In Mark 6:18 we read--”For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.” Herod was indeed living in adultery, and he had unlawfully (in violation of God’s law) divorced his wife and caused Herodias to leave her husband and be joined unto himself.
We know that there is one and only one reason which allows us to divorce and retain the privilege to marry again, and that is for our spouse to commit fornication.--”And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matthew 19:9). This states the law on divorce-- Whosoever puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery, and she whom he marries also commits adultery. This states also the exception to the law-- He who puts away his wife for fornication (that is, because she is guilty of fornication) and marries another (who is eligible to be married) does not commit adultery.
John had a fearful task in preaching such truth to so powerful a man, and he felt the full force of the vengeance of this man’s wife for doing what was his to do: she had him executed! Was there something else he could have said or done? Some say that he could have compromised, and I suppose he could have -- but he would have sinned in so doing.
Some say that we should not stand for the truth of Matthew 19:9, suggesting that it would be better if we compromised, but would we be any less guilty for so doing? Of course not! No matter how unpleasant, we must remember that we did not write the New Testament, and we do not have the right to change it! Preach the word. We serve the same God as did John, and we need to be as faithful to Him as he was.
Tim Smith 1272 Enon Road, Webb, AL 36376 (334) 899-8131
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