The Betrothal View of Divorce and Remarriage -- By: David W. Jones

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 165:657 (Jan 2008)
Article: The Betrothal View of Divorce and Remarriage
Author: David W. Jones


The Betrothal View of Divorce and Remarriage

David W. Jones

David W. Jones is Associate Professor of Christian Ethics, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Few would disagree with the observation that the issue of divorce and remarriage is one of the most pressing social concerns today. The demonstrable deterioration of the institutions of marriage and the family in modern society has prompted many within the church to engage in moral evaluation of the practice of divorce and remarriage. Given the possible ramifications of divorce and remarriage, which range from matters related to basic sanctification on a personal level to ministerial qualification on a corporate level,1 such ethical assessment is commendable. Yet in spite of the attention given to divorce and remarriage, scholars have not been able to construct a standard moral framework for this issue—that is, there is no unanimity of thought on what the Scriptures teach on divorce and remarriage.

Proposals for a Christian ethic of divorce and remarriage are numerous, and several surveys of the major positions are available.2 What separates the majority of divorce and remarriage views

is their interpretation of the so-called “exception clause” in Matthew’s Gospel (5:32; 19:9), and more specifically their understanding of the word πορνεία within this clause.3 In many books on divorce and remarriage one view that is mentioned, though usually just in passing, is the betrothal view.4 This interpretation holds that with the exception clause Jesus was referring to the unique Jewish practice that allowed for a marriage to be annulled if evidence of infidelity was manifest during the betrothal period. Advocates of this view, then, believe that the Bible prohibits marriage partners from actively seeking a divorce, since the exception clause refers to a nuptial custom not followed today.

A review of the citations of the betrothal view in the divorce and remarriage literature reveals that, with very few exceptions,5

authors find the position to be at least a credible interpretation, even if they do not favor it. For example Instone-Brewe...

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