Christian marriage is a permanent union which requires the commitment of both spouses for its maintenance through fulfillment of its stipulations. The failure of the fulfillment of the latter provides legitimate grounds for divorce and remarriage of the innocent party. This work employs a fourfold approach for the development of NT ethical argumentation based on Richard B. Hays' Moral Vision of the New Testament. The author establishes the proper contextual grounds for the NT study through formulation of the Old Testament perspective on marriage as covenant. The relevant NT passages are examined through historical-critical and narrative-critical methods. A critical study of the main Christian traditions leads to an ecumenical formulation of the theological conclusions. Pragmatic implementation of the thesis follows an examination of the contemporary pluralistic context and applications in both Christian communities and the larger society within its legislative system.

“The New Testament on marriage and divorce has exercised a deep influence upon Western civilisation. This is especially the case with the logia on divorce which are recorded in the Gospels of Matthew v. 32, XIX 3—12, Mark X. 2—12 and Luke XVI. 18. The Apostle Paul deals with the subject in 1 Corinthians VII. 1—15. Within the Christian churches the statements in these texts are considered authoritative concerning the questions of whether or not marriage is indissoluble, and whether divorce and remarriage are allowed for one or several reasons. The purpose of this study is to examine the interpretation of the New Testament divorce texts during the Reformation period. The significance of the exegetical results achieved by the reformers can be appreciated only in the light of the medieval sacramental concept of marriage and the work of the Christian humanists; accordingly, the investigation begins with an examination of these two subjects, as well as the reaction of Roman Catholic exegetes to the interpretation of Erasmus. The interpretations of Luther and his associates and those of the prominent Reformed theologians follow. The works of representative English theologians have been studied, beginning with Willian Tyndale and Thomas Cranmer and ending with John Milton, whose works on divorce from an exegetical point of view terminate a period during which the meaning of the divorce texts was explored.” ‑From the Foreword

To many, the New Testament's teaching on divorce and remarriage seems to be both impractical and unfair. The "plain" meaning of the texts allows for divorce only in cases of adultery or desertion, and it does not permit remarriage until the death of one's former spouse. But are these proscriptions the final word for Christians today? Are we correctly reading the scriptures that address these issues? By looking closely at the biblical texts on divorce and remarriage in light of the first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman world, this book shows that the original audience of the New Testament heard these teachings differently. Through a careful exploration of the background literature of the Old Testament, the ancient Near East, and especially ancient Judaism, David Instone-Brewer constructs a biblical view of divorce and remarriage that is wider in scope than present-day readings. Among the important findings of the book are that both Jesus and Paul condemned divorce without valid grounds and discouraged divorce even for valid grounds; that both Jesus and Paul affirmed the Old Testament grounds for divorce; that the Old Testament allowed divorce for adultery and for neglect or abuse; and that both Jesus and Paul condemned remarriage after an invalid divorce but not after a valid divorce. Instone-Brewer shows that these principles are not only different from the traditional church interpretation of the New Testament but also directly relevant to modern relationships. Enhanced with pastoral advice on how to apply the biblical teaching in today's context, this volume will be a valuable resource for anyone seeking serious answers about married life.

Library has v. 1-3.

This book brings together the contributions of the foremost specialists on the relationship of the New Testament and Rabbinic Literature. They present the history of scholarship and deal with the main methodological issues, and analyze both legal and literary problems.

No religious text has influenced the world more than has the New Testament's Sermon on the Mount, and yet this crucial text still begs to be more clearly understood. Why was it written? What unifying theme or purpose holds it all together? Should it be called a sermon? Or is it some other kind of composition? How would its earliest listeners have heard its encoded allusions and systematic program? This book offers new insights into the Sermon on the Mount by seeing it in the shadow of the all-pervasive Temple in Jerusalem, which dominated the religious landscape of the world of Jesus and his earliest disciples. Analyzing Matthew 5-7 in light of biblical and Jewish backgrounds, ritual studies, and oral performances in early Christian worship, this reading coherently integrates every line in the Sermon. It positions the Sermon as the premier Christian mystery.

Having devoted the past ten years of his life to research for this major new work, John Nolland gives us a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew that engages with a notable range of Matthean scholarship and offers fresh interpretations of the dominant Gospel in the history of the church. Without neglecting the Gospel's sources or historical background, Nolland places his central focus on the content and method of Matthew's story. His work explores Matthew's narrative technique and the inner logic of the unfolding text, giving full weight to the Jewish character of the book and its differences from Mark's presentation of parallel material. While finding it unlikely that the apostle Matthew himself composed the book, Nolland does argue that Matthew's Gospel reflects the historical ministry of Jesus with considerable accuracy, and he brings to the table new evidence for an early date of composition. Including accurate translations based on the latest Greek text, detailed verse-by-verse comments, thorough bibliographies for each section, and an array of insightful critical approaches, Nolland's Gospel of Matthew will stimulate students, preachers, and scholars seeking to understand more fully Matthew's presentation of the gospel narrative.

On the sixth day of creation, God formed Adam from the dust of the earth. God then formed Eve from Adam's side. From this day forward man was to leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. The two are joined together by God in a permanent one-flesh relationship. After man fell, the sins of adultery, fornication, polygamy, and divorce altered God's intention for marriage. This was true of those both outside and inside God's covenant community. By the time the Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh, the traditions of Judaism had either changed or nullified God's command for marriage. The Lord Jesus Christ came and stated God's original intent for marriage: 1. Permanence. The husband and wife are one flesh. They are permanently joined in a covenant relationship for life. No person has the legal or moral authority to end what God has joined together. No sin or legal document can dissolve the one-flesh bond. 2. Forgiveness. This is Christ's emphasis in dealing with sin. When one spouse fails, the love of Christ compels the other to forgive. Hardness of heart is the cause of unforgiveness and results in divorce. Because of the biblical teachings of Jesus and Paul, the early church held to the permanence of marriage. Over the centuries, Christ's commands on the permanence of marriage have been either changed or nullified. They have been replaced with the traditions of men. In theory, Christians are taught that they may divorce and remarry if their spouse commits adultery or deserts them. In practice, many evangelical Christians are divorcing and remarrying for almost any reason. The Lord Jesus Christ taught God's original intentions regarding forgiveness and divorce. The Word of God has not changed. "What God has joined together, let no man separate" (Mark 10:9).

This updated edition of Köstenberger and Jones's landmark work tackles the latest debates and cultural challenges to God's plan for marriage and the family and urges a return to a biblical foundation.

Renaissance and Reformation—partners or enemies? The popular image of these two historical phenomena is one of opposition and contradiction: the Renaissance was a cultural revival influenced by classical philosophy; the Reformation was a radical religious movement which rejected traditional authority. But in the life and work of Peter Martyr Vermigli, a "Calvinist Thomist" and the leading sixteenth-century Italian Reformer, scholasticism and Protestantism converge. An international conference, sponsored by the Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University, reflects the recent renewed interest in Italian reform. Entitled "The Cultural Impact of Italian Reformers," its aim was to gather Vermigli scholars along with Renaissance and Reformation scholars. Half the essays (by Paul Grendler, Cesare Vasoli, Rita Belladonna, Anthony Santosuosso, and Antonio D'Andrea) deal with the general question of Renaissance and Reformation interaction: How are humanism and scholasticism related? Marvin Anderson, Philip McNair, J. Patrick Donnelly, Robert Kingdon, and Joseph C. McLelland focus on the thought and activity of Vermigli himself. Students of theology, history, and philosophy, and specifically of the Renaissance and the Reformation, will welcome this book.