presented by: ryan white

Presented by:

Ryan White

Marriage as a Covenant

Tabernacle of David Presentation

Discuss the difference between Covenant and Contract.Discuss why YHWH created the institution of marriage.Discuss Genesis 1-3 from the aspect of a marriage covenant.Discuss principles in Genesis 1-3 that can make your

marriage blissful regardless of how bad it has become.Define the roles of a man and woman within a relationship.Discuss marriage, divorce, and women’s rights in the ancient

Near East.

Objectives for the Series

Compare and contrast marriage, divorce, and women’s rights in the ancient Near East with the Torah.

Discuss marriage, divorce, and women’s rights in the First Century

Compare and contrast views and rulings on marriage and divorce in First Century Judaism with the words of Yeshua and Paul.

Objectives for the Series

Marriage as a Covenant by Gordon HugenbergerGarden of Peace by Rabbi Shalom ArushFlame of Yahweh by Richard DavidsonDivorce and Remarriage in the Bible by David Instone-

BrewerThe Marriage Covenant by Derek PrinceMarriage as Covenant by John TartwaterMadam I’m Adam (audio) by Rabbi Daniel LapinWhat God has Joined Together (audio) by Tim Hegg

Resources Used

Genesis Sermon Series (audio) by Dr. Gordon Hugenberger‘Adultery’ entry in the Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its

ReceptionThe Family in the Old Testament by J. Andrew DearmanWomen in Mesopotamia by M. StolA New Understanding of the Divorce and Remarriage

Legislation in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 by Anthony GarrettA Typology of Israelite Marriage: Kinship, Socio-Economic,

and Religious Factors by Allen Guenther

Resources Used

“No Fault” divorce introduced in 1970’sSkyrocketing divorce rates

Over 50% of marriages today end in divorceNo difference between Christian and secular

Marriage rates down 33%~70% of married people unhappy

Current State of Marriage

Individual choice over moral responsibility

Individuality over community

Independence over interdependence

Values of the Western Culture

Covenant:“An elected, as opposed to natural,

relationship of obligation established under divine sanction.”

Contract:“A private legal or commercial

agreement of which the principle guarantors are the courts and community

rather than God or the gods.”

Contract vs. covenant

1. Personal Relationship2. Election3. Obligation4. Oath

4 “Ingredients” of a Covenant

“Again I passed by you and looked upon you and saw that your time was the time of love. And I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. And I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” declares the Master יהוה.

Ezekiel 16:8

Death rates for divorced men are 70% higher than their married counterparts

Death rates for divorced women are 37% higher than their married counterparts

Unemployment rate amongst divorced men is 3 times higher than that of their married counterparts

Elohim vs. Divorce

Have we not all one Father? Did not one create us? Why do we act treacherously against one another, to profane the covenant of the fathers? Yehudah has acted treacherously, and an abomination has been done in Yisra’el and in Yerushalayim, for Yehudah has profaned what is set-apart to יהוה – which He had loved – and has married the daughter of a foreign mighty one. Let יהוה cut off from the tents of Ya’akov the man who does this – stirring up or answering, and bringing an offering to יהוה of hosts!

Malachi 2:10-12

And this you have done a second time: you cover the altar of יהוה with tears, with

weeping and crying, because He no longer regards the offering, nor receives it with

pleasure from your hands.

Malachi 2:13-14

And you said, “Why?” Because יהוה has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have acted

treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

Malachi 2:13-14

In the same way, husbands, live understandingly together, giving respect to

the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the favor of life, so

that your prayers are not hindered.

1 Peter 3:7

And if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the belief and is worse than an

unbeliever.

1 Timothy 5:8

And did He not make one? And He had the remnant of the Spirit? And what is the one alone? He seeks a seed of Elohim. So you shall guard your spirit, and let none act treacherously against the wife of his youth.

Malachi 2:15

“For I hate divorce,” said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, “and the one who covers his

garment with cruelty,” said יהוה of hosts. “So you shall guard your spirit, and do

not act treacherously.” (The Scriptures 1998+)

Malachi 2:16

"If one hates and divorces," says Yahweh, God of Israel, "he covers his garments with violence," says Yahweh of Host,

"Therefore take heed to yourself and do not be faithless [against your wife]“

(Hugenberger’s Rendition)

Malachi 2:16

שלח shalach H7971 – “to send out”Idiom for “to divorce”Deut 24:3, Isaiah 50:1

גרש garash H1644 – “drive out/driven out”Idiom for “to divorce” or a divorced womanGen 21:10, Lev 21:7, 22:13, Num 30:10-12

