Discussion on Marriage and Divorce – Part 7 Final

 

Previous Articles

1. The No Divorce / No Remarriage Position.
2. The contribution of Church History
3. What is the "exception clause"?
4. Why Matthew is the key text?
5. Jesus’ Teaching on Divorce and Re-Marriage
6. Paul’s Contribution to the Argument

 The question that is yet to be considered is, “How does divorce and re-marriage impact the calling of elders and deacons in the service of the Church?”  We read, “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife. . .”^[1] and “Let deacons each be the husband of one wife. . ..”^[2]

 “The emphasis is on the word μία, “one.”^[3]  Common interpretations include:

A. The man must be married.

B. The man must not have more than one wife at a time (polygamy/concubine).

C. The man can only have been married once (not widowed/divorced and remarried).

D. The man must be faithful to his wife. 

Most people dismiss A. because Paul and Timothy would not have been eligible. It collides with Paul’s teaching that marriage is a good and desirable ambition (1 Corinthians 7).   In regards to interpretation B., there appears to be good support for this in Paul’s pastoral epistles. As this characteristic heads the list of elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, there is some cause to suggest that marital unfaithfulness was a serious problem in the Ephesian church, at least. One might wonder though why Paul was so vague.  He certainly could have said what he meant. 

That a man only be married once is also problematic.  It overlooks the teaching that Paul previously gave where he encourages re-marriage (1 Corinthians 7; and 1 Timothy 5:14). It begs the question as to why he would withhold that option for Elders.   Some divide the issue and suggest that it only refers to divorce, not death. But an honest expositor sees that one must “read that into the text” to arrive at such a conclusion.  The best help we can get is actually found in 1 Timothy: 

“Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work.” (1 Timothy 5:9–10, ESV) 

Here Paul applies the same qualification of “wife of one husband” to those widows that are “enrolled” in the Church.  The precision of the phrase demands that it means the same thing in this Letter.  It cannot mean polygamy for the idea of a woman have multiple husbands at the same time is absurd. We are left with two reasonable options: 

1. Either Paul was prohibiting remarriage of any nature to the offices of Elder, Deacon or Enrolled Widow; or

2. Paul was emphasizing marital faithfulness.  

The esteemed expositor Dr. George W. Knight provides a helpful conclusion: 

“This characteristic, like the others, is the result of God’s grace in Christ (cf. especially 3:6, 9) and thus has reference to a man’s status and conduct from the time of his conversion. So just as one is called on to look back on a widow’s earlier life (when she was living with her husband) to ascertain her marital and sexual fidelity in having been “the wife of one husband” (5:9), so also (cf. 5:22, 24, 25) for the bishop (3:2) and deacon (3:12): One must look back over his life from the time of his conversion to ascertain his marital and sexual fidelity in having been “the husband of one wife.”^[4] 

In other words, since this man has come to faith in Christ, can his life, single or married be characterized as honoring and valuing of the marriage covenant.  You will notice that I add the relationship single for marriage integrity includes the chastity and respect that a single man must exercise toward all women (“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12, ESV); and “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.” (1 Timothy 5:1–2, ESV). 

It is exegetically unsound and impermissible for an interpreter to assume that μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα, “one wife husband” denies all eligible candidates to the office of Elder.  It requires eisegesis on the part of the interpreter and as noted in previous articles, the issue of divorce and re-marriage is not an absolute prohibition without exceptions.  It seems unreasonable that Paul would make it so in the case of Elders. Dr. Howard Marshall writes, 

“It is positive in tone and stresses faithfulness in marriage, rather than prohibiting some specific unsanctioned form of marriage.”^[5] 

Dr. John MacArthur gives good counsel: “This says nothing about marriage or divorce . . . The issue is not the elder’s marital status, but his moral and sexual purity. This qualification heads the list, because it is in this area that leaders are most prone to fail . . . If there has been a biblically permitted divorce, it must have been so far in the past as to have been overcome by a long pattern of solid family leadership and the rearing of godly children.”^[6] 

The most prudent of congregations will examine the life of a converted, qualified man to the office of Elder.  If he is single, widowed or biblically divorced (see Articles 1-6) his life ought to reflect a sustained and consistent life of sexual purity and relational honor to the opposite gender.  That is the most exegetically faithful understanding of the text.

 

 

 

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^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Ti 3:2). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

^[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Ti 3:12). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

^[3] Mounce, W. D. (2000). Pastoral Epistles (Vol. 46, p. 170). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

^[4] Knight, G. W. (1992). The Pastoral Epistles: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 159). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

^[5] Marshall, I. H., & Towner, P. H. (2004). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Pastoral Epistles (p. 478). London; New York: T&T Clark International.

^[6] MacArthur, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1864). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.