DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE IN
TRADITIONAL ORTHODOXY
THE PATH OF TRUE
ORTHODOXY AS RECEIVED
FROM JESUS
CHRIST THROUGH THE APOSTLES
DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE IS LICENSED ADULTERY
AS A SAME SEX MARRIAGE IS
LICENSED SODOMY.
BY: BISHOP +BRIAN J. KENNEDY, O.S.B.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utdPh1Ec1Ws
I
am well aware some of the Ethnic Orthodox groups and some churches in the
Orthodox and Catholic Tradition allow for remarriage if the marriage ends in
divorce due to adultery of one of the parties to the marriage.
There
has been a propensity toward this error in the East almost from the beginning,
however we maintain the position of the Apostolic Church on this serious issue.
Those
error who state divorce and remarriage are permitted on grounds of adultery and
immorality. Even the Orthodox Study
Bible clearly states in the comment on 1 Cor 7: 11, that when divorce takes
place the only two options for the individuals is to remain single or
reconcile. Sadly, most supposed
Orthodox Jurisdictions disregard this teaching and allow adultery by allowing
a second or third marriage. Again the Orthodox Study Bible commenting on
Malachi 2:16 correctly states God hates divorce. Sadly, knowing this truth does not stop the Eastern “Orthodox”
Church from allowing adultery and calling it ‘blessed’ of God.
__________________________________________________________
The
note in the Orthodox Study Bible for Proverbs 22 is a quote from St. Vincent
Lerins,
"I cannot sufficiently wonder at the
madness of certain men,
at
the impiety of their blinded understanding,
at
their lust of error,
such
that, not content with the rule of faith delivers once for all,
and
received from the times of old,
they
are every day seeking one novelty after another,
and are constantly longing to add, change,
and take away, in religion."
Those
who remove the “ancient landmark” mentioned in Proverbs 22 by allowing for
divorce and remarriage have abandoned the faith as once delivered to the
Saints. These errant churchmen do
battle against the Scriptures, the teaching of the ancient Fathers of the
church mentioned below and have made themselves traitors to Holy Orthodoxy.
____________________________________________________________
The
word for *immorality* (used in Mt. 5:32 and 19:9), PORNEIA, does not mean
adultery. If Jesus wanted to say that there
is an exception for adultery He would have used the word adultery (MOCHEUO).
Instead, He used the word PORNEIA which has various meanings in various
circumstances but never the word adultery. Most generally the term is used to
denote a marriage which is invalid because of the close blood ties of the two
attempting the marriage; incest.
Evidence
of this is given at the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. This deals with a decision of the Council
not to make the ceremonial laws binding for Gentile converts except for four
requirements. One of these requirements is 'impurity'(porneia). To understand
the meaning in Acts 15 we should draw upon the context provided by Leviticus 17
and 18 which condemn incestuous unions.
Porneia in Acts 15 is used specifically to forbid incestuous marriages.
In
1 Cor. 5:1 Paul in talking about the immorality going on between a son and his
mother, used the word porneia. This is
what the Apostles understood. That is
the only grounds for a break up of a marriage. It was never a valid marriage in
the first place.
The
Early Church Fathers taught that a legitimate marriage lasted to death. And if
separation became necessary a person was to remain single as long as the former
spouse was alive.
Hermas
What
then shall the husband do, if the wife continue in this disposition [adultery]?
Let him divorce her, and let the husband remain single. But if he divorces his
wife and marries another, he too commits adultery (Shepherd 4:1:6 [A.D. 80]).
Justin
Martyr
In
regard to chastity, [Jesus] has this to say: If anyone look with lust at a
woman, he has already before God committed adultery in his heart. "And,
whoever marries a woman who has been divorced from another husband, commits
adultery." According to our Teacher, just as they are sinners who contract
a second marriage, even though it be in accord with human law, so also are they
sinners who look with lustful desire at a woman. He repudiates not only one who
actually commits adultery, but even one who wishes to do so; for not only our
actions are manifest to God, but even our thoughts (First Apology 15 [A.D.
151]).
Clement
of Alexandria
That
Scripture counsels marriage, however, and never allows any release from the
union is expressly contained in the law: "You shall not divorce a wife,
except for reason of immorality." And it regards as adultery the marriage
of a spouse, while the one from whom a separation was made is still alive.
