The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Gordon Wenham on Deut 24:1-4 and remarriage

Al, first of all...

Since all I have to go on is your summary of Wenham's view, going on that basis I would have to disagree that the "reason" the remarriage is prohibited is because the first marriage established a familial-type bond between the wife and her first husband that would cause a remarriage to be akin to incest."

It is the "familial bond" which I find questionable, but again not knowing what exactly he means by that phrase, I am forced to be less than absolute in my rejection of it. From my reading and understanding of the text I hold that the reason that the original husband is forbidden to remarry his former wife IF she has subsequently married another after having been given a "writ of divorcement" is that to do so would be a "defilement". This defilement is to be understood as creating an "unclean" situation, for not only both parties; man and woman, but for the entire nation. (cf. Lev 18:25) There, it is true that Moses speaks of unnatural licentiousness and incest. In this, the conclusion of Wenham is agreeable. The more specific reason why this would be considered a moral defilement due to that in the second marriage there would have doubtless been a sexual union, i.e., a blemishing, desecration of the sexual communion which was sanctified by marriage in the same sense in which adultery is called a defilement in Lev. 18:20 and Num 5:13,14.

I think one cannot say that the second marriage was actually adultery for the penalty for that sin was a capital sin in which the guilty party(s) were to be put to death (cf. Lev 20:10-12). But the seriousness of the sin of remarrying one's former wife who had remarried was in the same league of adultery yet without the consequential punishment for it.

So again, the phrase "familial-type bond" is that which causes the question as to whether or not Wenham's view is acceptable, although the final conclusion appears to be sound enough.

What are your thoughts?

In His grace,