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From the beginningDivorce and remarriageCounsel of despairFROM THE BEGINNING This book seeks to refute Maurice Roberts, Stephen Clarke, John Murray, the recent work of Instone-Brewer, the Reformers, the Puritans and the Westminster Confession! This might lead one to expect a scholarly and cutting-edge exegesis, but, on the contrary, the Bible is wrested to support already preconceived conclusions. His thesis is that the marriage bond is only dissoluble by the death of a spouse and not even adultery is grounds for a divorce that permits remarriage. To maintain this position he has to explain away the teaching of Moses, Jesus and Paul. He does this by quoting the words of Jesus (the title of the book), ‘But from the beginning it was not so’. He argues that the teaching of Moses is abrogated by these words, but fails to explain why the problem of ‘hard hearts’ has miraculously disappeared (Matthew 19.8-9)! He secondly has to explain away the exceptive clause of Matthew 5.31-32. He argues that, in the case of adultery, the exceptive clause permits divorce but not remarriage, which means that the divorce envisaged is not really biblical divorce but merely separation. This issue is helpfully addressed and answered by Colin Hamer in his book (available on-line) Divorce and the Bible. He, thirdly, has to explain away the teaching of Paul in 1 Corinthians 7. He argues that the words ‘not bound’ have nothing to do with the marriage bond (the natural meaning) but rather refer to not being in bondage to guilt when a spouse deserts and not feeling bound to continually pursue one’s absent partner. He recognises that this position on divorce and remarriage will raise massive problems among new converts for they can only find admission into the church when they truly repent. By this he means one has to leave one’s new spouse and children and be united to one’s first spouse or remain celibate. This is a recipe for social chaos. He does not seem to accept the biblical doctrine of forgiveness or believe that conversion is a brand new start, wiping the slate clean. This is not a helpful book. It adds nothing to the debate on these important issues; it offers only a counsel of despair. There is no hope for all who enter here. Trevor A. Baker,
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