"Whoever takes a divorced woman as wife commits adultery," it says:
"for if anyone divorces his wife, he debauches her"; that is, he
compels her to commit adultery. And not only does he that divorces her become
the cause of this, but also he that takes the woman and gives her the
opportunity of sinning; for if he did not take her, she would return to her
husband (Miscellanies 2:23:145:3 [A.D. 208]).
Origen
Just
as a woman is an adulteress, even though she seems to be married to a man,
while a former husband yet lives, so also the man who seems to marry her [and]
who has been divorced does not marry her, but, according to the declaration of
our Savior, he commits adultery with her (Commentaries on Matthew 14:24 [A.D.
248]).
Council
of Elvira
Likewise,
a woman of the faith [i.e., a baptized person] who has left an adulterous
husband of the faith and marries another, her marrying in this manner is
prohibited. If she has so married, she may not at any more receive communion -
unless he that she has left has since departed from this world (canon 9 [A.D.
324]).
If
she whom a catechumen [an unbaptized person studying the faith] has left shall
have married a husband, she is able to be admitted to the fountain of baptism.
This shall also be observed in the instance where it is the woman who is the
catechumen. But if a woman of the faithful is taken in marriage by a man who
left an innocent wife, and if she knew that he had a wife whom he had left
without cause, it is determined that Communion is not to be given to her even
at death (canon 10).
Ambrose
of Milan
No
one is permitted to know a woman other than his wife. The marital right is
given you for this reason: lest you fall into the snare and sin with a strange
woman. "If you are bound to a wife, do not seek a divorce"; for you
are not permitted, while your wife lives, to marry another (Abraham 1:7:59 [A.D.
387]).
Jerome
You
dismiss your wife, therefore, as if by right and without being charged with
wrong doing and you suppose it is proper for you to do so because no human law forbids
it; but divine law forbids it. Anyone who obeys men ought to stand in awe of
God. Hear the law of the Lord, which even they who propose our laws must obey:
"What God has joined together let no man put asunder" (Commentary on
Luke 8:5 [A.D. 396]).
Jerome
Wherever
there is fornication and a suspicion of fornication a wife is freely dismissed.
Because it is always possible that someone may calumniate the innocent and, for
the sake of a second joining in marriage, act in criminal fashion against the first,
it is commanded that when the first wife is dismissed a second may not be taken
while the first lives (Commentaries on Matthew 3:19:9 [A.D. 398]).
Pope
Innocent I
[T]he
practice is observed by all of regarding as an adulteress a woman who marries a
second time while her husband yet lives, and permission to do penance is not
granted her until one of them is dead (Letters 2:13:15 [A.D. 408]).
Augustine
Neither
can it rightly be held that a husband who dismisses his wife because of
fornication and marries another does not commit adultery. For there is also
adultery on the part of those who, after the repudiation of their former wives
because of fornication, marry others. This adultery, nevertheless, is certainly
less serious than that of men who dismiss their wives for reasons other than
fornication and take other wives. Therefore, when we say; "Whoever marries
a woman dismissed by her husband for reason other than fornication commits
adultery," undoubtedly we speak the truth. But we do not thereby acquit of
this crime the man who marries a woman who was dismissed because of
fornication. We do not doubt in the least that both are adulterers. We do
indeed pronounce him an adulterer who dismissed his wife for cause other than
fornication and marries another, nor do we thereby defend from the taint of
this sin the man who dismissed his wife because of fornication and marries
another. We recognize that both are adulterers, though the sin of one is graver
than that of the other. No one is so unreasonable to say that a man who marries
a woman whose husband has dismissed her because of fornication is not an
adulterer, while maintaining that a man who marries a woman dismissed without
the ground of fornication is an adulterer. Both of these men are guilty of adultery
(Adulterous Marriages 1:9:9 [A.D. 419]).
Now
that the Scripture counsels marriage, and allows no release from the union, is
expressly contained in the law, 'Thou shalt not put away thy wife, except for
the cause of fornication;' and it regards as fornication, the marriage of those
separated while the other is alive. Not to deck and adorn herself beyond what
is becoming, renders a wife free of calumnious suspicion while she devotes
herself assiduously to prayers and supplications; avoiding frequent departures
from the house, and shutting herself up as far as possible from the view of all
not related to her, and deeming housekeeping of more consequence than
impertinent trifling. 'He that taketh a woman that has been put away,' it is
said, 'committeth adultery; and if one puts away his wife, he makes her an
adulteress,' that is, compels her to commit adultery. And not only is he who
puts her away guilty of this, but he who takes her, by giving to the woman the
opportunity of sinning; for did he not take her, she would return to her
husband." Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, 2:24 (A.D. 202).
