Body: | What did early Christians believe about...?
(Before 400 AD)
Uninspired records of how early Christians worshipped and what doctrine
they believed!
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Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage
(MDR)
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151 AD Justin Martyr "In regard to chastity, [Jesus] has-this to
say: 'If anyone look with lust at a woman, he has already before God
committed adultery in his heart.' And, 'Whoever marries a woman who has
been divorced from another husband, commits adultery.' According to our
Teacher, just as they are sinners who contract a second marriage, even
though it be in accord with human law, so also are they sinners who look
with lustful desire at a woman. He repudiates not only one who actually
commits adultery, but even one who wishes to do so; for not only our
actions are manifest to God, but even our thoughts" (First Apology 15).
208 AD Clement of Alexandria "That Scripture counsels marriage,
however, and never allows any release from the union, is expressly
contained in the law: 'You shall not divorce a wife, except for reason of
immorality.' And it regards as adultery the marriage of a spouse, while the
one from whom a separation was made is still alive. 'Whoever takes a
divorced woman as wife commits adultery,' it says; for 'if anyone divorce
his wife, he debauches her'; that is, he compels her to commit adultery.
And not only does he that divorces her become the cause of this, but also
he that takes the woman and gives her the opportunity of sinning; for if he
did not take her, she would return to her husband" (Miscellanies
2:23:145:3).
248 AD Origen "Just as a woman is an adulteress, even though she
seem to be married to a man, while a former husband yet lives, so also the
man who seems to marry her who has been divorced does not marry her, but,
according to the declaration of our Savior, he commits adultery with her"
(Commentaries on Matthew 14:24).
300 AD Council of Elvira "Likewise, women who have left their
husbands for no prior cause and have joined themselves with others, may not
even at death receive communion" (canon 8).
387 AD Ambrose of Milan "No one is permitted to know a woman other
than his wife. The marital right is given you for this reason: lest you
fall into the snare and sin with a strange woman. 'If you are bound to a
wife do not seek a divorce'; for you are not permitted, while your wife
lives, to marry another." (Abraham 1:7:59).
389 AD Ambrose of Milan "You dismiss your wife, therefore, as if by
right and without being charged with wrongdoing; and you suppose it is
proper for you to do so because no human law forbids it; but divine law
forbids it. Anyone who obeys men ought to stand in awe of God. Hear the law
of the Lord, which even they who propose our laws must obey: 'What God has
joined together let no man put asunder"' (Commentary on Luke 8:5).
398 AD Jerome "Wherever there is fornication and a suspicion of
fornication, a wife is freely dismissed. Because it is always possible that
someone may calumniate the innocent and, for the sake of a second joining
in marriage, act in criminal fashion against the first, it is commanded
that when the first wife is dismissed a second may not be taken while the
first lives" (Commentaries on Matthew 3:19:9).
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