To Marry or Not To Marry: The Permanence of Marriage

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/divorce-remarriage-i-the-permanence-of-marriage/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><ol><li>Harsh treatment of women, children, and the vulnerable in OT times: infanticide, abortion, disrespect of women.</li><li>Divorce was easy and favored the man.<ol><li>Worse, abandoned women could be "reclaimed" by their husbands.</li><li>In the Middle Assyrian laws, a woman abandoned could remarry, but only after a 5-year wait.</li></ol></li><li>The 1st century world of the Roman Empire<ol><li>Divorce <i>(divortium)</i> = separation</li><li>Remarriage was a duty / expectation<ol><li>Roman law, 18 BC<ol><li>Augustine's laws, the <i>Lex Julia de Maritandis Ordinibus</i> (i8 a.c.F..) and<i> Lex Papia Poppaea Nuptialis</i> (9 s.c.E.), which were later merged into a single text <i>(Lex Julia et Papia).</i></li><li>Made it a duty of all Roman men age 25-60 and Roman women age 20-50 to be married. Widows could remain unmarried for two years, and divorcees for 18 months, but then they were expected to remarry.</li><li>Extent of enforcement outside of Rome, Italy, or Roman cities and colonies?</li></ol></li></ol></li><li>Laws concerning remarriage were strikingly different in Judaism<ol><li>There was is no time limit, making it far easier for the wife to find security in another husband.</li><li>Jewish men write out a divorce certificate (Deut 24). This created greater rights for women with respect to marriage and remarriage, especially because of the clean break provided by the divorce certificate. The wording of this document ended: "You are now free to marry any man you wish."</li><li>Note: The OT assumes polygamy and divorce, and neither is criticized.</li></ol></li><li>Four Jewish expectations that went beyond the demands of the Torah<ol><li>All must marry.</li><li>Marriages must result in offspring. If not, the man could divorce his wife and try to reach this end through a new wife.</li><li>Those widowed or divorced ha