"Then,
describing what ought to be in the case of those who are joined together by
God, so that they may be joined together in a manner worthy of God, the Saviour
adds, 'So that they are no more twain;' and, wherever there is indeed concord,
and unison, and harmony, between husband and wife, when he is as ruler and she
is obedient to the word, 'He shall rule over thee,' then of such persons we may
truly say, 'They are no more twain.' Then since it was necessary that for 'him
who was joined to the Lord,' it should be reserved 'that he should become one
spirit with Him,' in the case of those who are joined together by God, after
the words, 'So that they are no more twain,' it is said, 'but one flesh.' And
it is God who has joined together the two in one so that they are no more
twain, from the time that the woman is married to the man. And, since God has
joined them together, on this account in the case of those who are joined
together by God, there is a 'gift'; and Paul knowing this, that marriage
according to the Word of God was a 'gift,' like as holy celibacy was a gift,
says, 'But I would that all men were like myself; howbeit, each man hath his
own gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that.' And those
who are joined together by God both mind and keep the precept, 'Husbands love
your wives, as Christ also the church.' The Saviour then commanded, 'What God
hath joined together, let not man put asunder,' but man wishes to put asunder
what God hath joined together, when, "falling away from the sound faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, through the hypocrisy
of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron,
forbidding," not only to commit fornication, but 'to marry,' he dissolves
even those who had been before joined together by the providence of God. Let
these things then be said, keeping in view what is expressly said concerning
the male and the female, and the man and the woman, as the Saviour taught in
the answer to the Pharisees." Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 14:16( post
A.D. 244).
"'What
therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.' See a teacher's
wisdom. I mean, that being asked, Is it lawful? He did not at once say, It is
not lawful, lest they should be disturbed and put in disorder, but before the
decision by His argument He rendered this manifest, showing that it is itself
too the commandment of His Father, and that not in opposition to Moses did He
enjoin these things, but in full agreement with him. But mark Him arguing
strongly not from the creation only, but also from His command. For He said
not, that He made one man and one woman only, but that He also gave this command
that the one man should be joined to the one woman. But if it had been His will
that he should put this one away, and bring in another, when He had made one
man, He would have formed many Women. But now both by the manner of the
creation, and by the manner of lawgiving, He showed that one man must dwell
with one woman continually, and never break off from her." John
Chrysostom, On Matthew 62:1 (A.D. 370).
"There
is hardly anything more deadly than being married to one who is a stranger to
the faith ,where the passions of lust and dissension and the evils of sacrilege
are inflamed. Since the marriage ceremony ought to be sanctified by the
priestly veiling and blessing, how can that be called a marriage ceremony where
there is no agreement in faith?" Ambrose, To Vigilius, Letter 19:7 (A.D.
385).
Jesus
revealed that Moses allowed divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 as a temporary
provision because of the "hardness of their hearts" (Matthew 19:7-9).
But Jesus restored God's original plan of indissoluble marriage (Matthew
19:3-9); therefore, Traditional Orthodoxy continues to teach that a valid
marriage between a baptized man and baptized woman cannot be dissolved for any
reason except death. It can't be ended by a civil divorce.
Matthew
19:4-6, 9 - "the two shall become one flesh ... what God has joined
together, no human being must separate" ... to divorce a wife and to
remarry is adultery
Mark
10:9 - "what God has joined together, no human being must separate"
Mark
10:11-12 - if either man or woman divorces and remarries they commit adultery
1
Corinthians 7:10-11 - a wife must not be separated from her husband or if she
has already left him, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her
husband and a husband must not divorce his wife.
Matthew
5:31-32 - (Divorce causes adultery; those who marry divorce women commit
adultery)
Mark
10:11-12 - "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits
adultery"
Luke
16:18 - Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of
adultery, and the man who marries a woman divorced by her husband commits
adultery.
Romans
7:2-3 - A married woman, for instance, is bound to her husband by law, as long
as he lives, but when her husband dies all her legal obligation to him as
husband is ended. So if she were to have relations with another man while her
husband was still alive, she would be termed an adulteress; but if her husband
dies, her legal obligation comes to an end and if she then has relations with
another man, that does not make her an adulteress
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