A Conversation about Divorce
Now that about half of all marriages end in divorce, Christians are faced with tough questions as they try to reconcile Christ's teachings with a culture that is less than serious about its marriage vows.
Few passages in the New Testament address divorce and remarriage, but those that do are quite clear regarding God's will in the matter. One of the passages that stirs up more questions on divorce than perhaps any other is 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, with special emphasis on the so-called "Pauline privilege" in verse 15. Some contend that Paul permits remarriage under any circumstance, saying that divorcees are not "enslaved" or "under bondage." But a careful reading of the statement in context will show that this interpretation does not suit the passage at large.
Paul uses a familiar literary device in 1 Corinthians 7 that can be found throughout his letters whereby he anticipates questions or concerns on the part of his readers and addresses them as if they were asked while he was writing the letter. In essence, he is having a conversation with an imaginary student. If we read his thoughts on divorce and remarriage in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 with this perspective, we will understand God's will on the matter.
The conversation goes something like this:
Student: "Paul, I know that you are single, and I have even heard you say on occasion that its easier for a person to devote his life to God when he does not have a family. Should I leave my husband?"
Paul: "To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband...and the husband should not divorce his wife" (1 Cor. 7:10-11).
Student: "But what if she does? Can she marry another?"
Paul: "If she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband" (1 Cor. 7:11).
Student: "My husband is not a Christian. I want to give my life to the Lord, but I feel that he is a bad influence on me. Should I leave him and remain single?"
Paul: "To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him" (1 Cor. 7:12-13).
Student: "But my husband is already talking about leaving me. We have so many differences that I fear it will impossible for us to work them out. Will God judge me if my marriage falls apart? Will I be placed in a state of perpetual sin through no fault of my own?"
Paul: "If the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace" (1 Cor. 7:15).
Clearly, Paul is not discussing grounds for divorce and subsequent remarriage. He is responding to an entirely different issue--that of a Christian who has been abandoned by her spouse. A "Pauline privilege" would put Paul in conflict with what the Lord has already said on the matter. Remarriage following a divorce is allowed only when the divorce took place on the grounds of sexual immorality (i.e., unlawful sexual intercourse) (Mt. 5:31-32; 19:9).
An interpretation of 1 Corinthians 7:15 which allows remarriage under any circumstances will not work in the context. If that is the interpretation, this is what we make Paul to say in 1 Corinthians 7:10-15.
Married couples should not divorce, but if they do, they should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to one another.
If marriage does not work out, and a couple gets a divorce, the former partners are no longer bound to each other. They are free to remarry, no matter what.
Was Paul saying nonsense? Only if we try to project unlimited remarriage privileges on his statements. A better approach is to acknowledge the concerns of Paul's original audience and interpret his words accordingly.