ספר sefer keritut H3748 – “bill of כריתתdivorce”

Divorce in the ANE (Ancient Near East)

Marriage in the Ancient Near East

Began with commitment and then searched for romance

Age: Girls 14-20, boys 26-32

Arranged, but still given a choice

Marriage in the ANE (Ancient Near East)

Roles in the marriageHusband:

Civic and military affairsProvides income, protects household, represents

family in courtWife:

Administers the household and the family business


Bride-priceGiven by the groom to the bride’s fatherUsually ~1 years wages

DowryGiven by the bride’s father to the brideIn the husband’s control and/or sewn into the

bride’s gownUsually 5-25% of the estate


While it is never prohibited, the Scriptures teach monogamy as ideal

Most commonly practiced by commoners for the reason of progeny.Surrogate motherhoodCost prohibitiveDeut 17:17 & the Essenes

Polygamy in the ANE (Ancient Near East)

Witnessed adultery = deathCourt proven adultery = divorce

Adulterous wife publically strippedSuspected adultery – Numbers 5:11-31

ANE divine river ordealLying about adultery

Deut 22:13-21Attempt to steal dowry

Adultery in the ANE (Ancient Near East)

Just Cause divorceChildren stay with fatherWife loses dowryChildlessness was in contract as just groundUnjust Cause divorceGenerally accepted in the ANEDowry returned to wifeDeut 22 & Mal 2:16 imply this was unacceptable


Legal reasons for divorceFor man:

The woman is not a virginShe refuses cohabitationShe commits adulteryShe contracts a diseaseShe has bad behavior


Legal reasons for divorceFor woman (only in some cultures):

Bad behavior of the husbandHe refuses cohabitationHe is abroad for a long time (i.e. POW)

If woman couldn’t prove neglect, she would be put to death

Some reasons included in marriage contracts such as in cases of polygamy


(Speaking of an amah or maidservant marriage):

Exodus 21:10-11“If he takes another wife, her food, her covering, and her marriage rights are not to be diminished. And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out for naught, without silver. “


Understood by most ANE cultures as well as all 3 major sects of Judaism in the 1st Century.Valid grounds for divorce were:Lack of foodLack of clothingLack of marital rights

Mainly sexual, but included was prohibition against physical abuse


Deuteronomy 24:1-4“When a man takes a wife and shall marry her, then it shall be, if she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found a matter of uncoveredness in her, and he shall write her a certificate of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house, and if she left his house and went and became another man’s wife, and the latter husband shall hate her and write her a certificate of divorce, and put it in her hand,


(cont)and send her out of his house, or when the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife, then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled, for that would be an abomination before And do not bring sin on the land which . יהוה .your Elohim is giving you as an inheritance יהוה


Due to poorer population, the bride-price was no longer paid; it was promised to the father of the bride and then paid if the man divorced the woman.

Fathers would give large dowries to ensure that the daughters would be self sufficient if death or divorce occurred.

Marriage in the 1st Century

Mishnah Ketubot 7.6These are to be divorced without receiving their Kethubah [Dowry]: a wife who transgresses the Law of Moses or [one who transgresses] Jewish practice. And what is [regarded as a wife`s transgression against] the Law of Moses? Feeding her husband with untithed food, having intercourse with him during the period of her menstruation, not setting apart her dough offering, or making vows and not fulfilling them.

Adultery in the 1st Century

And what [is deemed to be a wife`s transgression against] Jewish practice? Going out with uncovered head, spinning in the street or conversing with every man. Abba Saul said: [such transgressions include] also that of a wife who curses her husband`s parents in his presence. R. Tarfon said: also one who screams. And who is regarded a screamer? A woman whose voice can be heard by her neighbours when she speaks inside her house.


Tosephta Ketubot 7.6 adds: " and she who goes out with bother her sides [shoulders] uncovered…and bathes in a public bath with any man."

Mishnah Sotah 6.1Requires trial by bitter waters even if she is found alone in a room with a man


Exodus 21:10-11“If he takes another wife, her food, her covering, and her marriage rights are not to be diminished. And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out for naught, without silver. “

qol vahomer (argument from major to minor)If this case is true…then surely this must be

true

Divorce in the 1st Century

Lack of food, Lack of clothing, Lack of marital rights

Mishna Ketubah 5.6 - "...those without work, every day; workers, twice a week; donkey drivers, once a week, camel drivers, once in thirty days; sailors, once in six months - the words of R. Eliezer“

Rabbis allowed themselves 30 days of abstinence for Torah study...


