Divorce and remarriage in the Bible : the social and literary context
"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."
xi, 355 pages ; 24 cm
9780802849434, 0802849431
48662469
The ancient Near East : marriage is a contract
The Pentateuch : the divorce certificate allows remarriage
The later prophets : breaking marriage vows is condemned
Intertestamental period : increasing rights for women
Rabbinic teaching : increasing grounds for divorce
Jesus' teaching : divorce on biblical grounds only
Paul's teaching : biblical grounds include neglect
Marriage vows : vows inherited from the Bible and Judaism
History of divorce : interpretations in church history
Modern reinterpretations : different ways to understand the biblical text
Pastoral conclusions : reversing institutionalized misunderstandings