple reading of all these passages. (Jer. 3:8. Lev. 21:10-14, Lev. 22:12-13, Num. 30:9, Deut. 24:1-4, Isa. 50:1, Mat. 5:31-32, Mat. 19:3-12, Mark 10: 2-12, I Cor.10: 10-16)
2. There are at least five categories among these.
i. Symbolisms of God and Israel. Applicable?
ii. The kind of persons a priest could marry.
iii. The issue of personal accountability.
iv. Legal protection for the woman, put away.
v. Moral aspects of marriage and divorce.
3. In this study we must not make wrong application, or neglect right application.
4. We must not choose Scripture to justify self, but consider them all in proper union.
II. DEFINITIONS OF WORDS RELEVANT TO THIS SUBJECT
1. Married: To have dominion, to be a husband, to dwell, to remain, to settle, nuptials, wedding. It is also translated a wife and wed.
2. Divorce: To cut, destroy, or consume by covenant, to expatiate, to drive out or away. It is also translated loose, forgive, depart, release, put-away, send-away, let-go, set-at-liberty, let-depart, dismiss.
3. Husband: A man, a particular man, individual man, also translated man, sir, fellow, which hath an husband.
4. Wife: It simply means woman. It is also translated woman and wife.
III: Lest you misunderstand and accept today’s philosophy consider John 4:18.
5. Adultery: To break the wedding vow, essentially by sexual conduct.
6. Fornication: To indulge unlawful lust, of any kind of either sex. (harlotry or idolatry)
7. This great threat to God’s greatest institution, should provoke the greatest introspection.