Mishnah Gittin 9.10Beth Shammai say: a man should not divorce his wife unless he has found her guilty of some unseemly conduct, as it says, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her. Beth Hillel, however, say [that he may divorce her] even if she has merely spoilt his food, since it says, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her. R. Akiba says, [He may divorce her] even if he finds another woman more beautiful than she is, as it says, it cometh to pass, if she find no favor in his eyes.


Matthew 19:3-6And the Pharisees came to Him, trying Him, and saying to Him, “Is it right for a man to put away his wife for every reason?” And He answering, said to them, “Did you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? “So that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what Elohim has joined together, let man not separate.”


Matthew 19:7-9They said to Him, “Why then did Mosheh command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts, Mosheh allowed you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. “And I say to you, whoever puts away his wife, except on the ground of whoring, and marries another, commits adultery. And whoever marries her who has been put away commits adultery.”


Matthew 19:10-12His taught ones said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is good not to marry.” And He said to them, “Not all receive this word, but only those to whom it has been given, for there are eunuchs who were so born from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the reign of the heavens. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”


1. Monogamy a. Gen 1:27 was standard proof text, see Damascus

document CD 4:20-5:62. Marriage should be lifelong

a. Divorce is not God’s will3. Divorce is not compulsory, even with

adulterya. Hardness of hearts – Unwilling to repent

Matthew 19 Summary

4. Marriage is not compulsorya. Thus infertility is not valid grounds for

divorce5. Divorce for “any matter” is invalid

a. Ruling against Hillel6. Remarriage is invalid after an “any matter”

divorcea. Ruling against Shammai

Matthew 19 Summary

1 Corinthians 7:1-4And concerning the matters you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of whoring, let each one have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife what is her due, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Divorce in the Greco-Rome

1 Corinthians 7:5-8Do not deprive one another except with agreement for a time, to give yourselves to fasting and prayer. And come together again so that Satan does not try you because of your lack of self-control. And I say this as a concession, not as a command. For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from Elohim, one in this way and another in that. And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am


1 Corinthians 7:9-13but if they do not have self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn. And to the married I command, not I, but the Master: A wife should not separate from a husband. But if she is indeed separated, let her remain unmarried or be restored to favour with her husband, and let a husband not send away a wife. And to the rest I say, not the Master: If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she thinks well to live with him, let him not send her away. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he thinks well to live with her, let her not send him away.


1 Corinthians 14-16For the unbelieving husband has been set-apart in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been set-apart in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are set-apart. And, if the unbelieving one separates, let him separate himself. A brother or a sister has not been enslaved in such matters. But Elohim has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you shall save your wife?


Standard Jewish Divorce Certificate:

You are free to marry any Jewish man you wish


1 Corinthians 7:39A wife is bound by Torah as long as her husband lives, and if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she desires, only in the Master.

qol vahomer – We know remarriage after a valid divorce is possible…


“Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body”

“An eye is unable to say to the hand, “I have no need of you”

“Those members of the body which are thought to be weaker are necessary”

“To those of the body which we think to be less respected, these we present greater respect”

1 Corinthians 12:14-24

“The husband is head of the wife, as also the Messiah is head of the assembly”

“Husbands, love your wives, as Messiah also did love the assembly and gave Himself for it”

“Husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself”

Ephesians 5:22-33

Presented by:

Ryan White

It is Not Good For Man to be

AloneMarriage as a Covenant

Genesis 2:24Malachi 2:15Matthew 19:5-6 (Mark 10:8)1 Corinthians 6:16Ephesians 5:31

Why is Genesis the Model of Marriage?

Proverbs 5:19

A loving deer and a pleasant doe! Let her breasts satisfy you at all times. And be captivated by her love always.

Why is Genesis the Model of Marriage?

Written by MoshehFocus on marital relationshipMultiple viewpointsAncient Near Eastern treaty language

Male-oriented

About Genesis 2-3

PreambleVs.4 יהוה Elohim

Historical PrologueVs.5-14 Adam created and given the Garden

StipulationsVs.15 Work and Guard (a job)Vs.17a Do not eat…

Treaty Structure of Genesis 2

SanctionsBlessings:

Vs.18-22 Woman made for AdamCurses:

Vs.17b You will surely dieDynastic Disposition

Vs.24 Leave his mother and father

Treaty Structure of Genesis 2

Genesis 1:26-28Departure from ANE normCreated as king and queenImage-bearers of Elohim

Romans 9:20Differentiation of sexesPrinciple of the Seed

Male and Female, created He them…

Principle of the Seed

Genesis 2:7-18What’s wrong with being single?Why was Adam created first?What was the cure for man’s ineptitude?What’s about the study of Torah?

It is Not Good for Man to be Alone

Defining עזר (‘ezer)Hosea 13:9, Isaiah 41:10;13, Psalm 33:20,

Exodus 18:4Subordinate or other half?

Defining כנגדו(kenegdo/neged)Why is it important to be “opposite”?“Standing in front of while facing”Much like a mirror

A Helper His Opposite

Wife as our mirrorReflection of male leadership

1 Corinthians 11:1Amplification of the leaderHow to correct your spouseHow to become the king

Principle of the Mirror

Veiling/lethargySimilarity to Genesis 15

Meaning of the word ‘love’Why use the rib?Comparison to ANE literature

One of His Ribs…

Covenantal Oath1 Chronicles 11:1

COMPLIMENTWhy compliment Ishah if there were no other women

around to compete with?

Ish and Ishah

Bone of My Bone, Flesh…

(Man/Husband) (Woman/Wife)

(Insert fire graphic)

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one lifts his companion up. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Also, if two lie down together, they keep warm; but how does one keep warm by himself? Although one might be overpowered, two withstand him. And a threefold cord is not readily broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Ba’al = husband, pagan deity, animal, or inanimate objectProverbs 1:17, Isaiah 41:15

Ba’al role is:Owner or master, to have domination over

something or someone, or decision-making member of the community

Ish refers to man as counterpart or companion

Ba’al vs. Ish

Why does the man have to leave his father?‘Leave’ (azab)

Deuteronomy 28:20Comparison to ANE literature

Dynastic disposition

Cleave to His Wife…

Why leave the mother?You MUST put your wife first

CleaveDeut 11:22, 30:20; Ruth 1:14

Two become Echad BasarEphesians 5:28-29

Cleave to His Wife…

More than physical nakedness

Arom (H6174)Not fully clothed or not clothed in normal

manner

Erom (H5903)Full and shameful nudity

Naked and Not Ashamed…

The Fall

Why was the serpent in Gan Eden?Why does the serpent speak to Ishah?Serpent = nachash (H5175/5172)

Brass, enchantment, shiningMales attracted through eyes, Females through

earsCrafty = Arum (H6175)

The Fall of Mankind

ערוםערום

Arom vs. Arum

How was the serpent ‘cunning’?Who received the divine mandate?

Covenant lawsuit against the CreatorIshah’s responseSerpent’s rebuttal

Usurping authorityReversing the hierarchy

The Fall of Mankind

Erom vs. Arom – shameWhy is this written?

Hosea 2:3 – Stripped nakedWhat is the significance of fig leaves?What would have been the proper course of

action?

And They Knew They were Naked

Historical PrologueCalling of WitnessesInterrogationIndictment of the accusedVerdict rendered

YHVH Elohim’s Covenant Lawsuit

Who’s fault was it?Transference of authority

The woman vs. my wifeTaking responsibility

Does arguing, criticizing, or blaming ever work?

“The serpent deceived me…”

The Woman YOU gave Me…

Pattern: Punishment -> blessing

“Her desire shall be for her husband and he shall rule over her”Overcomes natural instinctDifficulty in raising children

Indictment of Ishah

Mashal (H4910)2 Samuel 23:3, Proverbs 17:2, Zechariah 6:13Matthew 20:25-26

Genesis 1 – ‘subdue’ (kabash H3533) and ‘rule’ (radah H7287)

Desire and ruleGenesis 4:7

Her desire, NOT his desire

Desire Husband, Rule over Her

Only Adam gets any explanation

Punishment and BlessingProductivity and purposeFree vs. earned

To Adam He Said…

Change the name, change the role/function

Restoration of marriage/Covenant renewalCovenant ratification ceremony

Name givenAnimal Sacrificed

Chavah

Same terminology used in Leviticus 8:7 for the kohenim

According to Leviticus 7:8, the skins of sacrificed animals belong exclusively to the priesthood

(Re)adoption and reconfirmation of continuity of inheritance

Garments of Skin

Sent out = ShalachDeuteronomy 22:19, 24:3Isaiah 50:1

Drove out = GarashGenesis 21:10, Leviticus 21:7, 14

Why only Adam?

Sent out….Drove out

presented by: ryan white

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