On Sun 22 Apr 2001 (17:24:17), hholmyard@ont.com wrote: > I always appreciate your wise words, Ben, but I think a simpler > interpretation is better here. ... and I yours, Harold. Occam's Razor operates here as elsewhere. 8-) ISTM that a *Christian* couple (mixed marriages are dealt with in the following verses) should not separate merely because Paul advises them that it is better to be AGAMOI. AGAMOI includes widows, widowers and divorced people who just happen currently to be "not married", as well as spinsters and bachelors. Luke's rigorist divorce quotation from our Lord does not include the Matthaean Exception; but that does not mean that Matthew or an editor added it later to soften things down. It was just that Jesus did not wish to be a referee between the Hillel and Shammai camps, who were asking him for a ruling. It was their hardness of heart that was the root problem. As Paul does not specify *which* Dominical Saying he is alluding to, we can only infer which is the more likely. My point was that if there is no *cause* for a divorce, then pious couples who wish to take a vow of celibacy for religious reasons, should *not* get a divorce. No adultery, no divorce. Remarriage is not in view here. Paul's advice was only for the present emergency DIA THN ENESTWSAN ANAGKHN (verse 26). Otherwise, he was countermanding the Creation and post-Flood ordinance to be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth (Genesis 1:28, 9:1). That also was a Word from the LORD. ERRWSQE Ben -- Revd Ben Crick, BA CF 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK) http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm --- B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [jwrobie@mindspring.com] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-327Q@franklin.oit.unc.edu To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu